“AMAHAGAN Atomizer Heavy Peated”will be released on March 15, 2022 from Nagahama Distillery, Nagahama Roman Beer Co. in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture.
In line with the catchphrase, “One push and the chase peat“ the AMAHAGAN Atomizer is bottled in a perfume atomizer with approximately 50ppm of heavily peated base alcohol blended at the Nagahama distillery. They say you can feel the peat right away with just one push!
1. Manufacturer
Nagahama Roman Beer Co.
| Established | 1995 |
| Head office location | 14-1 Asahi-cho, Nagahama-shi, Shiga 526-0056 |
| Owned distillery | Nagahama Distillery |
2. Distillery
Nagahama Distillery
| Address | 14-1 Asahi-cho, Nagahama-shi, Shiga 526-0056 |
| Start of operation | November 1, 2016 |
Nagahama Distillery, one of the smallest in Japan, located in the northern part of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, is a craft beer brewery and restaurant. Few distilleries, including major whisky distilleries, have restaurants attached to them, and craft whisky distilleries are very rare.
The unique shape of the pot stills installed in the distillery reminds us of the very origin of whisky making.
Nagahama Distillery was originally a rice warehouse from the Edo period, which was renovated and started making beer in 1996. Later, in 2016, facilities for whisky making were installed. The building has a vaulted ceiling, with a saccharification tank and distiller on the first floor, and a crusher and fermentation tank on the second floor.
There are two first distillation and one redistillation pot stills, and the heating system is an alambic type pot still shaped like an indirect steam gourd, a pot still often used for brandy distillation. Among Japanese craft distilleries, only Nagahama Distillery currently uses this alambic type pot still. The feature of this distillery is that it has the merit of producing a clear, soft, and less cloying liquor.
Trial and error was repeated between the establishment of the distillery and now. Major changes include a change in the malt crush ratio and a change in the fermentation time, which was initially 60 hours but is now 72 hours. Also, the number of distillers was increased from two to three. When the company was founded, the first distillation kettle had a capacity of 1,000 liters and the redistillation kettle had a capacity of 500 liters, but the redistillation kettle was also replaced, and all three distillers are now 1,000 liters. The rest of the redistillation kettles are almost never cleaned, following the example of Scottish distilleries. We have made many changes in the roughly four years since our founding, including the following.
Quote: Whiskey｜Nagahama Romantic Beer
For more information about Nagahama Distillery, see also this article.
3. Product overview
taken from the official website of Nagahama Roman Beer
| Product Name | AMAHAGAN Atomizer Heavy Peated |
| Selling price | 2,000 yen (2,200 yen including tax) |
| Content quantity | 40ml |
| Ingredients | Malt |
| Alcohol content | 47％ |
| Release Date | March 15, 2022 |
| How to purchase | Sold at the official online store, at distributors, and at Nagahama Romantic Beer Restaurants. |
The new AMAHAGAN Atomizer Hefty Peated is a product that is full of the spirit of challenge that is so typical of the Nagahama Distillery. AMAHAGAN Atomizer is a new product that is full of the spirit of challenge that is typical of Nagahama Distillery. The blend was carefully crafted so that you can enjoy the peated flavor even with just one push.
Reference: Nagahama Romantic Beer official website
4. Method of use
One push injects about 0.15 ml, so one bottle can be used about 250 times. Use it on highballs, of course, but also on shochu or cocktails, and you’re sure to have an interesting drink!
And not just for booze, use it on oysters, cheese, and other snacks for an accent that takes it up a notch! The marriage of oysters and peaty whisky is especially wonderful, and because it is so easy to enjoy, this item is a must buy for oyster lovers in particular.
■ Please take a look at other products and articles from Nagahama Distillery.
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
