Hishida Distillery, a whisky distillery operated by Tensei Shuzo Co., Ltd.(Headquarters: Soo-gun, Kagoshima Prefecture), will release its first official bottle, Hishida Distillery Newborn Prelude I, on March 11, 2025 (Tuesday).
Established by Kagoshima-based shochu maker Tensei Shuzo, which has been in business for over 120 years, the Hishida Distillery began operations in November 2022. The brewing water is the same Hishida water used for shochu, and is one of the top-class ultra-soft water in Kagoshima Prefecture. whisky is made in the same brewery that was originally used to make potato shochu, and not only malt whisky but also grain whisky made with round barley is produced.
1．Hishida Distillery Newborn Prelude I
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１－１. product information
This product is a “new-born” made from sake that has been aged for less than three years, and the warm climate of the Osumi Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture gives it a rich character even at a short maturity. The malt and grain alcohol selected from among them is carefully blended under the supervision of Yusuke Yahisa, chief blender at our sister distillery, Nagahama Distillery (Shiga Prefecture).
Image source: makuake
１－２. Product specs
| Product name | Hishida Distillery Newborn Prelude I |
| Standard | Newborn |
| Ingredients | Malt (British, German), Grain (domestic) |
| Volume | 700ml |
| Alcohol content | 47% alcohol by volume |
| Bottling quantity | 3,000 bottles |
| Suggested Retail Price | 5,000 yen + tax |
１－３．Tasting Notes
| Color | Bright amber, warm golden color |
| Nose | Sweet and fresh aroma of freshly baked apple cake, cinnamon, and grapefruit. There are also nostalgic notes of cigars, tea leaves, and fallen leaves. |
| Taste | Rich dark chocolate and woody accents derived from oak. |
| Aftertaste | A sweet aftertaste like vanilla bean lingers for a long time. |
２．About Hishida Distillery
In 1901, Sadanobu Matsunaga I founded a sake brewery in Hishida, Osaki-cho, the current location of the distillery, and in 1954, Sadao Matsunaga III established a joint-stock company. Later, in 2022, the Hishida Distillery, a whisky production division, was established on the same site, and the company continues to take on the challenge of delivering distilled spirits that are loved by people in Japan and abroad.
This malt and grain whisky distillery on the Oosumi Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture is brewed with ultra-soft water from the Fugendo Spring, which was selected as one of the 100 best water sources in the Heisei Era.
Image source: Hishida Distillery Newborn Prelude I |Press Release
Image source: Hishida Distillery Newborn Prelude I |Press Release
~About the brewing water “Hishida’s underground water~
Hishida Distillery is Fugendo Spring, which has been selected as one of the 100 best waters of the Heisei Era. The “Hishida groundwater” we use for brewing is said to be the softest water in the prefecture.
Kagoshima Prefecture is a volcanic area, and the water that flows through it contains many minerals that are characteristic of volcanic zones. However, “Hishida’s underground water” is soft water (hardness 46) that does not contain many minerals because it is polished not only by the 80-meter layer of silt that has fallen, but also by the sand and gravel layer below it. The role of “brewing water” is extremely important in the production of alcohol and greatly affects the quality of sake.
This “Hishida’s underground water” is known as the unique sake water in Kagoshima Prefecture, and although there were many sake breweries concentrated in Hishida during the Meiji period, today Tensei Shuzo is the only brewery in the area.
We aim to use this wonderful water to produce whisky with a soft and smooth taste.Reference: [Hishida Distillery]｜makuake
Image source: [Hishida Distillery]｜makuake
２－１. Company Profile
| Company Name | Tensei Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Representative | Masayuki Moritou |
| Address | 1270 Hishida, Osaki-cho, Soo-gun, Kagoshima |
3. at the end
Since its first distillation in November 2022, Hishida Distillery has been producing malt and grain whisky, and this product traces the history of Hishida Distillery from its establishment to the present.
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