Six years have passed since the Nagahama Distillery started operation, and in the spirit of the distillery’s concept of “one brew, one barrel,” one barrel is brewed per day. This single malt whisky is blended by carefully selecting only the finest malt whisky from among the original whisky stored in the maturing cellar.
The casks used are Oloroso sherry casks, KOVAL whisky casks, Islay quarter casks, and bourbon quarter casks. Nagahama Distillery blends these casks with the technology and experience cultivated in “AMAHAGAN” to create this bottle of their best.
1. Manufacturer
Nagahama Roman Beer Co.
| Establishment | 1995 (Heisei 7) |
| Head office | 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 (Heisei 28) |
Nagahama Distillery, one of the smallest distilleries in Japan, is located in the northern part of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture and has both a craft beer brewery and a restaurant. Few distilleries, including major whiskey distilleries, have restaurants attached to them, and when it comes to craft whiskey distilleries, they are very rare.
The unique shape of the pot stills installed in the distillery reminds us of the very origin of whiskey making.
Nagahama Distillery was originally a rice warehouse from the Edo period (1603-1868), and began making beer in 1996. Later, in 2016, facilities for whiskey production 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 pot stills for first distillation and one for redistillation, and the heating system is an alambic type pot still shaped like an indirect steam gourd, a pot still often used for distilling brandy. Among Japanese craft distilleries, Nagahama Distillery is the only one currently using this alambic type pot still. One of the characteristics of this distillery is that it has the advantage of producing a clear, soft liquor with little miscellaneous taste.
Trial and error has been repeated between the establishment of the distillery and the present. Major changes include a change in the malt crush ratio and a change in fermentation time, which was initially 60 hours but has now been increased to 72 hours. Also, the number of distillers was increased from two to three. When the distillery was founded, the first distillation vessel had a capacity of 1,000 liters and the redistillation vessel had a capacity of 500 liters, but the redistillation vessel was also replaced, and all three distillation vessels are now 1,000 liters. Also, following the example of Scottish distilleries, the redistillation kettles are rarely cleaned. We have made many changes in the roughly four years since our founding, including the following.
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- Image source: Nagahama Distillery Official Facebook
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- Image source: Nagahama Distillery Official Facebook
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- Image source: Nagahama Distillery Official Facebook
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- Image source: Nagahama Distillery Official Facebook
Reference: Whisky｜Nagahama Roman Beer
For more information about Nagahama Distillery, please also see this article.
3. Product name and photo
Single Malt Nagahama THE SECOND BATCH
Single Malt Nagahama The Second Batch 
4. Characteristics
The second single malt vatted only from the distillery’s own original distillate.
We are very pleased to introduce to you a new single malt made exclusively from Nagahama Distillery’s original distillate, following the release of “THE FIRST BATCH” in October 2022. We are very pleased to be able to offer you a new single malt made exclusively from Nagahama Distillery’s original sake.
In the spirit of “one brew, one barrel,” we have carefully selected only the finest malt from among the original bottles in our aging cellar to produce this new product. The key malt is the rich, dark, and richly flavored whiskey that is the key ingredient in the AMAHAGAN.
The rich and mellow flavor of the Nagahama sherry casks, the key malt, mingles with the other malts to create an elegant yet somehow melancholy balance. We hope you will enjoy it to your heart’s content.
Tasting Notes
| Aroma | Grapefruit, toast, bacon |
| Taste | Buttery, berry richness, toasty aroma |
| Aftertaste | Sourness and herbal bitterness linger pleasantly from behind the sweetness. |
4-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol content | 50% alcohol by volume |
| Distillate | Single malt Japanese whisky |
| Cask type | Oloroso sherry casks, KOVAL whisky casks, Islay quarter casks, Bourbon quarter casks |
| Volume | 500ml |
| Number of bottles sold | Limited to 13,000 bottles |
| Suggested retail price | 11,000 yen (tax included) |
| Release date | May 16, 2023 |
5. Awards
No awards received at this time.
6. Price
6-1. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price
| Product name | Single Malt Nagahama THE SECOND BATCH |
| Capacity | 500ml |
| Suggested Retail Price | Tax included: 11,000 yen |
6-2. Resale price on Mercari
Resale price on Mercari 12,500-15,000 yen (*5/18/2023). (*As of 5/18/2023)
6-3. Yahoo Auction Sold Price
We were unable to confirm any listings on Yahoo! Auctions. (*As of 5/18/2023)
6-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
Also on mail order sites, 13,000 to 18,000 yen.(*As of 5/18/2023)
6-5. Prices offered at BAR Shinkai
At BAR Shinkai, which this site operates, 45ml: 4,950 yen, 30ml: 3,300 yen, 15ml: 1,650 yen The price per glass is 45ml: 4,950 yen, 30ml: 3,300 yen, 15ml: 1,650 yen.
https://jpwhisky.net/about/barshinkai/
7. Summary
The aroma is a mix of sweet and sour fruit and savory aroma. The taste is slightly oily, berry-like and slightly smoky. The aftertaste gradually changes from sweetness to a refreshing herbal bitterness.
Like the previous Nagahama First, it has a rounded mouthfeel that does not remind one of its 50% alcohol content. The taste is characterized by its depth of flavor with a moderate change in taste. The subtle peat aroma is a nice accent, and the lingering finish is sweet and bittersweet.
It is a bottle that shows the high quality of Nagahama Distillery’s single malt.
Please check out our other articles about Nagahama Distillery.
https://en.jpwhisky.net/2022/10/21/nagahama_first-2/
https://en.jpwhisky.net/2022/08/18/inazuma_extraselected_no3-2/
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.
