Nagahama 5 Years Old 2017

Nagahama 5 Years Old 2017 is a single malt from Nagahama Distillery, a small pot-still operation opened in 2016 beside Lake Biwa in Shiga prefecture. Distilled in 2017 and bottled in 2022 at 50% for the Dutch market, it represents one of the earliest age-stated releases from a distillery known for working with an unusually wide range of wood during its short history. The use of multiple cask types in a single expression is deliberate and characteristic.

The maturation draws on four distinct cask types: Ex-Bourbon, Oloroso sherry, Ex-Islay and mizunara. The bourbon and sherry barrels contribute the foundation of vanilla, dried fruit and gentle spice, while Ex-Islay casks add a peaty maritime undercurrent from barrels previously used for heavily peated Scotch. Mizunara, Japan's native oak, layers in its signature sandalwood and incense character. At five years and at 50%, the integration of these elements shows what Nagahama's small stills can achieve in a relatively short time.