Nagahama Inazuma

Nagahama Inazuma is a blended malt from Nagahama Distillery, a small pot-still operation opened in 2016 in a brewpub on the shores of Lake Biwa in Shiga prefecture. The Inazuma name, meaning lightning, identifies this as a distinct line within Nagahama's blended malt portfolio. This NAS expression is produced for the Japanese domestic market and bottled at 47%, with no bottling year recorded for this release.

Without a secondary cask finish, the whisky relies on Ex-Bourbon maturation alone for its character. In line with the lighter side of Nagahama's house style, bourbon barrel aging typically gives vanilla sweetness, fresh orchard fruit and a gentle grain note, without the darker dried fruit or heavier wood influence a sherry or wine finish would add. The result is a clean, accessible blended malt well suited to the domestic market, where the lighter style is well established.