Tag Archives: Nagahama Single Malt Whisky

Nagahama Single Malt 2017-2020 3YO Oloroso Sherry Cask #0001 54.2%abv

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Nose: Red Grapes, plums, sourdough, raisins, mixed nuts. Orange slices, red apples, all spice. With water various coffee beans and quite aromatic.
Palate: Prunes, raisins, currants, sultanas, seared orange slices, red apples, all spice. Pepper, salt, roasted chestnuts, Brazil nuts. Full bodied. The fruits are jucier and more concentrated with water added.
Finish: Prunes, raisins, oak, coffee beans, cacao paste, red apple skins, chocolate thickshake. Very good length. More of the chocolate thickshake with water added.
Last Word: Another beauty from this young distillery. Every bit as good as #0149 with enough subtle difference to be worthwhile having both.

Rating: 90/100

Nagahama Single Malt 2017-2020 3YO Islay Quarter Cask #0272 Heavily Peated 58.6%abv

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Nose: You can smell this is Heavily Peated from a couple of feet away! If you’re familiar with many Japanese Heavily Peated Whiskies you’ll notice the backbone of bourbon cask sweeter elements. Pears, apples, honey, vanilla, lychees. The peat is of the briney and earthy kind. There’s is citrus notes of lemon and grapefruit. Some bushfire ash, burnt euchalyptus and wood shavings. Bread yeast with water added.
Palate: Punchy spices! Lemon cough drops, lychees, mango slices, vanilla bean, wood shavings, burnt euchalyptus. More tangy with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Lemon cough drops, vanilla, bonfire ash, spearmint, mentos, wood shavings. Even mintier with water added.
Last Word: Another solid effort from this new distiller. A bright future ahead indeed!

Rating: 88/100

Nagahama Single Malt 3YO 2017-2020 Oloroso Sherry Cask #0149 56.1%abv

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Nose: Plums, raisins, pepper, blood oranges, shoe/leather polish, pecans, brandy snaps, incense. With water some short black coffee and an extra dash of pepper. Composed and well balanced.
Palate: Juicy dried fruits of raisins, currents and plums. Pepper, maraschino cherries, licorice, ginger, nutmeg, blood oranges, dark chocolate. Nice balance of bitter and sweet. With water becomes sweeter overall with a dollop of dark honey and sticky toffee. Full bodied.
Finish: Cappuccino, raisins, mint, plums, pipe tobacco, pecan pie, cacao paste, dried papaya, oak. Water adds dark honey to the finish. Good length.
Last Word: Lots of classic sherry cask notes and flavors. Zero sulphur and excellent balance. More velvet glove than steel fist. Can definitely go toe to toe with some of the hyped and very expensive sherry cask whiskies from other Japanese Distilleries(which I tasted along side).

Rating: 90/100

Nagahama Single Malt 3YO 2017-2020 Mizunara Cask #0002 Lightly Peated 53.7%

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Nose: Starts on stone fruits such as peaches and apricots. Malt, dusty oak, stewed apples, nutmeg, vanilla. Earthy peat, sump oil, hospital disinfectant. There’s a floral element that presents with time, roses/carnations? Water enhances the floral note.
Palate: Mixed nuts, vanilla, grapefruit, pepper, oak, raisins, orange juice. Earthy peat and hospital disinfectant. Water adds some burnt apple pie crust.
Finish: Quite bitter, a mineral element and some drying oak. Water adds some tangy citrus and the earthy peat and hospital disinfectant make a return combined with mint candies and bonfire smoke.
Last Word: Nose shows a lot of promise but the the palate and finish are somewhat unbalanced on the bitter side. I do note that my palate felt quite sensitive/raw during this tasting so the score might have been a touch better on another day. Or, does Muzunara Oak and Peated Malt clash? I believe this may have been the first whisky I’ve tasted with this combination.

Rating: 81/100

Nagahama Single Malt 3YO 2016-2020 Bourbon Cask #0007 61.3%abv

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Nose: Sweet with lots of honey, vanilla, toffee chews, almonds. Tinned pears, apricot jam, white flowers, white grapes. There is also a decent amount of oak for a young whisky. Water brings out some brine, black olives & varnish.
Palate: A huge hit of wood spices! Surely a first fill cask. Quite mouth coating, not so much oiliness but butter/cream. Honey, toffee, tinned pears, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, Saville oranges, peanut brittle. Water brings out some sherbet zing. Medium bodied.
Finish: Nutmeg, leather, tobacco, baking spices, Danish pastry, oak. Water brings out a mineral element and white grape skins. Medium length.
Last Word: Really solid young whisky that basically says yep, we might be a new distillery, but we already know how to produce good whisky.

Rating: 85/100