Capacity: 700ml
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 47%

The practice of exchanging base wines between distilleries to enrich the flavor profiles of spirits has a long history in countries like Scotland. However, in the history of Japanese whiskey, for various reasons, there has been no tradition of exchanging base wines between distilleries. Nagahama Distillery and Saburao Distillery have broken this mold unprecedentedly. After exchanging base wines, the two distilleries blended four different whiskies using distinct production methods. What kind of synergy will emerge from the collaboration between these two distilleries? Today, let's start by tasting the Nagahama-produced INAZUMA Extra Selected.

This whisky is blended and bottled by Nagahama Distillery, with Nagahama Bourbon whiskey as the mainstay, Saburoumaru peated Bourbon whiskey as a supplement, and partially brewed with Sauternes, limited to 6,000 bottles. Inazuma means lightning, known in Japanese as "Daidaimatsu." The etymology of Daidaimatsu is very romantic. Japanese farmers saw that rice would start to head after the thunderstorm in summer, so they used Daidaimatsu to describe the close friendship between lightning and rice. Nagahama Distillery named it after Daidaimatsu, which shows that it attaches great importance to the cooperative relationship with Saburoumaru.

NAGAHAMA DISTILLERY IS LOCATED IN SHIGA PREFECTURE, WHERE LAKE BIWA IS HOME TO THE NATIONALLY FAMOUS DREAMY ATTRACTION, THE MARINE TORII (MAKES YOU REALLY WANT TO TRAVEL THERE). THE WINE LABEL IS ALSO THEMED AROUND THIS, WITH TWO OF THE REGION'S COMMON JAPANESE WHITE-EYES FLYING BY THE SHORES OF LAKE BIWA. LOOKING INTO THE BODY OF THE BOTTLE, ONE CAN EVEN SEE A GRACEFUL RED TORII FAINTLY VISIBLE IN THE BACK LABEL, AS IF TRULY VISITING THE MARINE TORII. IT'S FULL OF CREATIVITY AND THOUGHTFULNESS!

Take a taste. The aroma has the scent of green apple and heather, with no trace of peat at all. In terms of flavor, this wine has a very Amahagen style. It has a full-bodied texture, with the wheat aroma and the sweet aroma of treacle being quite prominent. However, the fruitiness is stronger than that of the average Nagahama wine, with a hint of green apple and peach flavors. There is no spiciness of new wine at all. The finish has a subtle peatiness and a slight sense of tannins, with a moderate aftertaste. It is a well-balanced wine!

THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TWO DISTILLERIES HAS INDEED BROUGHT A LOT OF FRESHNESS AND INTERESTING FLAVORS, AND IT HAS ALSO OPENED UP INFINITE POSSIBILITIES FOR JAPANESE WHISKY. UNDER THE NEW STANDARDS OF JAPANESE WHISKY, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT STYLES FROM COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN DISTILLERIES WILL CONTINUE TO EMERGE, ALSO OPENING A NEW CHAPTER FOR JAPANESE WHISKY.