Nagahama Distillery was founded in 2016 and is the smallest distillery in Japan. It is located on the shores of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. This is also called "Mother Lake". The amount of water in the lake moderates the climate, which is very good for the maturation of the whisky. The blended whiskies Amahagan have their name directly from the distillery Nagahama. Because the word "Nagahama" means "Amahagan" upside down. The Amahagan Yamazakura Wood Finish is reminiscent of the Japanese spring. Yamazakura stands for mountains = yama and cherry blossom trees = sakura. The carefully selected whiskies, sourced from overseas, are blended with fine Nagahama Newmake and matured in the Far Eastern climate. The strong temperature difference creates a special kind of maturation, which is why the series is called World Malts. The production takes place in the smallest kettles in Japan. Distilling is done in a still called "aranbic", which follows an Arabic look. This whiskey is finished with a Yamazakura Wood finish. Tasting notes:Color: Light gold. Nose: Refreshing, intense, sweet, complex, notes of malt, cherry blossom, plum. Taste: Rich, balanced, sweet, floral, notes of sugar, orange peel. Finish: Long lasting, green tea.