Fermentation led entirely by sake yeast — the heart of a sake brewery’s craft.
What was long considered difficult due to compatibility with malt
is made possible here by applying sake-brewing wisdom,
including yeast-starter techniques and multi-stage fermentation methods.
By fermenting slowly at low temperatures, as in Ginjo brewing,
we draw out delicate floral notes and bright, elegant fruit aromas.
It is an attempt to pour the wisdom of Japanese brewing
into the Western-born form of whisky.

We use a Japanese-made stainless-steel still modified with copper elements,
designed for vacuum distillation.
Distilling at far lower temperatures helps preserve fragile aromatic compounds,
while reducing harsh notes — producing a spirit of clarity and precision.
It is a careful, meticulous distillation philosophy
aligned with the sensibility of Ginjo sake-making.

We adopt Ginjo rice flour — a byproduct of rice polishing in sake production —
as part of our grain bill.
Rice brings a soft, refined sweetness and umami to the spirit,
giving the whisky a distinctly Japanese contour found nowhere else.
The wisdom of valuing byproducts reflects
a long-standing Japanese ethos of sustainable making.

Maturation in Japanese “wa-casks,” made from domestic wood such as Nikko cedar,
remains an unexplored frontier in Japanese whisky.
It lends the spirit a fresh cedar aroma and a gentle sweetness,
shaping flavors that can be found nowhere else in the world.
This is an effort to open a new maturation culture
where Japan’s nature and craftsmanship converge.

Oyama’s dramatic temperature shifts on the plains,
Nikko’s cool forest climate, and Oya’s subterranean stone quarry cellars —
we combine maturation environments shaped by distinct terroirs.
Differences in temperature, humidity, and geology give the whisky layered expression,
depth, and complexity.
Though we are one distillery, our maturation embodies multiple terroirs.

Tochigi is Japan’s leading region for two-row barley production.
By actively using locally grown malt from this fertile grain belt,
we allow the land’s character to appear in the whisky.
It is a choice that expresses the pride of a “local whisky” —
one that reflects its place of origin.

Oyama City has long been blessed with groundwater fed by the Nikko mountain range,
tracing back to the sacred waters of Nikko Futarasan.
One reason sake brewing flourished here since the Edo period
is this moderately hard water — firm, yet balanced.
In sake, it supports elegant Ginjo aromatics;
in whisky, it brings refined structure and depth.
Our well — flowing continuously since the founding era —
still supports everything we make today.