The Iiyama Mountain Farm Distillery is pioneering the evolution of Japanese whisky with an innovative farm-to-bottle approach
Not many have heard of The Iiyama Mountain Farm Distillery, but the independent distiller from Nagano is making waves in the spirit world. Pioneering the evolution of Japanese whisky with an innovative farm-to-bottle approach, it is on its way to releasing Kiyokawa Whisky, its very first single malt whisky this coming 2025.
Tucked away in the Japanese alps, where Japan’s most precious scenery remain untouched, the distillery enjoys a stunning locale, apart from the heavy snowfall and hot summers. Barley fields there can be buried under three metres of snow in the dead of winter. To create whisky directly from farm to bottle would be challenging in such a climate, but multiple attempts and failures gave way to success. With the help of a local scientist, they have created a hybrid mountain barley that would give its all—withstand extreme weather and provide everything that’s needed to create delicious whisky.
This barley is then used to create a malted barley mashbill, which is later distilled in state-of-the-art Frilli pot stills from Italy. Only fresh mountain spring water is used, and to add extra layers to the whisky, the new make spirit is matured in two different types of barrels: marsala casks from Italy and Oloroso sherry casks from Spain. The barrels are put through the changing seasons, where big atmospheric pressure changes result in a greater uptake of the wood’s flavour and natural colour.
Casks purchases of Kiyokawa Whisky (available on dekanta.com) come with sampling, a visit to the distillery and creation of your own independent bottling. Expect a warm and sweet palate with a floral, malty finish in the marsala-aged whisky, and a rich and complex palate with notes of raisin, black cherries and chocolate in the Oloroso.
