Nagahama Distillery and a Shibuya bar release limited malt 'ENRO'

Nagahama Distillery in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, has teamed up with LOST, a cocktail bar in Shibuya, Tokyo, to create a limited-edition Japanese single malt whisky, ‘ENRO’, which went on sale on 15 September 2026. The name combines ‘en’, the bonds between people, with ‘ro’, the road that continues from them. The project turns the bar’s philosophy, in which travellers and locals of any nationality sit side by side at the same counter, into a single bottle of whisky.

A small distillery on the shores of Lake Biwa

Nagahama Distillery is a craft distillery that the craft brewing company Nagahama Roman Beer began operating inside its own facilities in 2016, and the company says it is the smallest in Japan. Shiga Prefecture lies immediately east of Kyoto and is home to Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. Drawing on the climate of the land near the lake and Mount Ibuki, the distillery uses small alembic-type pot stills with very narrow lyne arms (the pipes that carry vapour from the top of the still to the condenser) to produce full-bodied new make. The distillery’s ‘one brew, one cask’ philosophy is also said to be reflected in this blend. LOST, the collaborating partner, opened in August 2024 and has attracted customers from Japan and abroad with its international style of service.

Four types of cask leading towards ‘stillness’

The theme of the blend is an experience that moves from the bustle of Shibuya into the space of the bar, and then into a quiet time of facing oneself. The foundation is spirit from bourbon casks, which provides soft, rich sweetness and smoothness. Spirit from sherry and red wine casks is layered on top, adding a lively, multi-dimensional character reminiscent of raisins and ripe red fruit. The final touch is mizunara, a cask made from oak native to Japan. Its oriental aroma, recalling kyara (the finest grade of agarwood), gives the finish a sense of calm. According to the distillery, the colour is a glossy amber. The nose begins with vanilla and honey, passes through fruit and moves on to the scent of aromatic wood. The palate has a smooth, low-centred body, and spice and a pleasant bitterness linger long in the second half.

How to enjoy it in Europe

The limited release is 500 ml at 50% ABV, with a recommended retail price in Japan of 12,500 yen (excluding tax). The press release makes no mention of overseas sales. If you are looking in Europe, your best bet is to ask specialist shops that handle small Japanese distilleries, or whisky bars that import limited bottlings. When drinking it, first try it neat and follow the shift from the sweetness of the bourbon cask to the aromatic wood of the mizunara. As the strength is fairly high, a few drops of water may open up the fruit. Tasting it alongside a Scotch or an Irish whisky may make the difference in aroma that comes from the mizunara cask easier to pick out.