Crafted at the young but highly ambitious Ontake Distillery in Kagoshima Prefecture, Ontake The First Edition 2025 Mizunara is one of the distillery’s most exciting releases to date. A Japanese single malt matured entirely in rare mizunara oak casks. Unlike many whiskies that use mizunara only for finishing, this expression is fully matured in complete mizunara oak barrels. An exceptionally costly and technically demanding approach rarely seen even within Japan.

Produced using Ontake’s in-house cultivated yeast, carefully selected two-row barley and pristine natural water sourced from Kagoshima, the whisky showcases the distillery’s pursuit of a distinctly Japanese style. It’s elegant, aromatic and has a rich, oily mouthfeel. 

Situated approximately 400 metres above sea level overlooking Kagoshima, Kinko Bay and the Sakurajima Volcano, Ontake Distillery benefits from a climate well suited to whisky maturation, combining warm southern temperatures with cool mountain air. Established by Nishi Shuzo, a producer with 200 years of distilling history, the distillery has quickly gained attention for the quality of its whiskies, picking up multiple awards internationally despite only being in operation for a few years.

Released in strictly limited quantities, Ontake The First Edition 2025 Mizunara represents an important milestone for the distillery and an increasingly rare opportunity to experience full-term mizunara maturation in its purest form.