The first single malt Japanese whisky from Kumamoto prefecture to be released at last. Yamaga The First. Includes taste and product information.
Yamaga Distillery is a whisky distillery completed in November 2021.
After almost four years of work, a single malt has finally been released.
What is the taste of this product, created with a distinctive bottle design and theme?
１．Photos of bottles and labels
Single Malt Yamaga The First
Single Malt YAMAGA The First 
２．Single Malt Yamaga The First Features
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At this time,(Location: kaou-machi, Yamaga-City, Kumamoto Prefecture; President: Masafumi Honbo) is pleased to announce that Yamaga Distillery Corporation will release “Single Malt Japanese Whisky Yamaga The First” aged for more than three years in Japan from October 4, 2025 (Saturday).
This product is Kumamoto Prefecture’s first single malt Japanese whisky in accordance with the “Standards for the Labeling of Japanese Whisky in Whisky” established by the Japan Western Liquor Brewers Association.
■ Product Overview
It has a fruity, creamy flavor that expresses the elegance of the women dancing the Yamaga Lantern Dance.
Enjoy single malt Japanese whisky nurtured by the beautiful natural environment and unique history and culture of northern Kumamoto Prefecture.Tasting Notes
● Fragrance
Chocolate chiffon cake with vanilla cream, caramel, apple compote and malty notes.
●Flavor
Sweet and burnt aroma of financier, sweet and fruity pear compote and marmalade, aromatic and pleasant bitterness of bitter chocolate.
●Finish
Vanilla chocolate with hazelnuts, buttered toast savory sweet rich aftertaste
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２-１．Tasting Notes
| Fragrance | Chocolate brownie, apple candy, coconut powder, grilled corn |
| Flavor | Apple tart, maple cream, soft with few spicy impressions. |
| After glow | Soft, savory sweetness that lasts. |
２-２．Product Specs
| Alcohol content (usu. expressed per cent) | 58% |
| By type of alcohol | Single Malt Japanese Whisky |
| Types of barrels | Unknown |
| quantity of content | ７００ｍｌ |
| Number of bottles sold | ー |
| MSRP | 14,850 yen (tax included) |
| Release Date | October 4, 2024 |
３．Awards
No awards have been received at this time.
４．List price and online price
４-１．Manufacturer’s suggested retail price
| trade (brand) name | Single Malt Yamaga The First |
| quantity of content | 700ml |
| MSRP | 14,850 yen (tax included) |
４-２．Resale prices on Mercari
Mercari resale price could not be confirmed at this time. (*as of 10/01/2025)
4-３．Yahoo Auction Sold Price
Sold price on Yahoo! Auctions could not be confirmed at this time. (*as of 10/01/2025)
４-４．Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
We could not confirm this at this time on Amazon or other mail order sites. (*as of 10/01/2025)
４-５．Prices at Bar Shinkai
At “BAR Shinkai” operated by this site, we offer it in small quantities such as 45ml per glass: 3,960 yen, 30ml: 2,640 yen, and 15ml: 1,320 yen.
５．About Yamaga Distillery
Completed on November 6, 2021. The first whisky distillery in Kumamoto Prefecture.
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The operation started in 2013. The parent company is MCA Holdings (Tokyo), which was established through the spin-off of the alcoholic beverage business and other operations of Minami-Kyushu Coca-Cola Bottling (now Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Co., Ltd.).At the time of operation, the company produced shochu (distilled spirit), but this was an opportunity to switch production to whisky. The first single malt will be released in 2025 with technical cooperation from Hombo Shuzo (Kagoshima City), a related company.
The distillery expects to sell 150kl or 40,000-50,000 bottles per year.
The distillery was built on the site of the original shochu factory. It is a two-story steel-frame structure (total floor space 1,257 m2) with a 4.6-meter-high bulge-shaped pot still. High-quality deep groundwater from the Kunimi mountain range and the Kikuchi River system is used.
The aging room (1,043 m2) can store up to 3,300 rack-type barrels with a capacity of approximately 200 L. There is also a passageway for visitors to observe the production process and a lounge for tastings.
Total construction cost is approximately 1.1 billion yen.
YAMAGA NEW BORN 2024 and Yamaga Distillery New Pot #6 won gold medals at the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition (TWSC 2025).
For other distillery information, click here.↓
６．Finally.
Yamaga The First was released after almost four years. Like the distillery’s concept, it is fruity and creamy.
It is strong in strength, but as it is watered down, it becomes more fruity, with a pronounced savory and sweet flavor.
The bottle is very distinctive, and it is one of the most eye-catching bottles on the back bar. Even the bottom of the bottle has been carefully selected.
For other Yamaga Distillery products, please click here.↓
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
