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The Iiyama Mountain Farm Distillery
Japan's first farm-to-bottle distillery, where tradition meets innovation in the heart of the Japanese Alps.
Our Approach
Simple ingredients: water, grain, and a comfortable lack of hurry reflects the rural setting and life in our Barrelhouse. We value a progressive spirit paired with a deep respect for tradition.
Our Iiyama Mountain Farm Distillery is situated in the mountainous area in the far northern reaches of Nagano Prefecture, where pristine scenes illustrated in popular Japanese melodies can still be found.
Kiyokawa is the pioneer in bringing the art of distillation into the Kita-Shinsu region, and is proud to be the first Japanese distillery with a true farm-to-bottle concept.
上り坂の戦い
Creating whisky directly from farm to bottle is a beautiful concept, and in Iiyama's dramatic climate it has demanded real ingenuity. Working hand-in-hand with local farmers, the Kiyokawa team engineered a unique strain of barley able to thrive amid the region's extreme seasonal shifts.
With each passing year this barley grows stronger and more abundant, its rich green colour, uniform shape and size a vivid symbol of a grain that is flourishing. Our agricultural corporation allows us to cultivate our own barley, rice and wheat for the production of whisky, gin and vodka.
The area is known for its fierce winters and heavy snowfall, followed by a hot summer climate. It is here where a unique history and culture, as well as a sense of tradition and kindness, have flourished.
景色を望むスティルハウス
Kiyokawa's beautiful wooden stillhouse is home to two custom copper stills, Moritaro and Morihime. Created in Italy by master still makers Frilli, these traditional copper pot stills were purpose-built to shape the Kiyokawa house style.
The wash still, Moritaro, with its broad cut points and long, slow distillation, draws out rich cereal oils and barley-driven texture. The spirit still, Morihime, employs narrow, precision manual cuts to preserve delicate orchard fruit and refined aromatics.
Our distinctive copper pot stills impart a unique flavour, and everything remains in-house at our Iiyama facility.
カスクの種類
Kiyokawa's whiskies are primarily matured in Oloroso and Marsala casks. Ex-oloroso lends rich dried fruit, nutty, and spicy notes, deepening colour and complexity, while ex-Marsala contributes soft sweetness, subtle dried fruits and a warm, rounded profile.
The distillery has recently expanded its maturation program with several new fills, including PX Sherry and ex-Rye Bourbon. Among the most notable are the Marsala Orange Marmalade and Oloroso Orange Marmalade casks.
Rich malted barley and pure mountain spring water are transformed into whisky that matures through sharply defined seasons, exposed to dramatic shifts in temperature and atmospheric pressure. The result is a more intense interaction with the wood, deepening both flavour and natural colour.
ISO 22000 is an international standard that sets rigorous requirements for food safety management. Achieving this certification is rare among Japanese distilleries and almost unheard of in the craft whisky world, placing Kiyokawa in a category of its own.
Gallery
Discover the extraordinary spirits born from Japan's first farm-to-bottle distillery.
