Nozawa Onsen Distillery

Overview of the distillery

Nozawa Onsen Distillery is located in the mountain town of Nozawa Onsen in Nagano, and produces gin and whisky in small batches. The distillery is closely tied to the village’s spring water, local botanicals, and the rugged seasons of nature, which also shape the story of the place. It is a young project with a clear ambition: to be regarded among the world’s best gin and whisky distilleries.

History

A local association in Nozawa Onsen

The distillery is described as a partnership between passionate locals and other people who have settled in Nozawa Onsen over the years. The ambition is to be among the world’s best gin and whisky distilleries, and the story is closely linked to the village’s water, nature, and culture.

The water and the village’s heritage

Mountain snow is filtered through the ground for about 50 years before it becomes pure spring water that flows through the village. At the same time, local traditions and festivals are mentioned as an important part of the protected cultural heritage, giving the place its special identity.

Ingredients and production

The distillery works with locally collected and sourced ingredients, as well as water from the local spring in Nozawa Onsen. The water is given special significance in the story: the snow on the mountain is filtered through old granite for around 50 years before it becomes the spring water used in the spirit. In addition, the distillery emphasizes foraging, farming, and local sourcing as part of the ingredient base. The production team continuously develops new botanicals and blends, and the work is described as small batch production. It is therefore a craft where ingredient selection and ongoing development play a central role, while the more technical details about mashing, fermentation, and still type are not described in the text provided.

Whiskies

The range includes gin and whisky, and the distillery’s own shop especially highlights gin series such as Nozawa Gin, Classic Dry Gin, Iwai Gin, Shiso Gin, Barrel-Aged Gin, Doso Gin, and Obuse Gin. In addition, there is a category for whisky, but the provided text gives no concrete whisky releases with names or specifications. The overall impression is a range strongly rooted in botanicals, local ingredients, and a modern, small-scale expression.

Visit the distillery

The distillery is open to visitors, and it clearly shows a visitor-focused side with a shop, experiences, and location/directions. The place is described as an attractive sightseeing destination where guests can taste spirits made with Nozawa’s nature-given ingredients. A shop is available, but the provided text does not state fixed opening hours, booking requirements, or concrete details about tours and tastings.

Philosophy and craft

The distillery’s philosophy is closely tied to Nozawa Onsen’s nature and local community. They highlight patience, old knowledge, and local roots as part of the work, and they choose ingredients and water that reflect the mountains, the forest, and the seasons around the village. At the same time, the goal is not only to make spirits, but to capture what they call The Spirit of Nozawa in every glass.