The underground water that flows from
the Hira Mountains to Lake Biwa

Our distillery is located on the plain between the forest in Takashima and Lake Biwa, facing the western shore of the lake.
Snow and rain that pours on the Hira Mountains flow into Lake Biwa, having its source in a lush green forest.
The water in this area is celebrated not only for rivers including the Ado River but also for its slowly filtered fertile underground water. It is said that serene water filtered over a period of 100 years has been nourishing the land and blessing people’s living environment and industries.

The Story of Shin-Asahi,
he town of the pure spring water

Harie District in Shin-Asahi Cho, Takashima City where Biwako Distillery is located, is rich in spring water.
This spring water called “Shozu”, has run around the town through the watercourse, being a significant part of people’s lives.
Long before the water supply system was developed, people had been using spring water daily and this exquisite nature has always been by people’s lives side.
We have 2 wells in our site of whisky brewery where the distillation building and aging cellars are located together, and this clear spring water has benefited historical sake-making since the establishment of our distillery at the end of the Edo period to this day. The dawn of our whisky in Biwako Distillery was the encounter with this beautiful spring water.

The heart of whisky making,
the rich and beautiful water

The fundamentals of the finest whisky are the distinguished quality and quantity of the water. In Speyside, which is said to be the sanctuary of whisky, a variety of gorgeous and well-balanced whisky has been produced by using regional serene water. We believe that the spring water that we use is meant to be similar to the water in Speyside.
The refreshing climate and the fine quality and quantity of soft water in Shin-Asahi are the essentials to achieve an excellent final result.