Amahagan Edition No 2 is one of those bottles that forces you to pay attention. A world blended whisky finished in red wine casks, bottled at 47% ABV with no age statement — it sits in a category that barely existed a decade ago and now seems to be expanding by the month. The Amahagan range comes out of Japan's Nagahama Distillery, one of the country's smaller craft operations, and this particular expression blends malt and grain whiskies from multiple origins before that red wine cask finish pulls everything together.
I'll be honest: I approached this with a degree of professional scepticism. 'World blended whisky' can mean almost anything, and 'red wine finish' has become one of the more overused tricks in the independent bottler playbook. But at 47%, there's at least a signal that someone wants you to actually taste what's in the glass rather than just admire the packaging.
Tasting Notes
I won't fabricate specifics I can't verify, but I can tell you what the category and cask treatment suggest you should expect. A red wine finish on blended whisky at this strength typically delivers a noticeable fruit-forward character — think berries, dried plum, perhaps some spice from the tannins the wine casks leave behind. The world blend base means you're likely getting a mix of grain sweetness and malt weight, with the Japanese influence often lending a certain precision and restraint that stops things from becoming cloying. At 47% ABV, there should be enough backbone to carry the wine influence without it overwhelming the underlying spirit.
The Verdict
Here's the thing about Amahagan Edition No 2: it's genuinely interesting. The world blended category is still finding its feet, and bottles like this are the ones doing the serious legwork. At £81.75, you're paying a premium — there's no getting around that. But you're also getting a whisky bottled at a respectable strength, with a finishing technique that adds real complexity rather than just a marketing story. For anyone curious about how Japanese craft distilling intersects with broader global whisky trends, this is a solid entry point.
I'd rate this 7.8 out of 10. It loses half a mark for the price — you can find excellent finished whiskies for less — and it doesn't quite have the depth I'd want for a regular rotation bottle. But it earns its score through sheer drinkability and the confidence of its construction. The red wine finish is handled with restraint, which is harder than it sounds, and the 47% ABV hits a sweet spot between accessibility and character. This is a whisky that knows what it wants to be and delivers on that promise without overreaching.
If you're building a collection that tracks what's happening in world whisky right now, Amahagan Edition No 2 belongs on your shelf. If you're looking for a gift for someone who thinks they've tried everything, this will genuinely surprise them.
Best Served
Pour it neat in a Glencairn and give it five minutes to open up — the red wine influence evolves nicely with a bit of air. If you want to experiment, a few drops of water will push the fruit notes forward. I'd also suggest trying this alongside a cheese board: the berry-tinged sweetness works remarkably well with aged cheddar or a semi-hard Comté. Save the cocktail shaker for something else — this deserves to be tasted on its own terms.
