Komoro Distillery (小諸蒸留所), a young craft whisky operation on the slopes of Mt. Asama in Nagano Prefecture, will release its first single malt on November 7, 2026. The bottling, named KOMORO ORIGIN, arrives three years after the distillery’s first spirit run on June 20, 2023, and will be limited to 4,000 bottles of 700ml each.
The distillery is operated by Karuizawa Distillers Co., Ltd. (軽井沢蒸留酒製造株式会社) and sits roughly 910 meters above sea level at the foot of Mt. Asama, an active volcano whose water and air shape the site’s production choices. Master blender and distiller Ian Chan leads the operation, and the company says his approach continues the philosophy of the late Dr. Jim Swan, the whisky scientist and consultant widely credited with helping build the reputations of Taiwan’s Kavalan and Japan’s own Chichibu (秩父) distillery. Karuizawa Distillers describes its guiding idea as “respect for nature, a scientific perspective, and sensibility built on long experience.”
The release is being marked with two events rather than a single launch date. On November 6, a synchronized toast called “KOMORO = KANPAI” will link the distillery with satellite venues across Komoro City at 6 p.m., followed by local food and short presentations. The following nine days, branded “KOMORO FIRST RELEASE WEEK” and running November 7 to 15, will include distillery tastings, maturation cellar tours, and master classes. Announced guests include Charles MacLean MBE, one of Scotch whisky’s best-known writers and educators, and Caroline Lennon, Dr. Jim Swan’s daughter.
Why this matters beyond Japan
A debut single malt from a new Japanese distillery is not unusual by itself; well over 100 have opened in the past decade. What sets Komoro apart is the guest list. Charles MacLean’s presence signals that the international whisky press already treats a three-year-old Nagano operation as worth the trip, and Caroline Lennon’s appearance ties KOMORO ORIGIN directly to Dr. Jim Swan’s legacy at a moment when drinkers outside Japan are increasingly aware of his role in Kavalan’s rapid rise to award-winning status. For overseas travelers planning a Japan whisky itinerary, Komoro adds a small, currently very limited-batch stop in Nagano, not far from the long-established Mars Shinshu (マルス信州) distillery. No export or international retail plans have been announced, and pricing and ABV were not disclosed in the distillery’s release materials.
Source: PR TIMES (Karuizawa Distillers) (Japanese)
Source: Gourmet Press (Japanese)
Source: Komoro Distillery official site (Japanese)