Tochigi's First Whisky Distillery Launches "Nikko Highball," Its First Canned Highball, on August 8
Nikko Kaido Oyama Distillery, run by Nishibori Shuzo Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Oyama, Tochigi Prefecture) releases its first canned highball, "Nikko Whisky Highball," on August 8, 2026 (Saturday), the day the Nikko Toshogu Kenjosai festival takes place.
The new drink is a 7% ABV Japanese highball made from Tochigi-produced malt and grain whisky, some of which has been finished in a "Nikko cedar cask" made from sacred cedar wood officially licensed by Nikko Toshogu Shrine.
On the release day, a one-day event called "Oyama Highball Stand" will also be held inside the ticket gates of JR Oyama Station's conventional line, in partnership with JR East.
Bringing the Forests of Nikko into a Single Glass
The concept behind "Nikko Highball" is "tasting the forests of Nikko."
Sacred cedar wood officially licensed by Nikko Toshogu Shrine was used to make a Japanese-style cask for aging the whisky.
The cedar comes from a fallen tree along the Nikko cedar avenue, the only avenue of trees in Japan designated as both a Special Historic Site and a Special Natural Monument, which was reused as cask material.
Blending in whisky aged in this Nikko cedar cask brings out a refreshing, forest-like aroma and a quiet, lingering finish, rather than a heavy woody scent.
The result is a light yet complex taste that keeps its structure and character even when mixed with soda.
The Nikko cedar cask at the Nikko Toshogu Kenjosai festival, used for finishing and cask-aging the whisky.
Tochigi's First Whisky Distillery Makes Its First Canned Highball
Nikko Kaido Oyama Distillery is Tochigi Prefecture's first whisky distillery, opened in 2022 by Nishibori Shuzo, a sake brewery founded in 1872.
The distillery applies techniques and sensibilities built up through sake brewing to whisky making, including fermentation using 100% sake yeast, use of ginjo powder (a byproduct of polishing sake rice), low-temperature fermentation, reduced-pressure distillation, and aging in Japanese-style casks.
Until now, the distillery has focused on small-batch Japanese whisky centered on its bottled product, "TETSU."
At the same time, it had received comments from people interested in whisky but hesitant to buy a full bottle, wanting to try a drink casually, or wanting to enjoy a drink typical of the place while traveling.
"Nikko Highball" was developed to bring the distillery's whisky to more people in an everyday format in response to these voices.
It is the distillery's first canned highball, and according to the company, the first canned highball made with Tochigi-produced whisky in the prefecture.
"TETSU," the Premium Line, and "Nikko Highball," the Gateway to Nikko
Nishibori Shuzo positions its whisky brands with different roles.
"TETSU" is the distillery's official brand, exploring the potential of Japanese whisky made by a sake brewery through every stage of production, ingredients, fermentation, distillation, and aging.
"Nikko Highball," meanwhile, is positioned as an approachable entry point connecting the culture, forests, and travel memories of Nikko with whisky.
Even people who could not reach the premium bottled line can experience the world of Tochigi-produced whisky and the Nikko cedar cask simply by opening a can.
A Portion of Sales Goes Toward Preserving the Nikko Cedar Avenue
A portion of the sales of "Nikko Highball" will be donated toward preserving the Nikko cedar avenue.
Rather than simply drawing on Nikko's forest resources as a backdrop for the product, the aim is to connect sales of the drink to maintaining local resources and passing them on to the next generation.
Because the product carries the name of the place, returning value to that place is considered part of making the product.
A Tasting Preview on Release Day at JR Oyama Station
One-Day "Oyama Highball Stand" Event
On August 8, the release day of "Nikko Highball," a one-day tasting event called "Oyama Highball Stand" will be held inside the ticket gates of JR Oyama Station's conventional line.
JR East and Nikko Kaido Oyama Distillery (Nishibori Shuzo) are partnering to create an opportunity to enjoy Tochigi-produced whisky inside the station, together with commentary from the people who make it.
The event is ticketed in advance, with three sessions of 25 guests each.
According to JR East, each session includes two glasses of a special "TETSU" highball, one glass of craft gin soda, and one sample of "TETSU REFINE 【錬】" single grain whisky, along with a talk by Tetsuya Nishibori on the distillery and the story behind the new product.
Planned menu
- One glass of a release-commemorative highball that showcases the design behind "Nikko Highball"
- One glass of a special "TETSU" highball
- One glass of Nikko Kaido Oyama Distillery craft gin soda
- One sample of "TETSU REFINE 【錬】" single grain whisky
Note: the event serves tastings designed to convey the product's flavor and concept, rather than the "Nikko Highball" can itself.
Experience "Nikko Highball" and "TETSU" Side by Side
The event lets guests taste their way from an easy-drinking highball to a single grain whisky that is rarely available elsewhere.
"Nikko Highball," the entry point, and "TETSU," which more deeply embodies the distillery's philosophy, can both be experienced in one sitting.
Trying both together shows the range of Tochigi-produced whisky and the distinct character of a distillery born from a sake brewery.
At the venue, Tetsuya Nishibori, the production lead at Nikko Kaido Oyama Distillery, will talk about why the distillery began making whisky in Tochigi, why it uses sake yeast and ginjo powder, how the Nikko cedar cask was developed, and the design behind "Nikko Highball."
The event welcomes both whisky enthusiasts and people trying Tochigi-produced whisky for the first time.
"TETSU REFINE 【錬】," the distillery's first single grain whisky, on sale from late July 2026.
A Single Grain Whisky Born from "Ginjo Thinking"
Samples of TETSU REFINE 【錬】 Also Served
The event also serves samples of "TETSU REFINE 【錬】," a single grain Japanese whisky that began selling in stages from late July 2026.
"REFINE 【錬】" is a single grain whisky distinctive to a sake brewery, using ginjo powder (a byproduct of polishing sake rice) as a grain ingredient, fermented with 100% sake yeast, and combined with reduced-pressure distillation using a domestically made stainless still.
The distillery describes this approach, applying the sake-brewing idea of "polishing the rice, polishing the fermentation, polishing the flavor" to whisky making, as its "ginjo thinking."
The finished product is 50% ABV, 700ml, with a suggested retail price of ¥13,600 before tax. At the event, guests can experience the core spirit behind that product alongside the highball, from a different angle than the distillery's usual character.
Comment from the Production Lead
Tetsuya Nishibori, Production Lead, Nikko Kaido Oyama Distillery
"What we wanted to make was not simply a highball with the name 'Nikko' attached to it.
We aimed for a drink where Nikko's forests, its cedar avenue, the time spent traveling, and whisky made in Tochigi come together naturally in a single glass.
The Nikko cedar cask is not meant to impart a strong scent.
It draws out the character of the cedar wood while layering a forest-like freshness and a quiet finish onto the spirit.
'TETSU' is a deep pursuit of the whisky that only a sake brewery can make.
'Nikko Highball,' meanwhile, is the entry point into that world.
Being able to let people actually taste it on release day, in a station where so many people pass through, feels meaningful to us.
We hope it becomes a place for a new encounter with Tochigi-produced whisky."
Nikko Highball Product Overview
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Product Name | Nikko Whisky Highball, Made with Nikko Toshogu Sacred Cedar |
| Release Date | August 8, 2026 (Saturday) |
| Category | Whisky (sparkling) |
| Ingredients | Malt, grain whisky / carbonated water |
| Origin of Raw Materials | Made in Japan (grain whisky, malt whisky) |
| Volume | 350ml |
| Alcohol Content | 7% |
| Producer | Nishibori Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Address | 1452 Awanomiya, Oyama, Tochigi Prefecture |
| Features | A whisky highball can partly aged in a Nikko cedar cask, with a portion of sales donated to preserving the Nikko cedar avenue |
| Sales | Rolling out through liquor shops, tourist facilities, and hotels within Tochigi Prefecture |
| Suggested Retail Price | ¥595 (before tax) |
Event Overview
Oyama Highball Stand: A New Encounter with Tochigi-Produced Whisky
- Date: August 8, 2026 (Saturday)
- Session 1: 3:15 PM to 4:15 PM
- Session 2: 4:45 PM to 5:45 PM
- Session 3: 6:15 PM to 7:15 PM
- Venue: Event space inside the ticket gates of JR Oyama Station's conventional line
- Capacity: 25 guests per session, first-come, first-served
- Price: ¥4,900 (tax included)
- Booking: Advance reservation through JRE MALL tickets
- Speaker: Tetsuya Nishibori, Production Lead, Nikko Kaido Oyama Distillery
- Contents: Two highballs, one craft gin soda, one sample of "TETSU REFINE 【錬】," and commentary from the maker
The event has also been announced by JR East as its first Tochigi-produced whisky tasting event at Oyama Station, held on August 8, 2026.
