KANOSUKE SINGLE MALT

The deep relationship between tradition and terroir

A gentle sweetness reminiscent of the Japanese candied quince. This flavour, with a certain Japanese ambiance that layers in the spiciness of Japanese cinnamon and oak, shares a deep relationship with the cask-aged shochu “Mellowed Kozuru” that was developed by second-generation master distiller Kanosuke Komasa in 1957.

Out of a desire to boost the value and image of shochu, Kanosuke learned distillation techniques from both within and outside of Japan, and presented the world with “Mellowed Kozuru”, Japan’s first ever cask aged rice shochu. It was matured for six years in oak casks. That stance of challenging tradition brought with it a large amount of objection, but he never wavered in his path.

Then, in 2017, after 60 years, fourth-generation master distiller Yoshitsugu inherited his grandfather’s dream, and started making whisky, using whisky matured in re-charred shochu casks, which were originally used to make “Mellowed Kozuru”. In order to maximise the effect of that distinctiveness, we carefully vatted multiple whiskies and crafted them into a single malt that is imbued with an elegant “WA” Japanese sweetness.

The subtle salty and savoury overtones come from the ocean wind that sweeps the maturation warehouse positioned near the sea.

This questing that lives across multiple generations and the bountiful environment of Hioki, Kagoshima is what culminated in the one of a kind KANOSUKE flavour.

Elegant “WA” Japanese sweetness.

The sweetness that is the hallmark of KANOSUKE whiskies comes from delicate and careful wash production.

A gorgeous fruitiness attained from bright and clear wort overlaps with a mellow and creamy notes cultivated through fermentation of a long period of time, producing a sophisticated and deep sweetness throughout the entire wash.

By switching among our three pot stills of differing shape, which is a rare set of equipment for craft distilleries, we are able to achieve a diverse range of whisky profiles. Additionally, we employ the worm tub condenser that is used in the traditional Scotch whisky production process to produce new pot spirit that already possesses a bountiful aroma and rich finish even right after distillation.

And, we also utilise the cask maturation expertise developed over many years of producing Mellowed Kozuru.
Making full use of that knowledge is what culminates in the mellow and refined flavour distinct to KANOSUKE.