The newly minted Kanosuke Distillery overlooks one of Japan’s largest and most beautiful beaches, a stretch of over 50km of sand dunes at Fukiagehama on the west coast of Kagoshima Prefecture. The region is blessed with an abundance of crystal-clear groundwater, filtered and purified as it runs down the Shirasu Plateau. 

Although Kanosuke only came into being in 2017, its parent company Komasa Jyozo has been producing unique slow-aged Shochu since 1883. Pioneers in barrel-aged Shochus, the company’s ‘Mellowed Kozuru’ is celebrated in Japan for its smooth character. Despite the esteem for their Shochu within the country, the distillery was relatively unknown outside Japan, and so Kanosuke (named after its second-generation President) was born to craft a small range of premium Japanese Whisky and Gin. 

These spirits exhibit unusual depth of sweet flavour and smooth, tongue-coating texture alongside emerging house characteristics of citrus and spice.

The distillery is based around three unique pot-stills. Each of these stills is individually configured with a different neck shape and lyne arm angle. By using different pot stills for redistillation and blending new make spirits from different stills, Kanosuke aims for rich flavours and aromas. The location—in the deep south of Japan and close to the sea—offers ideal conditions for maturation; mild in summer, but wild and windy at other times of the year, meaning the distillery air is often permeated with sea spray. These conditions contribute to a forward aging process which, combined with the depth of the new make, has critics agreeing that Kanosuke young releases taste far more mature than their age alone would suggest.

Like many of Japan’s new generation artisan distilleries, Kanosuke edged into the market releasing some sensational ‘New Born’ bottlings as its stocks matured in cask. These spirits exhibit unusual depth of sweet flavour and smooth, tongue-coating texture alongside emerging house characteristics of citrus and spice. The distillery has now celebrated the first and second editions of its already-celebrated Single Malt.

Please note, Kanosuke Whiskies are released on allocation. Please get in touch to find out more.