AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Komasa Jyozo

  Distilled & Bottled by: Kanosuke Distillery, Hioki, Japan

• Spirit Type: Japanese Single Malt Whisky

• Mash Bill: 10% Japanese Malted Barley, 90% Malted Barley from UK & Australia

• Still Type: Pot Stills

• Age: NAS (3-5 years)

• Strength: 48% ABV

• Price: $100

Yoshitsugu Komasa founded Kanosuke Distillery in 2014 and it opened in 2017. The distillery is named after Komasa's grandfather Kanosuke Komasa. Komasa comes from a family of shochu distillers who have been making single distilled mugi (barley) shochu since 1883. Before founding Kanosuke, Komasa earned a Master's degrees in brewing from Tokyo University's Graduate School and served as a General Manager at the family business, Komasa Jyozo. Later, Komasa studies whisky making in Scotland and the United States. Kanosuke Distillery uses three copper pot still with three different lyne arm angles to create different spirit profiles before it is aged for a minimum of three years.

For the Kanosuke Japanese Single Malt Whisky, Komasa blends whiskies that were distilled on each of their three pot stills and aged in a selection of re-charred ex-shochu casks, ex-sherry butts and ex-bourbon barrels. And, according Komasa, some of these whiskies contain a very small portion of peated malted for added depth.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The Nose is bright and inviting with notes of cereal grains, American biscuits with honey, and fresh sliced peach.

Palate: On the palate sweet nectarine and peach comes through right away followed by a touch of dry oak and a bit of maltiness.

Finish: The finish is light with lingering notes of malt and sweet stone fruit and just a touch of oak.

Conclusion: Kanosuke Single Malt Whisky is a very tasty dram that will excite those who like more malt forward whiskies that are not dominated by sherry or peat. For me, an $100 MSRP is a bit steep for a 3 to 5 year old malt but starting up a new distillery is also not a cheap endeavor. At 48% ABV the whisky has a nice presence in the glass that will mix well with water in a highball while being soft enough to enjoy neat. This is the first new Japanese whisky that I think really lives up to all the excitement that people had for Yamazaki when it exploded in popularity several years ago. And while it is not complex as that, I'm sure it will continue to develop more the longer it is allowed to age.