Prices
Prices and stock come from each retailer's website. Check with the store before you buy.
More from this distillery: All Kanosuke whiskies and prices
About
What it is
The second single malt release from Kanosuke, out in November 2021 at cask strength, 57%. Distilled in 2018 and matured three years. Unpeated, vatted from multiple casks, non-chill filtered. Unlike the First Edition it went to general retail rather than lottery.
Where it comes from
Kanosuke Distillery in Kagoshima, built in 2017 by shochu producer Komasa Jyozo. Distilled and matured entirely on site with no imported whisky. Kanosuke publishes detailed production information for its releases, which makes it one of the easier Japanese craft producers to verify.
How it's made
This is where it gets interesting. In its first season Kanosuke filled around 100 ex-shochu casks, 100 bourbon barrels and 30 oloroso sherry casks. The First Edition drew mainly on the re-charred Mellowed Kozuru shochu casks. The Second Edition taps the bourbon barrels instead, which are first fill. Same distillate, same age, same unpeated malt, different wood. It's about as close to a controlled experiment as commercial whisky gets.
What to expect
Fruitier and cleaner than the First Edition. Citrus, green apple, vanilla and lemon tea on the nose, then honey, cinnamon and grapefruit, finishing sweet with a gentle bitterness. It's the more conventional of the two, which some people prefer and others find less interesting. At 57% water helps.
How it compares
The First Edition is the direct comparison and the more distinctive bottle, with the shochu casks giving it a woody, spiced character this doesn't have. Neither is better, they're answering different questions. Against the Double Distillery blend, which mixes both Kanosuke and Hioki spirit, the single malts are purer and considerably scarcer. Both 2021 editions are now collector territory.
