Kanosuke Distillery Single Malt Japanese Whisky 2nd Edition 2021

Kanosuke Distillery Single Malt Japanese Whisky 2nd Edition is the second single malt release from this young Kagoshima distillery.

Established distilleries release a new expression every year without much ceremony. For a young operation like this one, opened in 2017 by the Komasa Jyozo shochu house at Hioki on the Kagoshima coast, each early edition is a genuine step. Three bespoke pot stills, each configured differently in the neck and lyne arm, give the blending team a range of distillate characters to work from, and the warehouses sit close enough to the water that sea spray is part of the maturation environment. Ex-shochu casks feature in the wood mix.

Layered and gently spiced, with dried apricot, malt biscuit and a soft smoky warmth through the finish. Serve neat, at room temperature, in a tulip glass; a few drops of water will lift the aromatics. Keep the ice to one large cube if you use it at all.