Kanosuke Whisky

Kanosuke is a Japanese whisky distillery on the coast of Kagoshima, founded in 2017 by Komasa Jyozo, a family drinks company with roots in shochu production dating back to 1883. Set beside Fukiagehama beach, the distillery brings a southern Japanese perspective to a category often associated with cooler mountain settings.

The whisky is shaped by both location and distilling flexibility. Kanosuke uses three pot stills with different shapes, allowing a wider range of spirit styles, while maturation in the warm, maritime climate of Kagoshima encourages relatively active cask influence. The house style is often described as mellow and layered, with fruit, vanilla, spice, malt sweetness and a gentle coastal softness.

The range includes Kanosuke Single Malt, Single Malt Kanosuke Artist Edition releases and other limited bottlings, alongside HIOKI Pot Still Grain whisky from the group's separate Hioki distillery. Cask types have included bourbon, sherry, wine and re-charred American oak, reflecting the producer's interest in texture, balance and nuanced wood influence.

Kanosuke represents a confident new generation of Japanese whisky: rooted in family distilling experience, but not bound by the traditions of Japan's older houses. Its whiskies are polished and expressive, with a warm-climate character that gives them a distinctive place in the modern Japanese whisky landscape.