Kanosuke is a whisky distillery that Komasa Jyozo opened in November 2017 at Fukiage-Hama in Hioki City, Kagoshima.1,2,3 Among other casks, it uses re-charred shochu casks, a practice of Kanosuke Komasa, the man it is named after.1,4
In 1957 the second-generation master distiller, Kanosuke Komasa, released Mellowed Kozuru, a rice shochu matured for six years in oak casks.1,4
Yoshitsugu Komasa of Komasa Jyozo, a shochu maker founded in 1883, set it up beside three warehouses Kanosuke Komasa built to age Mellowed Kozuru.1,2
A powerful and complex Kanosuke, blending oily tropical fruit, citrus, botanicals and coastal smoke with intriguing Campbeltown-style influences.
Kanosuke / Dingle / Meikle Tòir (The Whisky Exchange)
An extreme, bitter whisky, with honey-glazed orange cake and caramel on the nose, but gunflints, artichokes, coffee and bitter walnuts dominating the palate.
In August 2021 Komasa Jyozo moved the whisky business into a separate company.4,6 On 8 September 2021 the distillery announced a minority investment by Diageo through Distill Ventures, a drinks accelerator Diageo backs.2,4 Komasa Jyozo was to keep majority ownership and control, and the deal set out a possible move to a 50:50 joint venture, subject to future performance.2,4
It aged whisky in a wide variety of casks, including re-charred shochu casks first used for rice shochu, from semi-subterranean spaces to beachside warehouses swept by sea breeze.1,3,4 The distillery said big temperature swings raised the angel's share; founder Yoshitsugu Komasa puts it at 6%-7% a year, against an average of around 2% in Scotland.1,3,4 In May 2024 a fifth warehouse came into use; it can hold 5,300 casks and sits closest to the sea.3 Its 7 buildings at 4 sites can now hold 10,800 casks.3
It imports peated and unpeated malt from the UK.4 Peated malt is around 15% of the total, according to Yoshitsugu, and about 10% of the barley comes from Kyushu.4 Yeast ferments the wort, the sugary water from the mash, in 10 stainless steel tanks.4 The distillery described this as a long, slow fermentation.1 The wash still is used only for first distillations and the spirit still only for second distillations.4,5 The hybrid still in the middle is used for both first and second distillations.4,5 Each still has a uniquely shaped neck.1,5 Each still turns its vapour back into spirit in an indoor worm tub.4,5 The distillery can make 200,000 litres of alcohol a year.4
Every bottle in Peated with a vintage year.
Bottles in Peated distilled at Kanosuke, by release year.
| Year distilled | Bottles |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 16 |
| 2023 | 16 |
| 2024 | 18 |
| 2025 | 18 |
| 2026 | 15 |
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