Perched atop a hill at the beach, Komasa Jyozo's Kanosuke Distillery overlooks the East China Sea. Whisky and gin production has begun in Kagoshima, Japan's southern lands, utilizing traditional techniques honed by producing the cask-aged shochu "Mellowed Kozuru."
Header image: 5 stainless steel fermentation tanks. The layout takes after shochu traditions.
Images/text: Mamoru Tsuchiya
Translation: Whiskey Richard
This article originally appeared in Japanese in Whisky Galore Vol.13 / April 2019.
3 stills for plenty of variety in the distillate
In November 2017, Komasa Jyozo's Kanosuke Distillery opened at Fukiage-Hama, in Hioki City, Kagoshima prefecture. Fukiage-Hama is one of Japan's Three Great Sand Beaches, a white sand beach stretching 47km north to south, created by ancient pyroclastic flows. The sunsets are especially beautiful over the East China Sea, immediately adjacent to the distillery. In fact, the name "Hioki" is said to come from the Japanese words for sun (hi) and put down (oku).
This is an exclusive article from Whisky Galore, Japan's only whisky/spirits magazine. It has 320 more words and 3 more pictures.
Members of the Nomikai, nomunication.jp's membership program, can access this and all other premium articles for less than the cost of a dram of Japanese whisky. Sign up below to join the Nomikai, get the absolute latest in Japanese whisky and spirits, and help us bring you even more great content!
Already a member? Login here!
I’m Whiskey Richard, and I am the founder of nomunication.jp. I’ve lived in Tokyo for over a decade, and I am a certified Shochu Kikisake-shi/Shochu Sommelier (焼酎唎酒師), Cocktail Professor (カクテル検定１級), and I hold Whisky Kentei Levels 3 and JW (ウイスキー検定３級・JW級). Click here for more details about me and this site. Kampai!
One Comment