AN INTRODUCTION TO KANOSUKE DISTILLERY
Next Gen Japanese Whisky From Kagoshima's Mellow Coast
Kanosuke is a family story through and through. The Komasa family began making sake more than 400 years ago, before founding their shōchū distillery in 1883. In 1957, Kanosuke Komasa – grandfather of today’s owner, Yoshitsugu Komasa - pioneered Japan’s first cask-aged shōchū, Mellowed Kozuru. His vision of mellow, oak-aged spirits inspired the family to look outward, balancing Japanese heritage with global ambition.
Yoshitsugu Komasa built Kanosuke Distillery in 2017, realising the dream his grandfather never saw completed. Before doing so, he travelled extensively through Scotland, learning the art of distillation at several small-scale distilleries. He returned home determined to make whisky that was both authentically Japanese and shaped by his family’s shōchū traditions. Today, Kanosuke is firmly part of the next generation of Japanese whisky makers, blending deep-rooted heritage with bold innovation.
Kanosuke sits on the mellow coast of Kagoshima Prefecture, at the southern tip of Kyūshū.
Hioki City, where the distillery is based, means “where the sun sets” in Japanese, and each label carries a golden sun motif as a tribute to this coastal vantage point over the East China Sea.
This location brings more than just a scenic backdrop. Kagoshima’s sub-tropical climate brings dramatic seasonal shifts – sweltering summers above 35°C and winters that dip below freezing. These 40-degree swings, coupled with sea breezes, accelerate maturation at a rate three to four times faster than Scotland, with a high angel’s share of around 6 - 8% annually - resulting in whiskies with both intensity and nuance.
Kanosuke’s production is unlike any other distillery in Japan, influenced at every step by shōchū-making heritage.
Fermentation takes place in deep, temperature-controlled washbacks - half-buried, echoing traditional shōchū design - with long fermentations that allow complex secondary flavours to develop. Three copper pot stills, each a different shape and size, provide flexibility, allowing the team to produce a wide spectrum of distillates. The company own two distilleries - Kanosuke distillery - just for whisky - and Hioki distillery across the road, where most of their Shōchū is made. And it’s in this second distillery that they use stainless steel vacuum stills, to distill their pot-still style whisky (inspired by Irish Single Pot Still whisky).
When it comes to maturation, much of the whisky rests in ex-shōchū puncheons – 450L American oak casks that previously held Mellowed Kozuru for a decade before being re-charred locally. These casks impart subtle notes of cinnamon, spice, vanilla, and a uniquely Japanese umami quality. Alongside these are experiments with bourbon barrels, quarter casks, sherry and red wine casks.
Other Kanosuke expressions we enjoy
Kanosuke Single Malt
The distillery’s flagship single malt captures the house style beautifully: bright orchard fruits, a malty sweetness, and layers of spice from ex-shōchū casks. Cinnamon, apple pie, and a touch of coastal salinity make this a whisky that sings both neat and in a highball.
Kanosuke Hioki Pot Still
Inspired by Irish traditions but rooted in shōchū techniques, this whisky blends malted and unmalted barley, vacuum-distilled for a creamy, viscous texture. Expect notes of maple syrup cake, caramel, and toasted nuts - a distinctive, deeply satisfying dram that shows just how experimental Kanosuke can be.
