Distilled using peated malt from England. Stored in white oak barrels, this is the third version of the Kanosuke Newborn.
This single malt Newborn is casked from whisky stock distilled in August 2018.
Released on September 16, 2020.
1. Manufacturer.
Komasa Brewing Company
| Establishment | 1883 |
| Head office | 3309 Hiki, Hiyoshi-cho, Hioki-shi, Kagoshima 899-3101, Japan |
| Owned distillery | Kanosuke distillery |
2. Distillery
Kanosuke Distillery
| Address | 845-3 Jinnokawa, Hiyoshi-cho, Hiki-shi, Kagoshima 899-2421 |
| Start of operation | 2018 |
Started in 2018. It stands on a spacious site of about 9,000 square meters along Fukiage beach on the west coast of Kagoshima Prefecture, dotted with various facilities. The two-story U-shaped main building houses the distillery facilities, as well as a bar with a great view and a store with original goods, making it a distillery where visitors can experience whisky making close at hand.
One of the main features of the distillery is that it has three pot stills (distillers). The distillery is equipped with three pot stills. The whisky is usually distilled twice, and during the second distillation (re-distillation), the pot stills with different neck shapes and angles of the upper line arms can be used to change the aroma and flavor of the raw material more richly.
Image source: Kanosuke Distillery, Komasa Brewing Company
Image Source: Kosho Brewing Company, Kanosuke Distillery
3. Product Name
Kanosuke New Born 2020 Peated
4. Characteristics
Bottled at cask strength after 24 months of storage.
Single malt newborn, casked from whisky stock distilled in August 2018.
The wash is distilled in a first distillation kettle using peated malt from England and fermented with distillery yeast. The resulting low wine is called Kanosuke. The resulting low wine is then distilled in one of the distillery’s two re-distillation kettles, which produces a more bodied quality. The raw spirit is then casked in white oak barrels and stored for 24 months in the Kanosuke distillery’s sea breezy cellar before being bottled at cask strength.
Please enjoy the peaty, bold, yet delicate sweetness of the sake. (From the manufacturer’s website)
4-1. Tasting Notes
| Nose | Cashew nuts, pears, peaches, vanilla |
| Taste | Sweet, tidal, huckleberry, woodiness |
| Aftertaste | Pleasantly peaty, followed by bitter sweetness |
4-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol content | 58％ |
| by alcohol | Single Malt Newborn |
| Barrel type | Peated malt |
| Contents | 200ml |
| Number of bottles sold | Not disclosed |
| Suggested retail price | 3,850 yen (tax included) |
| Release date | September 16, 2020 |
5. Awards
There is no award history at this time.
6. Price
Image source: Kanosuke Distillery, Komasa Brewing Company
6-1. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price
| Product name | Kanosuke Newborn 2020 |
| Capacity | 200ml |
| Suggested retail price | 3,500 yen (tax included: 3,850 yen) |
6-2. Resale price on Mercari
The resale price on Mercari is around 4,000 yen to 6,000 yen per bottle.
(*As of March 21, 2021)
6-3. Yahoo Auction Sold Price
The average selling price on Yahoo Auction is 4,000 yen
per bottle (*Statistics for the past 120 days from March 21, 2021)
6-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
The number of listings on mail order sites is quite small, but they sell for around 6,000 yen to 9,000 yen. (*as of March 21, 2021)
6-5. Price offered at BAR Shinkai
At BAR SHINKAI, which is operated by this website, a glass of45ml: 4,950 yen, 30ml: 3,300 yen, 15ml: 1,650 yen. 
7. Summary
The aroma is fruity and slightly sweet. In the mouth, there is a tingling sensation from the alcohol, but not as strong as I expected, and you can feel just a hint of peat. When water is added, the fruity taste becomes more pronounced, and it ends with a slight sweetness.
We also have Kanosuke Newborn in our store in 2018 and 2019. We also have the 2018 and 2019 versions of the Kanosuke Newborn in our store. The barrels in which they were aged are different, and the flavors are quite different.
Please check out the other articles about the Kanosuke Newborn.
https://jpwhisky.net/kanosuke-new-born-2019-2780/
https://jpwhisky.net/kanosuke-new-born-2018-5523/
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
