Established in 1881, Komasa Shuzo is a shochu maker with a long history. Its representative brand is Mellow Kozuru, a barrel-aged rice shochu with a unique sweetness. The company applies its expertise in barrel aging and rice shochu making to whisky and craft gin.
The Single Malt Kanosuke Distillery Limited Edition Bottle is a single malt that offers a completely different character depending on the combination of barrels and aging period. Like #001, it is hand-numbered.
This time, #002 is made from non-peated barleywine distilled in Kanosuke Distillery’s unique three-pot still and aged for about 1.5 years in bourbon barrels and 2 years in Calvados barrels. Limited edition of 1,099 bottles.
1. Manufacturer
Komasa Brewing Company
| Establishment | 1883 (16th year of Meiji) |
| Head office | 3309 Hiki, Hiyoshi-cho, Hioki-shi, Kagoshima 899-3101, Japan |
| Owned distillery | Kannosuke distillery |
2. Distillery
Kanosuke distillery
| Location | 845-3 Kannogawa, Hiyoshi-cho, Hioki-shi, Kagoshima 899-2421 |
| Start of operation | 2017 |
The Kanosuke Distillery stands on a site of about 9,000 square meters along Fukiage beach on the west coast of Kagoshima Prefecture.
In addition to the distillation facilities, the U-shaped, two-story main building houses a BAR with a great view and a store selling original goods.
The main features of the distillery are The distillery is equipped with three pot stills (large, medium and small). The main feature of the distillery is that it has two distilleries. The distillery has a capacity of 6,000 liters, 3,000 liters, and 1,600 liters respectively.
In the world, craft distilleries (small-scale distilleries) usually have two units. whisky is usually distilled twice, and by using pot stills with different neck shapes and upper line arm angles during the second distillation (re-distillation), the aroma and flavor of the raw material can be changed more richly.
Fukiage beach, where the distillery stands, is one of the three largest sand dunes in Japan and has been selected as one of the 100 best beaches in Japan. The beach is about 47 km long from north to south, and the strong wind rises from the surface of the sea, and the area around the distillery is covered in white mist from the fine spray from the sea. It is a place with a wide range of temperatures, with hot summers and cold winters, where it is not unusual for the temperature to drop to around 0°C and snow to fall.
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Image credit: Kanosuke Distillery Official Facebook
For more information on the Kanosuke Distillery, please see also this article.
3. Product name and photo
Single Malt Kanosuke Distillery Limited Edition Bottle #002
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4. Characteristics
The base of #002 is a 2018 non-peated raw spirit that was made in our original three pot stills.
After maturing in bourbon barrels for about a year and a half, this single malt is aged for two years in Calvados barrels, a distillate made from apples in Normandy, France, before bottling. You can enjoy a well-balanced combination of freshness and depth of flavor.
4-1. Tasting Notes
| Aroma | Vanilla, baked apple, lemongrass, nikki |
| Taste | On the palate, fresh fruitiness and a mild, rich flavor swells. |
| Aftertaste | Spicy, bitter sweetness lingers gently. |
4-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol content | 55% alcohol by volume |
| alcohol category | Single malt Japanese whisky |
| Barrel type | Bourbon barrels, Calvados barrels, etc. |
| Contents | 200ml |
| Number of bottles sold | 1,099 bottles |
| Suggested retail price | 3,960 yen (tax included) |
| Release date | January 21, 2022 |
Awards received
No awards have been received at this time.
6. Price
6-1. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price
| Product name | Single Malt Kanosuke Distillery Limited Bottle #002 |
| Volume | 200ml |
| Suggested retail price | Tax included: 3,960 yen |
6-2. Resale price on Mercari
Resale price on Mercari The first 15,800 yen I was able to confirm one of the exhibits at (As of February 8, 2022)
6-3. Yahoo Auction Sold Price
We have not been able to confirm the price on Yahoo Auction. (As of February 8, 2022)
6-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
No items are currently available on mail-order sites. (As of February 8, 2022) 6-5.
6-5. Price offered at BAR SHINKAI
BAR SHINKAI, which is operated by this website, is 1 glass, 45ml: 5,280 yen, 30ml: 3,520 yen, 15ml: 1,760 yen We are offering it at
7. Summary
The flavor of Calvados is quite strong. There is a sweetness, sourness, and astringency reminiscent of baked apples and plums.
It tastes as if you are eating an assortment of fruits, mainly apples, but you can also feel the sweetness and bitterness of the malt.
By adding water, you can reduce the astringency and bring out more sweetness. Please enjoy it straight or with a twist of whisky.
Limited edition of 1,099 bottles, 200ml. This is a very rare whisky with a very high level of perfection, so if you have the chance, you must try it.
For more information on other whiskys from the Kanosuke Distillery, please click here.
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.
