8. Whisky Distilleries in Kyushu and Okinawa

8. Kyushu and Okinawa Region

8-1. Kanosuke Distillery

Ltd. transferred its whisky production business at the Kanosuke Distillery to “KOMASA KANOSUKE Distillery Co.

Established in 1883, Kagoshima Prefecture’s Komasa Brewery is a sake brewer focusing on the authentic shochu “Kozuru” .
As a challenge to a new stage, utilizing the authentic shochu production technology it has cultivated to date in abundance, the company obtained a whisky production license in 2017 and began operation of the “Komasa Jozo Kanosuke Distillery” .

Image source: KANOSUKE DISTILLERY

In 2018, New Pot was released in limited quantities. Furthermore, “Kanosuke Newborn 2018” , stored for 8 months, was released.
In 2019, “Kanosuke Newborn 2019” stored for 16 months, will be released.
In 2020, the company will release “Kanosuke Newborn 2020 Peated” made with British peated malt and stored for 24 months.

Image source: Kanosuke Distillery KANOSUKE DISTILLERY

In addition, the company is actively selling craft gin prior to the sale of whisky.
Two types are currently on sale: “KOMASA GIN Sakurajima Little Mikan” and “KOMASA GIN Houjicha” .

Image source: KOMASA GIN

Typical whisky from Kanosuke Distillery.

シングルモルト嘉之助 2021 FIRST EDITION 58度 ［ 日本 700ml ]［ギフトBox入り］

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嘉之助

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8-2. Hombo Shuzo Mars Tsunuki Distillery

Image Source：Factory tour/ Mars Tsunuki Distillery | Hombo Shuzo Co., Ltd.

Speaking of Mars whisky, “Mars Shinshu Distillery” , which operated in Nagano Prefecture in 1985, is famous, but the place where Hombo Sake Brewery, which owns the distillery, started producing distilled sake, was “Tsunuki” introduced this time.

In 2016, Hombo Shuzo renovated one of the storage facilities in the Tsunuki Plant, which has a history of producing shochu for more than 100 years, and operated “Mars Tsunuki Distillery” .
While Mars Shinshu Distillery matures slowly in a cool climate, Mars Tsunuki Distillery is thought to be dynamically aged in a warm climate. We also use various types of raw sake to be produced and barrel types used for maturation.
At Tsunuki Distillery, in addition to the adjacent storage, the company also stores 30 barrels every year at the Yakushima Aging Cellar owned in Yakushima. It is very interesting what kind of aging is progressing in Yakushima, which has a climate that is rare in Japan.

“Single Malt Tsunuki THE FIRST” will be released on April 27, 2020, and “Single Malt Tsunuki PEATED” will be released on January 18, 2021.

image source：Factory tour/ Mars Tsunuki Distillery | Hombo Shuzo Co., Ltd.

In addition, the former hombo family residence “Hojo” adjacent to the distillery is used as a SHOP selling bar where you can taste Mars whisky and original goods and liquors, and it was built in 1933 in a Japanese-style one-story mansion with traditional wooden architecture.With the beauty of the tiles that make up the roof unique to the old house and the majestic appearance of the luxurious finish, you can enjoy the garden that changes the expression every day every season.The wooden deck leading to the stone warehouse from the surrounding corridor is arranged, and the stone lanterns are casually arranged in the garden where you can enjoy the best time while looking at the scenery of the four seasons.

Typical whisky of Mars Tsunuki Distillery

シングルモルト津貫 THE FIRST

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8-3. Helios Sake Brewery

Helios Shuzo, a sake brewery in Okinawa Prefecture, had a history of making whisky in-house in the 1980s, and it was shipped both domestically and internationally. The whisky produced at that time remained stored after the whisky boom was under fire. In 2016, Lawson talked about selling whisky, and limited editions of “Calendar 15” and “Helios Whisky Calendar (200ml)” . This led to helios brewery’s in-house whisky production.

Image Source：Sake brewery tour | Helios Shuzo Co., Ltd.

Image Source：Sake brewery tour | Helios Shuzo Co., Ltd.

On December 31, 2020, we releasedOkinawa’s first single malt whisky, Kyoda Kaskstrengths 2020.
Malt whisky, which was prepared and distilled in-house in 2017 using British pete malt as a raw material, is aged in oak barrels for three years. The label is designed to reproduce the atmosphere before dawn in the mountains near the distillery. The product name adopted Kyoda, the place name, and expressed it with powerful brush letters. Single malt whisky “Kyoda Kaskstrengths 2020” is a whisky with a smoky aroma and depth derived from Pete Malt. It is “Caskstrengths” that does not add water by 60.9% of the alcohol content of the barrel.

Image Source：Helios Sake Brewery Official Online Store

I would like to pay attention to what kind of whisky the company, which has a long history and tradition in the production of Awamori and rum, will make in the future.

Helios Brewery’s representative whisky

【沖縄産！国産ウイスキー】　蔵　（くら）　ザ　ウイスキー　ラムカスク　フィニッシュ　40％　750ml

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8-4. Tsuzaki Liquor Store Kuju Distillery

Operation started in February 2021. The Craft Whisky Distillery “Kuju Distillery” was newly established in Kuju-machi, Takeda City, Oita Prefecture.
Shoji Utoda, who runs a liquor store in Kuju-machi, Takeda City, Oita Prefecture, renovated a warehouse of about 400 square meters on the premises of the store and built a distillery. We will introduce a distiller manufactured by Forsyth Scotland and start production in February 2021. Since it takes three years to mature until shipment, sales are scheduled to begin around 2024 and 2025.

Image Source：Oita Gotsu Shimbun Premium Online Gate

Mr. Utoda consulted with Ichiro Akuto, a venture whisky who became world famous for “Ichiro’s Malt”, and learned manufacturing technology from 2017.
On The 5th of this month, we obtained our long-awaited whisky production license from the Takeda Tax Office, and production will finally begin.

8-5. Kuroki Main Store Osuzuyama Distillery

Image Exhibit: Osuzuyama Distillery Official HP

Image Exhibit: Osuzuyama Distillery Online shop / Top page

Kuroki Honten is a long-established shochu distillery known for “Hyakunen no Koroku” “Yamaneko” and “Yamazaru” . The distillery was built in the mountains by Toshio Kuroki, who was inspired by the Edradower distillery in Scotland. His son, Shinsaku Kuroki, who succeeded him, started making whisky in November 2019.
The barley used as raw material is made in-house, and they grow two varieties, Harushizuku and Haruka Nijo.
There are a total of four distillation machines: two for shochu, one for whisky (redistillation), and one for spirits.
Whisky is first distilled in the distiller for shochu, and then the distiller for whisky is used for redistillation.

OSUZU MALT NEW MAKE,

released in August 2020, sold out immediately after its release. It shows the high expectations and attention.

Representative Spirits of Osuzuyama Distillery

≪ジン≫ 尾鈴山 OSUZU GIN 45％ 200ml オスズ ジン

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8-6. Nishi Shuzo Mitake Distillery

Nishi Brewery was founded in 1845. A long-established manufacturer of authentic shochu, known for such products as “Satsuma Hozan” and” “Tenshi no Temptation”with over 170 years of history in the mountains of Hioki City. Acquired Kagoshima Golf Resort in February 2011. In 2019, the company built a whisky distillation facility in the golf resort.

This will be the third distillery in Kagoshima Prefecture, following Hombo Shuzo’s Mars Tsunuki Distillery and Komasa Brewery’s Kanosuke Distillery. “Mitake” is Sakurajima, which seems to be the official name of Sakurajima since ancient times. There are two pot stills, one for first distillation and one for redistillation. Both have an upward line arm and produce a clean new pod with a fruity and deep aroma. All barrels used for aging are old sherry casks.
The release of the craft gin ” 尽-tsukusu-“

in 2019, which is the result of extracting a total of 24 different botanicals, is also a hot topic.

8-7. Shinzato Shuzo Brewery

Founded in 1846, Shinzato Shuzo is Okinawa’s oldest Awamori brewery.
The “Shinzato WHISKY”currently on sale is a whisky made by blending overseas blended whisky with a few percent of the so-called “spirits” from the Shinzato Shuzo brewery, Awamori that has been aged for 13 years in sherry casks.

“NEW MAKE Shinzato” distilled in-house will be released in April 2021. The limited run of 350 bottles sold out immediately.
Pot stills are used in combination with those used to distill Awamori. They currently have three pot stills. Three types of casks are used for aging (specifics are unknown, but probably sherry and bourbon casks), and they intend to sell it as whisky after three years of aging. The company produces one batch of the original whisky every day.

Image Exhibit: Shinzato WHISKY | Shinzato Shuzo

Typical whisky of the Shinzato Brewery

新里ウイスキー 700ml 43度 箱付 沖縄最古の蔵元がつくるウィスキー ウヰスキー shinsato Japanese whisky whiskey kawahc

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8-8. Shinozaki Shindo Whisky Distillery

The whisky business is a new project of Shinozaki, a long-established brewery in Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture, which also produces Kunigiku amazake, Asakura barley liqueur, and shochu, etc. The building was completed in May 2021, and distillation began in August. Pot stills made by Miyake Seisakusho are used.
The company aims to create an unprecedented Japanese whisky by utilizing about 200 years of sake brewing know-how.
The first craft distillery in Fukuoka Prefecture is scheduled to begin shipments in three years. The company aims to ship 200,000 bottles per year.
In the future, the company plans to use wood from its own forests to make the vats used during fermentation and the barrels used during maturation.

8-9. Yamaga Distillery Co.

Completed on November 6, 2021. The first whisky distillery in Kumamoto Prefecture.

Operations will begin in 2013. The parent company is MCA Holdings (Tokyo), which was established through the spin-off of the alcoholic beverage business of Minamikyushu Coca-Cola Bottling (now Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan). At the time of operation, the distillery produced shochu (distilled spirit), but switched to whisky production. The company aims to commercialize the product in 2024 or later with technical cooperation from Hombo Shuzo (Kagoshima City). The company expects to sell 150kl, 40,000-50,000 bottles per year.

The distillery was built on the site of the original shochu factory. It is a two-story steel-framed structure (total floor space 1,257 m2) with a 4.6-meter-high bulge-shaped pot still. The 1,043 m2 maturing warehouse can store up to 3,300 rack-type barrels with a capacity of approximately 200 liters. A passageway for visitors to observe the production process and a lounge for tasting are also provided.

Total construction cost is approximately 1.1 billion yen.

The facility uses high-quality deep groundwater from the Kunimi mountain range and the Kikuchi River system.
The temperature difference between -5 degrees Celsius in winter and 40 degrees Celsius in summer is utilized for maturation.

8-10. Kogane Sakagura Yokogawa Distillery Whisky Factory

Image Exhibit :Yokogawa Distillery Whisky Factory

The brewing water used at Yokogawa Distillery is called “aokimizu” which comes from the foothills of the Kirishima Mountains in Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, where there is an abundance of water sources. “Aokimizu” is said to have a good affinity with yeast and to accelerate the aging process.

We are planning to tie up with a major European winery in the future, which will enable us to purchase a wide variety of aging casks such as sherry and wine casks.

The company also has breweries in Yokogawa and Kokubu Shikine, areas within Kirishima City. Yokogawa is a relatively cool area at a high altitude and surrounded by trees, while Kokubu Shikine is close to Kagoshima Bay and has the scent of sea breezes. Sake aged in different regions can have different characteristics.

The Yokogawa distillery boasts ample capacity, with land the size of about 1.3 Tokyo Domesand two huge warehouses.

We aim to create a fruity and easy-drinking whisky by using a variety of brewing water, different types of yeast, different types of shochu breweries, barrels, different climates, and fermentation and distillation techniques developed over many years of shochu distilling.

Currently, we plan to produce it with non-peat malt. Basically, we plan to use non-peated malt, but we also plan to use peated malt.

8-11.TENSEI Brewery Hishida distillery

画像出典：菱田蒸溜所Facebook

Founded in 1901. The company started shochu production under the trade name of Old Pine Shuzo, and changed its trade name to Tensei Shuzo at the end of 2010.
In recent years, the company established the “early drop distillation” method, which was inspired by the middle cut in whiskey production, and “Tensei Houjun Aka” produced by this method won the highest gold award at the TWSC (Tokyo Whiskey & Spirits Competition) for the second year in a row.
He makes whiskey utilizing soft water from “Fugendo Spring Source”, one of the 100 best water sources in Heisei era, which flows in Hishida.
Currently, English malt from Crisp and non-piped malt from Avangard Malz of Germany and domestic malt are also being used on a trial basis.
Fermentation time is long, approximately 5 days. By using a copper hybrid still, it is possible to make both malt and grain whiskey.

8-12.Satsuma Shuzo Hi no Kami Distillery

画像出典：薩摩酒造株式会社

Satsuma Shuzo Co., Ltd. famous for its shochu “Satsuma Shiranami”, which is no exaggeration when talking about shochu in Kagoshima, obtained a license to produce whiskey in December 2022.
The company will begin producing malt whiskey in February 2023.
As early as November 2023, the company plans to install a new continuous distillation machine and begin producing grain whiskey in addition to malt whiskey.
Originally, Satsuma Shuzo has been producing barley shochu “God’s River” aged in white oak barrels since 1988, and is the only shochu manufacturer in Japan to have its own “barrel workshop” and “barrel cellar,” where exclusive “barrel craftsmen (cooper)” manage and recondition the barrels.
Incidentally, there are only about 60 cooperage workers in Japan.
Therefore, Satsuma Shuzo is one of the distilleries that can make all Japanese whiskey, including malt, grain, and cooperage (barrel making), and has very high expectations. The fact that the brewery is receiving technical assistance from three distilleries, the Mars Shinshu and Tsunuki distilleries of the Hombo Brewery and the Yamaga distillery in Kumamoto, also raises expectations.
According to the official comment, “By the end of 2024, we plan to open a distillery with a store and a bar, which will be open to the public for tours. The “Hi no Kami Distillery” will be a new Japanese whiskey that will be loved around the world by achieving world-class quality and providing facilities that allow visitors to see the charm of whiskey in all its glory.
Two Japanese lantern-type distillation machines with a planned production capacity of 175,000 liters, malt preparation (one batch): 1.1 tons
Plans to release a single malt, “Fire God,” by the end of 2026.

Typical products of Hinokami Distillery

薩摩酒造 MUGEN白波THE COOL WAVE 【Kura Master2022芋焼酎部門プラチナ賞受賞】 [ 焼酎 芋焼酎 25度 日本 鹿児島県 900ML 瓶 ］

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薩摩酒造

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8-13.Yamato Distillery, Yamato Brewery Co.

A long-established liquor store founded in 1821.
The barrel-aged shochu “Tenshi no Haremae” won the Monde Selection Gold Prize in 2000.
Single Malt Yamato,” which became a topic of conversation because of its resemblance to the wording on the back label of a 12-year-old product from a major Osaka whiskey maker.
Single Rice Whiskey “Honosuke” and “Magyu” which looks exactly like that premium potato shochu known as the “3M” of potato shochu.
There is no information on distillers or facilities.

Representative of Yamato Distillery

山都酒造 山都 シングルモルトウイスキー 木箱付き 43度 750ml

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山都酒造㈱

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8-14.JFLA Holdings Joraku Brewery

画像出典：公式FBより

Founded in 1913.
RICE WHISKY Joraku” produced by a long-established authentic shochu distillery in Kuma, Kumamoto, is sold as a grain whiskey.
The ingredients are clearly labeled, and the Japanese label is removed, showing the spirit of trying to create a new type of whiskey.
It is a blend of whisky distilled from German malt and Japanese rice, and vodka made from authentic shochu (rice liquor) that has been aged and stored in oak barrels for a long time.
The whiskey’s delicate and refined sweetness derived from rice is said to be an excellent match for Japanese cuisine.

Typical products of Joraku Brewery

常楽酒造 常楽 RICE WHISKY ライス ウイスキー 43度 700ml ■熊本人吉初のライスウイスキー

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ノーブランド品

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8-15.Komaki Brewery Komaki Distillery

画像出典：公式インスタグラムより

The Komaki family has a long history. In 1590, he moved to Satsuma as one of 13 samurai retainers of the Kitago Shimazu family.
In 1909, they established an authentic shochu manufacturing business in Satsuma-cho, Satsuma-gun, Kagoshima Prefecture, and this year marks the 115th anniversary of their establishment.
The company obtained a whiskey license as of January 31, 2023.
With that, the facility trial operation was completed, and operation officially started on April 1, 2023.
One ton per batch is brewed.
Although it has just started operation and the product is, of course, still a long way off, the official comment clearly states that they will make “Japanese whiskey,” and their firm will and confident words undeniably raise our expectations.
Here is the official comment
We are convinced that our authentic shochu production and distillation technology is superior to anything in the world.
By applying this technology to the world’s distilled spirit, whisky, we are confident that the Japanese whisky we produce will soar to new heights, and by extension, raise the awareness of authentic shochu, and restore Japan to its world-class status.

Typical products of Komaki Distillery

小牧醸造 KOMAKI GIN コマキ ジン ジャパニーズ クラフト ジン 48度 500ml

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スピリッツ

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8-16.Umegae Brewery

画像出典：梅ヶ枝酒造公式サイト

Umegae Brewery, a sake brewery founded in 1787, has developed the first whiskey business in Nagasaki Prefecture.
President Tetsuya Nagano, his second son, Takeshi, and his third son, Taishin, and his brothers are working hard to preserve tradition and produce original whiskey.
In 2019, they will release their craft gin “Yokitsuki – Reigetsu”, which will also be the first of its kind in Nagasaki Prefecture.
It uses a hybrid still made in Germany.
Using malt from the U.K., the process takes 4 days per batch, and after 160 liters are made, they are packed in bourbon barrels.
As of 2023, a total of 7,000 liters or 35 barrels (enough for 10,000 bottles) will be brewed by November.
Takeshi Tsuyoshi, the master brewer, said, “First, we will follow the Scottish method and aim for a basic taste. After that, I hope to make various innovations.”

Representative products of Umegae Brewery

よきつき 令月 ジャパニーズ クラフト ジン 40度 720ml

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よきつき

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8-17.KANOSUKE Hinoki Distillery

Originally, the company started out making sake for the Hioki Hachiman Shrine and distilling authentic shochu. Today, the company manufactures and sells liqueurs, spirits, and whiskey. Its representative brand is the “Kozuru” series of potato shochu.

The distiller is a straight vertical stainless steel distiller used for shochu. Whiskey produced in Hioki is “grain whiskey,” but it is different from the continuous distiller usually used for grain whiskey.

At Hioki, whisky is distilled under reduced pressure in a single-stage distiller, which reduces the distillation volume. This results in a strong, robust liquor that retains the flavor derived from the two raw materials, barley and malt. This is truly a “Japanese pot still” that can only be produced by the Komasa Shuzo Brewery, which has been engaged in shochu production for a long time.

8-18.Shinozaki Shindo Distillery

The concept of Shindo Distillery is “THE QUEST FOR THE ORIGINAL”. The distillery has a chemical basis for each process, from raw material processing, saccharification, mash cultivation, and distillation, to the creation of the original sake, which is woven into the desired aroma.

The distiller is a copper pot still and the manufacturer is unknown.

They also have a gin distillery, Asakura Distillery, in the same area. It is noteworthy that there may be whiskey production here as well.

引用：㈱篠崎Facebook

Location	Hiramatsu, Asakura-shi, Fukuoka 838-1303
Access	Near Asakura IC on Oita Expressway
Start of operation	2021
Official HP	Shinozaki Co.㈱篠崎
Tours	ー
Products	[ミニサイズ]新道蒸溜所 ニューメイク 60度 200ml created by Rinker ノーブランド品 Amazon 楽天市場 Yahooショッピング

8-19.Nikka Whisky Satsumasa Distillery

The production base for shochu Satsumashi. It produces grain whiskey in a straight stainless steel shochu still. Barley grain, corn, and rye were used in the limited edition Nikka Discovery Series and Nikka The Grain whiskey.

Location	200 Suwa-machi, Kajiki-cho, Aira-shi, Kagoshima
Access	ー
Start of operation	1936 Whiskey distilling started in 2018
Official HP	ー
Tours	ー
Products	ニッカ ザ・グレーン 700ml created by Rinker ブラックニッカ Amazon 楽天市場 Yahooショッピング

8-20.Nikka Whisky Moji Factory

The Moji factory produces barley shochu “Kanoka” and has also been producing grain whiskey since 2017. The distillation machine is very large, about 10 times larger than that of Satsumashi. The original whiskey from this factory is also used for “Nikka The Grain” mentioned above.

Location	2-1 Osatomotomachi, Moji-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka
Access	ー
Start of operation	1914 Whiskey distilling started in 2017
Official HP	ー
Tours	ー
Products	ニッカ ザ・グレーン 700ml created by Rinker ブラックニッカ Amazon 楽天市場 Yahooショッピング

8-21.Oishi Sake Brewery

Oishi Shuzo is famous for its rice shochu “Oishi”. The distillation as well as the production of aged shochu will make whiskey production a smooth process.

It is already sold as “OHISHI WHISKY” in the United States. However, in the U.S., the laws for bourbon are very strict, but the laws for whiskey are a little looser. This whiskey is even listed as Whisky ADVOCATE, etc., but I think the contents are aged rice shochu. It is not found in Japan, but there are cases where it is sold in souvenir stores in the United States.

After obtaining a manufacturing license, New Pot was released under the name “Mizukami.