Claude Whisky Private Label from Kanosuke Distillery is now in stock!
Discover the unique character that took five years to achieve!
A new release from Kanosuke Distillery, launched as a private bottling for “CLAUDE WHISKY,” a craft whisky specialty store based in Gifu Prefecture.
This single cask whisky was aged for five years in first-fill bourbon barrels and finished with heavily peated malt.
Driven by a desire to deliver authentic craft whisky, “CLAUDE WHISKY” opened in October 2017 as Japan’s first specialty shop dedicated to Japanese craft whisky.Owner Yuji Inoue carefully selects his stock, refusing to carry products whose origin is unknown or those from manufacturers that deliberately conceal their origins to pass themselves off as Japanese whisky and mislead consumers. His commitment to carrying only “authentic” products is unparalleled.
Here, Yuji Inoue—a shop owner driven by such passion and dedication—shares his “ vision of the world of Japanese whisky.” It makes for a fascinating read, so why not give it a look?
1. Photos of the bottle and label
Kanosuke Distillery Single Cask 2020 5 Years Heavily Peated / First-fill Bourbon Cask for CLAUDE WHISKY
Kanosuke Distillery Single Cask 2020 5 Years Heavily Peated / First-fill Bourbon Cask for CLAUDE WHISKY
2. Features and Product Specifications
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This single cask whisky was crafted from a first-fill bourbon cask selected five years ago, which underwent repeated sampling and a five-year maturation period before being bottled.
In addition to being aged in a first-fill bourbon cask, it is heavily peated, giving it a distinctive sweetness.Quote: Comment by Mr. Yuji Inoue, owner of CLAUDE WHISKY
[What Are First-Fill Bourbon Casks?]
A first-fill bourbon cask is a cask that has been used to age bourbon whisky and is then used for the first time to age . These casks are primarily used for aging Scotch and Japanese whisky.
2-1. Tasting Notes
| Aroma | Ripe Western pear, freshly shaved bonito flakes, green laver |
| Taste | Grilled pineapple, karintō, slight saltiness |
| Finish | A clean finish where barrel-derived sweetness envelops the peat |
2-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol Content | 60% |
| Type | Single Cask / Single Malt Japanese whisky |
| Cask Type | First-fill bourbon cask |
| Phenol Content | 50 ppm, heavily peated |
| Volume | 700 ml |
| Number of Bottles Sold | 197 bottles |
4. Prices at BAR Shinkai
At “BAR Shinkai,” operated by this website, we also serve small portions , such as 45ml for 5,940 yen, 30ml for 3,960 yen, and 15ml for 1,980 yen.
5. Manufacturer
Komasa Jozo Co., Ltd.
| Established | August 2021 |
| Headquarters Address | 845-3 Kaminokawa, Hiyoshi-cho, Hioki City, Kagoshima Prefecture 899-2421 |
| Distilleries Owned | Kanosuke Distillery |
6. Distillery
Kanosuke Distillery
| Location | 845-3 Kaminokawa, Hiyoshi-cho, Hioki City, Kagoshima Prefecture 899-2421 |
| Start of Operations | 2017 |
The Kanosuke Distillery is located on a site of approximately 9,000 square meters along Fukiagehama Beach on the western coast of Kagoshima Prefecture.
The U-shaped, two-story main building houses not only the distillation equipment but also a bar with a scenic view and a shop selling original merchandise.
A major feature of the distillery is that it is equipped with three pot stills—large, medium, and small. Their capacities are 6,000 L, 3,000 L, and 1,600 L, respectively.
Globally, it is common for craft distilleries (small-scale distilleries) to have only two pot stills.whisky is typically distilled twice, but by using pot stills with different neck shapes and angles of the upper line arm during the second distillation (redistillation), the aroma and flavor of the base spirit can be enriched and varied.
Fukiagehama, where the distillery is located, is counted among the “Three Great Sand Dunes of Japan” and has been selected as one of the “100 Best Beaches in Japan.” The sandy beach stretches approximately 47 km from north to south, and strong winds sweep in from the sea, enveloping the entire distillery area in a pure white mist of fine sea spray.It is a region with significant temperature fluctuations, where summers are hot and winters can drop to around 0°C—it is not uncommon to see snowflakes falling.
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For more information on the Kanosuke Distillery, please see this article.
7. Summary
The flavor features the powerful smokiness of heavily peated malt, firmly enveloped by the sweetness derived from first-fill bourbon barrels.
These two seemingly contrasting characteristics have been thoroughly fused through five years of aging.
This is a single cask that cannot be fully described simply by the number “5 years of aging.”
Yuji Inoue, owner of Claude Whisky, commented, “After it had aged past three years, I sampled it a couple of times and kept thinking, ‘Let’s let it rest a little longer…’—and before I knew it, five years had passed.”
“Let it rest a little longer”
The answer that emerged after five years—the result of that decision and meticulous attention to detail.
You can be among the first to enjoy it at BAR Shinkai.
Please be sure to savor it in your glass.
Please be sure to check out our other articles about the Kanosuke Distillery as well.
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.
