Kanosuke Distillery
Brief overview of the distillery
Kanosuke Distillery is located in Kagoshima in the city of Hioki and combines shochu tradition with modern Japanese whisky. It is a craft distillery that since 2017 has worked with three pot stills, long fermentation, and a distinct focus on shochu casks—especially recharred shochu casks—which give the house whisky its soft, rounded profile.
History
The story begins in the Meiji period, when the KANOSUKE family laid the foundation for the spirit production that later became 小正醸造. Over four generations, there was targeted work with shochu, and a decisive turning point came in 1957, when the 2nd generation, 小正嘉之助, launched Japan’s first long-aged rice shochu in an oak cask, 「メローコヅル」. This was an important milestone for the house’s understanding of cask aging. In 2017, the 4th generation, 芳嗣, took the next step and began whisky production in Hioki. Here he built on the family’s distillation culture and started a new project: to create a Japanese whisky with clear local roots and a style that could reach beyond Kagoshima. Later, this experience also became the foundation for both single malt, HIOKI POT STILL, and blended whisky under the KANOSUKE name.
Raw materials and production
Production is based on malt and unmalted barley, and in some releases both non-peated malt and peated malt are used. Long fermentation is employed, giving the wort time to develop a creamy and full-bodied mash before it proceeds to distillation. One of the distillery’s most distinctive features is its three copper pot stills, which are used flexibly depending on the desired style, so the raw spirit can achieve different aroma and flavor profiles. In HIOKI POT STILL, the picture is expanded with the separate production at 日置蒸溜蔵, where the distillation is also described as a combination of traditional single distillation and reduced-pressure distillation. In addition, there is a cooling solution reminiscent of a worm-tub, which helps preserve aroma and body in the distillate. The entire process is shaped by shochu craftsmanship, but carried out as whisky production with Japanese identity.
Maturation and cask types
The maturation is clearly shaped by the house’s own shochu roots. A key element is the recharred shochu casks, where casks from long-aged rice shochu have been re-burned and given new life as whisky casks. Added to this is the use of American white oak, both as recharred casks and as new casks, as well as bourbon casks. Several releases also incorporate mizunara, and some limited editions work with combinations of non-rechar and rechar. The distillery also places emphasis on aging in different environments, including maritime conditions near the coast, which contributes to depth and structure in the maturation.
Whiskies
The core range revolves around three distinct expressions. Single malt 嘉之助 is the house flagship, built around sweetness, spice, and an elegant, Japanese softness. 嘉之助 HIOKI POT STILL is more pronounced and robust, with new oak, bourbon character, and a deeper, richer sweetness. 嘉之助 DOUBLE DISTILLERY brings the two house spirits together in a blended Japanese whisky, where the elegant meets the powerful. In addition, there are special editions such as The Mellow Bar Reserve and limited bottles for events and special releases. Common to the portfolio is that the house style is held together by fruit, sweetness, spice, and a soft, rounded structure.
| Whisky | Type / series | Alcohol | Cask and style | Flavor profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| シングルモルト 嘉之助 | Single Malt Japanese Whisky | 48 % | アメリカンホワイトオークのリチャーカスク | KANOSUKEのフラッグシップとなるシングルモルト・ジャパニーズウイスキー。焼酎リチャー樽をキーモルトに、複数の樽原酒を丁寧にヴァッティングしている。; Nose: honey, banana, lemon tea, caramel; Taste: kariin candy, nutmeg, ginger, faint smoked nuts; Finish: an elegant sweet-bitter note that lingers gently and for a long time | Aktuel; Kernesortiment; sold in the online shop |
| 嘉之助 HIOKI POT STILL | Japanese Style Pot Still Whisky | 51 % | アメリカン・ホワイトオーク新樽 and バーボン樽 | Inspired by Irish and bourbon, this Japanese-style pot still whisky brings together shochu-making techniques. Produced at 日置蒸溜蔵 and finished in the maturation warehouse.; Nose: butter sandwich, kabosu, stewed apricot, ume compote; Taste: madeleine, oaky, a pleasant saltiness, satsuma mandarin; Finish: vanilla, dry ginger, nutmeg, a gentle sweetness that continues for a long time | Aktuel; Kernesortiment; sold in the online shop |
| 嘉之助 DOUBLE DISTILLERY | Blended Japanese Whisky | 53 % | 焼酎リチャー樽, アメリカンホワイトオーク新樽 and バーボン樽 | A premium blended Japanese whisky made exclusively from the two in-house base spirits.; Nose: vanilla, mint, lemongrass, stewed apricot, melon, yellow peach; Taste: rich sweetness, clove, black tea, mandarin, nutmeg; Finish: pleasantly oaky, rich fruity aromas, soft and bitter-sweet aftertaste | Aktuel; Kernesortiment; sold in the online shop |
| シングルモルト 嘉之助 The Mellow Bar Reserve | Single Malt Japanese Whisky | 55 % | アメリカン・ホワイトオークのリチャーカスク | A single malt limited to duty-free stores. It adds elements derived from mizunara casks to the standard mellow flavor.; Nose: lemon peel, custard cream, butterscotch candy; Taste: quince, marmalade, nutmeg candy, sansho pepper; Finish: an elegant sweet-bitter note accompanied by pleasant spice and citrus | Aktuel; duty-free limited |
| 嘉之助シングルモルト 蒸溜祭2025 限定ボトル | Single Malt Japanese Whisky | 56 % | ダブルカスク; finish: double casks of non-rechar and rechar | A limited bottle for 蒸溜祭2025. Finished with a double cask made from a non-rechar and rechar shochu cask.; Nose: pear compote, apple juice, dried apricot, milk candy; Taste: sumomo fruit juice, quince, ripe persimmon, citrus peel; Finish: a gently lingering, aromatic and soothing aftertaste reminiscent of roasted green tea | Begrænset; limited quantity |
Whiskyernes style og flavor profile
Across the whiskies, there are clear traces of honey, caramel, and sugar candy, which provide a soft and inviting sweetness. The fruit notes range from banana, pear, and apricot to quince, plum, melon, and citrus, giving the whiskies a mature, juicy profile. The spices are just as evident with ginger, nikkei/cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and green spice notes like lemongrass and mint. In some releases, there is also a discreet smoky note, a lightly salted character, and a maritime edge that binds the house style together.
Visit the distillery
The distillery can be visited, and guests are offered tours where both the production and the house’s way of working can be experienced on site. There are also tastings and a handfill experience, which can be booked as same-day registration from August 1, 2026. In connection with the visit, the distillery has also announced a free shuttle bus between 嘉之助蒸溜所 and JR Ijūin Station during an August period. This makes the visit more accessible for guests arriving by train.
Philosophy and craftsmanship
At the core is a strong belief in craftsmanship, rootedness, and renewal. KANOSUKE builds on 140 years of shochu distillation culture, but actively uses the legacy to develop a whisky with distinct Japanese character. The three pot stills, long fermentation, and the many cask types show a willingness to fine-tune the flavor in small, controlled steps. At the same time, shochu rechar casks and other cask experiments are a deliberate part of the identity, not a side track.
Latest news
Handfill experience opens for same-day registration – 2026-08-01
From August 1, guests can sign up for the handfill experience on the day itself, making it easier to get a direct distillery experience without prior reservation.