KUJU DISTILLERY

Brief about the distillery

KUJU DISTILLERY is located in 久住町 in Oita and is a Japanese craft distillery with views of the Kuju area—high up in the mountains and surrounded by green nature and clean spring water and groundwater. Here, they work purposefully with single malt as the core, and the distillery combines a newer whisky history with a clear grounding in the old sake tradition on site. It is especially interesting because the place brings together classic pot still craftsmanship, local roots, and a very young but ambitious whisky universe.

History

The story begins with the founder Shoji Utoda, who as a student experienced a Scottish single malt in a bar and was later captivated by the world of whisky. He later worked in his family’s spirits shop, where in 1998 he found himself in the middle of a time when whisky was difficult to sell—but he continued anyway, still buying in and believing in the category. The dream of making whisky himself grew stronger over the years. In 2018, he bought the grounds of the former sake brewery Kobayakawa Shuzou, which had been standing still for about 30 years and where spring water was also available. Even before the distillery was finished, investment was made in the craft: training at Chichibu began in 2017, and later Tsunuki followed. In 2019, an agreement was made with Forsyths regarding equipment and installation, and in 2020 the work was hit by the pandemic, so Hirano Shoten took over the installation. In January 2021, the whisky license arrived; in February the facility went into operation; and on February 27, 2021, the first distillation took place. Since then, the distillery has grown with new warehouse buildings, and development continues with the same long-term outlook.

Raw materials and production

Kuju works with pot stills from Forsyths in Scotland. There are two stills: a 2500-liter first distillation and an 1800-liter second distillation, and both are of the straight type. Heating is done with indirect steam, and cooling takes place via a shell-and-tube system, where the rich groundwater is used as cooling water—so cooling can be controlled throughout the year. The spirit is described as relatively heavy, partly because the rectifying still is small. In the raw materials, the distillery primarily uses imported malt, but around ten percent is built on locally contract-grown barley. Each mash is 500 kg, and there are five Douglas fir wash tubs, which in August 2022 were all replaced with timber in order to promote stable lactic acid fermentation and create a more complex and flavorful whisky. Fermentation lasts four days. A distinctive feature of the production is also the specific location: the large windows in the factory building, the visible placement facing the road, and the daily use of water and local craftsmanship are part of the practical environment around the distillation.

Maturation and cask types

Maturation takes place primarily in used bourbon barrels, because they want the spirit’s own character to come through clearly. At the same time, they work with sherry, wine, rum, armagnac, and calvados casks as variations. Kuju is situated high up, and therefore has a relatively cool climate, even though it is in the southern part of Japan, and that makes maturation slower. The first warehouse building is set up in the basement of the former sake brewhouse and uses the dunnage method. Later, both rack and dunnage warehouses were added, and a nearby sports hall is also used as a warehouse and storage facility. This creates a maturation environment where tradition and practical reuse go hand in hand.

Whiskies

The range is still small and centered on single malt. KUJU THE FIRST is the distillery’s first single malt, and it presents the house style in a cask strength edition, with bourbon casks as the backbone and refill casks and sherry casks stacked on top. Kuju sora2025 is another single malt release, in which multiple matured whiskies—also including peated malt—are blended to capture the atmosphere of late summer and the beginning of autumn. In addition comes Green Dram, a blended malt made by blending matured overseas malts and the distillery’s own new make. Together, the portfolio paints a picture of a young distillery that is already working with both classic bourbon character, fruity complexity, and a more smoky, seasonal style.

The whisky style and flavor profile

The style focuses on green fruits that move toward ripeness—like pear, kiwi, and citrus—but also on a clear malt richness. In addition come floral notes, a tea-and-herb character, and a more toasted or dry side with vanilla beans, burnt oak, and campfire smoke in the smoked expressions. Overall, it points toward a whisky where the fruit is bright and juicy, the malt is full-bodied, and the smoke—when used—is part of a larger, layered whole.

Visit the distillery

A factory tour is listed as coming soon, and it is also stated that factory visits are not available yet. This means the distillery currently does not come across as a place for public tours or regular tastings. On the other hand, it is stated that you can buy products at the distillery. Contact is via a form, and the published pages do not provide a visit plan with opening hours or booking procedures for guests.

Philosophy and craftsmanship

The distillery emphasizes respect for predecessors, a sober and understandable approach to whisky-making, and persistent work with trial and error. The craftsmanship is described as a long journey in which they want to create whisky that does not disappoint those who have supported the project. At the same time, whisky is seen as a way to connect the place’s nature, culture, and people’s lives with the future.

Awards and recognition

• WWA Silver Award (2024, Silver Award, Kuju NEW BORN #2)