Kanosuke is back with the Artist Edition #3, and this time they've got something very exciting for us!

The Kanosuke Artist Edition #3 is not only matured in a warehouse located on a small hill on the northern side of the Kanosuke Distillery which Kanosuke says has a greater influence of the sea breeze, but it's also finished in Amami Kokuto Shochu casks. The blend of ex-Shochu (presumably the distillery's parent Komasa Jyozo's Mellowed Kozuru Shochu), Bourbon barrel, and Red Wine casks, is also made with both peated and non-peated malt, which was then finished in said ex-Amami Kokuto Shochu casks. As this clocks numerous firsts, there's no telling what this is going to be like!

But first let's go over what the Artist Edition is - Kanosuke inaugurated the Artist Edition as paying homage to the Five Elements philosophy which is a deep belief in Japanese culture on the importance of a balance of the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water, in order for people to achieve well-being. As such, each Edition sees the Kagoshima distillery collaborate with a different artist to create a label inspired by the selected element to be represented for that Edition. Thus far, we've had Edition #1 Wood (art by Mariko Hirasawa) and Edition #2 Fire (art by Yuna Yagi).

For the Kanosuke Edition #3, it seems like water is what is represented here. It was rendered by Yukihito Kanai, an artist from Amami Oshima Island himself, who had visited Kanosuke Distillery and thus created the view of the Fukiage beach on which the distillery resides upon, overlooking the East China Sea.

The new expression, bottled at 50% ABV, will be on sale from 18th June at selected liquor stores in Japan.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team