What you need to know:

• Kanosuke Distillery is releasing #002 bottling of their Single Malt, matured for 1.5 years in Bourbon followed by 2 years in Calvados. Calvados being an apple-based distilled liquor produced in Normandy, France. 
• This is a distillery exclusive and will be done via ballot. Ballot details below.
• Notes of Vanilla, Baked Apple, Lemongrass, Cinnamon.
• The malt used was imported UK non-peated malted barley. It comes in a 200ml bottle with a 55% ABV. A total of 1,099 bottles will be released for sale at 3,960 Yen (or 32 USD).
• It's interesting to note that the whisky spent more time in the Calvados cask than it did the Bourbon Barrel. That'll likely give the Calvados a strong influence on the whisky's flavors.
• The pitfall most bottlings that are matured in Calvados, IPA or Stout casks face is the sharp bitterness at the finish. It'll be interesting to see if Kanosuke's characteristic mellow and rich bodied malt is able to balance that out.
• Cop the Drop or Not Verdict: Cop

(Image Source: Kanosuke)

The latest bottling of Kanosuke's Single Malt, #002, was made using a blend of styles from all three of the distillery's pot stills, each of which sport different shapes and therefore producing a variety of whisky styles. Take note that this one's a distillery exclusive, which means only those who are able to head over to the distillery will get to purchase it.

It was distilled in 2018 and was subsequently aged for 1.5 years in a Bourbon Barrel, followed by 2 years in a Calvados Barrel, Calvados being an apple-based distilled liquor from Normandy, France.

(Image Source: Kanosuke)

The malt used was imported UK non-peated malted barley. It comes in a 200ml bottle with a 55% ABV. A total of 1,099 bottles will be released for sale at 3,960 Yen (or 32 USD).

Ballot Details:

Application Period: February 1st 10:00 to February 4th 10:00

Application Link: Click here.

Our Take

What stands out here is that the amount of time the whisky spent in a Calvados cask is actually longer than the time it spent in a Bourbon barrel, which leads me to believe that this one is going to be pretty heavily influenced by the Calvados, which from the sounds of the tasting notes, seems to be the case.

The process of making a bottle of Calvados. (Image Source: Encyclopedia Pub) 

For a fruit basket sorta whisky lover, this one is going to properly be right down your alley.

The only potential pitfall I could see here is that whiskies aged in a Calvados cask or in other cases, say IPA or Stout casks, they tend to give the whisky an acidic, bitter twang on the finish which can come across pretty sharp and skew the otherwise rounded, mellow flavors which are characteristic of Kanosuke's whiskies. This is more so the case with a young whisky as this, with only 3.5 years of aging under its belt, it may require more maturation to really integrate well.

(Image Source: Kanosuke)

Yet, there's a good chance Kanosuke's richer more hefty body may be enough to mete out the zingyness. We'll find out when we get a sip!

But if you are able to pick this up, I'd say go for it! It's not priced ridiculously and sounds interesting when you think about the combination of fruity zingy flavors and Kanosuke's richer, mellow body - might just be a big hit. I have a good feeling Kanosuke will pull this off.

Cop the Drop or Not Verdict: Cop

If you liked reading about Kanosuke's new Calvados matured whisky, you'll probably like these too:

• Mellow Land, Mellow Whisky – Distillery Spotlight: Kanosuke Distillery

Kanpai!

@111hotpot