In an early 2023 blog post by Dornoch Distillery's commercial director, Vhairi Mackay, on the distillery's website, he talks about how this Kanosuke bottling for the Thompson Bros (Dornoch Distillery's independent bottling arm) was the result of much wrangling of the fast-rising Japanese distillery's staff (which did not work by the way), and even then it was only through a personal contact that got the bottling to happen.

A fan that had years ago met with the Thompson Bros, had incidentally knew a staff in Kanosuke Distillery, and thus made a personal introduction, which led to the Thompson Bros' team getting to pick their own Kanosuke cask, while that fan went on to become a staff at Kanosuke Distillery himself.

Kanosuke Distillery in Kagoshima, Japan. 

I find that kind of funny because from an outsider's perspective - well, two things - for one, it's never been something I could wrap my head around, that distilleries that produce tonnes of litres of output would not just make it difficult for folks to buy casks of their whisky, but are known to turn people away entirely. That would be like if Mercedes, Rolex, or what have you, not let you buy their products. I mean, I get the whole reputational risk if these folks messed up your whisky, but still... hmm... I still don't get it.

Second to that, while it's been quite clear from a mile away that Kanosuke is a fast rising star, it's also one where its popularity is still largely contained to Japan and to some extent Asia, where its bottles have found distribution. As Kanosuke hasn't quite made its way to the West, it's by no means found its mainstream popularity just yet. And in my opinion, having watched the announcement of this very Kanosuke bottling for the Thompson Bros, and also having been part of the group of folks who've created the sole Kanosuke Fan Club on Facebook, I daresay the Thompson Bros' Kanosuke bottling has probably been the Japanese distillery's biggest promotion in the West thus far.

Phil Thompson (left), of the Thompson Bros, with Tatsuya Ishihara (right) who helped make the bottling happen. (Image Source: Thompson Bros)

That the Thompson Bros, which has mustered a significant following for their independent bottlings and more recently their own whiskies, unveiled a first non-Scotch whisky to a largely Western audience, was probably many of these folks' first exposure to the Japanese distillery.

So in a twist of irony, I believe Kanosuke owes some thanks at least to the Thompson Bros team for making a first proper introduction and taking their name from one that's largely hot only on the tongues of those in Asia, into the Western world. It was a real first encounter moment where many folks in Europe finally got their primordial taste of the Japanese spirit.

In a more minor twist of irony, it took me personally having to travel to the West (namely the Melody Whisky Bar in London) from the East (Singapore), in order to finally taste this bottling.

The artwork itself hangs in the tasting bar and viewing gallery of Kanosuke Distillery in Kagoshima, facing the South China Sea, from which it was inspired. (Image Source: Thompson Bros)

The bottling itself was the result of the team at Thompson Bros being given several samples to taste blind and upon which they could select a cask of their own, which turned out to be an ex-Shochu (previously holding Kanosuke's parent company, Komasa Jyozo's Mellowed Kozuru aged Shochu) that was re-racked into an ex-Bourbon cask. That itself is a point of interest as most whiskies are typically aged in ex-Bourbon casks first to give it a base of sweeter, vanillic flavour, before undergoing a second maturation in a more distinctive cask type (say ex-Sherry, ex-Wine, etc).

The artwork featured on the label comes from a woodcut print of the sunset sea view from Kanosuke Distillery which faces the South China Sea, by regular Thompson Bros collaborator artist, Hans Dillese.

You can read more about the origins of the bottling from Vhairi's blog post on the Thompson Bros website here.

Kanosuke 2018 For Thompson Bros, 4 Year Old, Cask #20463 - Review 

Tasting Notes

Color: Amber

Aroma: Thick, heady, syrupy notes of honey, cooked apples, fresh red apples and then brighter, lifted notes of custard pudding dusted with cinnamon. There’s also cooked plums and figs, lots of maple syrup and cacao nibs. Over time it brightens up but still maintains a thick but mellowed richness - still on the custard pudding, cinnamon and red apples. 

Taste: Smooth, silky, really cohesive and mellow flavours of spiced honey, clove, red apples, custard and caramel. It’s lifted in flavours but at the same time hefty in texture and mellow in intensity but still very much flavour forward. There’s a touch of herbaceous bitterness of eucalyptus too.

Finish: A little more peppery and oaky with a touch of bitter tannins. A long drawn warmth that recedes in notes of spiced honey and custard. Just a touch of grapefruit for acidity.

My Thoughts

This was very enjoyable really - all those lovely hallmark Kanosuke flavours are accounted for, while at the same time it’s expressed beautifully - mellow but flavorful, with brighter creamier flavours contrasted with a denser body. It’s really cohesive as well and plays out wonderfully. 

Safe to say there’s no sharpness in sight or shall I say palate and nose. To my mind, this is the most Kanosuke, Kanosuke, at a high proof.

Kanpai!

@111hotpot