Time sure does fly! Somehow I've begin keeping time by the intervals of official Kanosuke releases...2021's 1st Edition, 2nd Edition, 2022 Limited Edition, Core Release and now the 2023 Limited Edition.

It's really been quite a joy to have been able to follow along the distillery as it paves its way release after release, giving us something new to talk about each time and it must be said the energy and excitement folks have for the distillery's release has been very heartening to see.

We've been fortunate to have tasted and reviewed every one of the distillery's official releases (each has explored a different flavour profile) and then some - not something that can be said about every exciting distillery!

So for the 2023 Limited Edition that really got people going because of its really striking black label and packaging, it's the distillery's first peated expression - and it's also cask strength!

Specifically, it's been made using peated malt distilled in 2018 and 2019, which were then aged in ex-Shochu and ex-Sherry casks, bottled at 59% ABV.

Let's have at it!

Kanosuke 2023 Limited Edition - Review

Tasting Note

Color: Amber

Aroma: Light peaty ashiness but aromatic, with only ever so slight medicinal notes. Still largely driven by those ex-Sherry notes of spiced honey, mulled wine, cacao powder, fruitcake, and also a touch of mint. It's very rich and intense with this light layer of charcoal soot around it.

Taste: A really oily texture - again lightly medicinal and herbaceous - parsley, eucalyptus, mint and of bitter cough syrup. This evolves into glutinous rice cakes, this lightly sweet rice flavour that's almost translucent. More onto notes of cinnamon, spiced honey, and apple pie filling. Alittle bit of milk chocolate and maltesers sweetness too.

Finish: Long, big warmth! Sweet spiced honey, more rice cake sweetness, with alittle bit of candy corn. The light peat starts to come through again, with alittle bit of that soot and ash.

My Thoughts

One of the great things about Kanosuke - and I think it's why people really love Kanosuke, is that the flavours are always very forward and bold, and really intense, layered atop a typically hefty body - that all translates into a very impactful and memorable whisky.

This is no different, very enjoyable stuff, although I must say that I personally find the peat not particularly well integrated. It did give Kanosuke a new dimension, and was certainly interesting, but it felt more like "Kanosuke + Light Peat", rather than "Peated Kanosuke". The peat is largely an overlay rather than entwined into the whisky's character itself.

I'm also starting to notice this really interesting (and personally super enjoyable!) flavour about Kanosukes - the translucent sweetness of rice/rice cakes/glutinous rice - which I suspect is the influence of the ex-Shochu casks used to mature some portion of the whisky used. This is a distinct flavour I've yet to find in any other whisky aside from Kanosuke.

In this particular expression, this was well balanced with the ex-Sherry influence to give it alot of power, intensity and complexity.

The three distinctive elements used for this whisky - the peat, the ex-Shochu and ex-Sherry, were all very apparent and flavour forward, which made it so enjoyable just how expressive this was. 

If there really had to be a fault to be picked, is that this was still alittle bit hot and knowing the incredible quality of some of Kanosuke's owner's casks, more depth, silkiness and mellowness could have been had on the palate.

Kanpai!

@111hotpot