Aaron Kovalcsik / Alligator Char Follow Aaron on Instagram, or catch him at the one and only Aloha Whisky Bar! Read more of Aaron's reviews here.

The Backstory…

Kanosuke has been all over whisky news recently with a slew of epic releases. In fact, it’s getting pretty hard for me to catch up with them all. Between K&L, Ghost Series, Owner’s Casks, and Festival bottlings, there seems to be a new bottle of gold every few weeks. I decided to sit down at Aloha Whisky in Ikebukuro to try three releases and look for similarities and differences across three completely different cask types. However, before we get there — I had a mystery to solve.

As with all whisky trades, there is sometimes that one guy who never holds up his side of the deal. And this was that one time for me. A friend of mine — no, wait, let’s call him an acquaintance — has been a keen advocate of Kanosuke long before me, and we were in the middle of an epic trade. We were going to do a Chichibu swap (and a slice of pizza as an evener), and then we would swap Kanosukes from two different markets as an even bonus trade. Well, I’m at the bar, sitting here with his bottle for the first trade and writing my reviews. Well! He has just shown up — without my bottle! I either have to continue writing this review of these three epic Kanosukes or start unfriending this acquaintance of mine on all my socials. To be continued…

Kanosuke Distillery

What I absolutely LOVE about Kanosuke is their fusion of Japanese techniques from making Shochu and using that knowledge to craft whisky. They’re taking an existing craft and completely owning it, fusing it with their rich history and culture, and making it uniquely Japanese. More intricate details are available in the epic Ghost series review written here: Ghost Series No. 23 Presents Triptych Of Hioki Single Casks And Double Distillery Kanosuke Blend Featuring Rare Umeshu Finish.

The second thing I love about Kanosuke is that unique flavor of re-charred ex-shochu casks which imbues the whisky with an umami flavor unique to this distillery. Ever since the first moment this liquid gold touched my lips, I’ve been hooked. Looking for my next Kanosuke umami-drug-drip trip. Hunting for the bottles, trying every cask finish, and stalking the people associated with the distillery. Which brings us back to Matt. That’s why my upgrade and trade plan today has derailed. If Matt doesn’t bring his Chichibu trade bottle (has he hidden it behind the bar at Aloha?), how can we possibly finish our next Kanosuke swap? I really need this trade!! He starts to order a drink while I continue to nose the three incredible drams in front of me and ponder why Matt hasn’t brought the trade bottle with him.

Three Cask Finishes - All Uniquely Kanosuke

David, the legendary owner at Aloha Whisky, instructed his highest paid staff member Yasu to pull out 6 Kanosukes for me to try. Three of the six bottles were peated, so I decided to focus my attention on Red Wine Cask vs Ex-Shochu Cask vs Cognac Cask.

First up was a pick for Shinanoya, coming in hot at 59% ABV and bottled to celebrate 15 years of curating and selecting private casks. This four-year-old whisky used un-peated malt and was aged in bourbon barrels for 17 months then finished in a Red Wine Cask for 37 months. Shinanoya didn’t provide any details on the wine cask but they said, “prestigious chateau in Bordeaux, France,” so let’s just assume it’s a Château Lafite Rothschild, and if I’m wrong, please correct me in the comments.

The second bottle, coming in at 58%, was selected by K&L Wine Merchants, has all the important details on the label, and I didn’t have to google in Japanese to find out what was going on in the bottle. This 5-year-2-month-old was aged 37 months in ex-Shochu cask and then finished 25 months in ex-Bourbon.

Third is ‘A Pacific Ocean Collaboration’ and the lowest ABV of 57% of the three. Aged for 5 years and 5 months, it’s the oldest. 33 months ex-Bourbon barrel + 32 months ex-Cognac cask. Again, great job K&L and Acorn - all the details are on the bottle, no googling in Japanese needed. This was part of a co-release in Japan and the USA where the bottles have different labels, but it’s the same juice inside.

Across all three, they are straight from barrel to bottle with no chill-filtering and bottled at cask strength. Also, all three have the same bottle shape; did you know, it matches the shape of their primary spirit still?

Whisky Review: Kanosuke 2018, 4 Year Old, bottled for Shinanoya 15th Anniversary, 59% ABV - The Red Wine Cask

Tasting Notes

Nose: Very bright and fresh. Dominated by distinct red wine notes (possibly Cabernet Sauvignon?), alongside spearmint gum and fresh herbs. Followed by lighter touches of vanilla, coconut shavings, dry oats, and a hint of chocolate powder.

Palate: Wow! Impressively rich, juicy, and vibrant arrival. Features a noticeable, lively "sparkling" or effervescent sensation on the tongue, akin to pop rocks, carrying more red wine character. Develops into mixed berries, specifically raspberry, and baked rhubarb notes. There's a slight, balancing astringency and hints of dark chocolate, with a subtle citrus zest in the background.

Finish: Drying, with lingering notes of cocoa powder, mixed berry fruit spread, and the distinct impression of rhubarb pie.

Overall

A remarkably bubbly, refreshing, and effervescent whisky. The red wine cask creates fascinating new dimensions. It feels like a successful pairing of a youthful spirit with an active red wine cask, resulting in a unique and interesting profile.

Whisky Review: Kanosuke, 5 Year Old, selected by K&L Wine Merchants, 58% ABV - The Shochu Cask

Tasting Notes

Nose: Opens with floral heather and fresh mint, quickly followed by vanilla integrated with woody notes like sandalwood. A distinct wood spice profile emerges – nutmeg and a sweet spiciness akin to cloves mixed with sugar, rather than cinnamon or allspice.

Palate: Features a noticeable texture, slightly gritty with a light astringency. A subtle, perhaps elusive, honey note appears, alongside faint citric elements and hints of dried fruit (like apricot).

Finish: Oily in texture. A distinct bitter tang leads, carrying citric notes – less like orange, more reminiscent of lemon peel or a unique "Shochu zest". This zesty character gradually gives way to dry oak influences, specifically evoking cigar box and pencil shavings. The finish is decidedly dry, emphasizing oak over spice.

Overall

Displays a character that is quintessentially Kanosuke spirit, powerfully shaped by the ex-Shochu cask. Intriguing savoury-sweet notes emerge, like sugar-coated sweet potato chips from Japan, contributing sweet, dry, and umami facets ("a meal in a glass"). Underlying hints of honey, almonds, and vanilla provide depth. The Shochu cask influence is clear, adding punch and contributing to the unique finish and perhaps the potato-like textural elements. A memorable progression from a floral/woody nose to a subtly fruity/citric palate and a dry, oaky finish.

Whisky Review: Kanosuke, 5 Year Old, A Pacific Ocean Collaboration, K&L Wine Merchants & Acorn Ltd, 57% ABV - The Cognac Cask

Tasting Notes

Nose: Richly aromatic with prominent dried fruit notes, heavily hinting at the Cognac cask influence. This is layered with light honey, vanilla, and a subtle hint of sandalwood.

Palate: Complex and evolving. There are initial leathery notes, perhaps accompanied by hints of sulphur (rubbery, struck match, a "volcanic" touch, but the K&L notes don’t talk about this - maybe it was the liquid opening up in the bottle for me?). This develops into flavours characteristic of old sherry casks, alongside a distinct "antique wood" profile – musty, dusty floorboards, old cabinets. Notes of concentrated dried fruit, akin to candied fruit cubes or fruit jellies, emerge as well.

Finish: Malty at its core, presenting a balance between dryness and a semi-sweet, jammy fruitiness. Specific notes of blackcurrant and cranberry jam linger.

Overall

This whisky evokes a powerful sense of age and "old-world charm." The combination of dried fruits, leather, musty wood, and jammy notes conjures images of enjoying this with a cigar in a big leather chair surrounded by rows of dusty old books.

Overall Impressions and Mystery Solved?

Matt has finished his drink, and now he’s waiting for me to hand over his half of the trade. I glare at him! “Where’s my bottle?! Why didn’t you bring it?!” He looks puzzled.

Matt retorts: “I gave you the bottle weeks ago! I left it here at Aloha Whisky for you!” Here he has admitted to committing a crime that many of us that frequent Aloha Whisky bar do. We leave a bottle at the bar knowing that someone else we know will eventually grace the threshold of this bar and pick it up. The problem is this is a drinking establishment. And with drinking goes my memory, so of course, I didn’t recall picking up the bottle. First, I had to deflect and pass the blame on to someone else rather than admit a faulty memory bank. But before that, I had to finish my review!

Across all three bottles, this particular tasting let me explore cask influence across the Kanosuke base spirit. While each whisky was unique in its own way, the distillery style gave some interesting signatures. Notes of vanilla and general woodiness (like sandalwood) seemed to pop up across my tasting notes. There were also hints of cereal character and light floral or herbal touches providing a rich base character. The mouth feel was similar across all three casks with a slight astringent - mouth drying sensation.

The divergence with the cask finishes brought out youthful energy in the red wine cask paired with vibrant red fruit. Ex-Shochu was complex and unconventional compared to other whiskies on the market. And of course, the ex-Cognac cask provided a layered and mature dram with rich dried fruits and jammy sweetness.

In summary, damn, all three of these are worth drinking, and I think I’ll head back to try the peated drams if they’re still there. I also heard a few IPA casks had recently landed, so that gives me a new mission in life!

I looked up at Matt as I stopped scrolling through my personal list of whisky and found the bottle he was supposed to trade me was already accounted for and in my collection at home - at least according to my whisky list. We finalized the trade and lined up the details for the Kanosuke swap. Matt was re-instated as a “friend,” but I’m still going to give him some shade for doing a swap at Aloha Whisky and letting the whisky there wash away my memories.

All the best in your hunt for one of these bottles. Enjoy your life on this pale blue dot we call Earth. Take time to drink a solidly good dram like this one with your “friends” or acquaintances, slàinte mhath!