Kirin Fuji Gotemba Single Grain Whiskey (1x 700mL),Japan

Fuji is referred to as Whiskey – with e, which is how it is spelt in Ireland and the US. However, Japanese whisky typically follows the Scotch tradition, so whisky is almost always written here without an e. This tells us something about the liquid and its production methods.

It’s a blend of three types of grain whiskey. The backbone of the blend is a Canadian-style medium-type grain with a rich flavour, made with a batch distillation similar to a malt pot still called a kettle distiller. It takes more time than continuous distillation, but it produces a fruity distillate with a soft mouthfeel. The only kettle distiller outside the US is at Mt Fuji Distillery.

This backbone is supported by a Bourbon-style heavy-type grain distillate using a Doubler. The only Doubler outside the US is at Mt Fuji Distillery.

The third is a Scotch-style light-type grain with a gentle flavour using a continuous distillation machine multi-column. This enhances the characters of the other components and adds to the harmony and depth.