Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022 Open Day 2022

Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022 Open Day 2022

Official bottling
Single malt - Kyushu
Dark amber red
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, figs, sandalwood, malted grains, cherries, black tea, golden syrup, damson jam. With water, golden syrup, raisins, cherries. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, cola nuts, sandalwood, fresh baked bread, golden syrup, damson jam. With water, black tea, golden syrup, cherries, hints of marzipan. 
Finish: Long. Sandalwood, lohan fruit, black tea, raisins, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Cask 19462. Sweet and luscious, as is nearly every Kanosuke I’ve ever tried. But this one also has golden syrup and bread notes, probably from the bourbon cask. Very rich and intense.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kanosuke 3yo 2018/2022

Kanosuke 3yo 2018/2022

Ghost Series, Hideo Yamaoka
Single malt - Kyushu
Pale gold
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, peaches, apricots, mint, sultanas, dried guava, gooseberries, hints of camphor. With water, sultanas, dried guava, lemon juice, hints of camphor. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, hot, astringent. 

Tasting:  Sour sweet. Magic marker, photocopy paper, dried guava, sandalwood, peaches, apricots, white pepper, hints of rosewood. With water, malted grains, dried guava, lemon juice, hints of rosewood. 
Finish: Long. Dried guava, magic marker, rosewood, sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Fruity and jammy, lots of tropical fruit and estery notes. There’s a deep, woody floral fragrance as well, rosewood, a note I’ve never encountered in whisky before. Delicious stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kanosuke Single Malt 2023 Limited Edition

Kanosuke Single Malt 2023 Limited Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kyushu
Amber
59% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, leather, cream, malted grains, hoppy beer, apple juice, marshmallows. With water, cinder toffee, apple juice, hoppy beer, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apple juice, cinder toffee, photocopy paper, cream, malted grains, fresh cut grass. With water, cinder toffee, apple juice, tyre rubber, hints of marshmallows. 
Finish: Long. Photocopy paper, cinder toffee, marshmallows, sandalwood. 

Comments: 

It says a lot about Kanosuke that this is one of the less good ones that I’ve had. It’s still quite glorious - rich creamy apple juice, lightly peated and smoked. Some slightly sulphurous rubber appears with a bit of water.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kanosuke New Born 8mo Feb 18/Nov 18

Kanosuke New Born 8mo Feb 18/Nov 18

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kyushu
Dark gold
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, malted grains, honey, leather, cloves, musk, hints of roast chicken. With water, brass polish, wet stones, honey, apples, hints of roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, oily, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apples, popcorn, honey, leather, malted grains, dark chocolate, raisins, cloves. With water, leather, vanilla, strawberry laces, apples, malted grains. 
Finish: Long. Dark chocolate, brass polish, popcorn, cloves, hints of musk. 

Comments: 

For an 8 month old whisky, the depth of flavour is remarkable. Huge whiffs of apple and popcorn offset sweet chocolatey notes. It’s excellent stuff, and as whisky generally tends to improve, the sky’s the limit for this one.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kanosuke Single Malt

Kanosuke Single Malt

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kyushu
Bright gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples,honey, burnt sugar, cinnamon, photocopy paper, golden syrup, white spirit. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apples, cinnamon, honey, orange peel, heather, vanilla ice cream, hints of photocopy paper. 
Finish: Long. Apples, golden syrup, heather, honey, white spirit. 

Comments: 

Lovely lovely whisky. Kanosuke is a revelation, one of the best of the crop of new distilleries (probably ranks alongside Dornoch). This one is appley and feinty, lots of complexity and balance despite its young age.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022

Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Kyushu
Dark gold 
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, five spice powder, sultanas, nectarines, pears, leather, hints of roast chicken. With water, nectarines, leather, pears. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, sultanas, nectarines, white pepper, hoppy beer, fresh baked bread, hints of pears. With water, honey, sultanas, hoppy beer, nectarines. 
Finish: Medium. Hoppy beer, fresh baked bread, sultanas, pears. 

Comments: 

Semi official release by Phil and Simon Thompson. Well, this is pretty good. For such young distillate, it’s got amazing complexity and a rather unique character. Like peaches steeped in beer. It’s not that widely available in the UK, and costs a pretty penny if you can find it, but it’s worth the price.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.