Fuji Gotemba Single Grain Japanese Whisky (2023) 70cl

Fuji Gotemba Single Grain Japanese Whisky (2023) 70cl

Outside Japan, not many know that Kirin is the country’s number three whisky producer, behind Suntory and Nikka. In fact, this is the first review of a Kirin Whisky on Malt Review. Perhaps that’s because Fuji Single Grain is the first Kirin Whisky to be exported to the US.

With Japanese whisky booming in the 1970s, it was not long before Canadian distilling giants, Seagram, were looking to get in on the act. They partnered with their Japanese distributors, the Kirin Brewing Co, to open the Gotemba distillery in 1973. Kirin ran in operationally, while Seagram provided hundreds of years of distilling expertise from its Chivas Brothers portfolio in Scotland, and a steady stream of used bourbon casks from its Four Roses distillery in Kentucky. Initially focussing on blends, the distillery produces both malt and grain whiskies, with a separate stillroom for each. In the 2002, the overstretched Seagram empire collapsed, carved up mostly between Diageo and Pernod-Ricard. Kirin retained Gotemba though, renaming it Fuji Gotemba, and acquired Four Roses as well. Today Fuji Gotemba is one of the largest distilleries in the world, and bottled its first single malt in 2004.

About Fuji Gotemba

The gift from Mt. Fuji. Artistry from Japan.

Mt. Fuji has been a sacred and inspirational landmark in Japan for countless generations.
(Throughout Japan's history, Mt. Fuji has been a symbol of faith and a wellspring of artistic inspiration.)
Mt. Fuji has long inspired art and reverence around the world and is home to JAPANESE WHISKY FUJI.

Every year, its majestic beauty continues to attract visitors from around the globe.
Nestled at the foot of Mt. Fuji, FUJI-GOTEMBA DISTILLERY has been pursuing
the ideal whisky for many years.
The beautiful experience of JAPANESE WHISKY FUJI created this way brings joy to life
and sparks unforgettable moments of inspiration.

JAPANESE WHISKY FUJI embodies the captivating Mt. Fuji's natural beauty
and the enduring tradition of craftsmanship.
It’s a fusion of these elements that creates a sense of "hope."

The Takumi are master craftsmen embodying Japan’s rich tradition of skill, artistry, and dedication.

Unwavering commitment bordering on obsession in every process combined with whisky-making techniques blend generations of Japan’s rich Takumi heritage into every drop of JAPANESE WHISKY FUJI.

In Japanese, the expression god is in the details

“ 神は細部に宿る : kami wa saibu ni yadoru” expresses the practice of honing skills and meticulously pursuing perfection.

Recently, Kirin Holdings have been under pressure from some of their activist investors to ramp up their beverage business and expand overseas. The whisky side of this has resulted in ¥8bn ($80m) investment to add four new stills, four new mash tuns and a storehouse that will expand aging capacity by 20%. Most importantly for us consumers, they released new products, the first of which was Fuji Single Grain.

Fuji was initially a bar only release, but from February 26, 2021, it became available for regular tipplers in Japan. From October 2020, Kirin began exporting to France, and on August 21, 2021, Kirin began exporting Fuji Single Grain to the US. As mentioned, it’s the first Kirin whisky to get a US export.

The US accounts for about 35% of premium whisk(e)y sales worldwide, but Japanese whisky is only 3% of that. However, Kirin has a tough time ahead of them if they want to put a dent in Suntory’s 50% market share of Japan’s whisky exports.

The bottom of Fuji’s Single Grain’s bottles rises inwards in the shape of Mount Fuji. This is something Kirin have used in their premium single malts before, so it’s nice to see this design feature in a more accessible bottle. In fact, almost every part of the bottle and label has some hidden meaning.

TASTING NOTES

46% ABV

70cl