Kanosuke Artist Edition #005

Kanosuke Artist Edition #005 Bottling Note

Kanosuke Artist Edition #005 is a single malt Japanese whisky produced by the Kanosuke Distillery in Hioki City, Kagoshima Prefecture. Released as the fifth and final instalment in the limited “Artist Edition” series from Komasa Kanosuke Distillery Co., Ltd., this expression concludes the collection, which has explored the traditional Japanese Five Elements philosophy of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. This final chapter embodies “water”, the source of life. The whisky was crafted under the direction of Shunichi Nakamura, Distillery Manager and Chief Blender, with label artwork by the artist Alexander Kori Girard.

At the heart of this whisky are three types of Mizunara-matured casks. The first is an unpeated new-make spirit matured in Mizunara oak, contributing incense-like aromas and gentle sweetness characteristic of the wood. The second is a peated new-make spirit matured in Mizunara, adding subtle smokiness and depth. The third component is KANOSUKE single malt finished in Mizunara casks for around two years, providing the mellow sweetness and harmony typical of the brand. By combining unpeated and peated elements with these Mizunara casks, the whisky achieves a layered complexity unattainable through a single-cask approach.

This edition also employs a slow-dilution technique, allowing the distinct Mizunara and peated components to integrate gradually, resulting in a balanced and expressive profile. Bottled at 50% ABV, it is presented as a non-age-statement single malt.

Where the core Kanosuke Single Malt represents the distillery’s house style, the Artist Edition series has showcased thematic cask compositions paired with artistic expression. As the final release, Kanosuke Artist Edition #005 places Mizunara at its centre, capturing both the quietude and vitality associated with water. Notes of sandalwood, oriental nuances, kumquat jam, and gentle peat intertwine to create a whisky that embodies the concept of “quiet intensity”.

Kanosuke Artist Edition #005 Tasting Note

Nose: Apple, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon bark, sandalwood, roasted tea

Palate: Apricot, ginger, white peach, kumquat jam, light honey

Finish: Soft honeyed sweetness followed by citrus peel and a measured peatiness that ripples on and on

Overall: A contemplative and elegantly layered Mizunara-led single malt, where gentle sweetness, refined spice, and understated peat come together in a calm yet deeply expressive harmony — a fitting conclusion to the Artist Edition series.