KIRIN WHISKY JOURNEY A journey to unravel the secrets of Kirin Whisky

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  Polished by the strata of Mt. Fuji
  Clear and abundant underground water.

  The snow and rain that falls on Mount Fuji seeps deep underground, where it is repeatedly refined by volcanic ash and lava layers, creating a water vein. This underground water, carefully filtered over a period said to be as long as 50 years, is a gift from nature worthy of being called "mother water." At the Fuji Gotemba Distillery, this high-quality natural water is pumped from a vein 100 meters underground and used as the brewing water for whiskey. This is a non-negotiable condition in order to maintain the aroma and flavor reminiscent of fruit and flowers that permeate the clear flavor.

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  Cultivating the ideal whiskey
  The nature of Gotemba.

  Whisky is a drink whose taste and aroma are strongly influenced by the natural environment. We established our distillery in Shibanta, Gotemba City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and began making whiskey in 1973. We chose this location because the water and climate, which greatly affect the quality of whiskey, are kept in ideal conditions throughout the year. Even now, half a century later, the great outdoors of Mount Fuji continues to bestow its delicious blessings on Kirin Whisky.

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  Fog rolls in
  Cool and humid climate.

  Located 620 meters above sea level, a visit to the Fuji Gotemba Distillery will allow you to experience the cool climate. The average annual temperature is 13°C, and the average humidity is over 80%. The unique characteristics of this high altitude, surrounded by mountains and sea, which is often shrouded in fog, are key to whiskey production. The cool climate allows the whiskey to mature slowly, while the high humidity prevents excessive evaporation during storage. These climatic conditions, along with the abundant underground water, make this area an ideal place for whiskey.

​INGREDIENTS

​INGREDIENTS

What makes Kirin Whisky possible?
Passed strict standards
Only quality ingredients.

At Fuji Gotemba Distillery, we set strict quality standards for each ingredient and only use ingredients that meet those standards. Carefully selecting high-quality ingredients is the first step in creating the whisky we aim to achieve.

malt

Dried germinated barley is called malt, and whiskey made solely from malt is called malt whiskey. Fuji Gotemba Distillery primarily uses non-peated malt from the UK, but also uses peated malt in some of its whiskeys to create a diverse range of whiskeys. Peat refers to peat, and smoking the malt with peat gives it a smoky aroma.

grains

Whisky made primarily from grains other than malt is called grain whiskey. Fuji Gotemba Distillery uses ingredients such as corn and rye to brew grain whiskey. They source ingredients from all over the world, including the United States and Canada.

Preparation and mashing

Preparation and mashing

Malt whiskey and
Grain whiskey
Carefully prepared to create each dish.

To brew the ideal malt whisky
Mash tun

The wort is made by mixing Fuji's underground water with barley malt, using the malt's enzymes to convert the starch into sugar, and then filtering through the malt's husks. Wort is a key factor in determining the quality of whiskey. At Fuji Gotemba Distillery, the wort is filtered slowly and carefully to create the desired whiskey. The clear, beautiful wort has a soft sweetness from the grain, and the sweet aroma of wort fills the production site during brewing.

Using a variety of raw materials
Preparation kettle cooker

Grain whisky emphasizes the unique characteristics of each ingredient, such as corn and rye. The professionals at Fuji Gotemba Distillery are particularly skilled at using different ingredients and setting optimal brewing conditions. Using the techniques, knowledge, and experience they have accumulated over many years, they brew each ingredient to bring out its aroma and flavor. The process of creating different grain whiskies begins not only in the still, but also in the brewing process.

​Fermentation

​Distillation

​Distillation

Distilling malt whiskey
The pot still is
Functional beauty in pursuit of the ideal taste.

Distillation involves separating alcohol from a fermented liquid by taking advantage of the difference in boiling points between alcohol and water, thereby concentrating the alcohol.

Malt whisky is distilled in a traditional copper pot called a pot still. When the fermented liquid is placed in the still and heated, the vaporized alcohol-based components are cooled in a cooler and liquefied to become the distillate (new pot) that is the basis of whisky.

The pot still is a symbol of the distillery.

On the tour of the Fuji Gotemba Distillery, you can get a close-up look at the newly installed pot stills. The pot stills located along the road at the distillery entrance are also genuine ones that were actually used in whiskey production.

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​CASK FILLING

​MATURATION

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  "We watch over the maturation of the raw spirit, and the blender creates the perfect blend.
  We thoroughly manage the raw liquor so that we can blend it." Team Leader, Distillation and Aging Team, Western Spirits Production Department
  Chief Distiller Nobuyuki Kishi

  The distiller is responsible for all processes from whiskey preparation to fermentation, distillation, and aging. Even if the same raw materials, yeast, and still are used, the same flavor and aroma will not be produced. Furthermore, even the same lot of whiskey will have different flavors depending on the warehouse in which it is aged, the number of stages, the barrels used, the temperature, and humidity, so these factors are taken into consideration and strict management is required.
  
  Kirin grain whisky has won the world's top title, "World's Best Grain Whisky," four times at the World Whisky Awards, a global whisky tasting event. In the future, the company aims to win the "Distiller of the Year" award.

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  "Anyway, I absolutely love whiskey.
  I am proud to be involved in making whiskey." Spirits Production Department Distillation and Aging Team
  Distiller Masao Nakamura

  The distillers at Fuji Gotemba Distillery are professionals with the skills to operate both malt and grain whisky equipment. They constantly use their five senses to ensure they do not miss even the smallest changes that affect the raw spirit.
  
  There is something romantic about whiskey, which is not something you can drink straight after distillation. By bottling it into casks and aging it over a long period of time, the raw liquor gains depth and becomes a fine whiskey. It feels just like life. We may not be able to drink the raw liquor we brew ourselves, but our passion will be passed on as a sash that connects our thoughts to future generations. We are constantly taking on new challenges, such as introducing new equipment and conducting test production, so that we can leave better raw liquor for future generations.

​Blending

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  "As the guardian of whiskey flavor,
  As an innovator who creates new value," Master Blender Jota Tanaka

  Blenders are also known as the "guardians of flavor," and their role is to "continue to protect the flavor" of each product. However, another important mission for blenders is to "create whiskey that is even more delicious and has new value."
  
  By tinkering with ingredients and production methods, we are challenging ourselves to create whiskey with new flavors, but it may take 10 or even 20 years for this to take shape. Looking 20 years into the future, we work hard to create whiskey with the dream of creating a delicious whiskey that will move the soul.

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  "Born from the nature of Fuji and reliable technology
  Please come and try the whiskey on site. Blender: Motoki Takeshige

  The whiskey we make is a blend of a variety of unique spirits that have been aged for many years at the foot of Mount Fuji. We carefully examine each spirit, sensing its individual characteristics and repeatedly test blending to ensure that each blend brings out the best in each other and achieve harmony. There are thousands and tens of thousands of possible blends, and there is no end to them. We do everything we can to achieve an impressive taste and deliver the finest whiskey.
  
  The experience of sipping Kirin Single Grain Japanese Whisky Fuji, named after Fuji, while gazing at the beautiful and majestic Mount Fuji, is exceptional. Be sure to visit the Fuji Gotemba Distillery and experience the flavor of Fuji while experiencing the nature where the whisky was grown.

​BOTTLING

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  Kirin Official Online
  SHOP DRINX

  Kirin's online store, DRINX, offers a variety of articles, recipes, and other reading material. It features a wealth of content that can only be read here, such as a serialized column by master blender Jota Tanaka.

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  Kirin official note

  Kirin's official note account publishes reading content related to whisky. We deliver the passion behind whisky-making at Fuji Gotemba Distillery through the voices of those on the ground.

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  KIRINto

  KIRINto is Kirin's owned media, imbued with the desire to face the future together with everyone with a dignified attitude. The site features articles that explore the co-creation between the Gotemba community, home to the Fuji Gotemba Distillery, and businesses through the sustainable music festival "ACO CHiLL CAMP" (commonly known as Acochiru).