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Everything you need to know about Kirin Distillery
Most popular bottles from the distillery
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Kirin 18 Year Old Japanese Single Malt Whisky£649.99 Inc VAT -
Kirin Fuji-Sanroku 50 Degrees Japanese Whisky£109.93 Inc VAT
A brief History
Kirin, Japan. Founded in 1973.
When people say “Kirin whisky,” they’re usually talking about whisky made at the Fuji Gotemba Distillery — a major Japanese site owned by the drinks giant Kirin.
The distillery opened in 1973 at the foot of Mount Fuji. The location wasn’t chosen for romance. It was chosen for water and climate. Pure mountain water and cool conditions that resemble parts of Scotland. Kirin partnered with established Scottish and American distilling knowledge when it launched the project, aiming to produce whisky that could compete globally.
Unlike many Japanese distilleries that focus purely on single malt, Fuji Gotemba produces both malt and grain whisky on site. That gives Kirin full control over its blends.
If you see “Fuji” on a bottle in the UK, you’re looking at Kirin’s whisky arm — precise, clean, and technically well executed.
Taste Profile
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Sweet |
Fruity | Oaky / Woody |
Fuji whiskies tend to be clean and polished. The malt expressions lean toward orchard fruit, honey, and soft vanilla. The grain whisky brings sweetness and a silky texture.
Blended releases balance fruit and oak with minimal peat influence. There’s little smoke here. The focus is clarity and smoothness rather than intensity.
Compared to heavier Japanese sherry cask styles, Fuji is often lighter and more refined in structure.
Top 4 Flavour Profile Ingredients
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Apple / Pear |
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Vanilla |
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Honey |
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Oak / Wood Spice |
Most Recognisable Bottles
Fuji Single Malt
Fruit-forward, lightly sweet, well-integrated oak.
Fuji Blended Whisky
Balanced combination of in-house malt and grain spirit.
Fuji Grain Whisky
Shows vanilla, honey, and soft spice with smooth texture.
Availability in the UK has increased in recent years as Japanese whisky demand remains strong.
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The Distillery
The Distiller: Kirin Whisky at Fuji Gotemba Distillery
Address: Fuji Gotemba Distillery, Shibanta, Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan
 Open in maps |
 www.fujigotemba-distillery.com/en |
 +81 550 89 4909 |
Visitor Centre & Opening Times
Yes — the Fuji Gotemba Distillery offers tours and tastings.
Typical opening hours
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Daily (excluding some holidays)
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Around 09:30 – 16:30
(Advance booking recommended)
Visitors can tour production areas and taste Fuji whiskies.
Ownership History
Current Owner
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Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
Kirin, best known internationally for beer, expanded into whisky production through Fuji Gotemba and continues to operate it as part of its spirits portfolio.
Distillery Facts
Overview & History
Kirin is a major Japanese beverage conglomerate founded in 1907, best known globally for beer. However, it also plays a significant role in Japanese whisky through ownership of the Fuji Gotemba Distillery.
Kirin entered whisky production in 1973 with the establishment of Fuji Gotemba at the base of Mount Fuji. The location was strategically selected for its clean water source and climatic similarity to parts of Scotland.
Unlike some Japanese producers that focus primarily on single malt, Kirin built Fuji Gotemba with blending flexibility in mind.
Production (Fuji Gotemba Distillery)
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Spirit Type: Primarily single grain whisky (also some malt production)
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Distillation: Multiple column still types and pot stills
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Water Source: Snowmelt from Mount Fuji
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Climate: Cool, relatively stable maturation environment
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Cask Policy: Ex-bourbon, sherry, and wine casks
Fuji Gotemba is one of the few distilleries globally equipped to produce multiple styles of grain whisky in-house (bourbon-style, Canadian-style, and Scotch-style grain spirit).
This internal diversity gives Kirin strong blending autonomy.
Whisky Style
Kirin’s Fuji whiskies are typically:
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Clean and refined
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Vanilla-forward
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Light caramel sweetness
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Soft orchard fruit
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Silky texture
Compared to heavily sherried Japanese malts, Fuji expressions emphasise elegance and balance over intensity.
Key Expressions
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Fuji Single Grain – Core globally distributed expression
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Fuji Blended – Combination of malt and grain components
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Limited single cask and travel retail releases
Most internationally visible releases carry the “Fuji” name rather than “Kirin.”
Significance
Kirin’s importance lies in scale and technical capability. Fuji Gotemba is one of Japan’s largest whisky production sites and one of the most technically versatile grain distilleries in the world.
While brands like Yamazaki and Nikka often dominate premium single malt discussions, Kirin represents the industrial and blending backbone of Japanese whisky production.
Kirin Whisky to Buy
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