Mount Fuji from Mount Ishiwari near Oshino, Yamanashi prefecture. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP) … [+]
If you’re celebrating World Whisky Day, today is your day to take a dram of your favorite or explore something new from the ever-expanding world of whiskies. Or, discover something new from an old pro, such as FUJI Japanese Whisky, the new expression created by FUJI Whisky master blender Jota Tanaka, which launches this month in the United States.
Known for its innovation, the brand is known for its single estate approach, and says it’s the only distillery to “craft, nurture, age, and bottle three styles of grain whiskies—heavy American Bourbon style, medium Canadian style, light Scottish style, and malt whisky under one roof.” This one is a single-site blend inspired by the terroir of around Mt. Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The newest expression from the Japanese distiller
FUJI Whisky calls the Single Blended Japanese Whisky expression a “new category of whisky in Japan,” and so recognized by the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association. It’s also a career-capping accomplishment for the master blender, who is a World Whisky Hall of Fame inductee with more than 30 years of experience.
“This unique expression marks a special moment for FUJI Whisky and our Mt. Fuji Distillery as its release signifies FUJI as the pioneer of single-blended Japanese whiskies,” Tanaka commented in a press release, calling the new whisky “an exceptional gift that reflects patient aging.”
The whisky aged an average of seven years in 100% American white oak and, like others in the portfolio, uses snowmelt water from the mountain. Double distilled in traditional pot stills with a blend of grains (Canadian, Scottish and Bourbon styles), it’s 86% proof (43% abv). The master blender’s notes include a stone-fruit nose (peach, apricot) with orange liqueur and honey notes; Williams pear, apricot, and white table grapes on the palate and a sweet-fruit finish. Suggested retail: $69.99/750ml.
Mt. Fuji Distillery began American, Canadian, and Scotch whisky production in 1973, claiming the crown as one of the only distilleries capable of producing both malt and grain whiskies on a single site. The FUJI Whisky brand made its U.S. debut in 2021 with the release of FUJI Single Grain Japanese Whiskey, a blend of three different grain whiskies, each distilled in three different methods. Last year, FUJI released its 30-Year-Old Single Grain Whiskey in the U.S., a blend of multiple maturates of Canadian style grain whiskies aged more than 30 years.