The Fukano Vault Reserve #1 Rice Whiskey 750ml

Fukano Distillery was founded in 1823 in Hitoyoshi City, deep in the mountains of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, a region prized for its pure water and untouched natural surroundings. The distillery has remained in family hands for five generations, now led by Shigeruriku Fukano, and built its reputation on shochu before becoming one of the pioneers in maturing that spirit in wood, a practice credited to Chizuru Fukano, mother of a previous distillery president.

Vault Reserve #1 begins as undiluted, single-distilled honkaku shochu made from a blend of malted and unmalted rice, run through a traditional pot still. Rather than a single cask profile, this release combines rice spirit aged anywhere from three to eleven years, with some stock resting in ex-sherry casks and specialized tanks for up to sixteen years, all blended together in 2018. Only 5,443 bottles were produced as part of a four-expression limited export series.

The whisky opens with fruity aromas of plum and sherry, layered with cinnamon spice. On the palate, muscadine grape and sandalwood emerge alongside more sherry richness and a delicate hint of gunpowder tea. Nutty, savory notes round out the profile, and the finish runs long, earthy, and complex. It works well neat, on the rocks, or built into a classic Old Fashioned.