Fuji Gotemba Distillery sits at the foot of Mount Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture, at an elevation of 600 metres. Owned by Kirin, it is one of the few distilleries in the world that produces both malt and grain whisky on the same site, and one of even fewer that uses three different still types for its grain production — copper pot stills, column stills and a 'doubler' continuous still. This versatility allows the distillery to create grain whiskies of unusual complexity and character.
The Single Grain expression showcases this multi-still approach. The grain whisky has a delicacy and refinement that belies its category, with genuine flavour and texture rather than the neutral smoothness that grain whisky is often criticised for. The Mount Fuji snowmelt water, naturally filtered through volcanic rock, contributes a purity and softness that shapes the spirit's character.
Fuji Single Grain is a revelation for anyone who associates grain whisky with blandness. The multi-still production method creates a spirit of genuine interest, and the Japanese attention to detail — evident in the water, the blending, the bottling — elevates it further. As Japanese whisky grapples with supply shortages and rising prices, Fuji's grain expressions offer an accessible entry point into the category's quality and craft.
