KIRIN DISTILLERY

Kirin Distillery – the Japanese whisky house by the legendary Mount Fuji.

Kirin Distillery is one of the most renowned Japanese whisky producers, located at the foot of the majestic Mount Fuji. Known for its unique combination of traditional Scottish craftsmanship and Japanese precision, the distillery stands out for its exceptional terroir – crystal-clear water filtered through layers of volcanic rock and a climate ideal for whisky maturation.

Kirin specializes in creating diverse styles – from single malt and single grain to unique blends – combining the expertise of master distillers with innovative aging methods. Kirin Distillery (also known as the Fuji Gotemba Distillery) was founded in 1972 as a joint venture between Kirin and Seagram, with other partners also involved. The distillery was purposefully located at the base of Mount Fuji, in Shizuoka Prefecture.

This location was chosen for its exceptionally pure, filtered water sourced from Fuji’s snow layers and for its climate resembling that of Scotland – cool, moderate, and favorable to whisky maturation. In 2002, the Kirin Group took full control of the Fuji brand, becoming the main operator of Fuji Gotemba.

Kirin’s savoir-faire — raw materials, distillation, and maturation.

Kirin Distillery uses water filtered through the lava layers of Mount Fuji, ensuring high purity and delicacy for its spirits. The Gotemba climate (around 620 m above sea level, with an average temperature of ~13 °C) provides mild conditions in the warehouses, enabling harmonious whisky maturation in casks. The distillery operates both pot still distillation and column distillation, allowing it to craft diverse styles — single malt, single grain, and blends.

For maturation, Kirin uses oak casks (including ex-bourbon), and by carefully controlling humidity, temperature, and time, achieves a wealth of aromatic notes: vanilla, fruits, flowers, delicacy, and harmony. The cellar masters and blenders at Kirin ensure skillful blending of different batches, combining younger and older series to achieve smoothness, balance, and complexity.

Kirin today — brand, innovation, and prestige.

Today, Kirin Distillery is one of the most recognizable symbols of Japanese whisky worldwide. The distillery offers both classic editions (e.g. Fuji Single Malt, Single Grain, Single Blended) and limited releases or vintage editions, such as Kirin Single Malt 17 Year Old Small Batch — a bottling with a refined flavor profile and limited availability.

The Fuji Gotemba Distillery offers guided factory tours of the facility along with whisky tastings — guests can learn about the entire production process, explore the laboratories, aroma room, and sample selected editions. Kirin continuously develops its craft, experimenting with different whisky profiles — blending grain and malt styles, using various cask types, and optimizing processes to surprise with quality and elegance.

Kirin’s values, philosophy, and heritage — what sets the whisky house from the Land of the Rising Sun apart?

Kirin’s philosophy is rooted in authenticity, harmony between nature and technology, and the pursuit of perfection at every stage of production. Water, climate, attention to detail – all these elements are strictly respected as an integral part of the brand’s identity. Kirin stands for uncompromising innovation: while deeply rooted in traditional distillation craft, the brand is unafraid of experimentation — new releases, maturation in various cask types, and limited editions demonstrate its boldness in charting new flavor paths.

Kirin’s heritage is built not only through maturation time but also through archives, documentation, and the knowledge of generations of masters at the Fuji Gotemba Distillery. This blend of nature (terroir), raw material, technique, and human sensitivity makes Kirin whisky recognizable for its harmony, elegance, and ability to reveal aromatic and flavor nuances.