Kuju Distillery makes its first blended whisky with Oita-grown barley

Kuju Distillery in Taketa, Oita Prefecture, on the island of Kyushu, released “Malt & Grain”, its first blended whisky made with spirit from locally grown barley, on 18 September 2026. A blended whisky is a mixture of malt whisky, which is made only from malted barley, and grain whisky, which also uses other grains such as maize. The distillery recommends enjoying this bottling as a “highball”, mixed with soda water.

Why a young distillery made an “easy-going bottle”

Kuju Distillery is the only distillery in Oita Prefecture dedicated solely to whisky, and began production in February 2021. Until now it has focused mainly on single malts (whiskies made only from the malt spirit of a single distillery) and similar products, but it planned this blend as a product that people can enjoy more casually. It is bottled at 46% ABV and costs 3,850 yen including tax for 700 ml (about €23). The distillery plans to ship 5,000 bottles this fiscal year, and sales are limited to the distillery itself, department stores, airports and liquor shops within Oita Prefecture.

Takeshi Yu, the head of production, says the aim was a flavour that people unaccustomed to whisky will not tire of. He designed it so that, when mixed with soda, a showy aroma rises out of a crisp, clean-finishing taste. It is said to go well with a wide range of food, from fried dishes to simple home cooking.

Barley grown by local farmers

The barley used for the spirit was grown by Green Hojin Nakano, a contract farm in Bungo-Ono, Oita Prefecture. Its representative, Kozue Wada, says that seeing their crop become a product is encouraging and exciting. Because Japanese whisky often relies on imported malt, using locally grown barley is attracting attention as an effort to express a sense of place. The distillery also aims to release a single malt made solely from prefectural malt in future.

Since “Malt & Grain” is sold only in Oita Prefecture, it will be hard to find in Europe. Even so, the story offers a hint on how to enjoy it. Try mixing a Japanese blended whisky you have at home with chilled soda over ice in a tall glass. Pairing it with fried food such as fried chicken or tempura is the classic way to enjoy it in Japan. And keep an eye out for the 100% prefectural-malt single malt the distillery hopes to release. It should be a good way to learn about the trend of small Japanese distilleries trying to express individuality through local ingredients.