Shochu Maker's Hinokami Distillery Releases Its First Peated Young Whisky in Limited Run

Satsuma Shuzo Co., Ltd., a major maker of shochu (a Japanese spirit distilled from ingredients such as rice or sweet potato), has taken a new step in whisky. Its Hinokami Distillery released “#3”, the third and final instalment of its young-whisky series HINOKAMI NEW BORN, in Japan on 2 October 2026. It is the first in the series to put a smoky aroma centre stage.

Peat inspired by the smoke of katsuobushi

The distillery is in Makurazaki, Kagoshima Prefecture, a port town near the southern tip of the Japanese archipelago and a major centre for katsuobushi (smoked, dried bonito, an essential ingredient in Japanese dashi stock). #3 takes its inspiration from the smoke produced in making katsuobushi. The phenol level, which indicates how smoky a whisky is, has been raised sharply to 20 PPM, up from 1 PPM for #1 and 2 PPM for #2. The base is mainly bourbon-cask spirit, and the theme is the coexistence of “smokiness” and “elegance”. It is bottled at 50% ABV in 200 ml bottles, with a suggested retail price in Japan of 3,500 yen excluding tax.

According to chief blender Nou Momota, the aroma combines light smoke with the sweetness of toasted marshmallow and chocolate, a lily-like floral note, and the fruitiness of passion fruit and ripe apple. On the palate, peat smoke spreads out, followed by the freshness of tropical fruit and citrus, a buttery, oily sweetness and the toasty aroma of freshly baked grain. The smoky finish is said to linger.

Awards, and next year’s single malt

The first in the series, #1, won its category in the “Japanese New Make & Young Spirit” class at the World Whiskies Awards 2026, receiving the highest rating among entries from Japan. It also received the top rating among all 27 entries in the New Born category at the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition 2026. Hinokami Distillery is the southernmost whisky distillery on the mainland. As well as equipment for making both malt and grain whisky and warehouses, it has a cooperage, a workshop that makes casks, on site. The company says only a handful of sites in Japan have such facilities.

Next year the company plans to release its flagship “Single Malt Japanese Whisky HINOKAMI”, whose theme is “smoky elegance”. #3 is positioned as a signpost on the way there.

For readers in Europe

#3 is a limited domestic release of 3,000 bottles, and no plans for sale in Europe have been announced. The realistic point of interest is next year’s single malt. As an example of a shochu maker expressing its local smoking culture through whisky, it is worth following for news of imports. At 20 PPM, the design is gentler than strongly peated Scottish whiskies, and may be easy to try even for those not used to smoky whisky. If you get hold of a bottle, start by opening up the aroma with a little water. It could also be fun to pair it with smoked fish or dishes made with dashi, to explore the link with the smoke of Makurazaki.

Source: Satsuma Shuzo Co., Ltd. (PR TIMES / STORY) https://storyweb.jp/prtimes/792471/