Fuji Single Grain Japanese Whisky

By Kenrick Thurston-Wilcox

Rating: B

Situated at the base of Mt. Fuji, 7.5 miles from it’s peak, the Fuji Distillery has been making whisky in the shadow of Japan’s most famous mountain since 1973. Despite that, their first US release came only in 2021. The location was most likely chosen for a few different reasons. The first is the glacial and snowmelt-based groundwater, softening it along its way to the underground springs that the distillery pulls its water from. The second is climate, with average yearly temps siting around 55F, minimal temperature fluctuations and year round fog (high humidity), the location lends itself to steady and consistent whiskey maturation.

Fuji is able to distill 1 type of malt whiskey and 3 different types of grain whiskies in-house, and following the Japanese model, they do not engage in stock trading with other distilleries. The mash bill they use for the grain whiskies typically consists of corn, with maybe some rye added depending on the style they are wanting. With different types of stills present on the property (multi-column, kettle, beer column and doubler), and using them in different configurations they are able to achieve their 3 grain whiskies (which are labeled as Light-type: Scotch style grain whiskey, Medium-type: Canadian style grain whiskey, and Heavy-type: Bourbon style whiskey).

This release of Fuji Single Grain Japanese Whiskey is a blend of those three in house style grain whiskies and bottled at 46% ABV. It was created to highlight both the similarities and differences of different grain whiskies from around the world, with a Japanese flair.

The Whisky
Once poured, the liquid is a light amber color. The corn is making itself known early on, with the whiskey smelling much like a bourbon would. Fruit comes out first, apple and pear, with the grainy corn note not far behind, and a slight vanilla taste. It reminded me of a budget bourbon, specifically Old Grand-Dad, and I just so happened to have a bottle of lying around. I did a side by side comparison of the nose, and would say that the Fuji was was not so up in your face, with more nuance and more fruity notes with less heat and spice. 

My first sip I didn’t analyze, but rather just sat for a minute while I coated my tongue. There is a good amount of complexity going on, with flavors coming out then making way for new ones. The feel of the liquid itself strikes a good balance between being too thin or thick, and has a nice silky feel. The fruity notes are present with apple and pear coming out again, vanilla and some grain notes in the back. It tastes less ‘bourbon-y’ then the nose suggests, yet can still be described as a lighter feeling and tasting style of bourbon. The finish is nice and long, morphing to orange and chocolate. I found with water that the aroma was more pleasing, with the grain notes being pushed back and the fruity notes being dominant.

If you’re a bourbon drinker looking to try something new this may be what you’re looking for. It just might win you over with it’s complex yet lighter bourbon-like qualities.

The Price
The bottles retails at $94.99 for a 700ml bottle, yet is not available in most states. It initially rolled out to Washington, California, illinois, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida last year. Best bet of trying this whiskey is finding an online retailer in a state that carries it.