Fukano Kumamoto Soul Japanese Whisky

Fukano Kumamoto Soul Japanese Whisky is a rice whisky from one of Japan's oldest family distilleries: Fukano Distillery, founded in 1823 in Hitoyoshi in the Kuma Valley of Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, and run by seven generations of the Fukano family. Bottled at 43.2% ABV (86.4 proof) in a 700mL bottle, it is made the Fukano way — distilled from a combination of malted and un-malted rice in pot stills using koji fermentation, the same tradition behind Kuma shochu, and classified as whisky in the United States. Imported by ImpEx Beverages. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.

• ABV: 43.2% (86.4 proof)
• Size: 700mL
• Distillery: Fukano Distillery, Hitoyoshi, Kuma Valley, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan — founded 1823
• Style: Koji rice whisky — distilled from malted and un-malted rice in pot stills
• Importer: ImpEx Beverages

Seven Generations of Fukano

Fukano is a shochu distillery that became a whisky distillery — or, depending on how you look at it, never stopped being one. The family has distilled in Hitoyoshi since 1823, in a mountain-ringed town famous for pure water and for Kuma shochu, the region's traditional rice spirit. When the Fukano family turns its rice spirit toward whisky, it keeps the koji fermentation and pot-still distillation that define Kuma shochu, then rests the spirit in oak. The result is a category unto itself: Japan does not classify rice distillate as whisky, but the United States does, which is why this bottle can carry the whisky name. Chris Uhde of California importer ImpEx Beverages has championed these koji whiskies — including Fukano — to American drinkers, and they have built a devoted following among drinkers who want something genuinely unlike Scotch or bourbon.

Tasting Notes

Fukano's rice whiskies are known for a profile that reads like a meeting point between whisky and sake: sweet steamed rice, sake-like florals, honey and brown sugar, dried orchard fruit, and soft oak spice rather than heavy barrel character. Expect a light-to-medium body, a gently sweet palate with toffee and spice, and a smooth, rounded finish. It is a whisky that rewards slow sipping and an open mind — nothing else on the shelf tastes quite like it.

How to Enjoy

Serve neat in a tulip glass to catch the delicate rice and floral aromatics, or with a few drops of water to open the honey and spice. It also makes an excellent highball — soda, ice, and a lemon twist — where the clean rice character shines. Pair with sushi, light Japanese dishes, or simply a quiet evening. If you collect Japanese whisky, this is one of the most distinctive bottles in the category, and the Fukano line offers several limited editions worth comparing side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fukano whisky made from rice?
Yes. Fukano distills its whisky from a combination of malted and un-malted rice using koji fermentation, the same foundation as Kuma shochu. In Japan it cannot be called whisky, but it is classified and sold as whisky in the United States.

Where is Fukano Distillery?
Hitoyoshi City, in the Kuma Valley of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. The distillery was founded in 1823 and is run by the Fukano family, now in its seventh generation.

What does koji whisky taste like?
Expect sweet rice, sake-like florals, honey, brown sugar, dried fruit, and soft oak spice — a lighter, more delicate profile than malt whisky, with a smooth, rounded finish.

What size is the bottle?
The bottle is 700mL, bottled at 43.2% ABV (86.4 proof).

Is this a limited edition?
Fukano releases its whiskies in small, limited runs — only a few casks are bottled each year — so availability is typically tight.

Order Fukano Kumamoto Soul Japanese Whisky online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — a rare taste of Kumamoto's 200-year distilling heritage, delivered to your door.