New Fukano Editions

As the Fukano brand continues to develop, the whiskies from the Kumamoto Prefecture are not only getting more precise in their balance and concentration of flavor, but they're also getting older. We've got our first ever Fukano single barrel with an age statement—12 years old—as well as another sensational sherry cask that should make sweet Oloroso chasers very happy. Both are distilled from rice as is the case with all the Fukano editions. I thought both made welcome additions to our Japanese spirits shelf.

Fukano "Sherry Cask" Japanese Whisky $89.99 - Fukano's rice whiskies continue to populate our shelves here at K&L and the latest Sherry Cask release gives Oloroso fans heaps of what they love: rich, saturated, sweet sherry goodness with a textural mouthfeel and plenty of raisined richness on the finish. While the rice component of the spirit gets lost under all that decadence, fans of the genre won't care. It's a perfect vehicle for those who love opulence!

Fukano 12 Year Old Single Cask Japanese Whisky $99.99 - Fukano's first rice whisky with an age statement is another impressive addition to a line-up that has been a big success thus far at K&L. Full of oak flavor and plenty of vanilla from the extended time in wood, this doesn't have the sweetness or the extra heft that some of Fukano sherry matured editions have exhibited, but the balance is much more in line with what one would expect from a classic malt whisky. It's another fun and curious look into the future of rice spirits from Japan.

-David Driscoll