Domain: Kirin

The Gotemba distillery, which opened in 1973 and sits at the foot of Mount Fuji, was created through a partnership set up the year before between the Canadian spirits giant Seagram, Chivas Brothers and their distributor in Japan, Kirin Brewing Co, who owned half the shares. Kirin ran the distillery but benefited from Seagram’s expertise for producing the grain whisky and Chivas’ for the malt whisky. After Seagram folded in 2002, its empire was split between Diageo and Pernod Ricard, but Kirin managed to buy its shares in Gotemba—which then became Futi-Gotemba—as well as Four Roses, which ensured a continuous supply of bourbon casks. Fuji-Gotemba released its first single malt—an 18 year old—in 2004 but remains focused on blends, which it is able to produce entirely in-house using various styles of grain whisky (light, medium, heavy).