There are a few places to visit in Gotemba besides the outlet mall. The distillery is somewhere I had wanted to go for ages, but there was the constraint that I could not go unless a friend who drives and does not drink came along, so it never happened. This time the chance finally came up, so I went.
On the way
The weather was absolutely perfect.
The distillery crest
The Kirin Gotemba Distillery mainly produces the Fuji-Sanroku series. Using both grain and malt, that is.
The shop inside, which doubles as the tasting area
After the tour loop you gather back here. The distillery itself is tucked away in a remote spot, so I was surprised at how many people there were.
Aroma wheel
Whisky gives off this whole range of aromas.
Inside the distillery
Very modern.
Inside the distillery
The stills
Inside
Inside
Inside
Inside
To be honest, compared with other distilleries it does fall a little short.. but I should take it as one more ticked off the list. Next time it has to be Chichibu and Mars..
Snacks
Today’s whisky
It was just so-so. There were not many rare bottles to buy either. Thinking back, the Karuizawa distillery really was the best, and I wish I had bought more back then.
Kirin Nature Forest
It makes me think it might have been nicer if they had built the distillery a little deeper in the mountains..
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