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Single Grain

Kirin Single Grain Japanese Whisky Fuji Review

Reviewed by Kaz · 17/09/2026

Kirin Fuji Single Grain bottle

The Verdict

4.5/ 5

Rated 4.5 out of 5 Outstanding

Fruity Woody Spiced

Best for

Bourbon drinkers curious about Japanese grain whisky, and anyone who wants a single bottle that performs well neat, on the rocks, and in a highball. Less essential if you're specifically after a peated or malt-driven Japanese whisky — this is a grain expression through and through.

Quick Verdict

Fuji is a polished, fruit-forward Japanese single grain whisky — banana, pear and marmalade run through a smooth but substantial palate, backed by real wood and spice. It's unusually versatile across serves, and it can show a Bourbon-like combination of sweetness, wood and spice without simply tasting like one — the fruit-forward grain character keeps it distinct.

Neat

Where to Buy

United Kingdom

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Bottle Information

Fuji Single Grain is a single grain Japanese whisky produced by Kirin at the Fuji Gotemba Distillery, at the foot of Mount Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture. It carries no age statement and is a blend of three distinct grain whisky styles Kirin produces on-site — Bourbon-style, Canadian-style, and Scotch-style grain whisky — an approach Kirin's own official materials describe as central to the line's character. Some industry coverage attributes each style to a specific still (a doubler for the Bourbon-style spirit, a batch kettle still for the Canadian-style, and continuous column stills for the Scotch-style), though Kirin's own current materials don't spell out the exact equipment, so that detail is offered here with that caveat rather than as confirmed fact.

Whisky Specs

Country
Japan
Brand
Kirin
Category
Single Grain
ABV
46% ABV
Volume
US 750ml / 700ml in Japan
Value
Fair

Tasting Review

Here’s what I actually get in the glass.

Checked in September 2026, Fuji Single Grain is a hard bottle to find in the US right now — when it was in stock, prices were around $90 for a 750ml bottle, though sold-out listings elsewhere ran as high as $125. Around that $90 mark it’s a fair deal for what’s in the glass; up near $120 and beyond, the value case gets a lot weaker. For more from this category, see our Japanese Whisky reviews, including Suntory Chita if you want another Japanese single grain to compare it to, or Suntory Toki for a different, blended take on approachable Japanese whisky.

Tasting Notes

Nose
Sweet and toasty on the nose, with vanilla, orange, banana and cinnamon all coming through clearly.
Palate
Smooth on the tongue but with real weight behind it — vanilla and banana carry over from the nose, joined by pear, berry and marmalade, a touch of mint, and a distinctly woody backbone.
Finish
Moderate in length and soft in character, finishing on pleasant wood and warming spice.

Flavor Profile

  • Sweetness 3 / 5
  • Fruit 4 / 5
  • Spice 2 / 5
  • Oak 3 / 5
  • Smoke / Peat 0 / 5
  • Body 3 / 5

Pros

  • Real fruit complexity for a grain whisky — banana, pear, berry and marmalade all come through clearly on the palate.
  • Unusually versatile across serves — performs well neat, on the rocks, and as a highball, which isn't true of every whisky.

Cons

  • No major weaknesses stood out in the neat tasting.

Final Verdict

Fuji earns its 4.5 on sheer polish — banana, pear, berry and marmalade give it a fruit complexity that a lot of grain whiskies don't bother with, and the texture stays smooth without ever feeling thin. Sweetness, wood and spice are well integrated rather than competing with each other, and it's one of the more versatile bottles I've tasted across serves: it holds up neat, gets better on the rocks, and turns into a genuinely well-balanced highball.

Drinkers who don't get along with Bourbon's wood-and-grain character may find some of that same quality here — that's a matter of preference, not a mark against the liquid itself.

Other Ways to Drink It

Dram Verdict's core Nose, Palate, Finish and Score above are tasted neat. These are Kaz's notes on other ways he's actually tried this bottle.

  • With Water

    Very Good

    A small splash brings out more florality and sweetness; that lighter touch is the better call here rather than a full, equal-parts pour, which is a bit much for this whisky.

  • On the Rocks

    Excellent

    Sweetness and woodiness both build on ice, with more aromatic lift and no problematic astringency — one of the stronger serves for this bottle.

  • Highball

    Excellent

    Subtle sweetness and fruitiness carry through with a spicy finish, and it stays balanced and very easy to drink — a genuinely strong highball.

Where to Buy

United Kingdom

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links. This never affects our scores.

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About the author

Kaz Bartender & Whisky Reviewer

Kaz is a chief bartender in Japan, with eight years behind the bar and six years reviewing whisky on Whisktender, his Japanese-language whisky site. Every Dram Verdict score and every personal tasting note comes from a whisky he has tasted himself, with one question always in mind: is this bottle worth buying?

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