Fukano Select is a limited 2023 release from Fukano Distillery in Hitoyoshi City, Japan. Distilled from 100% rice -- malted, unmalted and koji -- it undergoes a 21-day parallel fermentation with koji rice, followed by single distillation in a stainless steel pot still. Aged in a mix of new and used white oak, ex-red wine and ex-Manzanilla sherry casks, it is bottled at 43% ABV.
The initial sweetness on the palate evaporates rapidly, the strawberry flavor shifts down through damson, prune, and crabapple, showing savory notes of balsamic vinegar, arriving at a final delicious phase heralded by the creaminess and salinity of an oyster with a dash of Tabasco. The finish is restrained, with paprika and concentrated red fruits.