The Art of Asian Spirits: Kensei and Ki One Whisky Expressions

The Japanese blended whiskey "Kensei" is inspired by a special caste of samurai who owned the kensei. Kensei warriors spent their lives fighting and striving for a level of excellence achievable by very few. "Every army needs warriors whose specialty is victory!" - This is the pervasive philosophy of Kensei, which led to the creation of blended whiskey.

Kensei Blended Japanese Whisky

Kensei is made using the artisanal process of magnificent spirits from the Miyagi and Nagano prefectures, which, after mixing, are aged from 3 to 4 years in American oak barrels. Kiyokawa is an independent bottler, the name of which in Japanese means "clean river". Striving for excellence, he created a magnificent blended whiskey, which he called "Kensei". The bottler's work is based on the painstaking handicraft mixing technique that arose in Hokkaido. Kiyokawa experts take first-class whiskeys from different regions and mix them in the shadow of Mount Tanzawa.

Tasting Profile

• Color: Whiskey golden amber color with reddish highlights.
• Taste: The taste of whiskey is velvety, rich, but delicate, with notes of fruit, caramel, spices, vanilla, coconut, candied fruit. In a long, balanced, sweet aftertaste remain the nuances of fruits, spices and oak.
• Aroma: The fresh, sweet scent of whiskey is filled with notes of flowers, nuts, an oak barrel, apricot, orange and marmalade.
• Gastronomy: Whiskey is excellent in its pure form or with a few drops of water.

Ki One: Korea’s First Single Malt Whisky

KI ONE (KI WʌN) in Korean means the beginning and hope. Ki One is Korea's first single malt whisky, produced by The Ki One Distillery in Namyangju, South Korea. These two themes perfectly encapsulate our spirit as we are at the beginning of our single malt whisky journey from Korea to the world. Three Societies will be showcasing a variety of whisky variations using blends of different casks with a long Korean spicy finish for each batch.

This award-winning Korean Single Malt is distilled from unpeated malted barley with a minimum 100-hour fermentation in stainless steel and is twice distilled in Forsyths copper pot stills. The distillery uses no added coloring and the spirits are non-chill filtered to maintain their signature spicy malt profile.

Core Editions of Ki One

KI ONE Tiger: This whisky represents South Korea, for the people and land where this delicious spirit is made. It is a blend of sherry and wine casks, and offers the KI ONE unique flavor with a rich sweetness and fruitiness. Tasting notes include ripe fruits, sweet honey, and oak with a finish of apple, plum, and oriental species.

KI ONE Eagle: This edition represents the bold flavors coming from new oak and first select bourbon casks from the United States. It is a specially selected blend of Kentucky bourbon casks and Missouri new oak, which offers complex and deep flavors of sweet caramel and vanilla.

KI ONE Unicorn: This is our take on a Scottish peated whisky but made for the growing number of young male and female whisky drinkers in Korea. It is a peated single malt whisky distilled from 100% malted barley and peated to 50 ppm. Smoky and earthy, Unicorn Edition embodies the harmonious union between Scotch whisky tradition and The Ki One Distillery’s unique spicy malt profile.

Limited Batches and Cask Maturation

The distillery offers various specialized batches to cater to diverse preferences:

• Batch 6 - Pedro Ximenez: Matured in Pedro Ximenez (PX) sherry casks, allowing you to experience the well-balanced body with sweet character of the PX casks.
• Batch 5 - Port Cask: Matured in Port Cask, offering delicate sweetness with notes of Christmas pudding, dark chocolate, and strawberries.
• Batch 4 - Peated & Smoked: "Peated" appeals to those who relish heavy peat, while "Smoked" is tailored for those who prefer a milder touch reminiscent of bonfire smoke.
• Batch 3 - Oloroso Sherry: Aged entirely in Oloroso sherry hogsheads, lending rich, fruity depth and a bold palate of rich butterscotch, walnut, and raisin.
• Batch 2 - Virgin American Oak & Bourbon: Blends virgin American oak with first fill ex-bourbon barrels, adding layers of richness including baked apple and vanilla bean.

Whisky Specification Table