"Fuji whiskey aims for a fruit-forward and smooth style. I want Korean consumers to know it's not a drink to have only on its own, but a drink to enjoy with food."
At the 2026 Seoul Bar & Spirit Show held at Coex in Seoul on the 24th, Takeshige Motoki, blender at the Fuji Gotemba Distillery, cited fruit aroma as the biggest hallmark of Fuji whiskey and said as much. He introduced the brand at the Fuji whiskey booth that day, tasted the flagship products himself, and met with Korean consumers. Fuji whiskey is officially imported by Hitejinro(000080).
Founded in 1973, the Fuji Gotemba Distillery sits about 12 kilometers in a straight line from the summit of Mount Fuji, at an elevation of 620 meters. It uses subsoil water naturally filtered for about 50 years as snow and rain from Mount Fuji pass through volcanic strata. The subsoil water is low in minerals and high in purity, forming the foundation for a clean and smooth whiskey.
The distillery's biggest feature is that it produces both malt whiskey made primarily from barley malt and grain whiskey made from grains other than barley entirely in-house. It has a globally rare production system that carries out all processes—from materials and supplies input, saccharification, fermentation, distillation, maturation, blending, to bottling—at a single distillery. It also delivers complex flavors by combining grain distillates with distinct characters, such as bourbon type, Canadian type, and Scotch type, with malt distillates of clean, fruity, and rich types.
Blender Takeshige emphasized a clean, smooth profile and fruit aromas as the direction Fuji whiskey pursues. "Japanese whiskey generally takes a lot of cues from the Scotland style, but Fuji is characterized by bringing out bright fruit aromas as much as possible," he said, adding, "Whether single malt, single grain, or single blended, we aim for a style with richer fruit aromas than other brands."
Hitejinro currently offers six products: ▲ Fuji Sanroku Signature Blend ▲ Fuji Single Malt ▲ Fuji Blended ▲ Fuji Single Blended ▲ Fuji Single Grain ▲ Fuji Single Malt 17 Years. Among them, Fuji Blended is sold only in Korea. Fuji explained that Korea is a market with diverse food culture and a good place to showcase whiskeys that can be enjoyed with a variety of dishes.
Regarding the flagship product, "Fuji Single Blended," he said, "It is a product where malt and grain whiskey come together to deliver a smooth texture," adding, "Its biggest appeal is that you can taste the grain character while the bright aroma and fruit notes remain vibrant."
Fuji Blended is a product made by blending a range of malt and grain distillates produced at the Gotemba Distillery. In particular, it is designed to allow the grain character to shine by increasing the proportion of grain whiskey, while also letting you experience Gotemba's signature bright fruit aroma. Blender Takeshige said, "Unlike the weighty style of Scotland whiskey, it is characterized by abundant fruit aromas," adding, "Though it contains grains, it lets you fully enjoy fruit notes."
He cited harmony with food as the greatest strength of Fuji whiskey. "Fuji whiskeys, like wine, pair well with a variety of dishes," he said. "Single Blended goes well with dishes rich in umami, such as soy sauce marinated crab, and Single Grain, with its sweetness and spiciness, pairs nicely with duck in orange sauce or samgyetang. Single Malt, enjoyed with fatty meats, brings its fruit aromas and flavors further to life."
Blender Takeshige said, "We already make whiskey using various ingredients, but we are also planning to use barley cultivated directly in Gotemba going forward," adding, "It will be a small quantity, but it's an effort to craft whiskey that highlights regional character even more."
The Seoul Bar & Spirit Show, which showcases domestic and international liquor and cocktail culture, runs from today through the 26th at Hall D of Coex in Seoul. Hosted by EXPORUM, the event features a total of 336 brands. In addition to distilled spirits such as whiskey, cognac, rum, gin, vodka, and tequila, it presents cocktails, nonalcoholic beverages, mixers, and barware.