Mars Iwai Tradition Fuyu Chestnut Cask Finish (75cl, 40%)

Mars Iwai Tradition Fuyu is a limited-edition Japanese blended whisky from Mars Shinshu Distillery in Nagano, bottled at 40% in a 750ml bottle. The Iwai name honours Kiichiro Iwai, described as the silent pioneer of Japanese whisky. Fuyu means winter in Japanese. The blend, made from malted barley and corn spirit, is matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, then finished for four months in casks made from Japanese chestnut wood. It is non-chill-filtered. The nose brings brown sugar, maple syrup and toasted grain. On the palate come maple, dark cherry, orange peel, vanilla and allspice, with gentle tannin and rich maltiness. The finish is long, with cacao.