Mars Komagatake Sherry and American White Oak Casks Wine Cask Finish (70cl, 52%)

This is a single malt from the Mars Shinshu distillery in Japan, bottled at 52% in a 70cl bottle. It is a limited edition of 1,000 bottles. The whisky is a vintage 2011 malt, matured in sherry and American white oak casks and then refined in Japanese red wine barrels from Yamanashi. The red wine casks have a marked influence, with sherry, tannin and oak on the nose. Fruit runs through nose and palate, including grape, strawberry and cherry, alongside cookies, cocoa and vanilla. Very slight smoky notes appear at the end.