Mars Shinshu – Komagatake 2022 (70cl, 50%)

This is the 2022 edition of Mars Shinshu Komagatake, a Japanese single malt from Hombo Shuzo, bottled in 2022 at 50% in a 70cl bottle. The outturn was 60,000 bottles, and it is non-chill-filtered with no added colouring. The blend is made mainly from malt whisky aged in former bourbon casks, with smaller parts from sherry and port casks. The nose is typically described as apricot and banana with vanilla, apple tea, blossom honey and fine oak spice. The palate is soft, with prune and hazelnut alongside acacia honey and a gentle bitter wood note. The long finish brings spicy oak, ripe persimmon and bitter orange marmalade.