Mars : Tsunuki Japanese Spring

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the Tsunuki Japanese Spring by Mars

Tasting

Nose
The nose exudes fruity notes (berries, cooked red fruits) reminiscent of a crumble, evolving into nuances of applesauce and spices such as white pepper and cinnamon, all wrapped in a fine smoke. A delicate saline peat takes over, with hints of smoked bacon and touches of nuts and eucalyptus.

Palate
Delicious fruits intertwine with an exotic passion fruit acidity and a delicate bitterness of dark chocolate. Peat is discreet on the attack, with almost caramelized sweet notes that take the lead. The finish is distinguished by a beautiful, noble, creamy wooden structure, bringing depth and energy with perfectly controlled balance. The peat makes a majestic return on the finish, leaving a sweet, bitterness-free imprint that lingers pleasantly on the palate.

An exceptional lightly peated Japanese whisky with springtime notes

Mars Shinshu: The Art of Multi-site Japanese Whisky

Founded by Kiichiro Iwai, Mars is a distillery located in the Japanese Alps in Miyada. The company now operates three sites: the historic Komagatake distillery (reopened in 2011), Tsunuki since 2016 in Kagoshima, and a maturation warehouse on Yakushima Island. This multi-site approach allows experimentation with different maturation climates, creating unique aromatic profiles. Mars stands out for its small-batch artisanal production and its innovative use of various casks including cherry wood, positioning its spirits among the emerging benchmarks of Japanese whisky.

Tsunuki Japanese Spring: A Limited Edition Celebrating Hanami

The Mars Tsunuki Japanese Spring is a limited edition exclusive to Europe, celebrating the Japanese spring and the hanami tradition. This exceptional bottling comes from the Mars Tsunuki distillery, established in 2016 in Kagoshima on the island of Kyūshū, where the subtropical climate influences the maturation process.

The production of this single malt is based on peated malted barley, imparting a delicate smoke that characterizes the entire Tsunuki range. The sophisticated blend combines about 50% first- and second-fill bourbon casks with sherry and port casks, creating remarkable complexity. The innovation lies in the use of certain cherry wood cask heads, directly evoking the poetry of hanami and adding a cultural dimension to this exceptional Japanese whisky.