Mars 4 Year Old 2020 Tsunuki Aging #T1880 Spanish Virgin Oak Single Cask Foundations (2024) 70cl

It seems like Spanish Oak and Japanese Whisky seems to be a hugely successful winning formula. We have seen Suntory use this to great success prompting huge demand for their Spanish sherry and peated Spanish oak cask products. The same is happening here. Intense depths of flavour even after 4 years. Heaven forbid what the 20 year old Mars Tsunuki casks will taste like.

When you arrive at the Tsunuki distillery, which opened its doors in 2016, it's impossible to miss the huge 26-meter-high black tower that still houses the column used until the 1970s to produce shochus. With this version aged in a Spanish oak cask, Mars unveils a single malt with a strong personality. Wonderfully oxidative, herbaceous and strongly spiced, its aromatic palette is unmistakably reminiscent of Mortlach, one of the most complex and authentic single malts from Scotland's Speyside region.

TASTING NOTES

Nose : ample, gourmand. Unctuous scents of chestnut and Chantilly cream, others more fruity and oxidative (orange, pomegranate, raisin) or more herbaceous (green Chartreuse) give richness and complexity to the aromatic palette. It evolves with class on subtle scents of Havana.

Appearance : or profond.

Palate : lively, unctuous. Tonic, the palette oscillates between oily (almond, cashew) and fruity (grenadine) flavors. Supported by a very pleasant chocolate bitterness, it then moves naturally towards freshly herbaceous (thyme), peppery and malty tones.

Overall : elegant, voluptuous. Mustard seeds, walnuts, tobacco and a delicious peppercorn sauce make for a particularly nuanced and original palette. Then, bananas, oranges and milky flavors (salted butter) take over a slightly empyreumatic finish (apricot kernel).

60.3% ABV

70cl