Mars Shinshu IWAI 45 Japanese Whisky

Sandwiched between Japan’s soaring Southern Alps and the towering Central Alps and at just over 2,600 feet, Mars Shinshu is Japan’s highest whisky distillery. The Hombo family has been distilling shochu for more than a century and added whisky to their repertoire in 1949. Back then, the distillery was located in Kagoshima Prefecture on the southernmost island of Kyushu. In 1984, the Hombo clan moved the distillery to the idyllic alpine setting of Miyada village in southern Nagano Prefecture. They chose this site for its cool temperatures, which slow maturation, and the plentiful and soft granite-filtered, snowmelt-fed aquifers.

Mars Shinshu’s core, blended whisky is named for Japanese whisky pioneer, Kiichiro Iwai (pronounced E-Y), who worked closely with Mars when initially developing its stills and production techniques. Distilled from a mash bill of 70% corn and 30% malted barley, Iwai is aged a minimum of two years in exclusively ex-bourbon barrels. A delicate nose of cinnamon and brûléed sugar opens to a palate of red delicious apple skin and English breakfast tea with pleasant tannin on the finish. Inspired by the great whiskies of America, Iwai retains a distinctly Japanese finesse and is perfect for classic Japanese highballs. The Iwai 45 is kicked up to 45% ABV for further cocktailing versatility. -Importer's Notes