Mars Komagatake Single Malt 2019 Voyager Estate Wine Cask Finish 4YO Cask #1756 47%abv

Nose: Oak, red berries, pepper, currants, plum jam, dark honey, rose petals, nutmeg, mint jelly. Almonds, icing sugar and a light citrus note with water added.
Palate: Lots of jammy flavors, plums, strawberries, figs. Black currants, cinnamon, dark chocolate, coffee, rasberries. Almonds and lemon merangue with water. Medium bodied.
Finish: Plums, raisins, vanilla, menthol. A tart strawberry note with water added.
Last Word: A good whisky but comes off a little unbalanced towards the wine profile. I also think it lacks some punch for 47%abv.

Rating: 85/100

Mars Komagatake Tsunuki Aging 2013-2017 4YO Bourbon Cask #5113 59%abv

Nose: Whisky soaked oak staves. Caramel, vanilla, sweet peat, bay leaves, brine. Stewed apples, stewed pears, pepper. More of the vanilla plus some pineapple with water.
Palate: Chilli and pepper spice. Green apples, tinned pears, sweet peat, vanilla, apple pie crust, sweet lemons, brine. Just the right amount of cask strength punch. Pineapple and passionfruit with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Sweet peat, sweet lemons, honeyed oak, tobacco leaf, old leather, euchalyptus, butter menthols. Some passionfruit ice cream with water added. After a few minutes some long pure smoke. A really strong finsh!
Last Word: Very well balanced as I’ve found in all the young Mars and for that matter Chichibu, Heavily Peated Whisky I’ve tasted. Moreish, hard to stop at just one dram of this!

Rating: 90/100

Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu Shinanoya 5th Anniversary Private Cask 2009-2012 3YO Chibidaru Cask #291 61%abv

Nose: Light for 61%abv and not particularly complex. Some vanilla, caramel, apple pie, acetone. A clay like note and a touch of peanut butter. Makes you work hard. Picks up with water added with some teak and a savoury BBQ note.
Palate: Much better here. Icing sugar, vanilla, caramel, oranges, mango slices, sweet peanut butter. Pepper, candy cane, peanut oil. A few sips in and some crystalised ginger. Toffee and more of the candy cane and apple pie with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Peanut butter, peppermint tea, candy cane. Fades quickly sipping neat but lengthens with water added.
Last Word: A really early example of a Single Cask Chichibu. Decent enough, but there are better example out there even if none of them are worth anything like the secondary market prices they fetch.

Rating: 82/100

Nagahama Single Malt 2017-2020 3YO Oloroso Sherry Cask #0001 54.2%abv

Nose: Red Grapes, plums, sourdough, raisins, mixed nuts. Orange slices, red apples, all spice. With water various coffee beans and quite aromatic.
Palate: Prunes, raisins, currants, sultanas, seared orange slices, red apples, all spice. Pepper, salt, roasted chestnuts, Brazil nuts. Full bodied. The fruits are jucier and more concentrated with water added.
Finish: Prunes, raisins, oak, coffee beans, cacao paste, red apple skins, chocolate thickshake. Very good length. More of the chocolate thickshake with water added.
Last Word: Another beauty from this young distillery. Every bit as good as #0149 with enough subtle difference to be worthwhile having both.

Rating: 90/100

Nagahama Single Malt 2017-2020 3YO Islay Quarter Cask #0272 Heavily Peated 58.6%abv

Nose: You can smell this is Heavily Peated from a couple of feet away! If you’re familiar with many Japanese Heavily Peated Whiskies you’ll notice the backbone of bourbon cask sweeter elements. Pears, apples, honey, vanilla, lychees. The peat is of the briney and earthy kind. There’s is citrus notes of lemon and grapefruit. Some bushfire ash, burnt euchalyptus and wood shavings. Bread yeast with water added.
Palate: Punchy spices! Lemon cough drops, lychees, mango slices, vanilla bean, wood shavings, burnt euchalyptus. More tangy with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Lemon cough drops, vanilla, bonfire ash, spearmint, mentos, wood shavings. Even mintier with water added.
Last Word: Another solid effort from this new distiller. A bright future ahead indeed!

Rating: 88/100

Mars Komagatake Single Malt IPA Cask Finish 2020 52%abv

Nose: Sweet. Apples, pears, honey, green grapes, pineapple, vanilla wafers. There’s a floral note and a decent amount of new oak. If the label did not state IPA Cask Finish I’m not sure you could pick the influence. The apple and honey are more intense with water added plus rose petals.
Palate: Lots of juicy fruitiness. Oranges, pears, apples, pineapples. There’s the honey and vanilla plus a touch of sawdust. Some well balanced warming spices, also some oiliness to the mouth feel. No real switch up or down with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Honey, oak, grilled banana then some green apples skins. The warming spiced make a come back on the finish with some water added.
Last Word: I like what Mars has done here. Finishing casks are often sink or swim for me and this one swims. Better balanced than the Chichibu IPA Cask Finish that was overwhelmed by the cask influence.

Rating: 87/100

Saburomaru Single Malt 0 The Fool Heavly Peated 2017-2020 3YO 48%abv

Nose: Iodine, diesel, vanilla, raspberries, dark chocolate, pumpernickel, dried Turkish Apricots. Water brings out pears.
Palate: Pumpernickel, vanilla, 85% dark chocolate, short black coffee, pepper, sump oil, grapefruit, chilis. Water brings our some pure smoke. Medium bodied.
Finish: Lemon curd, dark chocolate, ash, tobacco leaf, balsamic. Decent hit of pepper with water added.
Last Word: Not the last word in complexity but a solid offering none the less. More balanced and nuanced with some water added.

Rating: 84/100

Miyagikyo Single Malt Apple Brandy Wood Finish 2020 No Age Statement 47%abv

Nose: Cherries, vanilla, gingerbread, lemon cake, grapefruit, pineapple. Shellfish, varnish, tart green apples, hint of struck match. Youthful but mellows out somewhat with time in the glass.
Palate: Pears, green apples, lemon cake, mandarins. Shellfish, banana, pineapple, salt, grilled cheese, lemon sherbet, lime juice. The fruits become juicier with water added. Light bodied.
Finish: Dried pears, dried apples, wood shavings, mandarins, green apple peels, cream. Some late menthol and ash.
Last Word: Like the Yoichi version the influence of the Apple Brandy Wood Finish is subtle. Plenty of signature Miyagikyo notes and flavors and a decent step up in complexity from the standard no age statement single malt.

Rating: 86/100

Yoichi Single Malt Apple Brandy Wood Finish 2020 No Age Statement 47%abv

Nose: Grapefruit, varnish, apples, dried pears, lemons, tar, brine, damp earth. Doesn’t nose like there is a lot of older malt in the blend.
Palate: Blueberries, dark chocolate, Sara Lee Apple Danish, peat, damp earth, black currants, brine, oily mouth feel. Water brings out some of that multi-fruit breakfast juice. Medium Bodied.
Finish: Peat, coal, blueberries, menthol, ash, oak, tobacco leaf, tea tannins. The finish is longer, more citric and oilier with water added. In fact, it’s quite long indeed.
Last Word: Definitely has the Yoichi DNA and the Apple Brandy Wood Finish has no more than a very subtle influence!

Rating: 87/100

White Oak Single Malt Akashi The Colors Of Four Season 2015-2020 Hogsead 3 Years White Wine Cask #61191 2 Years 63%abv

Nose: Quite herbaceous and spicy, licorice, cloves and pepper immediately come to mind. Also toffee, cranberries, red apples, acetone, grapefruit, leather, tobacco and a slight medicinal note.
Palate: Quaffable at 63%abv. Vanilla, vanilla custard, pears, red apples. Cloves, chilli paste, pepper, bay leaves, oak, sawdust. Water adds spearmint and enhances the herbaceousness. Medium bodied.
Finish: Leather, tobacco, charred oak, cinnamon bark. Quite dry but certainly not unbearably so. Water brings vanilla and butter to what is a long finish.
Last Word: An interesting and fairly complex White Oak Akashi.

Rating: 88/100

Mars Le Papillon A.cardamines 4YO 2015-2020 Sherry Butt #3397 58%abv

Nose: Raisins, currants, pepper, Christmas cake, blueberry muffins, black plums. Brandy, euchalyptus, leather, sweet tobacco, Ribena. Water adds vanilla, pork crackling and fresh chopped lemon rind.
Palate: Creamed sherry, guava, raspberries, oranges. Macadamias, cashews, almonds, pepper, pickled ginger, pumpernickel, varnish. With water the vanilla and pork crackling plus iced coffee.
Finish: Maraschino cherries, cashews, menthol, toffee apples, oak, peanut butter, minerals. Water enhances the toffee apples. Full bodied.
Palate: Young Mars sherry cask matured whiskies are proving to be more consistant that the old sherry cask matured stuff. This one is super!

Rating: 91/100

Kanosuke New Born Peated 24mths White Oak Casks 58%abv

Nose: There is peat but not at the expense of a fruity core. Apricots, peaches, nectarines, apples. The peat is mostly of the earthy kind. Vanilla, varnish, fermented pears, leather, tobacco and it’s very well balanced. Some incense with water added.
Palate: Delicious. Sweet and eathy peat. Apricots, white nectarines, lychees, red apples, sweet tobacco, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla. Sarah Lee Apple Crumble. There’s some white pepper and fresh ginger. Dare I say mature? The balance remains on the palate. There’s a bunch of fruit candies with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Apples, pears, leather, tobacco, oak, earthy peat. The apple crumble with water added then some late engine oil.
Last Word: A marvel at this young age! Balanced, complex and has even more to give than my notes suggest.

Rating: 90/100

Mars Komagatake Single Malt Limited Edition 2020 50%abv

Nose: Butterscotch, dried pears, dried apples. vanilla, sawdust, nutmeg, peanut brittle, honey, white flower petals. Very expressive. With water some earthiness and light acetone.
Palate: Butterscotch, fermented pears, nutmeg, tart pineapple, Honey Smacks Cereal, wood shavings, Hokkaido baked cheese tart crust, crunchy top creme brulee, blackberries. Medium bodied. Water brings out pavlova base.
Finish: Butter menthols, creme brulee, peanut brittle. With water some cream/butter.
Last word: In my opinion the best annual Limited Edition Komogatake yet!

Rating: 89/100

Nagahama Single Malt 3YO 2017-2020 Oloroso Sherry Cask #0149 56.1%abv

Nose: Plums, raisins, pepper, blood oranges, shoe/leather polish, pecans, brandy snaps, incense. With water some short black coffee and an extra dash of pepper. Composed and well balanced.
Palate: Juicy dried fruits of raisins, currents and plums. Pepper, maraschino cherries, licorice, ginger, nutmeg, blood oranges, dark chocolate. Nice balance of bitter and sweet. With water becomes sweeter overall with a dollop of dark honey and sticky toffee. Full bodied.
Finish: Cappuccino, raisins, mint, plums, pipe tobacco, pecan pie, cacao paste, dried papaya, oak. Water adds dark honey to the finish. Good length.
Last Word: Lots of classic sherry cask notes and flavors. Zero sulphur and excellent balance. More velvet glove than steel fist. Can definitely go toe to toe with some of the hyped and very expensive sherry cask whiskies from other Japanese Distilleries(which I tasted along side).

Rating: 90/100

Nagahama Single Malt 3YO 2017-2020 Mizunara Cask #0002 Lightly Peated 53.7%

Nose: Starts on stone fruits such as peaches and apricots. Malt, dusty oak, stewed apples, nutmeg, vanilla. Earthy peat, sump oil, hospital disinfectant. There’s a floral element that presents with time, roses/carnations? Water enhances the floral note.
Palate: Mixed nuts, vanilla, grapefruit, pepper, oak, raisins, orange juice. Earthy peat and hospital disinfectant. Water adds some burnt apple pie crust.
Finish: Quite bitter, a mineral element and some drying oak. Water adds some tangy citrus and the earthy peat and hospital disinfectant make a return combined with mint candies and bonfire smoke.
Last Word: Nose shows a lot of promise but the the palate and finish are somewhat unbalanced on the bitter side. I do note that my palate felt quite sensitive/raw during this tasting so the score might have been a touch better on another day. Or, does Muzunara Oak and Peated Malt clash? I believe this may have been the first whisky I’ve tasted with this combination.

Rating: 81/100

Nagahama Single Malt 3YO 2016-2020 Bourbon Cask #0007 61.3%abv

Nose: Sweet with lots of honey, vanilla, toffee chews, almonds. Tinned pears, apricot jam, white flowers, white grapes. There is also a decent amount of oak for a young whisky. Water brings out some brine, black olives & varnish.
Palate: A huge hit of wood spices! Surely a first fill cask. Quite mouth coating, not so much oiliness but butter/cream. Honey, toffee, tinned pears, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, Saville oranges, peanut brittle. Water brings out some sherbet zing. Medium bodied.
Finish: Nutmeg, leather, tobacco, baking spices, Danish pastry, oak. Water brings out a mineral element and white grape skins. Medium length.
Last Word: Really solid young whisky that basically says yep, we might be a new distillery, but we already know how to produce good whisky.

Rating: 85/100

Eigashima Single Malt Whisky 2020 Sherry Casks 50%abv

Nose: Cherries, incense, vanilla, toffee apple, flambe orange, coffeed beans, BBQ sauce. The struck match I’ve found in virtually every sherry cask matured whisky from Eigashima/White Oak. Water brings out a savory note.
Palate: Cream sherry, orange candy, butter, nutmeg. Burnt toast, burnt euchalyptus, coffee beans. Water adds grapefruit. Medium bodied.
Finish: Sherry, nutmeg, roasted chestnuts, burnt toast, burnt euchalyptus, coffee beans. Water enhances the burnt euchalyptus and ends with some subtle oak dryness.
Last Word: All in all a fairly untaxing sherry cask matured whisky. It most likely won’t blow your mind but probably won’t offend to many either.

Rating: 82/100

Mars Komagatake Tsunuki Ageing 2019 56%abv

Nose: Leads with a big peppery note. Dried apricots and peaches, cloves, mint leaves, nutmeg, vanilla, stewed apples with cinnamon, a floral note, a savory sauce note. Nicely balanced nose. With water there is also green apples and sawdust.
Palate: Caramel sundae, vanilla, marmalade, dried citrus peel, Weis Mango Bar. Nougat, marzipan, thickened cream, tangy orange, pepper, key lime pie. Full bodied. With water passionfruit slice and lemon sherbet.
Finish: Weis Mango Bar, oak, custard apples. cinnamon and nutmeg. With water pepper, more of the oak and mint chocolate ice cream.
Last Word: Top notch well balanced youngster!

Rating: 89/100

Mars Komagatake Single Malt Yakushima Aging 2020 53%abv

Nose: Strawberry conserve, pineapple, passionfruit, banana, dusty oak barrels, sea spray, white pepper, vanilla slice. Water adds white flowers, white nectarines and more of the sea spray.
Palate: Pineapple, banana, vanilla slice, marzipan, dark chocolate, red peanut skins, grapefruit, strawberry conserve, passionfruit, salt & pepper. With water malt and pistachios. Medium bodied.
Finish: Lemon tart, white pepper. marzipan, dusty oak, licorice, cacao paste, oak tannins and what seems like some light peating.
Last Word: Tasty young Mars and consistancy of quality has become a hallmark for their single malts. Still hoping for some older age statement releases soon as 2021 marks 10 years since Mars started distilling whisky again.

Rating: 88/100

The Akkeshi Single Malt Lightly Peated 2020 3YO 55%abv

Nose: Some earthyness, shiitake mushrooms, roasted malt, roasted chestnuts, vanilla, biscuits(American style) a cereal note and a little tar. Still some youthful notes of steamed green vegetables. More Scotch like than most Japanese Whiskies I’ve tasted. Nothing much changes with water added.
Palate: There is a sweetness but more candied fruits rather than fresh. Caramel, chocolate brownies, some baking spices and earthyness. Not really detecting the peat which may come as the bottle empties. A savoury element like spicey beef rissoles. Not particularly complex. With water a soft malty theme emerges.
Finish: Earthy and a combination of steamed green vegies and spicy beef rissoles. With water soft malt and vanilla then a little oaky dryness.
Last Word: I have tasted all the Akkeshi releases so far and for reasons I’m not quite sure about they seem a few years away from producing whiskies as well resolved and complex as those from the likes of Mars, Chichibu and Kanosuke of the same age.

Rating: 80/100