Monthly Archives: June 2021

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

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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

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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

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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