Mars Iwai Tradition "Haru" Sakura Cask Japanese Whiskey

40% ABV, 750 ml, "Haru" = "Spring"

• Limited, annual release blended Japanese whisky from Mars Shinshu in Nagano, Japan
• Iwai Tradition, from Mars Shinshu’s core range, finished in Sakura casks (Japanese cherry blossom tree) for an additional 6 months
• Distilled from 70% malted barley and 30% corn
• Iwai Tradition is non-age statement; aged primarily in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks (other cask types including ex-wine, port, & new oak may vary batch to batch)
• Honey, straw, and apricot jam with floral highlights on the nose transition to a brandy-like roundness on the palate with a finish of cotton candy and ripe red berries

For this limited edition from Mars Shinshu, Iwai Tradition is aged an additional 6 months in casks made from the Japanese Cherry Blossom Tree, the highly prized wood known as Sakura. Part of a new and ongoing series that will see four seasonal releases per year, this is the ‘Spring’ release. The honey, toffee, and dark cherry notes inherent in Iwai Tradition are beautifully complemented here by the high-toned, floral characteristics imparted by the Sakura. An interesting side note: the Sakura casks (sourced from Ariake Sangyo Co., Japan’s only independent cooperage) are rectangular, reflecting the difficulty of molding this wood to traditional cask shapes. This special release, blended Japanese whisky is bottled at 40% ABV.