Mars Maltage Cosmo Blended Malt Whisky is an amber gold in colour. On the nose are hints of spicy stewed pears, walnut slices, and prunes. It is a light-to-medium bodied whisky with malt flavours and a smokey but sweet overlay. The finish is long with a mildly oily but spicy flavour. Mars Maltage Cosmo Blended Malt Whiskey is aged in sherry, bourbon, and American White Oak new casks. Cosmo is named after a mountain in the Japan Central Alps close to the Mars Whisky Distillery.

This is the second batch of Japanese Blended Whisky from That Boutique-y Whisky Company. The nose on this 21 Year Old blend is of dark muscovado sugar and vanilla, followed by touches of earth and mulch. Dark, deep fruit notes among a milky latte underlay. A wonderfully balanced palate with charred oak, peppery spices, and dried barley leaf. A long, lengthy finish. That Boutique-y Whisky Company is an independent bottlers offering stunning whiskies from world-renowned brands and distillers. Bottle Information Batch 2 Aged 21 Years

Matsui Mizunara Cask Single Malt Japanese Whisky single malt whisky distilled in the rich, natural environment of Tottori and aged in Mizunara (Japanese oak）casks. Combined with the bitter flavor of unblended whisky, a faintly sweet, aged aroma tickles the nose with a smooth yet rich, lingering aftertaste. This masterpiece, carefully crafted with heart and passion, is brought to proof with high-quality natural spring water from Mt. Daisen.

To produce this release of Akashi Single Malt Whisky, the White Oak distillery aged this whisky in Cognac barrels for 3 and a half years before refining it for 10 months in barrels of white wine from the Akashi vineyard in Yamanashi County. The result is a Single Malt without cold staining or filtration, which has a nice balance and focused on woody and fruity notes. Located in the city of Akashi in the Hyogo Prefecture, by the seaside of the Seto Island Sea is the White Oak Distillery. This distillery was founded in 1888 by Eigashima Shuzo and has been producing Sake and Shochu every since. In 1919, Eigashima Shuzo obtained a license to manufacture whisky and when the company moved to their current facilities in 1984, the White Oak Distillery was born.

Specially selected for its aromatic palette, the barrel for this limited White Oak Akashi 10 Year Old has the particularity of being a sherry butt, a large barrel of 500 liters used for aging the famous Sherry wines of Andalusia which in addition to strongly colouring the whisky, transmit a greedy aromatic richness. An expressive nose with typical aromas of whiskies aged in sherry casks with hints of dried fruits, chocolate, and nuts, which are met on the palate with notes of spices, tannins, and candied fruit. Located in the city of Akashi in the Hyogo Prefecture, by the seaside of the Seto Island Sea is the White Oak Distillery. This distillery was founded in 1888 by Eigashima Shuzo and has been producing Sake and Shochu every since. In 1919, Eigashima Shuzo obtained a license to manufacture whisky and when the company moved to their current facilities in 1984, the White Oak Distillery was born. Cask Number - 105206

Mars Cosmo is aged in Sherry, Bourbon, and American white oak casks. Cosmo, is the name of a mountain in the Japan Central Alps, closed to the Mars Shinshu distillery. This is a limited bottling of Cosmo, which has been extra-seasoned in red wine casks. Shiny ruby red colour is extracted from red wine casks. On the nose, fruitiness and warm spiciness are present. It has a soft round mouth feel, and Umami from the red wine cask interact very well with Cosmo's ripe fruit character with vanilla and cinnamon flavours as a result of further maturation in red wine casks. A long finish with elegant tannins and black tea.

Founded on the shores of Lake Biwa in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture in 2016, Nagahama Distillery is the smallest distillery in Japan. They produce single malt whiskys and also blends carefully selected whisky purchased from overseas and ages it in Nagahama’s climate. Amahagan World Malt Edition No. 1 Japanese Blended Malt Whisky is the first of its kind from the Nagahama Distillery. Filled at the end of 2018 with 47% only selected malt whiskies from the own distillery and a selection of malt whiskies from overseas. This whisky has aromas of chocolate, orange, nuts from oak, and vanilla across the nose. Rich fruit flavours on the palate like apples and oranges. A crisp malt sweetness from the Nagahama Newmake. A medium, fruit finish.

Mars Iwai Tradition Blended Whisky is a Japanese blend of 25% corn whisky and 75% malt whisky. Mars Iwai Tradition was aged in a combination of bourbon, sherry and American white oak casks which gives it a distinctively rich and full bodied finish. Rich gold in colour, Mars Iwai has a complex fragrance of sweet honey and malt. Notes of burnt sugar cane, sweet peat, orange marmalade, cedar and cigar can be enjoyed. In the Miyata village on Kuyshu Island is the Shinshu distillery (aka "Mars"), founded in 1985 by Hombo Shuzo. Shinshu’s whisky is distilled only during the island's harsh winters. In operation from 1985-1992 and then 2011 to present, this is actually Shuzo's third domestic distillery. The previous have been the Yamanashi Distillery (1960-1969) and the Mars Kagoshima Distillery (1978-1984).

Kanosuke Single Malt Japanese Whisky embodies Kanosuke Distillery’s concept of "mellow land, mellow whisky. It was produced using all 3 of their pot stills, aged in several varieties of oak barrels, and blended together after 3 years of maturation. The Second Edition of the 2021 Kanosuke was distilled from unpeated malt in 2018, this release is largely matured in first fill re-charred ex-bourbon barrels for about 3 years. About 5,000 bottles have been released at a cask strength ABV of 57%. Citrus, Vanilla, Honey and Lemon Tea on the nose leading to a flavours of grapefruit with some cinnamon sweetness, sweet fresh fruits, vanilla and dark chocolate bitterness.

Yuza Distillery was established in 2018 and to date has released just two single malts (The First Edition has already picked up Gold at the San Francisco International Spirits Challenge) and is well on the way to becoming one of the country’s newest cult distilleries. Sitting at the base of Mount Chōkai in the heart of Japan’s snow country, Yuza is the first Whisky distillery in the country’s Yamagata prefecture. Operational since November 2018, from day one, Masaharu Sasaki and his young team have drawn on the example laid down by Chichibu’s Ichiro Akuto, to perfect an authentic Japanese Whisky that could compete with the world’s best, while remaining true to their sense of monozukuri and producing Whiskies that are uniquely Yuza. It’s early in the piece and yet all the signs — not least the meticulous attention to detail and limited production — point to Yuza becoming one of the brightest stars in Japan’s Whisky firmament. Yuza sits on the flats near the Sea of Japan and enjoys an abundance of soft water from snowmelt and underground springs fed by the sponge-like crevices of lava of the nearby volcano. Chosen for this purity of water and access to the port for their specialised equipment, the area also experiences a massive 40°C average temperature difference over the year. This is projected to super-charge the maturation of the Whiskies in barrel; Masaharu Sasaki estimates eight years maturing in Scotland will equate to just five years in Yamagata. To hone their craft, the Yuza Distillery team partnered from the start with Forsyths, world leaders in distillation equipment. Yuza’s entire distillery team is fresh to Whisky but nurtured and overseen by the Scottish still-makers, providing an essential blank slate to be moulded to a completely new formula, key to Yuza’s dedication to an unfettered style. Facility equipment is centred around five Canadian Douglas Fir washbacks and two stills, including a Glendronach-inspired spirits still with an extended line arm, designed for more surface contact to give cleaner flavours with fewer sulphites. Dedicated only to Single Malt production, this small operation (the distillery covers just 620 square meters) has passed up the opportunity to release any ‘newborn’ expressions. The wash is currently 100% barley from Crisp Maltings with plans to eventually include a local option. Early bottlings point to a non-peated house style, but several heavily-peated batches have also been laid down. While Yuza’s barrel program remains secretive - even when touring the facility, you’ll find all the barrelheads are painted over - the early signs pointed to a preference for ex-Bourbon barrels. Now there is a portion of Sherry cask in the mix and Masaharu Sasaki has spoken of his desire to increase his inventory, picking up stock whenever he can. This cask strength Whisky was carefully selected from barrels from the first season at Yuza Distillery from February to July 2019. It’s estimated, that this selection could contain up to 80% ex-Sherry barrels. As distinct from the First Edition - a very bright expression raised in ex-Bourbon cask - the Second Edition was blended for more complexity, depth and luxurious flavour. This has a very old-world flavour profile (slightly reminiscent of top-shelf Speyside) and the alcohol sits in excellent balance with the complexity of the spirit. There’s a whisper of peat on the nose, with fragrant cereal notes before a progression towards deeper stone fruits and fig. It’s luscious and oily in the mouth, round and slightly earthy with spice and oat notes. It finishes dry with traces of liquorice and a mineral tang.