Mars Iwai Tradition Whiskey 750ml

Mars Whisky traces back to the Hombo family, distillers in Japan for over a century who added whisky production to their portfolio in 1949. The Mars Komagatake distillery, formerly known as Shinshu, sits at roughly 2,600 feet in Nagano Prefecture between Japan's northern and southern Alps, making it the country's highest whisky distillery. Iwai Tradition takes its name from Kiichiro Iwai, an early and influential figure in the development of Japanese whisky.

This blend flips the mash bill of its higher proof sibling, Iwai 45, leading instead with roughly 70% malted barley and 30% corn, with a small portion of the malt lightly peated at 3.5 PPM or less. The barley is distilled twice through copper pot stills before aging primarily in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, though other cask types such as wine, port, and new oak may appear depending on the batch. Bottled at 40% ABV without an age statement, it represents Mars's more malt-forward, classically styled expression.

The nose opens with clove and wildflower honey, joined by a whisper of earthy peat. On the palate, nougat and milk chocolate emerge, giving way to a cinnamon-tinged finish. Underlying notes of dried apricot, orange peel, and toffee round things out.