The original Iwai pot stills from the 1960s have been retired and now stand outside the Mars Shinshu Distillery. Cajoled by the savory, almost gamey aromas assimilated with brown apple and old strawberries, the whisky is surprisingly candy sweet to the taste. Dark jellied fruits: first Rowntree’s Fruit Gums, then Fruit Pastilles. Hazelnut, gentle oriental spices, and chicory coffee usher in a deep, fruity finish with creamy chocolate and fresh mint.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2017)