Iwai Tradition Sherry Cask Finish

Iwai Tradition Sherry Cask Finish is a limited release from Mars Shinshu, Japan's highest-elevation distillery, where blended Japanese whisky undergoes an additional maturation in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks sourced from Château Mars Winery in Yamanashi Prefecture. The same winery produces Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, and those barrels also cycle into the Mars whisky program, but this expression is finished exclusively in PX sherry wood — a rare crossover between Hombo Shuzo's wine and whisky operations. The base is Iwai Tradition, a blend of malt and grain whiskies from the Mars Shinshu facility in Nagano, elevated by extended time in intensely sweet fortified wine casks. Mars Shinshu sits at 800 meters in the Japanese Alps, where cold winters and low humidity slow maturation and allow the distillery to produce lighter, more delicate malt alongside heavier grain whisky from their continuous still. The PX casks come from Château Mars, Hombo Shuzo's own vineyard estate in Yamanashi, giving the operation end-to-end control over both the wine and the whisky. After initial aging in ex-bourbon barrels, the blended whisky moves into emptied Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for a secondary finish that layers oxidative notes and caramelized fruit over the distillery's house profile. Hombo Shuzo has been distilling since the 1960s, though the modern Mars Shinshu range dates to the facility's reopening in 2011 after a long hiatus. Expect oxidized sherry aromatics — dates, figs, walnut skin — balanced by brown sugar and maple syrup sweetness drawn from the PX cask influence. The base Iwai Tradition contributes clean grain and light malt, while the sherry finish adds weight and a gentle tannic grip without overwhelming the delicate Mars distillate. Drink this neat after dinner alongside dark chocolate or almond cake, or pair it with roasted pear and aged Manchego. The finish lingers with dried fruit and a thread of oak spice, longer than standard Iwai Tradition but still refined and approachable. Available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.