Mars Shinshu Distillery IWAI 45 Whisky

A nose of vanilla and butterscotch with hints of strawberry and stewed apple. Pleasant flavors of milk chocolate, quince and toffee lead to a long, lingering sweet finish. Kiichiro Iwai (pronounced "E-Y") is the silent pioneer of Japanese Whisky and the namesake of this modern blend from Mars. Distilled in Nagano at their Komagatake Distillery, Iwai 45 is a higher proof version of the classic Iwai Whisky. Predominantly made from grain with some supporting malt, this version was made specifically with application to the modern cocktail in mina. Iwai 45 will stand up to and support virtually any ingredient it is paired with. Full of texture and balance, Iwai 45 is crafted for the international bartender. Sandwiched between Japan’s soaring Southern Alps and the towering Central Alps, at just over 2,600 feet, Mars Shinshu is Japan’s highest whisky distillery. The Hombo family have been distilling for more than a century and they added whisky to their repertoire in 1949. Back then the distillery was located inKagoshima Prefecture on the southern most island of Kyushu. Until 1984, it was the southernmost whisky made in Japan, which ended with the Hombo clan moving the distillery to the idyllic alpine setting of Miyada village in southern Nagano Prefecture. They chose this site for its cool temps, which slowed maturation, and the plentiful, soft, granite filtered snowmelt fed aquifers. Smart choice. The whiskies are elegant, smooth and very complex.