Mars Iwai Tradition

Brash and with a harsh finish.

Another one of my choices for this month's whiskey club! Nose: Old leather, strawberries, brown paper bags? Subtle smoke, like the smoke from the coals of a campfire the morning after. Black pepper, beef jerky made with a sweet brine, and some wet moss. Fresh cracked pepper, raisin cake, somehow reminds me of Sichuan pepper. Palate: Tingly and sweet. A small bit of peppercorn kick, charred oak and sawdust. creamy vanilla with smoke and brine. Small amounts of other muddled spices, light floral-ish peat smoke (if that's a thing), and ever so slightly medicinal. Finish: Medium-long. Lots of oak, vanilla cream, and even some earthy greens. The peat lingers for quite a while. Conclusion: I'm pleasantly surprised by this! I didn't know what to expect from a cheaper Japanese blend, but this is actually really enjoyable. One of those whiskies that changes with every sip. It's a great example of a lightly peated whiskey in which you can easily pick apart the different components without that big blast of smoke. I love peat, but it can be hard to pick a peaty one for my whiskey club because I don't want to overwhelm anyone - this was a great choice though!

smokey grain and toasted bread on the nose. pickles and wine cask on the taste. spicy finish. yummy

Sweet, grainy. Easy and approachable, nothing groundbreaking. But better than average