Mars, 2013-2016, Phoenix and the Sun, Bottled for Whisky Talk Fukuoka 2016, American White Oak Cask No. 1706, 259/591, 55% abv.

Supposedly a lightly peated Shinsu, famous for the 2016 The Whisky Talk label design.

Nose: a lot of old vegetation like in a dry forest, a little meaty like a stew? These aromas could have been influenced from the making of potato cream soup in the background by the bartender.

Palate: sweet like syrup and molasses, slightly heavy on the body, a peak of smoke and some peat residue on the mid palate, which returns to a raisin syrup like sweetness on the back palate. Quite nice.

Finish: short to medium, sweet bourbon like flavors and feel.

The lightly peated aspect was a little hard to detect other than vegetation notes on the nose and hints of peat at the mid palate which comes and goes so quickly. Also quite sweet, perhaps the closest japanese whisky to true bourbon I have tasted so far. Pretty good. This is one of the better bottles in the Phoenix and the Sun series.

Grade: B

Couldn't find quantifiable, reliable reviews.

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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