Olympic Japanese trios, Day 4


July 30, 2021

	Olympic Japanese trios, Day 4/8
	Mars's young peated Tsunuki was really rather something, so maybe would we go on with a little more whisky from the Tsunuki aging warehouse…

Mars Komagate 'Tsunuki Aging 2018' (57%, OB, Japan, 1462 bottles)

This was distilled in altitude at Shinshu and matured at Tsunuki aging cellar down in the south, in bourbon, sherry and umeshu casks. I believe they do annual releases. The reputation (and the price) is high. Colour: gold. Nose: a little hot and spirity, perhaps, with quite some varnish and even glue, then a large bag of cider apples and the greenest pears, plus indeed green plums, damsons that aren't too ripe, raw quinces... Surprisingly austere and showing self-restraint this far. With water: bready notes coming out, raisin rolls, pilsner, chalk, perhaps a touch of very young brandy… Mouth (neat): very fat mouth feel, almost thick, on really a lot of limoncello and raw wood. Bags of fruit peelings too, green tea, peppermint… A little bubblegum too but it remains rather austere when undiluted. With water: no massive changes, it remains pretty minimal. Japanese aesthetics rather than Scotch whisky taste-alike? Finish: medium, still minimalistic. Chalk, gras, vanilla, beer. Comments: wait, rather Bauhaus whisky? Really excellent but I'd say it's lacking complexity to make it to the top of the 80s (let alone the 90s).
SGP:451 - 85 points.

And quite logically…

Mars Komagate 'Tsunuki Aging 2019' (56%, OB, Japan)

Same set-up except that apparently, this is only ex-bourbon and sherry. Adios umeshu, sob… Colour: gold. Nose: extremely close, only a wee tad rounder, with a little more vanilla and a little less glue. Perhaps a touch of sulphur. Other than that, we have a similar development on green apples and pears, plus three or four raisins (in the whole vat). With water: rather rubber than sulphur. Not exactly unpleasant. Mouth (neat): tenser, brighter, zestier than the 2018, more vertical and much more on lemons and granny smith, plus some chalk and green walnuts. We call these blade-y malts in that case that would be a katana I suppose. With water: awesome if a tad unidimensional. A touch of pineapple perhaps, IPA, bread, chalk, blood oranges, paraffin. Heather honey, mead, a few sultanas again. Finish: medium, rather soft. Genuine hazelnut paste (not that brand) and lemon marmalade. Comments: a notch more to my liking. Very good, actually, just not very broad, which will probably happen when the whisky's older.
SGP:551 - 86 points.

By the way, the first in the series, the 2013, scored 86 in my book as well. But let's try a single cask if you please…

Mars Tsunuki 2017/2020 (61%, OB, Japan, for Kirsch Import, 2nd fill barrel, cask #5108)

Hold on, this is not only from the Tsunuki warehouses, it was distilled at the subtropical Tsunuki Distillery as well. It's also to be noted that Kirsch Import have had several pretty brilliant and 'off the beaten tracks' bottlings in the recent months/years. May I humbly say 'bravo'? Colour: white wine. Nose: oh well, I wouldn't say there are vast differences here, this is just as austere, minimalistic, grassy and spirity. But then again, 61%, baby. With water: some chalk, moss, roots and branches. A touch of mint, one of eucalyptus. I suppose we could do inhalations with this and cure any cold. Mouth (neat): not sure I should. Well, it's a high-voltage sweet eau-de-vie de barley with some vanilled sugar coating and a feeling of fresh mirabelle eau-de-vie. More or less. With water: sugar up. Little easter eggs, marshmallows… Finish: same. Rather long but very sweet. Bonbons, jellybeans… Comments: another one that's super-excellent but perhaps still a tad… minimalistic?
SGP:641 - 85 points.

Today's Podium

	Mars Komagate 'Tsunuki Aging 2019' (56%, OB, Japan)
	Mars Tsunuki 2017/2020 (61%, OB, Japan, for Kirsch Import, 2nd fill barrel, cask #5108) Mars Komagate 'Tsunuki Aging 2018' (57%, OB, Japan, 1462 bottles)

Check the index of all Japanese whiskies we've tasted so far