Mars Iwai Tradition Sakura Cask Finish Japanese Whisky
Mars Iwai Tradition Sakura Cask Finish Japanese Whisky is a 40% ABV (80 proof) blended whisky from Japan's highest whisky distillery — Mars Shinshu in Miyada, Nagano — finished for approximately six months in casks made of Sakura (Japanese cherry blossom) wood. The base Iwai Tradition, aged 2–5 years in ex-bourbon, sherry, and American oak, takes on floral and fruity overtones from the Sakura finish. The casks come from Ariake Sangyo, Japan's only independent cooperage; Sakura wood won't hold traditional cask shapes, so they are built rectangular. Non-chill filtered. A 750mL bottle of one of Japanese whisky's most unusual finishes. Order Japanese whisky online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof)
- Size: 750mL (US bottle)
- Age: NAS — base whisky aged 2–5 years, finished ~6 months in Sakura wood casks
- Blend: 70% malted barley / 30% corn (per US importer Skurnik), non-chill filtered
- Origin: Mars Shinshu Distillery, Miyada, Nagano, Japan
Six Months in Sakura Wood
Cherry-blossom wood is famously difficult to work — it resists the curved staves of a conventional cask, which is why Ariake Sangyo builds its Sakura casks rectangular. The payoff is a whisky that smells like spring: the importer's tasting notes cite honey, straw, and apricot jam with floral highlights on the nose, a brandy-like roundness on the palate, and a finish of cotton candy and ripe red berries. This Haru (spring) edition is an annual seasonal release, and the Sakura cask influence is delicate rather than dominant — the Iwai Tradition base stays recognizable underneath. Discover more Mars Shinshu whiskies or browse the Japanese whisky collection.
Tasting Notes
Nose: honey, straw, and apricot jam with floral highlights (official US importer notes). Palate: brandy-like roundness, sweet malt. Finish: cotton candy and ripe red berries. Floral, fruity, and unusually delicate for a cask-finished whisky.
How to Enjoy
Neat or with a few drops of water — the Sakura florals are fragile and chilling dulls them. It also makes a distinctive highball: the floral-fruit profile lifts beautifully over ice with soda. A conversation piece for Japanese whisky fans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Sakura cask finish? The whisky spends its final ~6 months in casks built from Japanese cherry-blossom (Sakura) wood, which adds floral and red-fruit notes.
Is Mars Iwai Tradition a single malt? No — Iwai Tradition is a blended whisky (malted barley plus grain whisky); Mars Shinshu also distills single malt, but this expression is the distillery's blended workhorse.
Where is Mars Shinshu Distillery? Miyada, Nagano Prefecture, Japan — Japan's highest whisky distillery, operated by Hombo Shuzo.
Order Mars Iwai Tradition Sakura Cask Finish online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.