Mars Maltage Cosmo

A stunning rebirth of what was feared a lost distillery. Cosmo is a bit of a cheat as it's a mix of whisky from the recently revived (2011) Shinshu distillery and select Scottish single malts, despite this blended approach we actually really liked this one and we're excited to see what Shinshu is able to do when they have enough mature stock to create a 100% Japanese offering. Until then think of this as Japans answer to Speyside, silky soft tobacco, orange juice, cornflakes and walnut oil, hints of pineapple and pastry. A frighteningly easy sipper too. What it lacks in complexity, it makes up for in balance and richness.