Limited-edition blended pure malt Japanese whisky from Mars Shinshu in Nagano, Japan.

A nose of red apple skin, chocolate malt, crème caramel, and raisin leads to a floral and dry palate with a lightly salty edge that leans into a finish of clove complemented by baked apples and currants.

The original Mars Maltage Cosmo debuted at the Tokyo International Bar Show in 2015, a blend of 100% malted barley distillates that helped establish Mars’ talent for blending and finishing at a time when few Japanese distilleries transparently addressed taking the traditional Scottish approach to vatting; subsequent vintages continue the same methods while featuring varying finishing casks. The name is a nod to nearby Mt. Kosumo, a peak in Japan’s Central Alps, the mountain range that so often inspires the whiskies of Mars Shinshu!