Mars Tsunuki Peated

Mars Tsunuki Peated is a no age statement single malt from Tsunuki, Hombo Shuzo's Kagoshima distillery on the southern tip of Kyushu, drawn from distillate produced in 2016 and 2017 and bottled in 2020 for global release at cask strength. The Peated expression represents a distinct strand of Tsunuki's production alongside the more common unpeated releases, using peated barley to introduce a smoky dimension to the distillery's characteristically warm and tropical base.

Maturation is in Ex-Bourbon casks, where the peat smoke interacts with the warm American oak character over the short maturation period. The flavour data shows citrus and fresh fruit leading, with honey adding sweetness and smoke woven through the structure rather than dominating it. At 50% cask strength, the balance between the peat influence and the fruit-forward Tsunuki make is open and accessible. The 2020 bottling date makes this an early release in Tsunuki's history, capturing the peated new make at a relatively young age.