Tsunuki, Kaseda, Minamisatsuma City. The Mars Tsunuki Distillery, the southernmost whisky distillery on the mainland, is located in the green mountains in the southwest of the Satsuma Peninsula.
Tsunuki, located in the southwestern part of the Satsuma Peninsula, is situated in a long basin along the Kaseda River, a tributary of the Manose River. Surrounded by Mt. Kurata (475m) to the east and Mt. Nagaya (513m) to the west, the basin-like topography makes the summers hot and the winters cold, which are extremely severe in South Satsuma.
The area has a natural environment that is a “blessing from nature” with good water resources (Mt. Kurata spring water), and is known as “Tsunuki Mikan” (mandarin orange), which is cultivated by effectively utilizing the mountain slope.
Blessed with a mild climate and good water resources, Tsunuki is the birthplace of the Honbo Sake Brewery. It has been more than 100 years since the brewery started making shochu using Satsuma sweet potatoes, one of Satsuma’s representative specialties.
Reference: Mars Tsunuki Distillery official website
Completed in November 2016, the Mars Tsunuki Distillery brings its 8th anniversary this year. This product is made from two-row barley (local barley) grown in the nature of Minami-Satsuma City where the distillery is located, distilled in 2020, and matured in bourbon barrels and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, mainly by the blender.
Please enjoy this special single malt whisky made with gratitude for the natural blessings of Minami-Satsuma, such as the climate that nurtures Nijo barley, the high-quality spring water from the Mt.
At “BAR SHINKAI”, each glass costs 45ml: 4,290,yen, 30ml: 2,860 yen, and 15ml: 1,430 yen.
For more information on the Single malt whisky TSUNUKI 8th Anniversary of MARS TSUNUKI DISTILLERY, please see this article.
For a full list of BARShinkai’s whisky menu, click here.
