Mars Tsunuki Minami-Satsuma Art Collection #2 Distillery Exclusive In Support of Rural Prefectures Japanese Single Malt Whisky (2023) 70cl

A single malt from Mars Tsunuki Distillery, this is the Minami-satsuma Art Collection #2. The release celebrates the artwork of Tsunuki native, Nishi Kenkichi.

In Japan it's the season for Furusato Nozei, or what is known as the Hometown Tax Program that was first unveiled in 2007. The idea behind it is that as Japan faces an increasing trend of citizens heading to cities to work and live, they no longer pay taxes to their rural hometowns. The country thus wants to encourage citizens to help support the rural prefectures of Japan.

This comes in the form of an optional tax program where citizens can "donate" to jurisdictions of their choosing by purchasing craft and artisanal goods that qualify for the program. This ranges from meats, cheese, pottery and of course, whisky. In turn, taxpayers are not only able to support producers in Japan, but are also able to get their hands on craft goods and also a small tax deduction.

In support of the program, Mars' Tsunuki has launched its debut expression as part of the Minami-Satsuma Art Collection - this year is the second year of Mars' Art Collection series with the artwork titled "Landscape with a Circuit Breaker", painted by Kenkichi Nishi, a Kagoshima native.

About Mars

Japan's highest distillery, Shinshu was built by the whisky division of the Hombo Shuzo Co, known as Mars, in 1985. It is located in Miyada, a village in the Nagano Prefecture, and operated for seven years before being mothballed in 1992. Despite being relatively succesful in their native market, Mars had not had the success of its competitors Nikka and Suntory on the global stage, and the struggling Japanese whisky market at the time forced the company's hand. In the subsequent years however, things began to improve, and Shinshu distillery was eventually re-opened in 2011. Mars bottles its single malt under the Komagatake brand, and have also opened a sister distillery called Tsunuki to provide for its popular blends.

This whisky has been aged in the stone warehouse of Mars Tsunuki distillery in Kagoshima. It is a vatting of ex-Bourbon cask aged spirit.

53% ABV

70cl