This excellent Mars Komagatake Minami Shinshu Beer IPA Cask finish single malt is the latest Komagatake single cask release from the popular Mars Shinshu distillery. It was distilled in 2016 and matured in ex-bourbon barrels, before being given a finishing period in an IPA beer cask from the Minami Shinshu beer distillery, and then bottled in 2019. The Minami distillery sits on the same site as Mars Shinshu, making it easy for the whisky producers to get their hands on a top quality cask for finishing. The finish has had some obvious effects on the whisky, including rich citrus fruits and a slight centre palate bitterness that cuts through the sweetness imparted by the bourbon cask perfectly. Very gentle notes of peat smoke (this whisky is peated to just 3.5ppm) build in the background, making for an incredibly well-balanced expression. This single cask whisky yielded just 217 bottles and they are only available for purchase at the Mars Shinshu distillery shop, making it hard to find anywhere online.