Limited edition bottle commemorating the 8th anniversary of the Hombo Shuzo and Mars Tsunuki Distillery. Review of the limited edition bottle sold at the Tsunuki Distillery Festival.Includes features, price, and site to purchase.
The Tsunuki and Kanosuke distillery festival is an annual tradition. This festival is held in Kagoshima, and shuttle buses and other services connect the two distilleries, making it a festival where visitors can enjoy a tour of the distilleries all at once.
Every year, a limited edition bottle is released during the festival, and this time it is an anniversary edition, using barley produced in Minamisatsuma City. How does it taste?
3. photos of the bottle and the website where you can buy it
Single malt TSUNUKI 8th Anniversary Local Barley
Single malt TSUNUKI 7th Anniversary Local Burley 
2. single malt tsunuki 8th Anniversary of MARS TSUNUKI DISTILLERY
This year marks the 8th anniversary of Mars Tsunuki Distillery, which was completed in November 2016. This product is made from two-row barley (Local Burley) grown in the nature of Minami-Satsuma City where the distillery is located, distilled in 2020, and matured mainly in bourbon barrels and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks by the blender.
Enjoy this special single malt whiskey made with gratitude for the natural blessings of Minami-Satsuma, including the climate that nurtures the two-row barley, the high-quality spring water from the Mt. Kurata mountain range, and the environment in which it is aged.Quote: From the bottle description
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2-1. Tasting Notes
Aroma Sweet potato, lemon cake, butter, apricot Taste Savory sweetness, juicy fruit acidity, nuances of clove and other spices Aftertaste Sweetness and acidity fill the mouth, and the tangy spice lingers for a long time. 2-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol content | 52% (with a minimum of 5% alcohol by volume) |
| By Sake | Single malt Japanese whiskey |
| Cask type | Bourbon casks, Pedro Ximenez sherry casks |
| Volume | 700ml |
| Suggested retail price | 15,400 yen (tax included) |
| Bottling quantity | 814 bottles |
3. Awards
No awards received at this time.
List price and online price
4-1. Suggested Retail Price (List Price)
| Product name | Single Malt Tsunuki 8th Anniversary of MARS TSUNUKI DISTILLERY |
| Capacity | 700ml |
| Suggested retail price | 15,400 yen (including tax) |
Resale price on Mercari
Resale price on Mercari could not be confirmed at present. (*As of 1/15/2025)
4-3. Sold price on Yahoo! Auction
Sold bids on Yahoo! A uction could not be confirmed at present. (*As of 1/15/2025)
4-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
We could not confirm any listings on mail-order sites. (*As of 2025/1/15)
4-5. Price offered at BAR Shinkai
At BAR Shinkai, which is operated by this site, one cup, 45ml: 4,290,yen 30ml: 2,860 yen, 15ml: 1,430 yen, etc. are offered in small quantities.
5. Manufacturer
Honbo Shuzo Co.
| Established | 1872 |
| Head office location | 891-0122; 3-27 Minamiei, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture |
| Owned distilleries | Mars Shinshu distillery, Mars Tsunuki distillery |
6. Distilleries owned
Mars Tsunuki Distillery
| Location | 6594, Kaseda-Tsunuki, Minami-Satsuma-shi, Kagoshima 899-3611 |
| Start of operation | 2016 |
Tsunuki “in Kaseda, Minamisatsuma City. Mars Tsunuki Distillery, the southernmost whiskey distillery on the mainland, is located in the green mountains in the southwest of Satsuma Peninsula.
Tsunuki, located in the southwestern part of the Satsuma Peninsula, is 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 oranges) because of the effective use of the mountain slopes.
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 most popular specialties, and the brewery is now engaged in whiskey production in Tsunuki, where the tradition of sake brewing is handed down to the present.
Reference: Mars Tsunuki Distillery official website
7. Summary
It has been 8 years since the construction of the distillery was completed. During that time, many distilleries started operation in Kagoshima Prefecture, and it can be said that this distillery is already one of the oldest distilleries among them. Tsunuki distillery has a wide variety of sake. The distillery has a strong but clean sweet taste, which I think is a characteristic of Tsunuki distillery.
If you like to drink it straight, on the rocks, with water, or twiced up, please try the change in aroma and the extension of sweetness.
Tsunuki 2025 Edition will be released soon.
Please take a look at our other articles on Tsunuki.
