Mars Komagatake 2012 Single Bourbon Cask #1485 Private Selection Limited Edition Japanese Single Malt Whisky (2015) 70cl

1 of 234 bottles produced from a single bourbon cask exclusively for Shinanoya

If you have not tried Mars whisky yet, then you are missing out on one of the best whisky brands of Japan. They produce some phenomenal stuff however most of it never leaves Japan. People have no idea of the releases and scale of what they have produced over the years until they take a quick look and then it becomes a looooong look.

Shinanoya is a renowned Japanese company that operates supermarkets and liquor stores, particularly known for its focus on whisky. Founded in 1930, Shinanoya has become a significant player in the Japanese whisky scene, offering a wide selection of whiskies, including exclusive private-label bottlings from both Scottish and Japanese distillers. The company also provides a variety of food products, including farm-fresh chicken-based dishes, and participates in events like the Whisky Festival in Tokyo. Shinanoya is recognized for its quality and customer service, making it a popular choice among whisky enthusiasts and locals alike.

I wish there were tasting notes but often they are sold out before anyone can get ahold of one to even document notes.

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.

In 1985, Hombo Breweries opened the Mars Shinshu distillery in Miyata village at the foot of the Komagatake Alps in Japan’s Nagano prefecture. Whisky production there takes place only during winter, with the rest of the year spent brewing beer and distilling other spirits. However, with the popularity of whisky enjoying a resurgence in Japan, “winter” now lasts for about six months at the distillery.

58% ABV

70cl