Producer
Mars
Mars is the whisky brand of the Japanese group Hombo Shuzo: a historic house producing whisky under the Komagatake, Tsunuki and Mars Maltage lines. It is known for the resumption of distillation at Shinshu (Komagatake) in 2011 and for using multiple maturation sites, including the island of Yakushima.
- Miyada (Nagano) / Minamisatsuma (Kagoshima) · Nagano, Kagoshima (including Yakushima for maturation) · Japan
- 1 product
The story
The Mars brand was born within Hombo Shuzo, a company active in distillation since the mid-20th century (whisky production began in 1949). Hombo built the Mars Shinshu Distillery on Mount Komagatake in 1985; distillation was suspended in the 1990s and resumed in 2011. Over the years Mars expanded its facilities with the Mars Tsunuki Distillery and maturation warehouses, including the Yakushima facility. The bottle The Revival 2011 is one of the labels linked to the return to production after the suspension.
Production philosophy
An approach rooted in the connection between local environment and production: valuing different microclimates and maturation sites to obtain whiskies expressive of their territory, in line with Hombo Shuzo's vision.
Territory
Japan (Nagano - Komagatake / Shinshu; Kagoshima - Tsunuki; maturation warehouses on Yakushima)
Awards and recognition
Hombo Shuzo / MARS has received international recognition (e.g., awards at the World Whiskies Awards and results at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition), as reported by the producer on official channels.
Production method
Production focused on malt whisky with distillation followed by aging in multiple natural warehouses; Shinshu distillation was resumed in 2011 and releases may be matured in different facilities to take advantage of varying climates.
Ageing
Aging in casks conducted across different facilities and microclimates (Shinshu/Komagatake, Tsunuki and warehouses on Yakushima) to obtain distinct aromatic profiles.
Characteristics
- Type
- Producer
- City
- Miyada (Nagano) / Minamisatsuma (Kagoshima)
- Categories
- Japanese whisky
- single malt
- blended whisky
- mountain whisky / Komagatake
- Raw materials
- malted barley
- Representative products
- Mars The Revival 2011 (Komagatake)
- Mars Komagatake (single malt)
- Mars Maltage (blended line)
What makes it distinctive
- Resumption of distillation at Shinshu in 2011 with the release The Revival 2011.
- Management of multiple maturation sites (including the UNESCO World Heritage island Yakushima).
- Historic brand linked to Hombo Shuzo, a company with roots in shochu and whisky production.