Mars Komagatake 6 y.o. - 01 Yori Kiri - Sumo Series - American White Oak Barrel #1964

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 62.8% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Distilled in 2018, this single malt matured for six years at the Komagatake site in American White Oak Barrel 1964. The whisky was bottled at a cask strength of 62.8%, without chill filtration or added colouring; the cask yielded 215 bottles. Yori-Kiri is number 01 in the four-part Sumo Collection. Its name refers to a recognised kimarite, a sumo technique in which one wrestler drives the opponent out of the ring. The edition belongs to La Maison du Whisky’s Itinéraires collection.

The spirit was produced from Concerto barley malt. During its six-year maturation, it rested in the cool climate of the Japanese Central Alps. Its profile ranges from tropical freshness, green and malty notes to ripe orchard fruit, toffee and liquorice.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose is intense and deep. Banana and pineapple bring abundant freshness before fern, cut hay, malt and honey emerge. With a little air, candied lemon, white pepper and nutmeg join them.
• Palate: The whisky is powerful yet finely balanced on the palate. Delicate toffee complements the malty richness; ripe Williams pear, apple and medlar linger.
• Finish: The finish is aromatic and invigorating. Liquorice defines the aftertaste, while the ripe exotic fruits perceived earlier reappear.

Distillery/Bottler:

Hombo Shuzo established Mars Komagatake Distillery in 1985 at an elevation of 798 metres on the slopes of Mount Komagatake in the Japanese Central Alps. After whisky distillation ceased in 1992, the distillery resumed operations in 2011. The old stills were replaced in 2014, while additions made between 2019 and 2020 included a new cask warehouse, a mash tun and stainless-steel washbacks. Previously known as Mars Shinshu Distillery, it has been named Mars Komagatake Distillery since 2024.

The site in Nagano has a cool, misty climate. Rainwater and snowmelt filter through granite soil, supplying the distillery with mineral-rich water. Mars Komagatake Distillery produces the malt spirit for Mars Komagatake and belongs to Hombo Shuzo Co., Ltd., the manufacturer behind the brand.

Facts: