Mars Komagatake 40th Anniversary Special Edition - Single Malt Japanese Whisky

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 50% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

The 40th Anniversary Special Edition traces the history of Mars Komagatake Distillery through malt whiskies from the 1980s, 1990s, 2010s and 2020s. The 2000s are absent because distillation was suspended throughout that decade. Hombo Shuzo halted distillation there in 1992 due to declining demand and resumed it in 2011 after 19 years.

The composition marries whiskies from ex-bourbon casks, sherry casks, American oak casks and other types of cask. The spirits matured at three different sites: Mars Komagatake Distillery, Mars Tsunuki Distillery and Mars Yakushima Aging Cellar.

Bottled in November 2025, this anniversary edition is limited to 5,000 bottles. It is presented at 50% in a 0.7-litre bottle with a gift box. To preserve the flavour as closely as possible to the malt whiskies’ original character, it is not chill-filtered and contains no added colouring.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, apple jam, ripe apricot and melon mingle with vanilla and mature oak to create a multifaceted aroma.
• Palate: On the palate, the sweetness of raisins and maple syrup meets cinnamon spice and rich notes of sweet chestnut and dark chocolate.
• Finish: The finish remains creamy and sweet with impressive length, rounded off harmoniously by a light, spicy bitterness.

Distillery/Bottler:

Hombo Shuzo began making whisky in Kagoshima in 1949 under the technical direction of Kiichiro Iwai. For what later became Mars Shinshu Distillery and is now known as Mars Komagatake Distillery, the company moved its whisky-making equipment from Yamanashi to Nagano and began malt distillation there in 1985.

The distillery stands at an altitude of 798 metres at the foot of Mount Komagatake in the Central Alps. The cool climate and water that filters through the granite soil of the surrounding mountains define the site’s natural conditions. After distillation resumed in 2011, the facility underwent extensive renovation in 2020; it has been known as Mars Komagatake Distillery since 2024.

Facts: