A decade ago, right at the height of the Japanese whisky boom, Japanese distilleries found themselves quickly running out of aged stocks of whiskies, having not anticipated the fervent global demand.

And so Japan's most established distilleries had little choice but to simply wait for their newly made whiskies to mature - after all, the one thing money can't buy is time, and nothing can age a whisky faster than going at it one day at a time.

Nevertheless, we're finally starting to see Mars, a beloved pillar of Japanese whiskies, turn the corner - they've finally introduced their flagship Japanese single malt Mars Komagatake.

Up till this point, the distillery had only put out just one annual release each year, opting instead to conserve their whiskies to allow them to age. This shortage, when it happened, was further compounded by Mars' history of having never kept its distillery operational fully across the years. It wasn't until 2011 that the company's Nagano-based Shinshu distillery had resumed activity, when at the same time, the company had finally decided to go full into whiskymaking, further doubling down and establishing its second Tsunuki Distillery in Kagoshima (where Mars is from), as well as an ageing cellar on the UNESCO site of Yakushima Island - that means two distilleries and at least three ageing locations, and in total creating a wide palette of whisky styles that Mars can create.

"Single Malt Komagatake has long been a beloved brand, produced in limited editions once a year, with quality being the top priority. 14 years have passed since distillation resumed in 2011. Thanks to long-term aging and careful management of whisky inventory, we have been able to secure whisky stocks with more years of age, and we have established a system that allows us to supply single malt whisky throughout the year.

| Find Mars Komagatake Single Malt here on Drink-X!

Komagatake aims for a clean and rich taste. It inherits the refreshing and delicate yet full-bodied taste and is a single malt whisky that pursues consistency of flavor through blending techniques from the wide variety of whiskies in the distillery's possession. With the birth of the classic Single Malt Komagatake, customers can enjoy a special drink any time. Enjoy the gorgeous aromas reminiscent of apple tea, apricots, and ripe persimmons, as well as a smooth mouthfeel and a pleasant, lingering finish."

The new Mars Komagatake Single Malt is bottled at 45% ABV and priced at 7,920 Yen (US$53.10).

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team