Since Mars' addition of its Tsunuki Distillery to its existing Shinshu Distillery, and the formalising of its Yakushima Ageing Cellar as part of its whisky maturation program, it's certainly given the Japanese whisky stalwart lots of room to play with the expressions it creates - in particular it's been on a roll releasing trios that feature expressions influenced by the various climates of the three locations and being produced at two of them.

It appears that a new series is in the works - the Bakemono Zukushi Emaki series, or also known as the Monster Scroll series!

The Bakemono Zukushi Emaki or Monster Scrolls are traditional illustrations of supernatural creatures in Japanese lore that was created as a handscroll during Japan's Edo period (1603 and 1867), when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and was a period where arts and culture flourished in Japan.

The Bakemono Zukushi Emaki Monster Scrolls.

The scrolls themselves comprise of 24 Bakemono or also known as Yokai (the Japanese name for supernatural creatures), and would each be labelled with its name in hand-brushed ink - mysteriously, the scrolls featured no artist's signature or seal, and hence cannot be accurately determined as to who had created these fabled scrolls, although some have pointed to an artist known as Suekichi Hokusai.

Today, the scrolls reside in the Kawasaki City Museum in Japan.

A full list of the Bakemono's and their associated lores can be found here.

It appears that the first three release of the new series of Mars whiskies are due to be unveiled soon and feature whiskies from all three of Mars' locations - with a Komagatake, Tsunuki and a Yakushima Ageing (YA). It appears that the series will feature a total of 20 single casks.

Mars Komagatake Single Cask #3227, 7 Year Old, Bakemono Zukushi Emaki "Oyashirome" 1st Cask of 20

The first of the series is the Single Cask Komagatake, that is distilled and aged at the Shinshu Distillery in Nagano, and has been aged for 7.5 years in a Bourbon barrel, hailing from single cask #3227, and bottled at 60% ABV.

It features the Bakemono "Oyashirome" or "Oyajirome" (親白眼), and is depicted as having a bulging eye on the back of its head and a claw on its one-fingered hand.

Mars Tsunuki Single Cask #T1185, 4 Year Old, Bakemono Zukushi Emaki "Daichiuchi" 2nd Cask of 20  

The second release of the series is a Tsunuki Single Cask #T1185, that has been distilled and matured at the Tsunuki Distillery in Kagoshima, having been aged for 4 years, before being bottled at 61% ABV.

Its label features the Bakemono "Daichiuchi" (大地打), a mallet-wielding monster with a bird-like face.

Mars Yakushima Ageing (YA) Double Cask #2008 / #2291, 4 Years Old, Bakemono Zukushi Emaki "Domo-Komo" 3rd Cask of 20  

The third release of the series features a Yakushima Ageing (YA) of a double cask of whiskies distilled at Shinshu Distillery and Tsunuki Distillery, which were then aged at the Yakushima Ageing Cellar.

Although one of the casks (presumably the Shinshu cask) was distilled in 2018 and would have been aged for 5 years at the time of bottling, whisky labelling conventions would state the official age as marked to that of the youngest whisky (presumably the Tsunuki cask, as the Tsunuki Distillery was only recently operational, and hence would be 4 years old at the time of bottling). 

This expression would thus be a 4 Year Old whisky, bottled at 51% ABV.

The Bakemono featured on its label is that of "Domo-Komo" (どうもこうも), depicted as a two-headed creature with gray skin.  

What do you think of these releases? Let us know in the comments below!