Mars whisky has always had a long held appreciation for its locality - it won't take you too long to find numerous series dedicated to the local flora and fauna that surrounds its distilleries - in particular its Shinshu Distillery up in the Nagano Alps.

One of Mars' more notable nature series is the Nature of Shinshu trio of Komagatake single malts that was released back in 2015.

The three expressions - Rindo, Kohiganzakura and Shinanotanpopo - are dedicated to local botanicals, once again a bid by Mars to have fans of its whisky learn more and appreciate the surroundings of its distillery.

Let's get stuck in!

Mars Komagatake Rindo, Nature of Shinshu, 52% ABV - Review

The first release in this range, the Rindo is aged exclusively in a combination of ex-bourbon, sherry and Japanese wine casks. Like the rest of its range, it is a blend of several casks, with some widely believed to be older than 20 years. "Rindo" is the Japanese word for the gentian flower, which the bottle is themed around.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Gold

Nose: Sweet sherry that has ghosts of a musty earthiness behind it. I get just a brief flash of tobacco that gets cut off by raisin. Hints of creamy vanilla and butterscotch, and a little bit of a bite that oddly enough, strikes me as a little salty. Notes of orchard fruit, but there's a little bit of vague sweet florals that rounds off into a mellow menthol presence.

Palate: I immediately got a stronger tobacco note along with toasted almonds, baking spices and surprisingly, a bold peat. Although I expected sherry, that was gone almost instantly, replaced by a sweet fruit note. You also get brown sugar that develops into vanilla and oak, as well as a good amount of tannins. Toasty oak that develops into a gingery presence. Some heat that sits at the back too.

Finish: A fairly long goodbye with the tannins remaining present, if not gradually increasing. Oaky tannins that graduates into a mellow yet sweet raisin.  Gentle orange peels and if you hunt for it, just a hint of menthol.

My Thoughts

Quite a balanced expression considering how many casks it might have been in. The blend works well, and you can tell there's some age in it. No one aspect really jostles for attention, and everyone gets along in equal amounts. Of course, the signature sweet, fruity Mars character comes up and pairs off quite well with the subtle dried raisins notes. The peat throws me off, but is still welcome. It's a mellow one, though, and as aforementioned, doesn't quite taste like a peat bomb in the traditional sense.

I would have preferred if some subtler notes like the florals were a little more prominent, but I'd be nitpicking at that point. Still a very grounded whisky, I do appreciate the return of that astringent tannic notes (Not quite a tea) on the finish. A slow, lengthy finish was also right down my alley, as I do love a dram that leaves your lips smacking and wanting for more.

Mars Komagatake Kohiganzakura, Nature of Shinshu, 52% ABV - Review

This whisky, named "Kohiganzakura", is said to have been named in celebration of the cherry blossoms found in the Nagano area, and around the distillery itself. The Kohiganzakura has been lightly peated, with some of the blended vintages  aged in Japanese wine casks.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Gold

Nose: Fresh orchard fruits come first with some peat and toasted cereal. I get hints of white floral essential oil with a dash of camphor. There's also a mustiness that reminds me of old wooden furniture to compliment a good showing of oak. a little bit more bite on this one, accompanying some stewed dark fruit, grass and almonds.

Palate: Oak accompanied by quite abit of nippy-ness, although the latter disappears quickly. Warm, treacly butterscotch with a surprising lack of strong vanilla. Florals escape to the roof of your mouth and disappear with equal speed. Slightly less tannic than the Rindo, but has all the notes of crisp orchard fruit. After letting it sit and adding some cool water, I get a bigger hit of that cereal-y presence, while the musty earthiness becomes an afterthought that's replaced by peppery spice. Significantly oiler mouthfeel and the heat doesn't stay for long. 

Finish: Like the Shinatanpopo, a prominent herbaceous minerality toward the very end is introduced first by a subtle peaty smokiness that reminds of a forest floor. Oddly enough, there's an underlying salt note. A long finish, although not as long as the Rindo, and significantly less tannic than both offerings, although there is undoubtedly a chlorine-like stop at the end of some quickly fading spice.

My Thoughts

While this is the only one of the range that is confirmed to be peated, I find it's peaty smokiness not as prominent as the previous two. This expression might test even the more experienced drinkers among you, as its notes aren't quite subtle, but only approach in brief flashes. 

It is, however, still balanced. The Mars signature of sweetness and light floral-ness stands strong. I can't quite get pure malt out of it, but the cereal note is a welcome surprise, and for those that like a mineral, slightly herbaceous finish on top of their tobacco and smoke, this expression will fit you perfectly. It's also more warming than the previous two expressions, with less tannin presence.

Mars Komagatake Shinanotanpopo, Nature of Shinshu, 52% ABV  - Review

"Shinanotanpopo", translates to "dandelion flower". The whisky is made from a blend of different casks, including ex-bourbon, sherry and white oak, some of which are over 20 years old. 

Tasting Notes

Colour: Gold

Nose: Starts off rich and honeyed, with lots of those Sherry classics - figs, prunes, raisins, some candied orange. There’s also baking spices in the mix, cinnamon and nutmeg. With time it opens to some lifted notes of vanilla, and some meadowy floral scents, with a little bit of eucalyptus. It’s got some smokiness to it as well. With time, some orchard fruits of apples and pears come through as well.

Palate: More on butterscotch and brown sugar, it’s got a spicy kick with some candied ginger, as well as a spoonful of nutmeg. More on red apples here, with also some black tea tannins. It’s got a prominent smokiness here that’s slightly vegetal, almost like burnt forest floors. It’s slightly herbal and medicinal but not all that bitter. Some more oranges as well, all of which backed up by a good amount of brown sugar richness.

Finish: Goes on for quite abit, some of those black tea tannins make it to the finish, orange peels, some menthol, still a whiff of the smoke.

My Thoughts

A pretty solid whisky from Mars, it does feel almost like you can tell three components - although I should quickly add that they do come together pretty well, even if it is possible to tease them out - there’s the underlying Mars character which tends to be these apple notes, there’s the Sherry cask here, giving all those darker fruits, and last but not least is this smokiness that almost feels like peated malt was used, giving this sort of Highland style of shrubbery peat. In that sense, it’s got some good complexity, I do like the richness and how these bits all come together. Perhaps what I liked most was that black tea note that comes through, and of course the apples that Komagatake is known for. Well balanced, this was pretty solid.

Bottom Line

There's just so much going on among the three expressions, but all of them remain surprisingly balanced. I would say it's actually hard to pick a favorite depending on what one likes, as all three are so wonderfully nuanced, with some promoting certain notes more than others.

All in all, each expression presents a unique and harmonious interplay of flavors, and won't bore any drinker anytime soon. The Rindo shines with its delicate balance and floral notes, while the Shinanotanpopo delivers a bold and complex profile and of course, the Kohiganzakura offers a graceful combination of malt and spice.

At the end of the day, I would say I appreciated the Rindo most. While it did not have the herbaceous flavors of the Kohiganzakura, it's just the right amount of dry and smoky that makes me very drawn to it. It's also not as sherry-fied as the Shiinanotanpopo, which although good, I'm only partial toward. 

Lok Bing Hong A budding journalist that loves experiencing new things and telling people's stories. I have 30 seconds of coherence a day. I do not decide when they come. They are not consecutive.