Japan
Mars Komagatake "Yakushima Aging" Single Malt Whisky (Bottled in 2020)
Located between Japan’s soaring Southern Alps and the towering Central Alps, at just over 2,600 feet, Mars Shinshu is Japan’s highest whisky distillery. The Hombo family have been distilling for more than a century and added whisky to their repertoire in 1949. At that time the distillery was located in the Tsunuki region of Kagoshima Prefecture on the southern-most island of Kyushu.
Until 1984, it was the southernmost whisky made in Japan, which ended when the Hombo clan moved the distillery to the idyllic alpine setting of Miyada village in southern Nagano Prefecture, Central Japan. They chose this site for its cool temperature, which slowed maturation, and the plentiful soft granite filtered snowmelt fed aquifers. A beautiful choice.
In 2016, Hombo Shuzo reopened and introduced new pot stills to their first distillery location in Kagoshima now known as the Mars Tsunuki Distillery, once again Japan’s southernmost distillery.They also built an aging facility on a tiny island known as Yakushima, a National World Heritage site, where they now age spirits from both Shinshu and Tsunuki distilleries.
The Single Malt Komagatake Yakushima Aging series is distilled at Mars Shinshu Distillery at the base of the Komagatake mountains, and then transported south to be aged in Yakushima, an island 60km off of the Kagoshima mainland. The key malt is bourbon barrel aged along with a hint of sherry notes. Very lightly peated (about 6ppm). This whisky is diluted to 53% to get more fruitiness and juicy flavors. Orange and Lemonade like juicy and refreshing aroma. Little by little vanilla or custard cream comes out with a hint of peat. Very juicy fruitiness, it lingers on the finish, but is balanced on the long finish.
Until 1984, it was the southernmost whisky made in Japan, which ended when the Hombo clan moved the distillery to the idyllic alpine setting of Miyada village in southern Nagano Prefecture, Central Japan. They chose this site for its cool temperature, which slowed maturation, and the plentiful soft granite filtered snowmelt fed aquifers. A beautiful choice.
In 2016, Hombo Shuzo reopened and introduced new pot stills to their first distillery location in Kagoshima now known as the Mars Tsunuki Distillery, once again Japan’s southernmost distillery.They also built an aging facility on a tiny island known as Yakushima, a National World Heritage site, where they now age spirits from both Shinshu and Tsunuki distilleries.
The Single Malt Komagatake Yakushima Aging series is distilled at Mars Shinshu Distillery at the base of the Komagatake mountains, and then transported south to be aged in Yakushima, an island 60km off of the Kagoshima mainland. The key malt is bourbon barrel aged along with a hint of sherry notes. Very lightly peated (about 6ppm). This whisky is diluted to 53% to get more fruitiness and juicy flavors. Orange and Lemonade like juicy and refreshing aroma. Little by little vanilla or custard cream comes out with a hint of peat. Very juicy fruitiness, it lingers on the finish, but is balanced on the long finish.
Perman
Japan
Details
| Producer | Shinshu Mars Distillery |