Mars Komagatake Single Malt Japanese Whisky Yakushima Aging

Mars Komagatake Single Malt Japanese Whisky Yakushima Aging is a single malt that spends its life in two Japans — distilled high in the Central Alps, then shipped south to mature on a subtropical UNESCO island — and it suits the drinker curious how climate alone reshapes a whisky.

Process & Profile

Bottled at a cask-strength 56% ABV, non-chill filtered and lightly peated, the spirit is distilled at Hombo Shuzo's Mars Shinshu (Komagatake) Distillery in Nagano, some 798 metres above sea level, before it is carried to the Yakushima Aging Cellar — opened in June 2016 on Yakushima, an island of ancient cedar forest roughly 60 km off Kagoshima. In that warm, humid, salt-laden air the whisky matures far faster than it would in the cool mountains, drawing a fruity depth from only three to four years in mostly ex-bourbon barrels with a portion of sherry casks.

On the nose, juicy mandarin, lemon zest, pear and vanilla pod, with a wisp of coastal smoke.

On the palate, vanilla custard and orchard fruit sit against a soft, savory peat and a touch of sea salt.

The finish is bright and clean, fresh orange and lemon fading into gentle smoke.

Where the mountain-matured Komagatake reads cool and restrained, the Yakushima cellar is the whole point of this release: the island climate accelerates and intensifies maturation, lending a young whisky a richness its age would not otherwise suggest.

Serve neat in a Glencairn; a drop of water tames the strength and lifts the citrus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this whisky?
A single malt distilled at Mars Shinshu in Nagano and matured in the Yakushima Aging Cellar on Yakushima Island.

What are the specs?
56% ABV, 700 mL, non-chill filtered, lightly peated, aged three to four years in mostly ex-bourbon with some sherry casks.

What does it taste like?
Citrus and vanilla on the nose, custard and soft peat on the palate, a clean orange-and-lemon finish.

How should you enjoy it?
Neat in a Glencairn, with an optional drop of water.

Why is this release notable?
It matures on a subtropical UNESCO island where the climate deepens the whisky far faster than mountain aging.