Mars Komagatake Single Malt

Mars Komagatake Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - Chūbu
Dark gold 
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemon zest, peaches, sea salt, vanilla, cinnamon, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Lemon zest, malted grains, white pepper, sandalwood, nori, peaches, hints of germolene. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, malted grains, peaches, apple juice. 

Comments: 

Sweet and fruity with a herbal incense-like character. There’s some savoury notes on the tongue and it ends in a slight hint of something antiseptic, almost earthy. A very decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Komagatake 2022 Edition

Mars Komagatake 2022 Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Golden, hints of copper
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, yoghurt, white grapes, apple juice, malted grains, gooseberries, hints of allspice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, cool, turns airy. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Yoghurt, cream, gooseberries, white grapes, lemon juice, malted grains, sandalwood, hints of allspice, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Sandalwood, malted grains, peaches, lemon juice. 

Comments: 

A fruity, spicy, Shinshu Mars. It’s also quite woody, but in a fragrant, incense-like way. It peters out a little though, the finish is less spicy and less intense than expected.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Komagatake IPA Cask Finish 2021

Mars Komagatake IPA Cask Finish 2021

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Sunshine yellow
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dried pears, persimmons, honeysuckle, peaches, white grapes, aluminium foil, matches, sapodilla. With water, hoppy beer, cough syrup, honeysuckle, sapodilla. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, thick, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, matches, aluminium foil, persimmons, dried pears, fresh baked bread, white grapes. With water, honeysuckle, hoppy beer, malted grains, persimmons. 
Finish: Long. Sapodilla, white grapes, fresh baked bread, persimmons. 

Comments: 

Wow - refill bourbon cask aged malt, already richly fruity and malty, finished in a beer cask. It’s stunning. Honeyed and luscious, the fruit notes sit over malt and spicy little sulphurous pinpricks. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Komagatake 2021 Edition

Komagatake 2021 Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Dark gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Camphor, honey, overripe peaches, mangoes, orange peel, hints of bananas. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, airy, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Honey, fresh baked bread, orange peel, mangoes, nutmeg, hints of burnt sugar. 
Finish: Short. Burnt sugar, nutmeg, lemon zest, orange peel, hints of camphor. 

Comments: 

Earthy camphor covers a heap of tropical fruit, mainly mangoes and bananas. Plenty of spices too, dominated by nutmeg. It’s good and unbalanced, in a good way. Lots of layers with waves of flavour.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mars Komagatake Shinshu Aging 2021 Edition

Mars Komagatake Shinshu Aging 2021 Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Dark gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roses, raspberries, vanilla, plums, strawberries, artificial grape flavour, hints of malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Strawberries, artificial grape flavour, raspberries, fresh baked bread, cinnamon, cloves, toast. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, toast, dark chocolate, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Very floral, slightly odd whisky. There’s fruit and spice, but it’s also a cheap grape soda drink. There’s a nice oily mouthfeel as well, and it all builds towards a bitter, cereally finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Komagatake Single Cask 6yo 2015/2021

Mars Komagatake Single Cask 6yo 2015/2021

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Bright gold
63% ABV
Dram

Nose: Jasmine, white grapes, lemon sweets, toast, green apples, apricot jam. With water, malted grains, toast, green apples, apricot jam. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, oily, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Jasmine, lemon sweets, white pepper, apricot jam, kiwifruit, green apples, malted grains. With water, toast, vanilla, green apples, apricot jam. 
Finish: Long. Walnut skins, white pepper, apricot jam, jasmine, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Cask 3225. Floral and jammy, with complex layers of cereal and toast leading to a long bitter finish. Excellent whisky that does not show its high ABV at all, it’s quite drinkable neat. Amazing dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mars Komagatake Yakushima Aging 2021

Mars Komagatake Yakushima Aging 2021

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Pink gold
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, burnt sugar, bananas, molasses, orange juice, plums, hints of camphor. With water, orange juice, pear drops, smoke, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, slippery, slightly fizzy. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Leather, smoke, camphor, orange juice, vanilla sponge, peat, smoked bacon, hints of raisins. With water, smoked bacon, sea salt, leather, lemon zest, hints of orange juice. 
Finish: Long. Leather, camphor, smoked bacon, raisins, plums. 

Comments: 

Mars distillate, aged in a cave by the sea. Well, it’s picked up some maritime character. It’s meaty and fruity, with a bitter, slightly sulphurous edge. It’s savoury and herbal, with a lovely long smoky finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mars Kasei Blended Whiskey

Mars Kasei Blended Whiskey 

Official bottling 
Single blend - East Honshu
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, yuzu, green tea, malted grains, hints of raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sour. Orange peel, yuzu, green tea, vanilla, fresh baked bread, sea salt, hints of honey. 
Finish: Short. Sea salt, fresh baked bread, malted grains, vanilla, hints of brown paper. 

Comments: 

Entry level bottling from Shinshu Mars. Quite citrusy, fairly good level of complexity for the ABV and the price point. The grain component makes it a bit cereally, and the flavour notes aren’t that well defined.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Komagatake Shinanotanpopo

Mars Komagatake Shinanotanpopo

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Bronze
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, blueberry jam, orange peel, peanuts, nashi pears, toffee, hints of toast, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, camphor, black tea, honey, orange peel, hints of peat. 
Finish: Short. Nashi pears, peanuts, leather, lemons. 

Comments: 

There's some quite old whisky in this, maybe even 30 year old stuff, or I'm no judge. Well, perhaps I'm not at that - but this stuff is brilliant. Herbal and fruity, some smoke, leathery notes that might be old bottle effect, it's marvellous.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Mars Shinshu 3yo 2013/2016 (Cask 1664)

Mars Shinshu 3yo 2013/2016 (Cask 1664)

10th Anniversary, Number One Drinks Company
Single malt - East Honshu
Pale gold
58.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, honey, brown paper, peat, roast pork, hints of soy sauce. With water, fresh cut grass, lemon zest, photocopy paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Lemon juice, nashi pear, cream, brown paper, peat, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, more bitter, peat, fried eggs, fresh cut grass, hints of salt caramel. 
Finish: Long. Lemon juice, peat, peanuts, hints of honey. 

Comments: 

An independent Shinshu Mars bottling, by the Number One Drinks Company people that have done so many great Karuizawas. This must have been distilled shortly after the distillery reopened around 2012. It's peaty and robust, this is not a light slightly namby-pamby Irish. It's full on, with savoury notes on a complex nose, turning bitter and fragrant on the tongue. With water, it's more herbal, but more bitter too. Excellent stuff, perfect for an introspective evening.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Mars Komagatake Kohiganzakura

Mars Komagatake Kohiganzakura

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Bright yellow
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, honey, plums, white grapes, hints of mint. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, loose, watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, honey, cream, white grapes, raspberries, mint. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, green tea, plums, mint. 

Comments: 

A bottling from the Nature of Shinshu series (the second one, I believe). It's peaty, slightly smoky, with lots of orchard fruits, grapes, and a massive great heap of mint. Slightly tannic on the palate.

Verdict:

I like this.