The history of Mars Whisky is intimately linked with the history of the Hombo Shuzo group, which began distilling spirits 30 years after it was first founded. Mars whiskies are produced at two distilleries, Shinshu and Tsunuki, with a modest overall capacity 60 times less than that of Japan’s largest distilleries. Mars embodies a certain vision of artisanship and the tumultuous destiny of a group that explored and experimented without every giving up.
Hombo Shuzo: The early days
To understand Mars’ history, we first need to look at the history of Hombo Shuzo, a company founded by Matsuzaemon Hombo in Kagoshima in 1872. In the beginning, the company worked in the production of rapeseed and cotton. In 1902, the Hombo family began exploring the art of distillation through shochu production, still in Kagoshima.
Then, as Japanese whisky began to emerge as a category, the Hombo Shuzo group obtained a whisky distillation license in 1949. In 1950, the group began producing whisky for blends, and so the Mars saga began. Whisky production was overseen by Kiichiro Iwai, the first employer of Masataka Taketsuru, one of the founding fathers of Japanese whisky, who shared his precious notes from a trip to Scotland between 1918 and 1920, where he learned the basics of distillation.
Yamanashi: Trial and error
Kiichiro Iwai was then found at the head of the new distillery built in 1960 in Isawa (Yamanashi Prefecture), some 70 miles from the future Shinshu distillery. In a similar approach to what had already been seen in Japan, the whisky produced at Yamanashi was full of Scottish influences, including smoky notes. At the time, this made it too powerful for the Japanese palate and it failed to find the success hoped for. In the early 1970s, therefore, whisky production was moved to Kagoshima, on the island of Kyushu, where the climate is more tropical, in order to produce a lighter whisky better suited to the tastes of local enthusiasts.
Despite all these changes and efforts, the Hombo Shuzo group still had no lucking giving its whisky the finesse it wanted. And so it decided to return to the north of Japan, building a new distillery there, Shinshu (Nagano Prefecture) in 1985.
Shinshu: Perseverance
Shinshu is located in the heart of the Japanese Alps, at the foot of Mount Komagatake, which is where the distillery takes its name. With Shinshu, the Hombo Shuzo group finally managed to create a more sophisticated whisky, one which became a success. And yet, just seven years after the distillery opened, the group was hit hard by Japan’s economic crisis, which caused a massive drop in whisky sales. In 1992, the decision was taken to halt whisky production but continue producing other spirits. The few whisky bottlings produced during this period are now highly sought after by collectors. They include the Komagatake 1986 triptych, a 30 Year Old American White Oak Barrel, and two 30 Year Old Sherry Casks bottled in June 2016 and sold at auction for £1,000 and £2,500 respectively. Some Private Casks from the late 1980s even went for over £3,000.
Then, in the new millennium, Japanese whisky become a worldwide phenomenon. Faced with this success, the Hombo Shuzo group decided in 2011 to relaunch whisky production at Shinshu. It was a bet that paid off. Located in Miyada-mura, the distillery boasts ideal conditions for slow maturation, with average annual temperatures of around 8°C (temperatures reach -15°C in winter and 33°C in summer) and an angels’ share of 3-4%. It is equipped with an 8,000-litre wash still and a 6,000-litre spirit still, both of which are steam-heated. Its abundantly fruity single malt is held in very high esteem. Shinshu also produces peated expressions.
Tsunuki: The next step
The revival of Mars whisky took its next step in 2016 when a second distillery named Tsunuki was built in Kagoshima Prefecture, marking a return to roots for Hombo Shuzo. Tsunuki is located between Mount Choya (513 m) in the west and Mount Kurat (475 m) in the east, where the spring water used to dilute its whiskies is sourced. The winters are milder than in Shinshu (minimum temperature -2°C) but the summers slightly warmer (maximum temperature 36°C). The angels’ share is also higher (5-7%). The distillery produces both unpeated and peated whiskies, some of which are very heavily peated (up to 50 ppm).
The difference between Shinshu and Tsunuki’s whiskies is seen in their unique characters, which result in part from the different equipment used. The single malt produced at Tsunuki is made with a smaller wash still and spirit still (respectively 5,800 litres and 2,700 litres) than at Shinshu, for example. The wash still is onion-shaped, while the spirit still has a straight head. The lyne arms are ten degrees smaller than Shinshu’s and equipped with warm tubes. This creates a heavier spirit.
In the case of both Shinshu and Tsunuki, Mars offers incredible single casks and cask strength releases, making the most of its different maturation sites, which are highlighted with modern and sophisticated graphics. Cask T431 from the Ghost Series is one of the bottlings most sought after by collectors, fetching between £1,500 and £2,100 at auction. Others bottled for the Fukoaka Whisky Talk 2022 and the Tokyo Whisky Festival have sold for between £321 and £755.
Yakushima: Exploration
In addition to Shinshu and Tsunuki’s warehouses, the Hombo Shuzo group owns two other maturation warehouses on the island of Yakushima, listed as UNESCO World Heritage in 1993. This site offers the group the ability to explore the different facets of ageing and the impact of climate,
which, on Yakushima, is different from both the Japanese Alps and Kagoshima Prefecture. The weather is warm (temperatures range from 5°C in the winter to 35°C in the summer), with 79.2% humidity. A local proverb says it rains 35 days a month in Yakushima! The Shinshu and Tsunuki matured on the island are characterized by a certain exuberance and very popular among Mars fans.
Tasting notes:
The two whiskies selected, distilled a year after Shinshu was created, are a reflection of the distillery’s early days.
Mars 30 Year Old 1986 Komagatake Sherry 53%
Only 136 bottles of this little piece of history were released. A venerable Mars Komagatake, it was matured for 30 years, from February 1986 to June 2016, in an ex-sherry cask. An authentic archive of Shinshu’s first period of whisky production, this expression nonetheless has parallels with modern Shinshus. Citrus fruits are found on both the nose (lemon) and the palate (orange, grapefruit). The sherry brings a very elegant patina with chocolatey, fruity (fig) and herbaceous (tobacco) dimensions. This version—like Mars’ other old bottlings—is truly remarkable and every bit as good as Japan’s other legendary names.
Mars 30 Year Old 1986 Komagatake American White Oak 61%
This expression is also part of the triptych of 30 year old whiskies bottled in 2016.
The 30 years spent in American white oak casks has bestowed the malt with a gentle woodiness that echoes the flavours and aromas of American whiskeys. All with excellent balance. The nose reveals herbaceous sequences that are at first fresh (lemon balm) and then warm (hibiscus tea). Sweet spices (cinnamon, vanilla) and dried fruits gradually appear. The palate is spicy with a peppery attack. Notes of caramel then cherry temper the palate’s lively character, before walnut notes appear on the finish. Allowed to breathe, this Mars’ reveals its malty nature. A completely different profile from what Shinshu makes today, but a beautiful piece of history nonetheless.
