Mars 'Komagatake' Limited Edition Japanese Whisky 2021
Mars Komagatake Limited Edition 2021 is the annual flagship single malt of the Mars Shinshu Distillery — 100% malted barley, distilled and matured at Japan's highest-altitude distillery, bottled at 48% ABV non-chill filtered — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 48% vol (96 proof); non-chill filtered
- Size: 750mL
- Type: true single malt (100% malted barley, one distillery)
- Casks: ex-bourbon and ex-sherry American oak barrels
- Release: 2021 annual limited edition — only 3,456 bottles allocated to the US
- Origin: Mars Shinshu Distillery (Hombo Shuzo), Miyada-mura, Nagano — ~798m, the base of Mt. Komagatake
- Awards: Grand Gold — San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2022 (2021 vintage); Silver — Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition 2022 (retailer-reported)
Whisky From the Roof of Japan
Mars Shinshu sits at roughly 798 meters in the Japanese Alps — the highest distillery in Japan — where the cool mountain air slows maturation into an elegant, fruit-driven style. Hombo Shuzo founded it in 1985, closed it during the 1990s whisky downturn, and reopened it in 2011; the annual Komagatake single malt is its collector centerpiece, and the 2021 vatting is the fruit-forward, sherried edition. Browse more Mars Shinshu Distillery or the store's Japanese whisky collection.
Tasting Notes
Prunes, honey, vanilla, and tropical fruits on the nose. The palate turns to sweet oranges, green melon, and dusty cocoa powder. The finish is long and smooth — vanilla and persimmon.
How to Enjoy
Neat at 48% to take the full fruity-sherry profile; a splash of water opens the tropical-fruit notes. Annual Komagatake editions sell out and appreciate — this is a collector's bottle as much as a drinker's.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Komagatake a single malt?
Yes — 100% malted barley, distilled and matured at one distillery (Mars Shinshu), unlike the blended Iwai range.
Why is Mars Shinshu famous?
It is Japan's highest-elevation distillery (~798m), founded by Hombo Shuzo in 1985 and reopened in 2011; altitude and cool climate are credited for its elegant, slow-matured style.
How many bottles of Komagatake 2021 were released?
3,456 bottles were allocated to the United States; it is a limited annual edition.
How does the 2021 compare to other years?
Each year's edition vats different casks; the 2021 is noted for a fruit-forward, sherried, higher-ABV (48%) profile versus sometimes lighter earlier vintages.
Limited, high-altitude, and award-gilded: order Mars Komagatake 2021 online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.