The Single Cask Komagatake is sold in very limited quantities. The “Single Cask Komagatake 2014 No. 1841 AGED 7 YEARS” presented in this article is a single cask whisky, distilled in April 2014 at the Mars Shinshu distillery, aged for more than 7 years in sherry hogsheads with a heavy peated original.Limited edition of 287 pieces.
1. Maker
Hombo Shuzo Brewery Co.
| Establishment | 1872 |
| Head office location | 891-0122; 3-27 Minamisakae, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan |
| Distilleries owned | Mars Shinshu Distillery, Mars Tsunuki Distillery |
2. Distillery
Mars Shinshu Distillery
| Location | 4752-31 Miyata-mura, Kamiina-gun, Nagano, 399-4301 Japan |
| Start of operation | 1985 |
The Hombo Brewery, which had been striving to make shochu, a Japanese distilled spirit, in Kagoshima, obtained a license to produce whisky in 1949. Since then, the company has held on to the dream of “someday making real whisky that takes full advantage of the Japanese climate.
After several years of whisky production in Kagoshima, in 1960, he established a factory for wine and whisky production , Mars Yamanashi Winery, in Yamanashi. Then, in order to engage in full-scale whisky production, he searched for an even more ideal location.
The natural conditions for whisky making are very demanding: cold climate with clean air, moderate humidity, and good quality water.
In 1985, after searching for a site that met these conditions, Mars Shinshu Distillery was established at an altitude of 798 meters at the foot of Komagatake Mountain in the Central Alps, Nagano Prefecture, in search of the best environment for whisky making.
In 1992, distillation was suspended due to a slump in demand for whisky. Later, as Japanese whisky began to be appreciated worldwide, we decided to resume distilling in 2009, when the demand for whisky was on the recovery trend, and started distilling again in 2010. The company re-started in February 2011.
In September 2020, the building was completely renovated for the first time in 35 years. Investment is approximately 1.2 billion yen.
Starting in May 2019, a new whisky distillation building (including a barrel cellar) will be built to renovate aging facilities and improve the barrel cellar facilities in anticipation of increased whisky production and to provide tours of the whisky making process, and a new visitor building will be built to sell original whisky and goods, and existing facilities and equipment will be renovated.
The new whisky distillation building has a total floor area of 1,996m2 (including the barrel cellar, which will hold approximately 2,500 barrels), and the visitor’s building has a floor area of 746m2.
Reference: Hombo Brewery official website
Production capacity: 1.1 tons of malt/day
Production volume of sake: approx. 700 L/day, approx. 185 KL/year (planned for FY2020)
Main facilities: 1 malt crusher, 1 mash tun reuter (saccharification tank) 6KL, 3 stainless steel fermentation tanks 6KL, 3 Douglas fir wooden fermentation tanks (relocated) 6KL, first distillation kettle (relocated)
Image Exhibit: Mars Shinshu Distillery official website
See also ↓ for information on Mars Shinshu Distillery.
https://en.jpwhisky.net/2021/01/01/japanesedistillery-2/#4-2/]
3. Product name and photo
Single Cask Komagatake 2014 No.1841 AGED7 YEARS
4. Features
Miyata Village, Kamiina-gun, Nagano Prefecture, is located at the foot of Komagatake, in the Japanese Alps mountain range. The Mars Shinshu Distillery is located in a quiet forest at an altitude of 798m, surrounded by good quality water and rich nature.
Single Cask Komagatake 2014 No.1841 AGED 7 YEARS” is a rare and unique single cask bottled from the malt whisky matured in the cool environment of Shinshu, selected from one barrel of heavily peated (50ppm) sherry hogshead aged for more than 7 years. It is a single cask whisky gem.
Reference: Japanese Whisky｜Single Cask Komagatake 2014 No.1841 AGED 7 YEARS
4-1. Tasting Notes
| Aroma | Sweet aroma of vanilla, caramel, and some peat |
| Taste | Rich sweetness reminiscent of vanilla and caramel, with a sense of maturity. Fruitiness such as pomegranate. Viscosity. Moderate smokiness. |
| Aftertaste | Bitter chocolate-like sweet bitterness lingers moderately. |
4-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol content | 59% |
| By Liquor | Single malt whisky |
| Cask type | Sherry cask |
| Content volume | 700ml |
| Number of bottles sold | Limited edition of 287 bottles |
| Suggested Retail Price | 14,080 yen (tax included) |
| Release Date | 2021 |
5. Awards
No awards have been received at this time.
6. Price
6-1. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price
| Product Name | Single Cask Komagatake 2014 No.1841 AGED 7 YEARS |
| Capacity | 700ml |
| Suggested Retail Price | 14,080 yen (tax included) |
6-2. Resale price on Mercari
Currently no resale on Mercari (*as of April 8, 2022)
6-3. Yahoo Auction Sold Price
Currently no items appear to be listed on Yahoo! Auctions (*as of April 8, 2022)
6-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
Currently not available on any mail order sites (*as of April 8, 2022)
6-5. Price offered at BAR Shinkai
This site is operated by BAR Shinkai. 1 Cup, 45ml: 4,620 yen, 30ml: 3,080 yen, 15ml: 1,540 yen The service is offered at.
https://en.jpwhisky.net/about-2/barshinkai-4/
7. Summary
It is characterized by an elegant sweetness. While the sherry cask characteristics are quite colorful, you can certainly taste the malt flavor, the sense of maturity, and the 59° alcohol.
Both the aroma and taste are sweet at first. After that, malt and fruit flavors appear.
When a small amount of water is added, the sweetness of the aroma and taste is even stronger, while the alcohol taste fades and the beer becomes gentler to drink.
We recommend drinking it straight or toasting it up. We hope you will enjoy the rich sweetness and alcohol taste straight up, and then gradually add more water to enjoy the changes.
Single Cask Komagatake” is currently sold on a regular basis. However, since it is limited to a very small number of bottles, it seems to be quite difficult to obtain. If you have a chance to drink it, I would like to compare them.
At BAR Shinkai, we also have “Single Cask Komagatake 2014 No.1834 AGED 6 YEARS” and “Single Cask Komagatake 2013 No.1663 AGED 7 YEARS”. Please take a look at our reviews here.
[clink url=https://en.jpwhisky.net/2022/02/14/singlecask_komagatake_no1834-2//][clink url=https://en.jpwhisky.net/2022/02/14/singlecask_komagatake_2013_no1663-2//]
■Please take a look at other articles about “Hombo Shuzo, Single Malt Komagatake”.
https://en.jpwhisky.net/2021/07/20/komagatake_ipacask_2021-2//
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
