Mortage Cosmo Wine Cask 2023. new from Honbo Shuzo Mars whisky. Features, price, and how to purchase.
Cosmo Wine Cask Finish was also released in 2020 under the same product name, with the exact same product description and alcohol content on the official website.
The suggested retail price has increased from 5,500 yen for the 2020 release to 5,940 yen (including tax).
It will be interesting to compare the wine cask finish, which will be released again for the first time in three years, with the 2020 release bottle and Mars Maltige Cosmo, which is in its original state before additional aging.
1. What is Honbo Shuzo Co.
Hombo Shuzo Corporation, which manufactures Maltese Maltese Mortgage Cosmo Wine Cask Finish 2023, is a Kagoshima Prefecture company that mainly produces shochu (Japanese liquor). It has a long history in whisky, having obtained a license for whisky production in 1949.
| Company Name | Hombo Shuzo Brewery Co. |
| Established | 1872 |
| Head office address | 3-27 Minamisakae, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, 891-0122, Japan |
| Owned distilleries | Mars Shinshu Distillery, Mars Tsunuki Distillery |
What is Mars Shinshu Distillery?
The distillery that produces Maltige Cosmo Wine Cask Finish 2023 is “Mars Shinshu Distillery” located in Miyata-mura, Nagano Prefecture.
| Name of distillery | Mars Shinshu Distillery |
| Location | 4752-31 Miyata-mura, Kamiina-gun, Nagano 399-4301 |
| Start of operation | 1985 |
In 1949, Hombo Shuzo, which had been striving to make shochu, a Japanese distilled spirit, in Kagoshima, obtained a license to produce whisky. 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 the Mars Yamanashi Winery, a factory for wine and whisky production in Yamanashi. Then, in order to engage in whisky production in earnest, 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 land 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 halted due to sluggish demand for whisky. In 2009, when Japanese whisky was beginning to be appreciated worldwide and demand for whisky was recovering, the distillery decided to resume distilling and restarted in February 2011.
In September 2020, the distillery will undergo a complete renewal for the first time in 35 years. The investment will be approximately 1.2 billion yen.
From May 2019, renovation of existing facilities and equipment, including renovation of aging facilities, improvement of barrel storage facilities with a view to increasing whisky production, and construction of a new whisky distillation building (including barrel storage) for the purpose of providing tours of whisky production, and a visitor building for the purpose of selling original whisky and goods.
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 malted barley per day
■Manufacturing capacity: approximately 700L/day, approximately 185KL/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)
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For more information about Mars Shinshu Distillery, please see also here↓.
https://jpwhisky.net/japanesedistillery-1447/#4-3″]
3. photos of the bottles and the website where you can buy them
Mars Maltage Cosmo Wine Cask Finish Bottled in 2023
Mars Maltage Cosmo Wine Cask Finish Bottled in 2023
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4. characteristics of mortage Cosmo wine cask 2023
Mars Maltage Cosmo, which expresses complexity and depth by vatting multiple malt liquors, is additionally aged (finished) in empty casks used for red wine. This malt whisky, which has a subtle ruby-red color, has a round and soft flavor that is inherent to Cosmo, as well as a spicy and fruity aroma derived from red wine barrels and a pleasant aftertaste with gentle tannins, and will be manufactured in limited quantities in 2023.
*This product uses some imported original whisky.
(Reference: Manufacturer’s website )
4-1. Tasting Notes
| Aroma | Berry, raisin fruit aroma, woody, honey |
| Taste | Cherry, berry fruit sweetness with a hint of bitterness |
| Aftertaste | Red wine tannic astringency and bitter aftertaste |
4-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol Content | 43% alcohol by volume |
| alcohol category | Blended Malt whisky |
| Cask type | Red wine casks, etc. |
| Volume | 700ml |
| Number of bottles sold | Limited quantity |
| Suggested Retail Price | 5,940 yen (tax included) |
| Release date | Early June 2023 |
5. Awards
No awards received at this time.
6. List price and online price
6-1. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price
| Product Name | Mars Maltige Cosmo Wine Cask Finish Bottled in 2023 |
| Capacity | 700ml |
| Suggested Retail Price | 5,940 yen including tax |
6-2. Resale price on Mercari
The resale price on Mercari ranges from7,500yen to 9,999 yen. Other prices were 13,800 yen for a set of two bottles and 51,000 yen for a bundle with other KOSHIHYAKU series products. (*As of 6/20/20/2023)
6-3. Yahoo Auction Sold Price
Thelowestbid on Yahoo! Auction was 6,750 yen , the highest was 6,750 yen, and the average was 6,750 yen. (*Statistics for the past 180 days from 6/20/20/2023)
6-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
The price is around8,800~11,000 yen at mail-order sites. (*As of 6/20/20/2023)
6-5. Prices offered at BAR Shinkai
At “BAR Shinkai” operated by this site, one glass is offered at 45 ml: 1,980 yen, 30 ml: 1,320 yen, and 15 ml: 660 yen.
7. Summary
This is a very light and smooth whisky.
The complex flavor that Mars Maltige Cosmo originally has is given a lighter, fruity flavor by applying a red wine barrel finish, making it easy to drink even for those who are not accustomed to drinking whisky. It is also a good choice for beginners and advanced drinkers alike.
BAR Shinkai has a wide range of Mars whiskies, including Komagatake and Tsunuki, in addition to Cosmo, so we hope you will immerse yourself in the world of Mars whisky while comparing various whiskies.
We hope you will enjoy the experience of drinking our whiskies and compare them with others.
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.
