Single Malt Komagatake 2024 Edition. Newly released by Hombo Shuzo Mars Whiskey. Features, price, and how to purchase.
As of March 1, 2024, Mars Shinshu Distillery has been renamed Mars Komagatake Distillery.
Actually, I have been thinking that it would be better to change the name to ” Komagatake Distillery” for a long time, but I don’t know if they understood my wish or not.
Komagatake Distillery ” is a very fitting name.
The new “Single Malt Komagatake” will be released at the end of August 2024, and we will introduce it to you right away.
The number of bottles produced is not disclosed this time, but we imagine that around 50,000 bottles are in circulation, which is the same as last year. The price has been gradually increasing every year, and as expected, it will be a little bit higher this time as well. The quality of the wine seems to be improving year by year, so it is well worth tasting.
1. photo of the bottle and label
Single Malt Komagatake 2024 Edition
Single Malt Komagatake 2024 Edition
Features of Single Malt Komagatake 2024 Edition
Single Malt Komagatake is produced at the Mars Komagatake Distillery, located at the foot of Komagatake Mountain in the Central Alps, surrounded by abundant nature and high-quality water.
2024 Edition” is a limited edition single malt whiskey bottled in 2024, which is made by vatting a variety of original spirits including sherry casks and wine casks with a rich character based on the original spirit matured in bourbon barrels.(Reference: Single Malt Komagatake 2024 Edition | Japanese Whiskey | Hombo Shuzo official website )
2-1. Tasting Notes
| Aroma | Apple tea, green apple, vanilla, honey |
| Taste | Ripe persimmon, sour fruit, moist baked goods |
| Aftertaste | Aromatic and savory sweetness with a fresh and crisp aftertaste |
2-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol content | 50% alcohol by volume |
| By Sake | Single Malt Japanese Whiskey |
| Cask type | Bourbon Barrel, Sherry, Wine Cask, etc. |
| Content volume | 700ml |
| Number of bottles sold | – |
| Suggested retail price | 9,020 yen (tax included) |
| Release date | Late August 2024 |
3. Awards
No awards received at this time.
4. List price and online price
4-1. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price
| Product name | Single Malt Komagatake 2024 Edition |
| Capacity | 700ml |
| Suggested retail price | 9,020 yen (including tax) |
Resale price on Mercari
The resale price on Mercari is 10,000 yen, with only one listing as of 8/31/2024. (*As of 8/31/2024)
We will continue to update this information as we expect the number of listings to increase from September onward.
4-3. Yahoo Auction Sold Price
There are currently no listings on Yahoo! Auctions. (*As of 8/31/2024)
We will collect information after some time.
4-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
The product is sold at the regular price of 9,020 yenon Rakuten Ichiba and other online shopping sites. (*As of 8/31/2024)
Single malt Komagatake is currently available at a fixed price, since more than 50,000 bottles should be in circulation if the production volume is equivalent to that of previous years.
4-5. Price offered at BAR Shinkai
At “BAR Shinkai” operated by this site, onecupis offered at 45ml:2970yen, 30ml:1980yen, and 15ml:990yen.
5. What is Honbo Shuzo Co.
Hombo Shuzo K.K., which produces Single Malt Komagatake 2023 Edition, is a Kagoshima Prefecture company that mainly produces shochu. It has a long history of whiskey production, having obtained a whiskey production license in 1949.
| Company Name | Hombo Shuzo Brewery Co. |
| Established | 1872 |
| Head office location | 891-0122; 3-27 Minamiei, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture |
| Owned distilleries | Mars Shinshu distillery, Mars Tsunuki distillery |
６．What is Komagatake Distillery?
The distillery that produces Single Malt Komagatake 2023 Edition is Komagatake Distillery, located in Miyata Village, Nagano Prefecture.
| Name of distillery | Komagatake Distillery |
| Location of distillery | 4752-31 Miyata-mura, Kamiina-gun, Nagano 399-4301 |
| Start of operation | 1985 |
In 1949, the Honbo Brewery, which had been striving to produce shochu, a Japanese distilled spirit, in Kagoshima, obtained a license to produce whiskey. Since then, the company has held on to the dream of “someday making real whiskey that makes the most of the Japanese climate.
After several years of whiskey production in Kagoshima, in 1960, he established the Mars Yamanashi Winery, a factory for wine and whiskey 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 whiskey making are very demanding: a cold region with clear air, and blessed with 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 production.
In 1992, distillation was halted due to sluggish demand for whiskey. In 2009, when demand for Japanese whiskey was recovering and Japanese whiskey was gaining worldwide recognition, we decided to resume distilling and started again in February 2011.
In September 2020, the distillery underwent a complete renewal for the first time in 35 years. The investment will be approximately 1.2 billion yen.
From May 2019, a new whiskey distillation building (including a barrel cellar) and a new visitor building will be constructed for the purpose of renovating aging facilities, improving the barrel cellar facilities with a view to increasing whiskey production, and providing tours of the whiskey making process, as well as selling original whiskey and other goods.
The new whiskey distillation building, with a total floor area of 1,996m2 (including the barrel cellar, which will hold approximately 2,500 barrels), and the visitor’s building, with a total floor area of 746m2, were constructed by renovating existing equipment and facilities.
From March 1, 2024, the distillery name will be changed from “Mars Shinshu Distillery” to “Mars Komagatake Distillery” in order to unify the single malt whiskey brand “Komagatake”.
Reference: Hombo Shuzo official website
Production capacity: 1.1 tons of malt/day
Production volume of sake: approx. 700L/day, approx. 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 Komagatake distillery, please see also here↓.
Please also see other articles about “Single Malt Komagatake”.
7. Summary
Last year’s Single Malt Komagatake 2023 Edition used mainly bourbon casks with sherry and port wine casks, but this year the composition is slightly different with bourbon, sherry, and wine casks.
The age of the wine is probably about 3 to 5 years old, but the aroma and taste can be quite different just by changing the composition of the casks used. We hope you will enjoy the difference by comparing the different barrels.
In addition to the Komagatake distillery, Hombo Shuzo also operates the Tsunuki distillery in Kagoshima Prefecture. The distiller at the Tsunuki distillery told us, “The quality of the sake is getting better and better every year. I have heard this from the person in charge of production at Tsunuki distillery.
When I taste the “Single Malt Komagatake” that is released every year, I feel that Komagatake Distillery is also evolving year by year. This is undoubtedly the result of their efforts to make their whisky more delicious even in the daily routine of whisky production.
As consumers and bartenders, we must never lack respect for the makers of delicious whiskey. Today, I would like to toast to all the makers, and thank you for your support!
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.
