The latest in the Lucky Cat series is released by Hombo Shuzo Mars Whisky. Introducing the taste and contents of the product.
The Lucky Cat” is a series of blended Whiskys featuring unique cats, created with the blending techniques of Mars Whisky.
For the past few years, it has been released around “Cat Day” on February 22. This series is sold once a year.
The Lucky Cat series was launched in 2015 with this series being named after the president of the cat-loving Honbo Brewery. This is the ninth installment of The Lucky Cat Mei & Hana, featuring Mei, the oldest cat from the fourth installment of the series, and Hana, from the fifth installment. It is a blended Whisky that matches the personalities of two cats with different personalities and Whisky.
■Lucky cats of successive generations
| Product name | Release date | Number of bottles released | Price (tax included) | |
| Vol.1 | The Lucky Cat “Sun” | September 25, 2015 | 1,200 bottles | 4,400 yen |
| Vol.2 | The Lucky Cat “Ash 99” | August 25, 2016 | 4,300 bottles | 4,950 yen |
| Vol.3 | The Lucky Cat “Mint” | November 10, 2017 | 3,830 bottles | 4,400 yen |
| Vol.4 | The Lucky Cat “May” | September 22, 2018 | 3,387 bottles | 4,730 yen |
| Vol.5 | The Lucky Cat “Hana” | February 1, 2020 | 3,000 bottles | 4,950 yen |
| Vol.6 | The Lucky Cat “Choco | March 4, 2021 | 6,700 bottles | 4,950 yen |
| Vol.7 | The Lucky Cat “Luna | March 30, 2022 | 5,220 bottles | 4,950 yen |
| Vol.8 | The Lucky Cat Double Indivisuals “May & Luna | February 24, 2023 | 8,430 bottles | 5,280 yen |
| Vol.9 | The Lucky Cat Double Indivisuals “Hana & Choco | February 24, 2024 | 7,920 bottles | 5,720 yen |
| Vol.10 | The Lucky Cat Double Indivisuals “Mei & Hana | February 2025 | 10,000 bottles | 5,720 yen |
1. photo of the bottle and website where it can be purchased
The Lucky Cat Double Indivisuals “Mei & Hana
The Lucky Cat Double Indivisuals May & Hana
Click here for the distillery’s direct sales page
2. characteristics
The Lucky Cat” is a series of blended whiskies produced using the blending techniques of Mars Whisky, with a motif of cats with rich personalities. The Lucky Cat Double Individuals May & Hana, the tenth in the series, is a blended Whisky with sweet flavors derived from Pedro Ximenez sherry and port wine casks, reminding us of the pampered nature of the two cats, May and Hana.
K.Hombo: “The elder Mei will be 20 years old this year, and Hana will be 8 years old. They are two of our four dogs that prefer to spend time inside the house. For Mei, her living area is about 5 meters from the living room to the kitchen. Her eccentric personality has mellowed, but she is an old cat who has not lost her childishness. Hana likes to stay on my wife’s bed and often stays there all day long. And it is hard to say which is better in terms of the intensity of the way both cats spoil their wives! Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and port wine casks, the sweet flavors derived from these two casks, make this blended Whisky reminiscent of two pampered dogs.”(Citation: Hombo Shuzo official website)
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2-1. Tasting Notes
Aroma Raw caramel, milk chocolate, vanilla ice cream, raspberry, tangerine Taste Dried mandarin oranges, wine grapes, tannic bitterness, fruit gum Aftertaste Oak-derived sweetness and peculiar bitterness linger with mild sweetness from grains. 2-2. Product Specifications
Alcohol content 43% (with a slight alcohol content of 43%) Alcohol Classification Blended Whisky Casks Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, port wine casks
Content volume 700ml Number of bottles sold 10,000 bottles Suggested Retail Price 5,720 yen (tax included)
3. Awards
No awards have been received at this time.
Price
4-1. Suggested Retail Price
| Product Name | The Lucky Cat Double Indivisuals May & Hana |
| Capacity | 700ml |
| Suggested retail price | Tax included: 17,600 yen |
4-2. Resale price on Mercari
Resale price on Mercari is 8,000-9,000 yen. (*As of 3/4/2025)
4-3. Yahoo Auction Sold Price
Yahoo au ctions were listed at 8,500 yen to 9,000 yen. (*As of 3/4/2025)
4-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
The item was listed at 15,000 yen on a mail-order site as a bundle sale. (*As of 3/4/2025)
4-5. Price offered at BAR Shinkai
At “BAR Shinkai” operated by this site, one cup, 45ml: 2,310 yen 30ml: 1,540 yen, 15ml: 770 yen, etc. are offered in small quantities.
5. Manufacturer
Honbo Shuzo Co.
| Established | 1872 |
| Head office location | 891-0122; 3-27 Nanei, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture |
| Owned distilleries | Mars Shinshu distillery, Mars Tsunuki distillery |
6. Distilleries owned
Mars Komagatake 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 makes the most 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, including a 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 suspended due to a slump in demand for Whisky. In 2009, when demand for Japanese Whisky was recovering and Japanese Whisky was gaining worldwide recognition, Mars 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, renovation of existing facilities and equipment, including renovation of aging facilities, construction of a Whisky distillation building (including a barrel cellar) to increase Whisky production, and a visitor’s building to sell original Whisky and other goods.
The new Whisky distillation building has a total floor area of 1,996 m2 (including the barrel cellar, which will hold approximately 2,500 barrels), and the visitor’s building has a floor area of 746 m2.
Production capacity: 1.1 tons of malt per day
Production capacity: 1.1 tons of malted barley per day
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, and a first distillation tank (relocated).
Reference: Hombo Shuzo official website
For more information about Mars Komagatake Distillery, please see also here↓.
7. Summary
This is finally the 10th in the series. We have sold more and more whiskies of cute cats. It seems that no new family members have been welcomed recently, so a type of whisky with two cats from before is sold.
Again, it seems luxurious for a cask used for blended Whisky, but it also has a slightly worn look, as if it must have been used several times. If you like grain-based sweet Whisky, please try it.
■Please check out our other articles on “Hombo Shuzo”.
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.
