Single Malt Komagatake 2023 Edition. Released in early September by Hombo Shuzo and Mars Shinshu Distillery. Features, price, and details.
Komagatake Limited Edition has been released annually since 2018. The Komagatake series represents Mars Shinshu Distillery, and has been released as an edition since 2021 with a much larger limited quantity.
This edition is officially described as “limited quantity,” but based on past limited editions, there are probably 50,000-60,000 bottles.
Like last year’s Komagatake 2022 Edition, it uses bourbon barrels, sherry casks, and port casks. It will be interesting to see how the flavor changes.
| Product name | Limited number of bottles |
|
Single Malt Komagatake Limited Edition 2018 |
10,000 bottles |
| Single Malt Komagatake Limited Edition 2019 | 11,497 bottles |
| Single Malt Komagatake Limited Edition 2020 | 15,000 bottles |
| Single Malt Komagatake 2021 Edition | 50,000 bottles |
| Single Malt Komagatake 2022 Edition | 60,000 bottles |
| Single Malt Komagatake 2023 Edition | Limited quantity |
About the lottery application
Currently, there is no information about the lottery on the official Hombo Shuzo website.
Features of Single Malt Komagatake 2023 Edition
Single Malt Komagatake is produced at the Mars Shinshu Distillery, located at the foot of Mt. Komagatake in the Central Alps mountain range, which is surrounded by high-quality water and rich nature. The “2023 Edition” is a single malt whisky bottled in a limited edition of 2023, with a well-balanced vatting of bourbon barrel, sherry cask, and port cask matured whisky.
Reference: Single Malt Komagatake 2023 Edition | New Products | Hombo Shuzo Official Website
| Product name | Single Malt Komagatake 2023 Edition |
|---|---|
| Sake distillation | Single Malt Japanese whisky |
| Ingredients | Malt |
| Casks | Bourbon Barrel, Sherry Cask, Port Cask |
| Number of bottles | Limited quantity |
| Degree of alcohol content | 50% (50%) |
| Price | Suggested retail price: 8,800 yen (tax included) |
| Manufactured at | Mars Shinshu Distillery |
| Producer | Hombo Shuzo Co. |
3. about Mars Shinshu Distillery
The Honbo Shuzo 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 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, seeking a land that satisfied 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 sluggish demand for whisky. In 2009, when Japanese whisky was beginning to gain worldwide recognition 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 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
Undrafted sake production: approx. 700L/day, approx. 185KL/year
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)
4. Lineup of Single Malt Komagatake Limited Edition released in the past
4-1. Single Malt Komagatake 2022 Edition
Released on September 16, 2022. Limited to 60,000 bottles. Price: 8,800 yen including tax.
4-2. Single Malt Komagatake 2021 Edition
Released on September 17, 2021. Limited to 50,000 bottles. Price: 8,360 yen including tax.
4-3. Single Malt Komagatake Limited Edition 2020
Released on September 16, 2020. Limited to 15,000 bottles. The price is 8,580 yen including tax.
4-4. single malt Komagatake Limited Edition 2019
Released in September 2019. Limited to 11,497 bottles. Price is ¥8,360 including tax.
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.
