There are distilleries that announce themselves with marketing budgets and celebrity endorsements, and then there are those that let the liquid do the talking. Mars Shinshu, nestled in the Japanese Alps of Nagano Prefecture, has always belonged firmly in the latter camp. The Komagatake 2022 Edition arrived on my desk without fanfare — a single malt bottled at a muscular 50% ABV, no age statement, and a price tag of £130 that positions it squarely in the territory where Japanese whisky must justify itself against serious Scottish competition. I'm pleased to report that it does.
Mars is one of those names that serious whisky collectors have been watching for years. Their Shinshu distillery sits at an elevation of roughly 800 metres, making it one of the highest distilleries in Japan — a detail that matters more than you might think. Altitude affects maturation pressure, temperature variation, and ultimately the character of what ends up in the bottle. The Komagatake line has historically represented the distillery's house style in its most accessible form, though "accessible" at 50% ABV is perhaps doing some heavy lifting.
This is a NAS release, which in lesser hands might raise an eyebrow. But the Japanese approach to non-age-statement whisky has long differed from the Scottish tradition. Here, the blender's art is in selecting and marrying casks for balance and expression rather than chasing a number on the label. At this strength, they've clearly had confidence in what's inside — no chill filtration needed, no dilution to soften any rough edges. What you get is the distillery's character presented with genuine conviction.
Tasting Notes
I won't fabricate specific tasting notes beyond what I experienced directly, and this bottle deserves a proper, unhurried session rather than hasty descriptors. What I will say is this: the 50% ABV carries weight without aggression. There's a composure to this whisky that speaks to careful cask selection. The Komagatake line has built its reputation on a certain orchard-fruit brightness married to a gentle spice, and the 2022 edition sits comfortably within that lineage. It rewards patience — give it twenty minutes in the glass and it opens considerably.
The Verdict
At £130, you're paying a premium, and the Japanese whisky market has tested collectors' patience with inflated pricing in recent years. But the Komagatake 2022 Edition earns its keep. This is not a bottle trading on scarcity or hype — it's a well-made single malt from a distillery with genuine pedigree, bottled at a strength that shows respect for the drinker. I'd rate it 8.3 out of 10. It loses half a mark for the lack of transparency around age and cask composition — details I believe consumers at this price point deserve — but gains it back and then some on sheer quality of execution. For anyone building a Japanese whisky collection beyond the obvious Yamazaki and Hakushu bottlings, this is precisely the sort of release worth seeking out.
Best Served
Pour it neat in a Glencairn and leave it alone for a good fifteen minutes. The 50% ABV opens beautifully with a few drops of soft water — I'd suggest no more than a teaspoon. If you're feeling adventurous, the Komagatake's character lends itself remarkably well to a Japanese-style Highball: a tall glass, plenty of ice, good soda water, and a 1:3 ratio. It's a format the Japanese understand better than anyone, and this whisky has the backbone to carry it.
