MARCH - THE YA #1 - 52%
The Shinshu Distillery is owned by Hombo Shuzo (sometimes also called Hombo Brewing Co.) and the whiskey produced is sold under the Mars Whiskey brand. Hombo Shuzo was founded in 1872 by Honbu Matsusa, 800 meters above sea level in the village of Miyata on the Japanese island of Kyushu . In 1949, the company acquired a license to produce whiskey at the Kagoshima distillery, but later transferred its whiskey-making business to the Shinshu distillery. While low demand for whiskey at this time led to a temporary halt in production in 1992, normal service resumed in 2012. The most notable product from this distillery is Komagatake , a Single Malt Whiskey named after the most imposing of the many nearby mountains; and Mars Maltage Cosmo , which was introduced to the market in July 2015 as a tribute to the location of the distillery, referring to the sky that can be seen at night when looking down from Mount Komagatake.
The YA is a blended malt produced by the Shinshu Distillery and the Tsunuki Distillery, and aged in the Yakushima cellars. The hot and tropical climate of the island, with a high percentage of humidity, offers a different maturation and a higher share of angels.