MARS

From Japan, the Mars distillery has a history as tumultuous as it is unusual. Its founder is none other than Kiichiro Iwai, the man behind the famous Masataka Taketsuru's departure for Scotland and, above all, the owner of a spirits company producing shochu (Japanese brandy). The drop in demand in the 1980s forced the "Sinshu" distillery to close its doors in 1992 until it reopened in 2011. The Shinshu distillery enjoys an exceptional geographical location giving its whiskey a unique character. Perched 800 meters above sea level in a region with a harsh climate, the distillery has access to sources of pure water filtered by the mountain for centuries. Mars has a second artisanal "Tsunuki" distillery since 2016 as well as an aging cellar on the island of "Yakushima". Having 3 aging sites across Japan has given Mars the opportunity to experiment over the years. They can produce whiskeys in different climates and understand its impact. In terms of capacity, Mars is 60 times smaller than Japan's largest distillery.