"MARS MALT Le Papillon" is a series that captures the splendor of Japan's natural environment and its four distinct seasons—which shape our whisky's maturation—through the motif of butterflies native to Japan.
This expression is themed after the "Himeshirocho" (Wood White), a small butterfly primarily inhabiting low grasslands.
To evoke the image of its delicate white figure dancing in spring, we vatted two casks: one Cherry Wood (Sakura) cask and one ex-Bourbon barrel.
Distilled at Mars Komagatake Distillery (formerly Mars Shinshu Distillery) in 2015, this single malt whisky is bottled at natural cask strength, non-chill filtered.

"In May 2020, the grasslands at the former site of the Nagano Winter Olympics were beautifully maintained, with many Fuki (butterbur) plants sprouting. There, I spotted a small white butterfly. It was a Himeshirocho, laying eggs on the fresh shoots of Aconogonon speciosum. Although encounters with them have become rare recently, here, two or three would suddenly appear at our feet. In the distance, snow-capped mountains stood against a backdrop of fully bloomed cherry blossoms. Like cherry blossom petals floating gently on the calm breeze, the butterflies danced. I chased after them, losing all track of time."
This single malt whisky captures the image of a delicate white butterfly dancing in spring. It is a vatting of two casks of malt whisky distilled at Mars Komagatake Distillery in 2015.