"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 "Namiageha" (Asian Swallowtail), one of the most familiar species in Japan.
It is an exceptional double-cask single malt whisky, inspired by the vibrant image of a Namiageha visiting a bright red azalea.
To create it, we vatted malt whiskies distilled at Mars Tsunuki Distillery and matured in Port and Marsala Wine casks.

"Upon returning from elementary school, I would always head to the hills behind my house. In spring, my targets were the Orange Tip on rapeseed blossoms and the Green Awl Skipper on Welsh onion flowers. My brother and I were the only ones in our rural town with a 36cm collapsible butterfly net; it was a gift from our uncle in Tokyo, and with it, we felt invincible in the neighborhood. Far off, by a wheat field, a large butterfly was flying. It looked slightly pale, so I was sure it was a Namiageha, not an Old World Swallowtail. The Namiageha was a formidable opponent, known for its swift flight. I quickly closed the distance. Let the battle begin."
This is a double-cask single malt whisky, created by vatting malt whiskies distilled at Mars Tsunuki Distillery in 2018 and matured in Port and Marsala Wine casks. It evokes the 'vibrancy of a bright red azalea and a Namiageha,' bursting with the life force of spring.
Label photo and text by Kyoji Osozawa.