"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 "Kujakucho" (Peacock Butterfly), a medium-sized butterfly inhabiting mountainous areas of Honshu, primarily north of Nagano.
Named for the peacock-like pattern on its wings, its distinctive appearance—red wings adorned with large eye-spots—inspired this selection.
We carefully selected a single cask of heavily peated malt whisky matured in a Sherry cask to embody the butterfly's vivid character.
Distilled in 2016 at Mars Komagatake Distillery (formerly Mars Shinshu Distillery), this single cask single malt whisky is bottled at natural cask strength, non-chill filtered.

"Highland flowers are fading; the daylilies and bellflowers have turned brown. Only a few faded blue thistles remain. Suddenly, a bright red butterfly spreads its wings. It is a Kujakucho, displaying four large eye-spots. It sips nectar eagerly, as if reluctant to bid farewell to late summer.My first encounter was in early elementary school. My mother pointed out a beautiful butterfly in our backyard—a rare visitor from the highlands far away. With a small net in hand, I caught it with trembling hands.Eventually, I let it go. I watched as it flew high into the blue sky."