"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 on "Miyamamonkicho," a butterfly that inhabits the high-altitude mountain areas of central Honshu. It is an exceptional triple-cask, single malt whisky inspired by the butterfly's graceful form, its wings elegantly framed in a vibrant pink. To create this, we vatted three carefully selected ex-bourbon barrels distilled and matured at our Mars Komagatake Distillery.


"The Miyamamonkicho is a species of 'alpine butterfly' that Japan proudly presents to the world, living in the high mountains of the Shinshu region. Its form, entirely edged in a deep pink, is stylish and full of elegance.My first encounter was in July 1973, at the summit of Mount Neko-dake in the Shinshu-Asama mountain range. The climb under the blazing sun was grueling, and I was utterly exhausted when I reached the top. There, just skimming the surface of the rocky terrain above the forest line, a small butterfly flew with incredible speed. I had wrongly imagined it would fly gracefully, like a dancer. I felt humbled and filled with respect for its strength, surviving in such a harsh environment.
This is a triple cask single malt whisky, created by vatting three Malt Genshu casks distilled at the Mars Komagatake Distillery in 2018 and matured in ex-bourbon barrels, evoking the 'elegance of an alpine butterfly'."
Label photo and text by Mr. Shuichi Ogino.