Mars' Malt Le Papillon has always been a big hit with collector's, each expression featuring a butterfly native to Japan, thereby serving as a motif to express the splendor of Japan's seasonal climate and natural environment, which Japanese distiller Mars likens to the producing and maturing of its whiskies which too are a reflection of Japan's seasons and environment.

This time we have the butterfly Miyama Shijimi (or Cybernidae) which is said to inhabit a small area in central Honshu region, which will be paired with a double cask Mars expression that is made up of a vatting of two Sherry barrel. Further, a blue-purple colour was selected for the expressions packaging to pay homage to the what Mars terms as the butterfly being a blue jewel in the deep mountains.

"In August 2022, it was confirmed that the endangered butterfly 'Yamamashijimi' was living in Miyata Village, Nagano Prefecture, where the Mars Shinshu Distillery is located, and a subsequent survey revealed that it is the largest breeding ground in Japan.

It is a small, pretty lycaen butterfly that lives mainly in central Honshu, and the way it flies through the forest with its bluish-purple wings can be compared to the blue jewelry of the deep mountains."

The expression was distilled in 2016 at Mars' Shishu Distillery in the Nagano Alps and was bottled at natural cask strength of 61% ABV. It is aged for 6 years (technically one barrel being 7.5 years and the other being just shy of 7 years old) and was made of Sherry casks 3368 and 3441.

A total of 818 bottles will be released at 14,300 Yen.

It will be retailed via lottery (starting today and ending 10AM 6 November 2023) via Hombo Shuzo's online shop.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team