Description
MARS The Lucky Cat Double Individuals Choco & Luna
MARS The Lucky Cat Double Individuals Choco & Luna is a limited-release blended whisky from Mars Whisky in Nagano, Japan, and the 12th bottling in the “The Lucky Cat” series. Each release in the series is inspired by cats associated with the distillery; Choco & Luna is themed around two cats with distinct personalities, expressed through a chocolatey, biscuit-like, softly sweet flavour profile and an easy-drinking texture.
Vinification & Style
The Lucky Cat Double Individuals Choco & Luna is produced at Mars Komagatake Distillery (formerly Mars Shinshu) in Nagano, Japan, as a blend of malt and grain whiskies. The component whiskies are aged in a variety of casks including ex‑wine, ex‑Oloroso sherry and Spanish oak, bringing dried fruit, cocoa, spice and biscuit notes. It is a no‑age‑statement, limited‑edition release with a total outturn of around 10,000 bottles, making it a reasonably priced yet collectible bottling.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Light to medium amber with bright golden hues, clean and clear.
Nose: Milk chocolate, cocoa powder, whole‑grain biscuits, cereal notes, soft cypress/wood, hints of citrus peel and buttery pastry.
Palate: Medium‑bodied and smooth, with chocolate croissant, firm custard, vanilla cream and cookie sweetness upfront, followed by bergamot, citrus oil and gentle oak spice; deep but not cloying sweetness, very approachable.
Finish: Deep sweetness gradually fades into clean, light wood and biscuit tones, with a relatively clean, lightly sweet finish rather than heavy smoke or peat.
Reviews & Accolades
Japanese Whisky Dictionary (jpwhisky.net): Highlights aromas of milk chocolate, cypress and biscuits, with flavours of chocolate croissant, custard and bergamot, and a deep sweetness with a clean finish.
Hombo Shuzo official: Describes The Lucky Cat Double Individuals Choco & Luna as a limited‑quantity release in the Lucky Cat series, inspired by the unique personalities of Choco and Luna, emphasising Mars’s blending expertise.
Market reception: Resale prices on Japanese secondary markets such as Mercari and Yahoo Auctions often sit above the original retail price for Lucky Cat bottlings, indicating strong collector interest in the series overall, even though major global scoring bodies have not yet widely published ratings for this specific release.
Special Info
The Lucky Cat series features various limited blended and blended malt whiskies themed around cats, with earlier bottlings like “Choco” and “Hana & Choco” already trading at premiums in the secondary market. Choco & Luna continues the “Double Individuals” concept with two cat motifs, and the illustrated label and gift‑box packaging make it particularly suitable for gifting and collecting.
Origin: Japan, Nagano
Type: Whisky
Style: Blended Whisky (Malt + Grain)
ABV: 43%
Volume: 700ml
Limited bottling: Approx. 10,000 bottles.
