MARS The Lucky Cat Solla

MARS The Lucky Cat Solla is a limited-release blended whisky from Mars Whisky in Nagano, Japan, and the 11th bottling in the “The Lucky Cat” series. Inspired by the warm, playful character and cream‑chestnut coat of the cat Solla, the whisky’s profile focuses on gentle tea notes, floral aromas and honeyed sweetness with softly toasted oak.

Vinification & Style

The Lucky Cat Solla is produced at Mars Komagatake Distillery in Nagano as a blended whisky made from malt and grain whiskies. Key components include malt whisky aged in chestnut casks and Spanish oak sherry casks, together with grain whiskies originating from the UK and Japan, all blended and bottled by Hombo Shuzo. It is a no‑age‑statement limited release, with around 9,900 bottles, typically launched around Japan’s “Cat Day” as part of the annual Lucky Cat story.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light to medium amber with a soft tea‑gold hue, bright and clear.
Nose: Delicate floral notes, honey, black tea, cereal grains, green apple, light vanilla oak and subtle citrus zest, reminiscent of freshly brewed sweetened tea.
Palate: Gentle and silky, with grain sweetness, honey, white peach and green tea at the start, moving into black tea, floral hints, white pepper and fine oak spice; medium‑light body with refined, non‑heavy layers.
Finish: Medium length, leaving impressions of tea, honey, florals and a touch of citrus peel and oak, clean and elegant.

Reviews & Accolades

Hombo Shuzo official: Describes Solla as the 11th Lucky Cat release, built around chestnut and Spanish oak sherry cask‑aged malt to express Solla’s warm, lively personality.
88Bamboo: Notes that Solla is bottled at 43% ABV, highlighting its tea‑like, floral and honeyed style as one of the more elegant, easy‑drinking entries in the series.
Other professional descriptions: Retail and specialist sites characterise Solla as tasting like a cup of freshly brewed tea with intertwined floral notes and gentle sweetness, balanced by subtle oak and citrus, ideal for relaxed daily or afternoon sipping.

Special Info

The Lucky Cat series was created for Hombo Shuzo’s cat‑loving president and releases one limited whisky each year themed around distillery cats. Solla, the 11th installment, is limited to about 9,900 bottles with gift‑box packaging, making it attractive for gifting and collecting. Earlier Lucky Cat bottlings such as Choco, May and Hana have appreciated on Japanese secondary markets, and Solla is similarly viewed as having future collectibility.

Origin: Japan, Nagano
Type: Whisky
Style: Blended Whisky (Malt + Grain)
ABV: 43%
Volume: 700ml
Limited bottling: Approx. 9,900 bottles.