Mars Shinshu is Japan’s highest whisky distillery, situated over 790 meters above sea level in the Japanese Alps of Nagano Prefecture. Operated by Hombo Shuzo, a company with roots in shochu production, the site first opened in 1985 but was mothballed in the early 1990s amid declining domestic whisky demand. It resumed operations in 2011 during Japan’s whisky revival and has since expanded its output and infrastructure. The distillery produces a range of styles, often distinguished by seasonal production and the influence of its high-altitude climate, with some whiskies also aged at Mars’ Tsunuki site in southern Japan.