On the shelf Not declared
¥4,200
Contains affiliate links. If you buy through a retailer link we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we say about a bottle — see our disclosure.
Mars Iwai
マルス岩井
On the shelf Not declared
What it costs in Japan
¥1,800
about $12 at ¥150/$ (2026-08)
Our estimate · checked August 2026
No overseas price recorded yet, so we are not showing a markup. We only publish this figure when both prices have actually been observed — never estimated.
Can you actually buy it here?
Stocked by ordinary Japanese liquor shops and supermarkets at list price.
Our estimate · checked August 2026
Is it Japanese whisky?
We found no producer statement either way. This is not an accusation of anything; it means the question is unanswered.
How it tastes
Named after Kiichiro Iwai, who taught Taketsuru. A cheap, bourbon-leaning everyday blend that costs less than a cocktail in Tokyo. Not declared under the JSLMA standard.
Peat
Sweetness
Fruit
Spice
Oak
Smoke
Complexity
Body
Our estimates, scored the same way across every bottle so they can be compared.
Specification
| Producer | Mars Shinshu Distillery |
|---|---|
| Region | Chubu |
| Type | Blended |
| Age | No age statement |
| ABV | 40% |
| Casks | Various |
| Best served | Highball |
| Our rating | 79 / 100 (editorial) |
Where to buy outside Japan
- The Whisky Exchange — ships from UK · not yet linked (affiliate application pending)
- Master of Malt — ships from UK · not yet linked (affiliate application pending)
UK retailers ship to the US state by state, and the list changes. Check your state on the retailer's own site before ordering — any state list we published here would be out of date within months.
If you like this
On the shelf Not declared
¥2,500
2.2× abroad
On the shelf Meets the JSLMA standard
¥3,200
1.2× abroad