Mars Whisky — produced by Hombo Shuzo, operating distilleries in both Kagoshima and Shinshu, Nagano — runs one of the most unusual limited-edition series in Japanese whisky: The Lucky Cat. Each release is named after a real cat owned by the company’s president, Hombo-san. The twelfth release, Choco & Luna, is the subject of this column.
The Cats Behind the Bottles
The Lucky Cat series began with Sun — an openly affectionate, endlessly clingy cat. It has grown to include 12 releases, each capturing the personality of a different feline member of the Hombo household. Past cats in the series include the dignified Ash, who the president described as a partner capable of “man-to-man conversation”; the quietly regal Mint, who moved in as a stray kitten and ran the household with calm authority for 16 years; and the shy, ninja-like May, who lived to 20 and passed away in March 2025.
The current household: Hana (the gentle, easygoing one), Choco (energetic but secretly desperate for attention), Luna (bold and independent, a cool calico who prefers her own company), and new arrival Solla (a maron-cream-coloured young male who joined in June 2025). The dynamic, Hombo-san notes, has shifted since May’s passing and Solla’s arrival. Even Choco and Luna — previously co-existing — have started to feel a little friction between them.
The Blend Reflects the Relationship
Mars Whisky blends spirit from both its Kagoshima and Nagano operations — a breadth that allows for unusual complexity. If the early Lucky Cat releases expressed harmony and warmth, Choco & Luna, Mika suggests, expresses something more interesting: the productive tension of two strong personalities that don’t quite align. Choco wants closeness; Luna wants space. The resulting blend carries sweetness (Choco) alongside a wilder, more independent finish (Luna).
Blending is not about making everything agree. It is about finding what emerges when different characters push against each other.
Mika’s Perspective
My recommendation: Lucky Cat Choco & Luna on the rocks. The sweetness opens on the ice, the wilder notes stay in the finish. Don’t try it as a highball — the complexity loses too much in carbonation.
All 12 editions of the Lucky Cat series are available at Bar Little Happiness. If you’ve ever wanted to taste the personality of a cat — this is your chance. Read the original Japanese column: https://little-happiness.jp/columns/mars-whisky-lucky-cat-choco-luna/
Bar Little Happiness | Hiroshima, Japan
Rum & Whisky specialists | 1,000+ bottles | English menu available
Open Mon–Sat 7PM–12:30AM, Sun 7PM–midnight
No cover charge. Walk-ins welcome.
english.little-happiness.jp