Chichibu Ichiros Blended Malt Double Distilleries (Japan) Neue Ausstattung

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46.5% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Ichiro's Malt Double Distilleries brings together malt whiskies from Hanyu and Chichibu. Maturation involves several cask types, including Bourbon Barrels, Hogsheads and Puncheons, alongside sherry casks and casks made from Japanese Mizunara oak. The bottling thus combines not only two distilleries but also a range of cask influences.

Alongside its floral and fruity character, the whisky reveals dark chocolate, mandarins, dried fruit and fruity malt spice. The whiskies are matured, married and bottled at Chichibu, without chill filtration or colouring. The 0.7-litre bottle at 46.5% comes in gift packaging.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, jasmine, roses and violets mingle with apricot and mango. Citrus fruit adds freshness, while gentle vanilla notes round out the aromas.
• Palate: On the palate, walnut notes combine with the sweetness of ripe fruit. Fresh citrus notes provide a lively contrast, and the texture feels balanced.
• Finish: Aromatic pine notes and spicy mint emerge on the finish. A delicate vanilla note lingers.

Distillery/Bottler:

Behind Ichiro's Malt is Ichiro Akuto, grandson of the founder of Hanyu distillery. After its closure, he saved the remaining whisky stocks from destruction. This led to the establishment of Venture Whisky in 2004; the first bottlings under the Ichiro's Malt name reached the market in 2005. While building the brand, Akuto sought direct contact with bartenders and visited around 2,000 bars within two years.

Akuto subsequently established his own distillery, Chichibu, in Japan's Saitama Prefecture. It was built in 2007 and received its production licence in 2008. Whole casks were sold in advance to provide funding while the first whiskies from the distillery matured. Double Distilleries brings the preserved Hanyu malts and whiskies from Chichibu together in one bottling.

Facts: