Chichibu 6 Years Old 2014 Cask #3472 (TWE)

Chichibu in Saitama is the distillery that put Japan's post-2010 craft whisky movement on the international map. Founded in 2008 by Ichiro Akuto, it is known for short runs, single casks and an expressive new make that carries well across a broad range of wood types. This single cask was distilled in 2014 and bottled in 2020 by The Whisky Exchange for an event release, at 61.7% after six years of maturation.

Ex-Bourbon wood is the workhorse cask of Chichibu's programme and here it delivers the expected framework of vanilla, fresh apple and light caramel while allowing the distillery's lively new make to stay prominent. At 61.7% cask strength the spirit arrives with full intensity, benefiting from a splash of water to open the citrus and orchard fruit notes typical of the house.