Chichibu Ichiro’s Malt & Grain

Released in 2011, this early expression of the Chichibu Ichiro's Malt and Grain range represents the blend in its formative years, only three years after Chichibu distillery opened in Saitama in 2008. As with the broader Ichiro's Malt and Grain series, the whisky is a blend that may draw on multiple sources including imported or world-blend stock alongside Chichibu malt; its precise makeup is not disclosed. The European market release demonstrates how early Ichiro Akuto began building an international audience for the range.

Matured in Ex-Bourbon casks and bottled at 46%, the wood lends vanilla cream, light caramel and gentle cereal sweetness throughout. The flavour profile notes vanilla as the leading character, consistent with the Ex-Bourbon maturation at accessible strength. It is a smooth and easygoing expression from the early period of the Chichibu-centred blend.