Chichibu On The Way

700ml / 58.5%

Single Malt

$483

Mizunara and Ex-Bourbon together in a 2013 On The Way from Chichibu in Saitama, a NAS cask strength bottling at 58.5% where the Japanese oak adds incense, sandalwood and citrus over a dark chocolate and coal-gas base, rare for such an early release.

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SKU JP0235 Categories Chichibu, Japanese Single Malt, Japanese Whisky, Whiskey

Description

The 2013 On The Way is among Chichibu's earliest On The Way releases and one of the few to incorporate mizunara, Japanese oak, alongside Ex-Bourbon wood in the maturation programme. Bottled at 58.5% cask strength as a NAS global release, it comes from the Saitama distillery that Venture Whisky opened under Ichiro Akuto in 2008.

Mizunara contributes its signature sandalwood, incense and a subtle coconut note to the spirit even at relatively early ages, though its character deepens considerably with more time. The recorded flavour data shows citrus, new wood, chocolate, coal-gas, cooked fruit and cooked mash alongside the mizunara influence, a complex and somewhat austere profile that reflects both the youth of the spirit and the unconventional wood choice. The coal-gas note suggests some peated spirit within the vatting. This is a historically notable bottling from the distillery's formative years.