Chichibu Paris Edition 2018

The Paris Edition 2018 is a NAS cask strength release from Chichibu in Saitama, bottled at 57.3% for the French market in 2018 and combining mizunara Japanese oak with French oak in the maturation programme, a pairing that reflects both the distillery's Japanese roots and an acknowledgement of the destination market.

Mizunara contributes sandalwood, incense and a subtle oriental spice, while French oak, often associated with red wine casks in the broader Japanese whisky world, brings a drier, more tannic structure and woody vanilla. The recorded profile combines chocolate, fresh fruit, honey and coal-gas with the oiliness and old wood character that comes from longer wood contact. The Paris Edition is among the more limited and destination-specific of Chichibu's annual export series, and the mizunara and French oak combination gives it a genuinely distinctive character within the range.