Chichibu Kusuda Martinborough 2017 700mL

Chichibu Kusuda Martinborough 2017 is a rare Japanese single malt connected with Kusuda's Martinborough wine-cask influence. Public listings identify it as a 700mL release at 57.5% ABV.

From the Producer

Chichibu distillery is a Japanese single malt producer based in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, operated by Venture Whisky Ltd. and founded by Ichiro Akuto in 2007, with production beginning in 2008 (Wikipedia, "Chichibu distillery"). It was the first new whisky distillery in Japan to receive a production licence in 35 years, and its small-batch releases under the Ichiro's Malt umbrella have become reference points for the modern Japanese single malt category. This 2017 bottling is part of Chichibu's programme of single-cask collaborations with external producers, here with Kusuda Wines of Martinborough, the New Zealand winery of Japanese-born winemaker Hiroyuki Kusuda, linking Chichibu single malt with a Pinot Noir producer from the opposite hemisphere.

Tasting Profile

• Nose: Red berries, plum, vanilla, malt, wine tannin and oak spice.
• Palate: Dense and fruity, with red-wine richness, sweet malt, chocolate, spice and firm cask strength.
• Finish: Long and dry-fruited, with wine-cask tannin, spice and oak.

Best For

Best for Chichibu collectors, wine-cask whisky fans and Japanese single malt portfolios requiring label verification.

Product Details