Chichibu's Paris Edition is a yearly small-batch release made for La Maison du Whisky, and the 2019 bottling was the second in the series. It is a vatting of seven casks, six ex-bourbon barrels and one hogshead fitted with mizunara heads, bottled at 50.5% after a little over six years.
About This Whisky
The 2019 vatting brings together seven casks aged for just over six years: six ex-bourbon barrels and one hogshead whose ends were made from mizunara oak. The bourbon wood supplies fruit and vanilla, and the Japanese oak heads add a fragrant, spicy edge. A faint thread of peat runs through the whole. It was bottled at 50.5% ABV, and 1,757 bottles were released.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Mango, white peach and orange blossom, then vanilla and a whisper of smoke.
- Palate: Silky and fruit-led, with honey, pineapple, cardamom and fragrant oak.
- Finish: Medium-long, spiced and gently smoky, with tropical fruit hanging on.
Serving & Food
At 50.5% it drinks comfortably neat. A tulip or white-wine glass, unchilled, suits it, and add water only if you want more fruit to show. Try it with green papaya salad, a tarte Tatin or a young goat's cheese.
How to Enjoy
Followers of the Paris Edition series, and anyone who likes fruit-forward Chichibu with a touch of Japanese oak.
Product Details
Distillery: Chichibu
Label: Ichiro's Malt
Edition: Paris Edition (second release)
Release year: 2019
Bottled for: La Maison du Whisky
Casks: 6 ex-bourbon barrels and 1 hogshead with mizunara heads
Age: No age statement (just over 6 years)
Outturn: 1,757 bottles
ABV: 50.5% ABV
Volume: 700mL
Origin: Japan
Region: Saitama
About the Distillery
Ichiro Akuto made his name as a bottler before he was a distiller, releasing the last Hanyu stock under the Ichiro's Malt label while his own distillery was still being planned. Chichibu has run since 2008, and his feel for putting casks together now shows in the multi-cask editions made for partners abroad. The Paris Edition started in 2018 for La Maison du Whisky, the French importer and retailer, and is linked to its Whisky Live Paris show. A London Edition followed the same idea with The Whisky Exchange. Each Paris label carries artwork drawn from the life and culture of the city.