A 2009 Chichibu, from the distillery's second year of production, finished in a port pipe and bottled in 2016 for The Whiskey House. Cask #1921 filled 669 bottles at 58.2%.
About This Whisky
Distilled in 2009, a little over a year after production began, and finished in a port pipe before bottling in 2016. A pipe is a large, long cask, and the port it once held adds red fruit and a soft, winey sweetness to the malt. Bottled at 58.2% for The Whiskey House, with 669 bottles in the run.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Raspberry jam, plum and raisin over honey, toasted nuts and vanilla.
- Palate: Round and fruity: red berries, milk chocolate, tobacco leaf and baking spice, with firm tannin from the pipe.
- Finish: Long and gently drying, with dried fruit, clove and vanilla.
Serving & Food
Pour into a stemmed tulip in a slightly cool room and let it rest before the first sip. Water is optional; it takes a little well. Serve after dinner with Stilton, walnut cake or roast duck with cherry sauce.
How to Enjoy
Port-cask fans and anyone collecting early Chichibu vintages from the first full years of distilling.
Product Details
Distillery: Chichibu
Vintage: 2009
Bottled: 2016
Cask: #1921
Cask type: Port pipe finish
Bottled For: The Whiskey House
Bottles: 669
ABV: 58.2% ABV
Volume: 700mL
Origin: Japan
About the Distillery
The distillery stands in the hills of Saitama Prefecture, about two hours from central Tokyo by train and taxi, in the city that gives it its name. The town has an old festival tradition and a newer one to match: since 2014 it has held the Chichibu Whisky Matsuri each year at Chichibu Shrine, and the 2024 event drew around 4,000 visitors. Vintages like this one come from the original pair of stills, in the distillery's first full years.