The first US Edition, a Chichibu single malt vatted from six casks and bottled at 56.4% in 750ml bottles for the American market. It is a small-batch release of 1,235 bottles, not a single cask.
About This Whisky
Five ex-bourbon barrels (#1882, #1886, #2590, #2591 and #2596) were married with hogshead #1460, a cask fitted with mizunara heads, so the Japanese oak plays a supporting part. The whisky was bottled at 56.4%, or 112.8 US proof, and 1,235 bottles were filled for the United States.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Green apple, pear and white flowers, with vanilla and a faint incense note from the Japanese oak.
- Palate: Honeyed and lively: baked apple, lemon, cinnamon and toasted oak, with a creamy middle.
- Finish: Long, with sandalwood, pepper and soft malt.
Serving & Food
Pour it neat at room temperature into a tulip first; a dash of water brings out the floral side. Pair it with prawn tempura, apple tarte tatin or a mild washed-rind cheese.
How to Enjoy
The starting point for anyone building a US Edition vertical, and a good first taste of Chichibu's bourbon-and-mizunara style.
Product Details
Distillery: Chichibu
Producer: Ichiro's Malt
Edition: The US Edition 2018
Category: Japanese Single Malt Whisky
Casks: 5 ex-bourbon barrels and 1 mizunara-headed hogshead (#1460)
Bottles: 1,235
ABV: 56.4% ABV
Proof: 112.8
Origin: Japan
Region: Saitama
Volume: 750mL
About the Distillery
Venture Whisky, the company Ichiro Akuto founded in 2004, now runs three distilleries, and Chichibu in Saitama is the one that started it all, distilling since February 2008. Over the years it has built a set of editions tied to places. The Paris Edition is bottled for La Maison du Whisky and has been released regularly since 2018, while the US Edition began that same year and has carried on through the 2020s, with 2022, 2024 and 2025 releases listed by Skurnik, the American importer. Each is a vatting of a modest number of casks, chosen at the distillery to give a rounded picture of the house style.