Quick Dram : Chichibu Newborn Double Matured

Chichibu is a new distillery operating since 2008, and built by Ichiro Akuto, whose grandfather built and operated the Hanyu distillery in 1946 and ceased operation in the year of 2000. Ichiro also owns much of Hanyu’s aging malt, and bottles it under the “Ichiro malt” label. Built in 2007, the distillery uses equipment brought form Scotland, and some mash tuns made in Japan and bought from a Japanese brewery. The Chichibu spirit is still to young to be called whisky, and the distillery releases young spirit from time to time (peated, and non-peated).

This dram was distilled April – May 2008  then aged in Bourbon casks until June, then transferred into the 2nd casks for quick maturation (New American Oak) for less than a month, then bottled at cask strength.

As always, more information on Chichibu can be found at Nonjatta, an amazing source of information for all things Japanese (when it comes to whisky)

this is too young to be called ‘whisky’ but this spirit is something…

Chichibu newborn Double matured , Cask #: 445 , Bottle 337 of 359 , 61.4% , £60

Due to the alcoholic Oomph, i added some water after an initial bite.

Nose: Oh mama!. this is a strong one, lots of alcohol, vanilla behind it, sweet bourbony feeling to it. kind of reminds me a bit of the tuthiltown single malt i tasted a few weeks ago,  but much stronger than that one in terms of Alcohol . the wood is also very noticeable here.  New make notes, in addition toffee, burnt sugar, some dates…

Palate: Sweet, woody, spicy (cinnamon galore), tons of wood in this one. vanilla big time. i could have taken this for a bourbon if i had blindfolded tasted this one. very interesting. And so young!

Finish: Finish on dried fruits, Oak and some bitter notes. Quite long.

Bottom line:

This is a strong, very virile malt that needs to be tamed with a little water, but again, it’s so young an kicking it will give a good fight.

Very surprising to see that such a young (a few months old, mind you!) spirit ages so fast in the barrels, and displays quite a palate and a nose, it’s a wee baby, but still, acts as a big kid. Definitely worth a try, if you can get a wee bottle of this one.

Slainte!