ICHIRO'S MALT - Double distilleries 2021 - Chichibu & Komagatake - 53.50%
Ichiro’s Malt is an essential reference in the world of independent bottling of Japanese whisky. Founded by the visionary Ichiro Akuto, this innovative house is located in a modest workshop in Chichibu, a charming town just 100 km northwest of Tokyo, equipped with two small traditional stills. The passion and expertise of Ichiro Akuto in whisky distillation, unique in their kind, come from a prestigious family heritage. His great-grandfather was a pioneer in the manufacture and management of a sake brewery, the famous Hanyu distillery, established in 1625. In 1941, he obtained the distiller's license to produce whisky, marking a historic turning point in Japanese production. Akuto's father continued this tradition by acquiring two stills imported from Scotland, capable of producing about 400 barrels, thus strengthening the family know-how in whisky.
At the turn of the 2000s, faced with the economic crisis and the decline in sake consumption in Japan, the family had to sell the brewery. However, Ichiro Akuto turned this ordeal into a unique opportunity by recovering the exceptional stills as well as the precious maturing whisky barrels, now symbols of exceptional quality and rare authenticity.
To this day, Ichiro Akuto embodies innovation and mastery in the art of Japanese distillation, being one of the most ambitious and respected distillers in the country. More than 4,000 whisky barrels maturing, including Sherry, wine, and Bourbon casks, testify to exceptional know-how. A pioneer in experimentation, he also cultivates local barley, with the ambition to create a truly Japanese whisky, the result of a 100% artisanal and local approach.
This limited edition, bottled in 2021, brings together a unique blend of whiskies from the Chichibu distillery and the Mars Shinshu distillery. This exceptional blend was carefully aged at the Chichibu distillery, ensuring an incomparable aromatic complexity and tasting finesse.
