CHICHIBU - Vintage 2013 - 7 years - Single Virgin Oak Cask No. 2917 - Bottled in 2021 - 63.90% ABV
Ichiro’s Malt is a company specializing in independent bottling of exceptional Japanese whisky. Founded by Ichiro Akuto in a modest workshop located in Chichibu, about 100 km northwest of Tokyo, this artisanal house uses only two small stills to produce whiskies of rare quality. Akuto’s expertise is rooted in his family business, an ancestral heritage deeply embedded in Japanese history: his grandfather, originally a master sake brewer, established the Hanyu distillery in 1625 before obtaining an official license to distill whisky in 1941. Ichiro’s father continued this tradition by acquiring two Scottish stills capable of producing around 400 casks annually, shaping a unique approach to Japanese whisky.
Following the economic crisis in Japan in 2000, marked by a significant decline in sake consumption, the family had to sell the business. However, Ichiro Akuto turned this challenge into an opportunity by recovering the stills and the precious maturing whisky casks. Today, he passionately continues the ancestral know-how of the Hanyu distillery and is recognized as one of the most innovative and ambitious Japanese distillers.
To date, about 4,000 whisky casks are patiently aging in Sherry, wine, and Bourbon barrels, while Ichiro Akuto is also experimenting with local barley cultivation, aiming to create a 100% Japanese whisky that embodies the essence of the Japanese terroir.
This exclusive edition was bottled in honor of the 65th anniversary of La Maison du Whisky. The whisky, distilled in 2013, aged for 7 years in a single virgin oak cask (#2917), imparting powerful and elegant aromas. The label features an artwork titled “Woods,” created by contemporary artist Nakajima Hiroyuki. Only 211 bottles were produced, ensuring a precious rarity for collectors and enthusiasts.
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