Japanese WHISKY CHICHIBU Red Wine Cask 2023 70 cl

Description

Ichiro's Malt Chichibu Red Wine Cask 2023: Japanese Whisky and International Wine Casks

Chichibu Red Wine Cask 2023 is a Japanese single malt whisky created by Ichiro Akuto, founder of Chichibu Distillery.

Located in Saitama Prefecture, approximately one hundred kilometres northwest of Tokyo, the distillery started production in 2008.

Ichiro Akuto comes from a family with a long history in Japanese spirits production, including the former Hanyu whisky distillery. His work at Chichibu combines traditional whisky-making methods with an extensive exploration of cask maturation.

The Red Wine Cask 2023 edition is particularly notable for its exclusive use of casks that previously held red wine.

The whisky brings together malt spirits matured in wine barrels sourced from four countries: France, the United States, New Zealand and Japan.

According to specialist descriptions of this release, the vatting incorporates whisky from 36 casks.

Each cask contributes its own characteristics, influenced by the oak, previous wine contents and maturation conditions.

The result is a single malt that combines the character of Chichibu's malt spirit with the fruit and spice associated with red wine cask ageing.

Although multiple casks are used, the whisky remains a single malt because all the spirit originates from one distillery and is produced from malted barley.

The 2023 release is bottled at 50.5% ABV without chill filtration or added colouring.

Its natural colour shows subtle reddish highlights associated with maturation in red wine barrels.

The nose offers a combination of honey, delicate oak, forest berries and citrus. Medlar adds an unusual orchard-fruit dimension.

On the palate, blueberry and citrus flavours are accompanied by mint, cedar and liquorice.

These vegetal and woody notes provide contrast to the whisky's generous fruit character.

The finish is persistent, with clove spice, candied orange peel and milk chocolate. A gentle bitterness contributes to the overall balance.

The relatively high bottling strength gives the whisky an expressive aromatic character. A few drops of water may help reveal additional fruit and oak nuances.

Chichibu Red Wine Cask 2023 is particularly suited to slow, neat tasting in a tulip-shaped whisky glass.

With a total release of 11,800 bottles, it represents a distinctive example of Ichiro Akuto's approach to combining Japanese single malt whisky with carefully selected international wine casks.