Chichibu Distillery #2 Japanese Single Malt Whisky 55.5%abv 30ml

This is the new era of Chichibu.

Distillery #2 is the second chapter in Chichibu’s story. Built to support demand without turning the project into a factory, it mirrors the original site’s relatively small scale and hands-on approach while allowing Ichiro Akuto’s team more room to experiment. 

This first-wave single malt bottling from Distillery #2 shows how consistent the house style is across both sites.  Chichibu's second distillery has a distilling capacity of five barrels a day; five times larger than its first distillery at only a single barrel as day. Furthermore, Distillery #2 uses direct fire to heat their stills, instead of a steam jacket which is used by their main distillery.      

Tasting Notes:  

Nose: The nose is fresh and lifted: citrus, green apple, sweet barley and light oak spice.

Palate: On the palate it is energetic and precise, with malt sweetness, lemon, stone fruit and a clean, slightly drying finish from active casks.  Finish: It feels very much like “young Chichibu done right” – nothing out of place, plenty of personality, no heavy-handed wood.