Chichibu 2017 From Tokyo to Paris Traveler Edition

 

 

 

63,4°

Distillery : Chichibu - Japan

1st Fill Bourbon Barrel 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

Chichibu produces a large number of very limited editions for all occasions, including Whisky Live Paris, an important event because Chichibu has been associated with it for several years. But this one is a Traveler Edition, even harder to find than the others, with only 204 bottles available. The maturation is simple, in 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, and should give pride of place to the identity of this highly reputed distillery.

Let's Taste It : 

Creamy lemon, indulgent vanilla, chocolate shavings, brown sugar, a few drops of caramel, crème brûlée, egg custard. Behind, pine thorns, dried herbs, chives. An ounce of minerality, salt crystals, quartz. Tying it all together, some floral hints, primroses, chicory, juicy white grapes and ripe pears. On the palate, it's like a warm croissant, but still with vanilla and lemon, malted cereals, wheat, oats, puffed rice, shortbread biscuits, forest berries. Very measured spices. Very long finish, powerful but controlled, warm apple doughnut, liquorice and chamomile. The vanilla is still there, as if impregnated in a dry, sandy earth.

In Short, 

Of course it's excellent, the quality of the cask is impressive, and the distillate remarkable in every way. But is it worth the price it's sold for? Absolutely not. I have to admit that I find the hype surrounding Chichibu a bit excessive, it's very good quality, but the prices are really crazy. And despite that, it's always sold out very quickly, like this one, just out and already impossible to find. That said, everyone puts their money where their mouth is, as long as it's not vulgar speculation, and sincerely appreciated.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Wagakki Band - Homura

Chichibu 2015 Collection Foundations 8 yo c. 4334

 

 

 

63,3°

Distillery : Chichibu - Japan

1sr Fill Bourbon Barrel

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated 

Released on the precise date of 10 July 2024, this Chichibu has a special meaning because it was bottled by Jean-Marc Bellier, a very important and endearing figure at La Maison du Whisky who, as I understand it, retired on that date. More than a gift, it's a totem, a testimony to Jean-Marc's exceptional contribution to the world of whisky, in France and elsewhere. Incidentally, it's also a rather rare Chichibu, matured for 8 years in a 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, distributed in just 165 bottles.

Let's Taste It : 

The contribution of the Bourbon barrel is very well integrated: candied lemon, vanilla cream, papaya, pineapple, with saline and floral touches. It's mellow, egg custard, fruity, crushed pear and bursting with heather honey. On the palate, it's woodier and spicier, with brioche, marzipan and coconut. It's quite peppery, but also softened by the influence of Bourbon. The finish is long and explosive, but also unctuous, with melting butter on farmhouse bread, young pine, warm chestnuts, a dash of liquorice, earthy hints, and melting caramel.

In Short, 

I'm not a big fan of Chichibu, but this is without doubt the best I've tasted. The others lacked that touch of genius that is so abundant in this one. Oh my God, the price had escaped me! It's quite outrageous, and therefore reserved for a very wealthy elite. That said, I'm sure it will soon be available at auction at slightly more affordable prices. Or not.

Score : 90

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Balthvs - Ojos Verdes

Chichibu Paris Edition 2023

 

 

 

49,5°

Distillery : Chichibu - Japan

Bourbon Hogsheads and Quarter Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Slightly Peated

 

 

 

Every year since 2018, Chichibu has released a special edition called Paris Edition, on the occasion of Whisky Live Paris. This is the sixth edition. Made from a specially prepared blend by Ichiro Akuto himself, it is a limited bottling of 2,100 bottles, made from Hogsheads and Bourbon Quarter Casks. A total of 9 casks have been used, each aged between 5 and 7 years. Five different labels were created especially for this edition, illustrating each of the 5 Parisian Grands Magasins: Le Bon Marché, La Samaritaine, Le Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville, Galeries Lafayette, and Le Printemps. Personally, I got La Samaritaine, but all 5 labels are very pretty and a credit to French heritage.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is really well done, very well balanced between grainy peat and light fruit, pear, apple, tangerine, pineapple. Very light cereal touches, hay, tall herbs, almonds and melted butter. On the palate, it's oily, lemony, the peat remains in the background but is very present, herbaceous, almost earthy, very measured spices, cloves, pepper, exotic fruit at the end, banana, passion fruit. The finish is long and very correct, with a hint of seeds, barley, millet, puffed rice, still lemon and almonds, a drop of honey, barley sugar, even coconut milk, finishing with chocolate chips and liquorice.

 

In Short, 

I have to admit that it's very well done. Considering its age, it's even excellent. But it's still 5 years old, and selling it at that price is pretty crazy. That said, if people buy it, you can't blame them. 

Score : 89 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Yungchen Lhamo - Sound Healing

Chichibu 2015 Collection New Vibrations 8 yo c. 12508

 

 

 

62,8°

Distillery : Chichibu - Japan

Japanese Koshu Wine Cask 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Slightly Peated

 

 

 

Still part of the Collection New Vibrations, this second Chichibu has been aged in a cask of locally produced Japanese white wine, Koshu wine. Made from Odyssey barley, it is a single cask and a cask strength limited to 274 bottles. Everything has been done to respect the craftsmanship of this small distillery, which opened in 2008.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Light and well-developed peat, grainy, dry earth, gravel, squeezed lemon and floral vanilla, cherry blossom, a few herbaceous hints, tall grass, reeds, white grapes. The palate is dry, vinous, even slightly bitter, yet it's well done, with notes of cereal and white chocolate, rather strong spices, cumin, pepper, nutmeg, and a few fruits, lychee, banana. The finish is long, powerful and explosive, with cloves, white plums and a few drops of honey. Creamy liquorice at the end, fresh cream.

 

In Short, 

I admit that it's very well done, but I didn't really like the wine influence in the mouth, which was a bit dry and bitter for my taste. At least it's original and typically Japanese, I have to admit that, but when I see the price, it's obvious that I'll never buy it.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Sui - Sun Quan The Emperor

Chichibu 2016 Collection New Vibrations 6 yo c. 6959

 

 

 

63,1°

Distillery : Chichibu - Japan

2d Fill Sherry Hogshead Spanish Oak

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Slightly Peated

Chichibu is a distillery opened in 2008 by the grandson of the founder of the Hanyu distillery, which closed in 2000. And the least we can say is that they've found the marketing recipe for success that Hanyu ultimately missed out on, so it's a fine form of revenge. Only limited editions are produced, in order to drive collectors crazy and maintain a small-scale profile. This bottling is only 6 years old, but that's already relatively old for a Japanese whisky. Aged in a 2nd fill Hogshead Sherry, 289 bottles were released from the cask, initially sold exclusively in France under the New Vibrations label.

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is as well done as you'd expect, very balanced and mellow with coarse-grained cereals and juicy fruits, groundnuts, citrus. Squeezed lemon, peanuts, hazelnuts, pears and apples. Notes of paprika, saffron. Perhaps slightly floral. On the palate, still beautifully balanced, with vanilla, pineapple, grapefruit and pine needles. Then measured spices give way to verbena and camomile. The finish is long and pleasant, a veil of silk, slightly minty mountain honey, crushed walnuts, aniseed biscuit crumbs, candied lemon.

In Short, 

You get the impression of tasting a craftsman's work, as is often the case with this distillery. It's extremely good, stunningly balanced and very silky, but for me it lacks a bit of character. The peat is barely noticeable. The price is absolutely ridiculous, which means that most people who buy this whisky will not do so to drink it, but to speculate.

Score : 88

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Balmorhea - The Winter

Chichibu 2013 Collection Antipodes 8 yo c. 9664

 

 

 

61°

Distillery : Chichibu - Japan

Local Koshu Japanese Wine Cask 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask  

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 15 to 20 ppm

 

 

 

Chichibu is a small Japanese distillery founded in 2008 by Ichiro Akuto, grandson of the founder of the legendary Hanyu distillery closed in 2000. With its tiny production, around 80,000 liters of alcohol per year, it mainly crafts rare bottlings that make fodder for the auctioneers. Here we have an 8-year-old Single Cask matured in a Koshu wine cask, which is a typical Japanese rosé wine. Only 263 bottles are produced, adorned with a self-portrait by Japanese artist Aki Kuroda. It bears the Antipodes label affixed by La Maison du Whisky, with three other Single Casks, each having followed a different maturation, the whole making a collection which will be the target of collectors.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, icing sugar combined with very fine, grainy, mineral peat. Ethereal iodine gives a lovely breadth. Evanescent smoke, light fruits, grapes, lychees. A hint of lemon, a whiff of citrus, a certain humidity that brings to mind a forest clearing on a rainy day. Clementines. Interesting palate, with the citrus fruits and minerality on the increase, the peat remaining in the background. Some notes of smooth charcoal, dragon fruit. Powerful, exotic spices: white pepper, nutmeg, star anise. Fine balance at the end. Strong, long and sinuous finish, black earth and lignite, humus, vanilla beans. A pinch of cinnamon.

 

In Short, 

Very original, amazing, well done, I understand why this distillery is unleashing the masses. But the juice is only 8 years old, it is not exceptionally subtle. And it's being sold at a ridiculously high price. It's good, it's nice, but it's not worth selling your car.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Moby - Natural Blues