Chichibu - The First

The first official whisky (i.e. 3 years old) release from Ichiro Akutos new distillery Chichibu (秩父). Chichibu - The First 3years old, 2008-2011, bottled at cask strength with 61.8% vol.
Limited to 7400 bottles that consist of a vatting of 31 first fill Bourbon casks from the American Heaven Hill Distilleries.

• Nose:  Bit spirity at the beginning - vanishes after a while in the glass, malt sweetness, caramelized corn, berries, molasses, vanilla, apple sauce
• Mouth:  Floral-grassy, a bit peppery, malt-sweetness, a bit grains
• Finish:  Medium long, hints of green hazelnut, clean and precise - if that makes sense, tiny hints of passion-fruit juice, a bit grassy

Comments:  For three years this is amazing! Very full and quite mature already, tastes easily twice it's age. This is gonna be a stunner in a few years. Pricing is slightly ambitious for a 3 year old, but the quality backs it up.

84 points.