Ichiro’s Malt & Grain 20th Anniversary Review
In-Depth Review
Chichibu’s connection to the famed Hanyu distillery has earned it a small but devoted global following. And while its mastermind Ichiro Akuto has won praise for the single malts they have released, it’s his blended Malt & Grain expressions that you are most likely to encounter out in the world. Made up of a blend of whiskies sourced from 5 different whisky regions around the world (Scotch, Canadian Rye, American Bourbon, Irish Whiskey and Ichiro's Japanese single malt) – the Malt & Grain series are meant to show a more approachable side of Chichibu. Originally launched with a standard expression (white label), the lineup has since expanded to numerous special and limited editions of Malt & Grain.
While in Japan, I recently came across this 20th Anniversary Edition of Malt & Grain designed to celebrate the 20 years since the founding of the company. In this blend, there are apparently some of the old Hanyu stocks originally distilled by Ichiro’s father – which are incredibly sought after and are sadly almost extinct. This anniversary bottling retailed for around $100 USD in Osaka, and I believe is batch 6 (I think there are more than 10 different batches of this in existence). It clocks in at 48% ABV but has no age statement nor does it reveal the casks that make up the blend. Regardless, I figure it was worth a try – as we will likely never see this in the North American market.
Age: Non-Age Stated
ABV: 48%
Cask: Not Stated
MSRP: Around $100 (In Japan)
Distillery Name: Chichibu Distillery
Review Date: 12/6/25
Color: Solid Gold
Nose: The nose starts off floral and malty, with notes of orange peel, rosewater, and vanilla cream. There’s a gentle malt funk throughout that’s complimented by a touch of sherry sweetness and cooked grain.
Palate: On the palate, you’re greeted by waves of toasted coconut, bourbon vanilla extract, and a layer of Mexican hot chocolate. After a few sips, more of a gentle fruity character appears, with red stone fruit, strawberries, mixed with notes of fresh cut wood. There’s more heat than I was expecting but the mouthfeel has a good weight to it - with a fantastic viscosity and depth that helps accentuate the layers of flavor.
Finish: Long and spicy finish with notes of Tajin, cinnamon sticks, black pepper and kettle corn. The heat sits deep in the chest and gently lingers between sips.
Final Thoughts: Ichiro’s Malt & Grain 20th Anniversary is a fantastic example of how the Japanese do blended whisky better than anyone else. Successfully taking distillate from all over the world and combining it with sacred stocks of Hanyu is a massive undertaking. But with this anniversary expression Ichiro Akuto has created something special. It’s rare that a blended whisky can have so much character, with a palate that is both robust and well balanced. It stands in stark contrast to something like a Hibiki – where delicacy and nuanced are more in vogue. And while this can run a bit hotter than the 48% ABV would lead you to believe, - it’s never in a bad way. While other Malt & Grain expressions can sometimes feel a bit one dimensional, this anniversary bottling clearly was designed to be a significant step up, delivering the most complete Malt & Grain I’ve had. This is the kind of expression that shows that blended whisky doesn’t always have to round out all of the interesting edges.
