Ichiro’s Malt Single Cask #3861 Review (Cat and Mouse)
In-Depth Review
After years of price increases and limited supply, some may say that the hype around Japanese whisky is finally starting to settle down. And while that may be true for the heavy hitters from Suntory and Nikka (which have seen supply steadily rising and demand struggling to keep up with prices), the same can’t be said about some of the smaller brands coming out of Japan. One of those brands is Chichibu – famous for its connection to the original Hanyu distillery and its incredible lineage of Japanese whiskies – Chichibu now produces some of the most sought after distillate in the country. Led by Master Distiller Ichiro Akuto, Chichibu has seen a meteoric rise to fame since the release of the famous “Playing Card Series” in the early 2000s. Now, he has steadily be churning out his own distillate in limited numbers through his Malt and Grain, country series, and other lines of whiskies. But none are more sought after than his Ichiro Single Casks.
This past June, I had the opportunity to attend a Chichibu party at Everson Royce in Los Angeles to celebrate the release of its own Chichibu single cask. Named “Cat and Mouse”, the bottle – like all of Chichibu’s signature releases – was not cheap. Coming in around $250, it sports an 8-year age stated from a refill bourbon barrel and an ABV of 60.4%. Featuring beautiful artwork from the 1870’s, Chichibu is probably best to explain what’s in the bottle…
Age: 8 Years
ABV: 60.4%
Cask: Refill Bourbon Barrel
MSRP: Approx $250
Distillery Name: Chichibu
Review Date: 9/7/24
Color: Bright Gold
Nose: The nose starts off big and tropical – with a splash of rich, deep red fruits mixed with melon, apple peel, lemon meringue, and juicy fruit gum. As it settles, it becomes more delicate and complex, with whipped vanilla cream, Mounds candy, and Almond Joy. Absolutely gorgeous nose.
Palate: On the first sip, waves of citrus fruits, coconut, candied oranges, and honeydew sit on the tip of the tongue while whipped cream, milk chocolate and a touch of cinnamon. After a few sips, the spirit quality really shines, with a clean, delicious, sweet tropical tone jumping across the tongue with a thick viscous mouthfeel that drinks way below its 60% ABV. Delicate and expressive, this truly is a bourbon barrel masterpiece.
Finish: Long finish featuring sweet cream ice cream, exotic wood, mixed with delicate ginger and almond. The finish lasts and lasts with a touch of lemon extract and honey. Delicious and warming, this would be a perfect pour for a crisp Spring morning.
Final Thoughts: I’ll start by saying – I never expected whisky to get this good with only 8 years in the barrel – especially a refill bourbon cask. But this single cask expression of Chichibu’s Ichiro Malt has completely blown me away. It’s lovely and bursting with tropical, sweet, fruity flavors – and at times I found myself salivating for more. The spirit character is strong and clean with a thick and oily texture that’s absolutely fantastic. The $250 MSRP gave me pause – and I had my reservations if this could ever be worth the price. But this beautifully complex pour reminds us all why the hype around Chichibu is very much deserved. If you had a chance to pick up this bottle – open it. Life is too short not to enjoy such delicious whisky.
