Chichibu

Chichibu is in the hills of Saitama Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. It was built by Ichiro Akuto, from a family with a long history in sake and spirits, and his company Venture Whisky began distilling there in 2008. A second, larger distillery, Chichibu II, was added nearby in 2019.

The distillery is known for its small scale and attention to detail. It uses small copper pot stills and washbacks made of Japanese oak (mizunara), uses some locally grown barley, and has its own cooperage. It makes both unpeated and peated spirit, and the warm summers and cold winters of the Chichibu basin give fast, lively maturation.

Official releases are limited and sell quickly. Buyers will see The Peated, Hint of Sherry, and city editions such as London Edition, Paris Edition and Taiwan Edition, as well as single casks for shops like The Whisky Exchange. The Ichiro's name also appears on Ichiro's Malt & Grain, a blended whisky that includes whisky from outside Japan, so it is not a Chichibu single malt.

Independent bottlings are rare, though our catalogue lists casks from Adelphi and Berry Bros. & Rudd. Prices on the secondary market are often well above release price.