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The Chichibu distillery, founded in 2008, is located in Saitama Prefecture, about 100 km west of Tokyo.
Ichiro Akuto, its founder, comes from a long line of liqueur makers, with over 500 years of experience in sake production, and learned his trade at Karuizawa, which closed in 2000.
His real mission, however, began with the rescue: after the closure in 2004 of the family's Hanyu distillery (where his grandfather Isouji had obtained a whisky licence in 1946), Ichiro recovered some 400 barrels to create the Ichiro's Malt brand. Chichibu is, in fact, the continuation of this glorious legacy, but with a totally modern vision focused on quality.
Ichiro Akuto is today considered one of the greatest distillers of his generation.
Ichiro Akuto, its founder, comes from a long line of liqueur makers, with over 500 years of experience in sake production, and learned his trade at Karuizawa, which closed in 2000.
His real mission, however, began with the rescue: after the closure in 2004 of the family's Hanyu distillery (where his grandfather Isouji had obtained a whisky licence in 1946), Ichiro recovered some 400 barrels to create the Ichiro's Malt brand. Chichibu is, in fact, the continuation of this glorious legacy, but with a totally modern vision focused on quality.
Ichiro Akuto is today considered one of the greatest distillers of his generation.
Il processo di produzione
Despite being a micro-distillery with a limited capacity (about 60,000 litres per year), Chichibu excels in the craftsmanship of the process:
- Floor malting - since 2015, Chichibu has been malting some of its barley in-house (around 15-20%), using the traditional floor method: a largely disused process that adds a rustic and deep character to the Single Malt.
- Alembic stills - distillation takes place through two copper Pot Stills (a Wash Still and a Spirit Still) custom-made in Scotland by Forsyth. They are designed to produce a full-bodied, structured whisky.
- Fermentation - tanks made from Mizunara Japanese oak, prized for its narrow grain, are used: a choice that helps enrich the wort with exotic and spicy notes before distillation.
