Whisky: Chichibu 5 Year (2013) Casks 2409-2410 for Mitsukoshi Isetan

Country/Region: Japan

ABV: 63.3%

Cask: Oak

Age: 5 Years (Distilled 2013, Bottled 2018)

Nose: Malty with maple syrup, touch of cream, aromatic woods and resins, slightly meaty and maritime, peppery at times.

Palate: Medium-bodied, dried fruits, wood resins, salt, pine, tea, peppery, more brown sugar buns toward the end.

Finish: Medium to long with black pepper and brown sugar.

Score: 6 (78)

Mental Image: Hot Spring Snack Time

Narrative & Notes: Waffles topped with whipped butter, black sugar boba, and maple syrup drifted out of the glass as a touch of cream and peppery spirit joined the malty sweetness.  Aromatic woods and resins sat further in with sandalwood and cedar sitting along a subtle meaty maritime brine— kelp broth in an old ryokan or fresh bonito shavings over waffles. Medium-bodied on the palate with intense dried fruits and woody resins that arrived as pickled mango, salty shoyu, and aromatic amber wood resin.  Freshly split pine logs and nettles in hot water developed alongside some peppery youthfulness, subtle shiso leaf, and tangerine. More of the malty rich sugars arrived at the end for a brown sugar bun send off.  The finish was medium to long with black pepper and brown sugar.

A far woodier and maltier affair than usual for Chichibu, this release featured two smaller Chibidaru casks combined.  No wonder it felt rather wood-driven from the sugary introduction to the peppery quality that lingered at the end.  There was a lovely blast of dried fruits on the palate, but it was otherwise loaded with resins and aromatic woods ready to be burned as incense or transformed into fine furniture.  It felt more like a generic quarter cask matured whisky than I expected and some of the distinctiveness of the distillery felt lost.

Overall, a woodsy and sweet affair— the flavors were fairly well-balanced, though it was a touch youthful and peppery at times. Not my favorite Chichibu, though sure to still please fans of the distillery— based on the Whiskybase scores I may be a bit out in the weeds finding it decidedly average, so your mileage may vary.

Image Credit: TheWhisky.SG