New Release: Chichibu 2008-2015 Official Ichiro's Malt for Kinokuniya

Though young, I believe it has a well-balanced finish as it was filled. Chichibu CHICHIBU 2008-2015 6yo OB Ichiro's Malt for Kinokuniya #198 62% one of 213 bottles, Bourbon Barrel The aroma is strong with orange oil, coconut, vanilla, a pronounced oily note, caramelized nuts, youthful barley character, and a robust oak with slightly green wood undertones. Upon drinking, it expands powerfully and spicily with orange oil, plum, a fresh tanginess, strong oak, vanilla, and a rich, honey-like sweetness with depth. It showcases youthful barley umami and a luxurious finish. 【Good/Very Good】 This is a single cask bottling of Chichibu whisky, specifically for Kinokuniya in Ebisu. It is likely that rather than selecting a barrel for bottling, they waited for the maturation of a cask purchased at the distillery's founding. It is a type where components directly derived from the cask are strongly felt, like in many Chichibu malts, with strong notes of orange oil, vanilla, and coconut, and a slight green woodiness. Naturally, the youthful barley character is also strongly present. When drinking, it has a powerful and stimulating mouthfeel typical of young malt, with the oak character as strong as in the aroma. It is a malt with a rich, sweet flavor and a luxurious feel. Though there was a slight green woodiness, this malt offered a diverse range of cask-derived components and allowed enjoyment of the barley's umami. For a short maturation to reach this level, it would likely be a non-peated type with such strong oak characteristics. Since the cask-derived, attractive components are already well-expressed, I think this was the right time to bottle it before the overall character becomes overly woody.