Ichiros Malt and Grain 700ml

Ichiro Akuto’s most voluminous and accessible Whisky is, as it says on the label, a blend of Malt and Grain Whiskies. While the exact source of the material is not published, we know it’s a blend of Japanese distilled material vatted with Whiskies sourced from around the world. In addition to Whisky from his own stocks—including, potentially, Hanyu and Karuizawa, as well as his own Chichibu—the blend contains spirits from Canada, the United States, Ireland and Scotland. The imported Whiskeys are 3-5-years-old, aged in their country of origin before being carefully blended with local Japanese material and matured a further 1-3 years at Chichibu. The Whisky is vatted in 2 x 5,000-litre wooden barrels built by French cooper Taransaud. Non-chill filtered, non-coloured. Nose: On the nose you are happy to welcome the sweet notes of butterscotch, stone fruit, toasted cereals and malt, banana, as well as a hint of pale straw. Palate: Light, elegant and sweet, you are greeted with toffee, roasted chestnuts, lemon zest, gingerbread, banana and vanilla notes of barley malt.