Chichibu 8 Year Old 2015 SMWS Single Refill Bourbon Barrel 130.9 Across Herbaceous Borders Japanese Single Malt Whisky (2024) 70cl
1 of 167 bottles produced from a single ex-Heaven Hill bourbon barrel
Chichibu is now the 3rd most popular whisky in Japan and has only been established since 2008. The cult following for the brand is immense worldwide. Known for its tropical style tasting whisky and its attention to producing whisky that after not many years for its age, impresses the most experienced of whisky drinkers. Releases are sold out within minutes, large queues form at the festival events & the brand seems to be immune to any market changes.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was founded in Edinburgh in 1983 by Phillip 'Pip' Hills who, while travelling around Scotland in the 1970s, fell in love with whiskies drawn straight from the cask. After he expanded his syndicate the Society was purchased by Glenmorangie PLC in 2004. In 2015, the Society was sold back to private investors. In June 2021, the private owners floated the holding company The Artisanal Spirits Company plc on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange.
It has a unique code system where the first number refers to the distillery and the second refers to the cask from which the bottle comes. SMWS also offers the largest range of distilleries of any independent bottler. These curiously named drams really do have something for every whisky lover!
The SMWS are one of the Britain's most revered independent bottlers with a worldwide network of partner bars with one mission of getting as much whisky at natural cask strength without water to different nations including USA, Canada, Switzerland, UK, Austria, Germany and many others.
TASTING NOTES
Green pine wood crackled and hissed in harmony with sizzling bacon, mackerel fillets and whole lemons on a barbecue deep in the woods. Next in line for the flames were lamb chops, coated with cumin and mint. A gust of fragrant smoke was like inhaling mouthwash and muscle rub, directly into one's brain. A few drops of water cast our thoughts to the Western Isles of Scotland, with a reminiscent combination of beach barbecues and prawns grilled within a coating of sticky heather honey. Finally, tender cuts of lamb were added to the sizzle frenzy, lavishly adorned with rosemary, fennel seeds and marjoram.
About Chichibu
Chichibu is a Japanese whisky distillery located in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Operated by Venture Whisky Ltd., the distillery was established in 2007 and began production in 2008. It is one of three distilleries owned by Venture Whisky, whose principal brand is Ichiro's Malt.
Venture Whisky was founded in 2004 by Ichiro Akuto for the purpose of commercializing Ichiro's Malt, a whisky produced from the remaining stock of the Hanyu Distillery, which had been owned by Toa Shuzo Co., Ltd., the Akuto family's company, until its sale that year, as well as to eventually produce whisky at a distillery of its own. This plan later took shape as the Chichibu Distillery. Chichibu Distillery was the first distillery in Japan in 35 years to receive a new whisky production license from the government, and its success contributed to the revitalization of the Japanese whisky industry, leading to the establishment of new distilleries across the country
In 2019, the Chichibu Daini Distillery began operations, located 600 meters from the original Chichibu Distillery. Its first single malt, Chichibu Distillery II, was released in 2025. The production capacity of the Daini Distillery is five times that of the original facility, and its pot stills employ direct firing instead of steam-based indirect heating, while its fermentation tanks are made of French oak rather than mizunara.
A unique characteristic of Chichibu is the use of locally grown barley and the pure water from the surrounding mountains, which contribute to the exceptional quality of their whisky. The distillery combines traditional techniques with innovative approaches, including the use of a wide variety of casks, including ex-bourbon, sherry, and Japanese Mizunara oak. This results in complex and refined flavour profiles.
Chichibu whiskies are known for their rich and versatile character, with notes of vanilla, fruit, spice, and sometimes a subtle smokiness. The attention to detail and craftsmanship of Ichiro Akuto and his team are reflected in the international recognition and awards their whiskies have received.
In 2025, the Tomakomai Distillery is scheduled to begin operations in Tomakomai, Hokkaido. It will produce grain whisky using a Coffey still and will increase overall production by blending it with malt whiskies from the two Chichibu distilleries, with the aim of expanding sales outside Japan.
Between 2017 and 2025, whiskies such as Chichibu Whisky Festival 2017 and Ichiro’s Malt & Grain Blended Japanese Whisky, both produced with stock from the Chichibu Distillery, received the World’s Best awards in their respective categories seven times at the World Whiskies Awards organized by Whisky Magazine
In March 2024, Whisky Magazine inducted Akuto into its Hall of Fame, making him the fifth Japanese figure to receive this honor. He was selected for establishing the first new whisky distillery in Japan in 35 years and becoming a leading figure in the Japanese whisky industry. The magazine cited his efforts to revive production techniques that had been fading during a period of industry stagnation, his technical innovations, his multiple award-winning whiskies, and his contributions to strengthening brand standards and improving the quality of Japanese whisky.
Chichibu has grown to be the 3rd most popular brand of whisky although some may argue it is the most popular as it sells out the quickest for the releases it churns out pound for pound with the hardest place to obtain it, being Japan itself.
60.2% ABV
70cl
