Japanese Whisky

*Only 182 Bottles were made.*

From its Mizunara wash backs and small stills with steep lyne arms to the fact that the mashman uses a wooden paddle to stir the mash, Chichibu is a hands-on distillery with quality as an intrinsic focus. With the ground now broken on a blending room, and an off-site cooperage, Ichiro Akuto's distillery - formed from the ashes of his grandfather's Hanyu distillery - is one of the finest producers in Japan. With the perfect climate of humid summers and cold winters, Chichibu is an ideal location for whisky production and has become a huge part of the Japanese whisky revolution.

The first bottles from the Chichibu Intergalactic Series were released in 2019 with the labels and idea coming from Dutch bar owner, Werry van Leeuwen, and Vienna Distribution immediately chose to progress with the two-cask set. The labels feature retro Sci-Fi illustrations. When the bottles were put up for online sale, they sold out in seconds!

Edition #1
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2019
Cask Type: 3rd Fill Bourbon Barrel
Cask Number: 2112
63.5% ABV / 70cl

One of just 173 bottles!
Single Barrel

The Kavalan Distillery in Taiwan was founded in 2005 by T.T. Lee, president of the Taiwanese food conglomerate King Car Group. His greatest wish was to open his own whisky distillery in Taiwan. Kavalan is the name of the Yilan region, which lies southeast of the capital Taipei. An important reason for choosing this location is the excellent water quality. In Yilan, there is enough cold spring water flowing through Snow Mountain. The Solist range of Kavalan Distillery includes specially selected barrels from the Master Blenders. These barrels are known for their individual character and fine quality. 'Fino' is the Spanish word for 'fine' and is the driest and lightest of all traditional sherries. This whiskey matures in the finest Fino sherry casks. Awards: - Distillery of the Year - International Spirits Competition 2021. - Distillery Visitor Centre Trophy - International Spirits Competition 2021 - Worldwide Whiskey Trophy - International Wine & Spirits Competition 2021 - GOLD Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition 2021 - DOUBLE GOLD San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2021 - DOUBLE GOLD San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020 - GOLD International Review of Spirits 2019 - GOLD International Spirits Challenge 2017 - DOUBLE GOLD San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2016 - GOLD International Wine & Spirit Competition 2016

Tasting notes:

Color: Dark amber with golden highlights.
Nose: Sherry, toffee, fruity, touch of chocolate.
Taste: Sweet, smooth, complex, fruity, touch of smoke.
Finish: Long lasting.

100th Anniversary Limited Edition. This Yamazaki Mizunara Single Malt is comprised of meticulously selected malt whiskies all aged for a minimum of 18 years in solely Mizunara casks, created in honor of Suntory Whisky's centenary. The result showcases the rare, distinctive beauty of Mizunara oak, which is considered the signature “enhancer” of Yamazaki, providing unique Japanese character and elegance. We invite you to experience this distinct and elegant single malt whisky.

Of the casks aging quietly in Suntory's cellars, Mizunara casks are the most rare, numbering only a few among thousands. Those whiskies aged for over 18 years within these legendary casks are all the more precious. Our blenders have carefully selected only the finest whiskies from this prized collection, and through their unparalleled craftsmanship have created the Yamazaki Mizunara. Please enjoy its complex, Uniquely Japanese profile, and long-lingering finish.

A world renowned Japanese blend, Hibiki 17 Year Old is made with aged malt and grain whiskies from Suntory's distilleries. Initially released in 1989, the blend is matured in Japanese mizunara oak casks at Yamazaki. Hibiki means harmony, which has certainly been achieved in this wonderful and iconic blend.

*50ml Miniature*

Consisting of just 16 barrels, the 2025 edition of Chichibu’s US-exclusive blend of Ichiro’s Malt showcases maturation in ex-IPA and ex-imperial stout casks, lending tropical fruit and rich coffee notes to Chichibu’s distinctive fruit-forward house style. The label—always a source of playful intrigue—features Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain, enjoying a dram with a Mississippi steamboat in the background, as well as his famous observation, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much whisky is barely enough."

US-exclusive limited edition single malt Japanese whisky distilled by Chichibu in Saitama, Japan. Distilled from 100% lightly peated malted barley, fermented 100 hours in Mizunara oak washbacks. Double distilled in Forsyths copper pot stills and aged 5–9 years in a combination of 16 barrels including ex-IPA casks, ex-imperial stout casks, and ex-bourbon casks; non-age statement.

Notes; Candied orange, dried pineapple, and vanilla pastry cream are complemented by hop bitterness, displaying the zip of a well-balanced cask-aged ale.

No added coloring
Non-chill filtered; 52.5% ABV

Karuizawa 'Emerald Geisha' 35 Year Old Single Cask Malt Whisky (118.2pf)

Tasting Notes

Nose
Caramel wafers in a cloud of incense – savoury, perfumed and sweet perfectly balanced. Sultanas follow, with oaky spice: nutmeg, cinnamon sticks and freshly sawn damp oak. Autumnal flavours of leaves and fragrant forests build, with a side order of sweet and spicy vanilla, and sweet butter. A drop of water dampens the incense and brings out subtle tropical fruit: pineapple and mango.

Palate
Spiced butter leads, with cinnamon and anise heat rolling in behind alongside sticky vanilla and caramel. Sharp apple bursts through but is tempered by bitter char and toffee sweetness. Savoury turmeric notes and incense build through the sweetness. Water tones down the buttery hit at the front of the palate, and reveals layers of spice and fruit: banana, menthol and ripe apples.

Finish
Soft apple fades to char and sweet woody spice. Earthy rancio lingers long at the back of the palate, slowly sweetening.

Suntory Yamazaki Pure Malt 1985 (700ml)
*Please note minor tearing to label and minor wear to carton*

Taste the legendary precursor to modern-day Yamazaki offerings.

VinePair calls Suntory Pure Malt, "The Most Important Japanese Whisky You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of"

Kavalan Whisky Amantillado Sherry Single Cask Strength is aged in former Amantillado Sherry Casks and bottled at Cask Strength. 

Unveil the richness of Yamazaki Golden Promise Single Malt Japanese Whisky 2024 Edition, a limited-release whisky that embodies the essence of Japanese craftsmanship. Crafted from the finest Golden Promise barley, this exclusive offering from the House of Suntory celebrates tradition and innovation. Originally cultivated for Scotch whisky in the 1960s, Golden Promise barley has become a prized grain known for its distinctive qualities, serving as a foundational element in Yamazaki's flagship expressions.

This whisky undergoes meticulous distillation and maturation in American oak barrels, resulting in a malty and luxuriously rich character. Its radiant Barley Gold appearance hints at the opulent flavors within. On the nose, expect aromas of ripe orchard fruits, sweet malt, delicate vanilla, and a hint of honey. The palate unfolds with indulgent notes of orange marmalade, creamy vanilla pudding, toffee, and dried apricots, complemented by subtle oak and spice. The finish lingers with sweet citrus and a touch of smokiness, showcasing its quality and depth.

Bottled at a robust 48% ABV, this 2024 release is a true celebration of craftsmanship, blending Scottish barley heritage with Japanese whisky mastery. 

Suntory Kansha 100th Anniversary is a limited edition Japanese single malt whisky that was bottled in 2023 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the House of Suntory:

• Japanese single malt whisky
• 43% abv
• Comes with a Suntory branded glass 
  

The House of Suntory is a Japanese brewing and distilling company that was founded in 1899 by Shinjirō Torii. Suntory is considered one of the founding fathers of Japanese whisky.

*180ml*

 A 31-year-old Karuizawa single malt, matured in a single sherry cask for more than three decades before being bottled by Elixir Distillers exclusively for The Whisky Exchange's Karuizawa Geishas series. The bottle features a label designed by our creative director Raj Chavda, paying homage to the exquisite, inaccessible beauty of the meiko on her way to become geisha. 

Tasting Notes
Billy Abbott, The Whisky Exchange

Nose

Thick chocolate sauce and leather, with seaweedy umami, rich riverbank loam and singed raisins. Sweeter and lighter notes of minty dark chocolate and glacé cherries develop in the glass along with hints of menthol and blackcurrant. Mint fondant wrapped in chocolate builds before fading slowly to reveal old damp oak boards, polished oak tables and rich forest-floor earthiness.
Palate

A burst of dark brown sugar sweetness is balanced by deep earth and oak savouriness before mint and menthol burst through the middle. Bittersweet chocolate and dried cherries sit alongside cigar-box cedar and damp tree bark. Intense dried-fruit notes build: rich dates and prunes with sweet raisins and sultanas. Lighter fruit emerges, with dried pineapple and baked apples heavily dusted with cinnamon and brown sugar.
Finish

Aromatic incense, cedar and polished oak provide a base for cherries, mixed berries, mint chocolate chips and chocolate-covered Seville oranges. The fruit fades away to leave bittersweet molasses and fragrant bark.

Karuizawa is the gold standard of rare Japanese whisky.

The distillery closed its doors in 2011, although it had not been producing whisky for over a decade. This particular discontinued 12 years old whisky 2001 won a Gold Medal in the Best Whisky of IWSC.