Chichibu Ichiro's Malt Double Distilleries Pure Malt Whisky

46% ABV. Double Distilleries is a vatting of single malt from the Hanyu Distillery, built by Ichiro Akuto's grandfather, combined with younger distillate from the Chichibu Distillery, built by Ichiro himself.  After Hanyu was sold in 2000 (to a Kyoto-based Shochu producer), Akuto managed to rescue a mere 400 casks of mature Whisky from its vaults. This bottling, then, represents a family blend of Akuto Whiskies from different generations and different distilleries. The Whiskies are vatted in Japanese Mizunara Oak at Chichibu; the Hanyu material was traditionally matured in Sherry hogsheads, and the Chichibu distillate was also aged in Japanese oak. The marriage is a fine one indeed, with the delicate sweetness and punchy fruit notes of the Chichibu malt dovetailing with the more barley-rich, structured Hanyu. Non-chill filtered and non-coloured.