Chichibu

Introduction:

The Chichibu Distillery, despite being relatively young, is highly regarded by Whisky enthusiasts. Its success is anchored in the renowned “Ichiro’s Malt” brand, which originates from a collection of 400 casks filled with exceptional Single Malts of various finishes and colors. These casks were the last remaining stock of the Hanyu Distillery, Akuto’s family business, which faced financial difficulties and had to close down. Using the Hanyu Whisky stock and newly distilled “Ichiro’s Malt” at Chichibu Distillery, Akuto began building his brand by crafting three pure Malts: “Mizunara Wood Reserve”, “Wine Wood Reserve”, and “Double Distilleries”. The latter is an exceptional Whisky that combines Malts from both the old Hanyu Distillery and the new Chichibu Distillery.

Furthermore, Chichibu offers limited series of blended Single Malts, including “The First”, “The Floor Malted”, “The Peated”, and since 2015, “On the Way”. These Whiskies mature in Bourbon and Mizunara casks, some of which also feature original Chichibu Whisky.

The Production:

At Chichibu Distillery, they place a strong emphasis on natural processes, preserving the natural color, and avoiding chill filtering to create an exceptionally pure Whisky. Annually, they produce around 90,000 liters of this precious spirit. Approximately one-third of their production is sent to international markets, primarily the United Kingdom, France, and Taiwan. Once these Chichibu Whiskies hit the shelves, they are quickly sold out within days, making them challenging to find for occasional buyers.

Despite the high demand, Chichibu is determined to maintain its unique position in the market by continuing to produce Whiskies with distinct and exceptional characteristics. They are committed to ensuring that their growth is slow and well – balanced, all the while maintaining the utmost quality. To achieve this, they plan to expand their local barley production, which will provide them with better access to the high-quality resources required for their top-notch Whiskies.

Maltings:

Each year, Chichibu Distillery processes over 150 tonnes of malted barley, mostly imported from England, Scotland, and a smaller amount from Germany. Currently, only about ten to 15 percent of the required barley is sourced from local farmers, a direction Ichiro Akuto plans to expand to create a more authentic Japanese Whisky in the future. The production at Chichibu includes peated malt for approximately one-quarter of the year, while the rest of the year focuses on unpeated Whisky.

The process begins with thorough quality checks of the malt at the inspection table before it is transported through a duct to the malt mill. Chichibu’s mill operates with four steel rollers, and the distance between them can be adjusted to ensure consistent quality in the milled malt, also known as grist, considering the diverse local climate conditions throughout the distinct seasons.

Next, the grist is moved to the mash tun, where it simmers in hot water, allowing the starches to convert into sugar for fermentation. The mash tun, made from stainless steel with a wooden lid, has a capacity of 2,400 liters but is filled with 2,000 liters to prevent overspilling. Chichibu conducts three cycles in the mash tuns, reusing the third wash for the next first wash to enhance the sugar content of the mash.

The mash is then passed through a heat exchanger and transferred to the fermentation tanks. Chichibu boasts eight impressive washbacks, all crafted from a unique and expensive wood called quercus mongolica or Japanese Oak, which imparts a special flavor to their Whiskies. Fermentation lasts about four days, aided by the Mizunara material, ensuring a stable lactose fermentation and contributing to the distinctive fruity flavor found in Chichibu Whiskies.

The Pot Stills:

Chichibu Distillery utilizes two pear-shaped copper pot stills, manufactured by Forsyth in Elgin, Scotland. Each still has a capacity of approximately 2,000 liters and lacks constricting pieces or reflux bowls. The distillate from these stills flows directly into the condenser and then passes through downward – angled lyne arms of medium length. These processing features are deliberately chosen to impart a heavy flavor, a characteristic that the experts at Chichibu aim for in their Whisky.

After passing through the condenser, the distillate reaches the spirit safe. At this point, it is separated into two components: pot ale and low wines. The low wines are then directed to the spirit still, which plays a crucial role in shaping the flavor of the Whisky. During the distillation process at the spirit still, the hearts of the distillate (the desired product) are separated from the heads and the tails (the undesirable parts).

At Chichibu Distillery, the distillers take an unconventional approach by tasting the distillate already at this stage. This method ensures that they can fine-tune and achieve the exact flavor they desire for the final Whisky product.

The Warehouse:

Chichibu Distillery owns four dunnage warehouses and is set to open a fifth to accommodate the ever – growing number of casks, which has now surpassed 4,000. Dunnage warehouses are uniquely designed with natural stone or brick walls, earthen floors, and slated roofs. Their low ceilings allow for three or four tiers of barrels stacked above each other. These features create an environment with low temperatures and a moist, damp climate, ideal for the slow and gradual maturation of Whisky. Although this method is cost-intensive and requires manual handling of the barrels, it yields exceptional results.

Given the variety of Whisky styles produced by Chichibu, they utilize a wide range of casks. While most Whiskies mature in Bourbon barrels, they also use barrels from Rum, Sherry, Wine, Port, Tequila, Grappa, as well as new oak casks made from Mizunara (Japanese Oak), American Oak, French Oak, and others. The distillery constantly explores and researches the optimal cask type to enhance the characteristics of each Whisky line.

To prepare for sales and shipment, Chichibu Distillery performs its own bottling and labeling. Their bottling line allows for different bottle shapes and labels to suit the requirements of various destinations and countries where their Whiskies are distributed.

The History:

Ichiro Akuto was born into a family with a longstanding tradition of brewing sake for over 300 years. In 1945, his grandfather made the decision to venture into distilling Whisky as well. This led to the establishment of the Hanyu Distillery. However, economic challenges in Japan towards the end of the century forced the family to sell both the sake business and the Hanyu Distillery.

When the buyer showed no interest in the remaining 400 casks of Whisky, Ichiro Akuto saw an opportunity and refused to let this treasure go to waste. In 2004, he founded Venture Whisky Ltd. and took ownership of the 400 casks. In 2008, the Chichibu Distillery commenced production under his guidance. The first release from Chichibu was the renowned “Card” series, which quickly sold out, setting the trend for all subsequent Chichibu Whiskies. These Whiskies have gained immense popularity worldwide and are usually sold out within a few days after arriving in stores.

Visitor information:

Chichibu Distillery
Midorigaoka 49
Chichibu
Saitama 368-0067
Japan
Tel: +81-494-62-4601