Experience the very first Scotch Malt Whisky Society out-turn from Japan’s rising star with Chichibu 4 Year Old – 2009 Vintage, SMWS 130.1 (bottled 2013). Distilled by Ichiro Akuto just a year after the distillery’s stills were fired up and filled into a first-fill ex-bourbon barrel, this small-batch malt spent a brisk four years soaking up vanilla cream, toasted coconut and bright citrus before the Society captured it at natural cask strength. Non-chill-filtered and natural in colour, only 227 individually numbered bottles showcase Chichibu’s orchard-fruit vibrancy super-charged with fresh American-oak sweetness—the inaugural SMWS release from cask code 130.
Why We Think You’ll Love It
First-fill bourbon barrel amplifies vanilla, coconut and vibrant citrus against Chichibu’s young, fruity spirit.
4 years capture the distillery’s energetic style while surprising with depth and texture from fresh oak.
Bottled at natural cask strength, non-chill-filtered and natural colour—undiluted aroma, flavour and brightness.
The inaugural SMWS cask from Chichibu (code 130.1)—strictly 227 bottles, a milestone for collectors of Japanese whisky and SMWS fans alike.
Shows how deft cask selection and Ichiro Akuto’s craft can create silky sweetness, oak spice and zesty freshness in remarkable harmony at a youthful age.
Pour a dram of this trail-blazing Chichibu and enjoy a vibrant blend of vanilla cream, tropical sweetness and crisp citrus—an unforgettable whisky that announces Japan’s new generation with every spirited sip.