Chichibu – Paris Edition 2024 (Meiji Jingu Gate) (70cl, 50.5%)

This is the Chichibu Paris Edition 2024, a Japanese single malt bottled at 50.5% in a 70cl bottle. The label is printed on traditional washi paper and shows the Meiji Jingu Gate, one of six Paris and Tokyo monuments chosen for this release. It is a small batch of 15 casks: 12 Bourbon barrels, 2 Chibidaru quarter casks and a single red wine cask, averaging 6 to 7 years old. The outturn was 2,484 bottles. The colour is bright gold. Gentle peat sits beside lemon, menthol and vanilla on the nose, with banana, pineapple and herbal notes following. The palate is herbaceous and peppery, with damp earth, toast and chestnut. The finish is long, with coconut milk, candied pear, rosemary and a spicy end of cardamom, clove and ginger.