Ichiro's Malt Double Distilleries Blended Malt (70cl, 46.5%)

Ichiro's Malt Double Distilleries is a Japanese blended malt, bottled at 46.5% in a 70cl bottle. It joins malt whiskies from Hanyu and Chichibu, matured in bourbon barrels, hogsheads, puncheons, sherry casks and Japanese mizunara oak. The whiskies are matured, married and bottled at Chichibu, without chill-filtration or added colour. Ichiro Akuto, grandson of the founder of the Hanyu distillery, saved its remaining stocks after it closed. He later built Chichibu, which received its licence in 2008. The nose is floral, with jasmine, rose and violet beside apricot, mango, citrus and soft vanilla. On the palate, walnut meets ripe fruit sweetness and fresh citrus. The finish brings pine and spicy mint, with a lingering touch of vanilla.