Ichiro's Malt Mizunara Wood Reserve (MWR) (46.5%)

Ichiro's Malt Mizunara Wood Reserve is a Japanese blended malt created by Ichiro Akuto, founder of the Chichibu distillery. It combines single malts from his own stocks, including whisky matured in mizunara casks, and is bottled at 46.5%. The mizunara wood gives it an almost incense-like aroma. The nose is floral and fragrant, with sandalwood, mint, honey, lemon peel, grapefruit and a little apple. The palate starts with honey and caramelised apple before the wood arrives with sour and bitter notes, like grapefruit with sugar. The finish is fairly short, with lingering sweetness and spice and a woody bitterness.