Ichiro’s Malt & Grain (46%, OB, 2015)

• Japanese blended whisky
• Chichibu distillery
• 46% ABV,
• £60.95 for 70cl available from The Whisky Exchange
• Score: 85/100

What they say:

A blend from the king of independent Japanese distillers, Ichiro Akuto. In addition to whisky from his own stocks, including potentially Hanyu and Karuizawa as well as his own Chichibu distillery, and possibly also some components distilled at other Japanese distilleries and from other countries – as it says on the label ‘This is worldwide blended whisky’.

Nose: Peach and dried apricot, sweet butterscotch, vanilla cream, citrus zest, synthetic bananas and gooey malt.

Palate: Toffee first and foremost, with notes of barley malt, gingerbread, tropical fruits, honeyed pipe tobacco lveas, black pepper, roasted chestnut and freshly cut hay.

Finish: Medium length with vanilla and dried tropical fruit.

What I say:

Dram #1 at the WOLS Edinburgh Whisky Blog World Tour Tasting! was this blended malt and grain whisky from Ichiro Akuto. The possibility of this containing Hanyu, Karuizawa or Chichibu whisky is enough to make you want to sample this alone. Picked for Japan, though strangely this may contain whisky from anywhere in the world!

Colour:

Amber gold (8/20), medium tears

Nose:

Sweet, dusty/chalky, Edinburgh rock, fruity, cereal grains, popcorn, plum, apple, pear, floral blossom (orchard fruits and blossom)

Taste:

Slightly spiced, caramel, fudge, butterscotch, fiery red pepper, toffee, sherbet fruits and fruity Edinburgh rock, allspice, cinnamon, mizunara oak, plum sauce, cherry blossom

Finish:

Shortish, dry, spicy fruit and sweet

Overall:

Gentle and interesting, this has a trio of spicy, floral and sweet flavours that roll around the mouth. Subtle complexity which nothing dominates (i.e. blend) a little fiery in places and possibly thin at times indicating grain components. A nice starter dram for the tasting.