Chichibu 4 Year Old 2009 SMWS 130.1 (2013)

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.

• 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.