Chichibu Distillery (Venture) Flashcards
(26 cards)
When was Chichibu founded? By whom?
Ichiro Akuto founded Chichibu in 2004, started distilling in 2008
When did Chichibu build second distillery?
Chichibu 2 started in 2019
What are Chichibu’s fermetation tanks made of?
Quercus Mongolica (Mizunara oak)
Where does Chichibu source their barley?
Some is from Scotland, some sourced locally
What shape are Chichibu’s stills?
Short and pear shaped
What are some of the distilleries that Ichiro Akuto visited in preparation to build Chichibu?
Kilchoman
Edradour
Benromach
Daftmill
Penderyn
Also spent time working at Karuizawa (2006) and Benriach (2007)
What was the distillery owned by Ichiro Akuto’s grandfather, which closed but Ichiro was able to maintain barrels of stock which became the famous “Card Series.”
Hanyu Distillery
Where does the grain whisky come from for Ichiro’s blends?
Ichiro sources grain whisky from:
all five major whisky producing countries
which is stated on the label
How much of Chichibu’s barley is peated?
A majority of production is un-peated. Every year, before the maintenance season, some heavily peated malt (50ppm) is produced for a month or two.
What type of “local barley” is used as a portion of Chichibu’s production?
Originally convinced growers to plant Optic, but didn’t work with local climate.
Switched to local variety Sai-no-hoagie.
What is unique about Chichibu fermentations?
Wash backs made of Mizunara Oak.
Naturally occurring lactic bacteria and other micro/organisms in the wood contribute to flavor formation.
How are cuts made at Chichibu?
Cuts are made by nose and tasting - not by numbers.
What type of barrels is Chichibu using to mature whisky?
About 1/2 are ex Bourbon
Other half are variety of
Ex Sherry (American & European Oak)
Ex Wine (Domestic & Imported)
Ex port
Ex Madeira
Ex Cognac
Mizunara (1st fill & refill)
Once in a while he gets some ex-Rum, ex-tequila, ex-grappa)
Who helped Ichiro Akuto start a cooperage at Chichibu?
Mitsuo Saito, former master cooper at Mari-S Cooperage.
In 2013, he retired and moved his equipment to Chichibu. Since 2014, Chichibu has its own cooperage.
What at Chibidaru casks?
Chichibu’s special quarter casks. They take the staves and cut them between the two middle hoops, add new heads and create 130 litre casks that age “faster” due to more wood contact.
What other hybrid casks are used at Chichibu?
American white oak staves fitted with Mizunara or a red Oak heads.
Where does Ichiro source Mizunara wood for casks?
Since 2011, Ichiro has participated in blind auctions for Mizunara logs.
They did not produce their first Mizunara casks from their cooperage until October of 2016.
He has also worked with privately owned local forests for local Chichibu Mizunara.
What are some solutions Ichiro has worked on to deal with Mizunara leaking?
Split the wood rather than sawing. Mizunara is much more porous than American oak with less tyloses.
What shape (and size) are most of the Mizunara casks coopered at Chichibu.
Mostly hogsheads
They do purchase some puncheons from another cooper, but their own cooperage has more luck with hogsheads - staves are slightly thicker.
How is almost all Chichibu Single Malt sold?
Single Casks
Where is Chichibu located?
Saitama prefecture
About 90 minutes northwest of Tokyo
What is the barley make up for Chichibu II?
Chichibu I is now used for local barley - mostly unpeated.
Chichibu II most barley is medium peated (20-30ppm) or lightly peated (10ppm)
Fermentation tanks at Chichibu II?
French oak rather than Mizunara (like at Chichibu I)
When did Hanyu close?
-2000
