Chichibu Distillery is a Japanese whisky distillery located in the town of Chichibu in Saitama Prefecture. The distillery was founded in 2004 by Ichiro Akuto, the grandson of the founder of the Hanyu Distillery.

The Chichibu Distillery is one of the smallest distilleries in Japan, and it produces a small quantity of single malt whisky each year. The distillery is known for its use of traditional methods and its focus on quality.

The water used in the production of Chichibu whiskies comes from the Chichibu River, which is said to have a high mineral content. The distillery also uses peated barley in some of its whiskies, which gives them a smoky flavor.

Chichibu whiskies are highly regarded by whisky enthusiasts, and they have won numerous awards at international whisky competitions.

At only a distance of 600m from the initial Chichibu site, Distillery #2 was an expansion to the main distillery opened in 2019, increasing the production without turning the site into a factory. This expansion took production from only a single cask per day, to 5 barrels a day. Hardly flooding the streets with whisky, but an increase none-the-less.

To those that have tried whisky purely from Distillery #2 before, the spirit is delightful, and very much in the same style as the original.

Nose: The nose is fresh and lifted: citrus, green apple, sweet barley and light oak spice.

Palate: On the palate it is energetic and precise, with malt sweetness, lemon, stone fruit and a clean, slightly drying finish from active casks.

Finish: It feels very much like “young Chichibu done right” – nothing out of place, plenty of personality, no heavy-handed wood.