22/04/2025 Distillery Visitor: Chichibu! at the SMWS

After showing up two weeks early, JS and I are back at SMWS on the right day for this tasting -- and to be relentlessly reminded of our bad initial timing. Tonight, an unrelated lady will land at the venue... for tomorrow's tasting. The staff shoot discreet glimpses at tOMoH, yet somehow manage not to tease him too openly, probably aware it would make the other gal too self-conscious.

Anyway, beside JS, I join YM, Dr. CD, GT and DW. And others unknown to me, of course.

Nathan Shearer of Speciality Brands is leading the tasting, tonight.

Dram #1

Nose: sherbet, lemon sorbet, even. It starts out all fresh, then develops a touch of warm linen and a faint scent of pot-pourri. Over time, a slight greenness rocks up, the foliage of soft fruits -- say calamansi. Then, it is lemon mint and lemongrass or citronella.
Mouth: soft and fruity, mellow, custard-y. It is not thick enough to be likened to lemon curd, but it is clearly lemon-y like that. Advokaat, maybe? It is less cloying than that, though.
Finish: warming, mildly bitter, and very creamy. Scratch that! It is milky, with a dash of citronella infusion.
Comment: works really well as a starter. We are told it is a blended malt of mostly Chichibu and a little Hanyu (the higher the batch number, the less Hanyu, due to dwindling stock). Note how this one is imported by Speciality Drinks, not Brands.

Ichiro's Malt Double Distilleries (46.5%, Venture Whisky imported by Speciality Drinks, B#122) 7/10

Dram #2

Nose: this one has more confectionary sugar, or light cane sugar, as well as a pinch of mocha. In no time, we are in citrus territory again, with tangerine peels. It is wider upon second nosing, a mix of orange and strawberry juices. Surprisingly, it also offers dry tobacco leaves and a lick of shampoo. Even later, we spot baby talcum powder.
Mouth: how quaint! This is almost meaty, and certainly woody. It is also a tad drying and bitter. We still find citrus, but it is closer to dried orange peels than anything juicy, now.
Finish: bigger and woodier than its predecessor. That said, as the tongue is shaken back into life, it picks up a clear acidic lemon taste reminiscent of lemon peel.
Comment: mizunara, Nathan says. He quickly adds that mizunara casks are rare and expensive, and that this is merely finished in it. He also tells us that the washbacks are made of mizunara, which is news to me.

Ichiro's Malt MWR Miunara Wood Reserve (46.5%, Venture Whisky imported by Speciality Brands, B#146) 7/10

JS [about an auction price]: "I mean... It's JASM. Just Another St Magdalene."

Dram #3

Nose: a more-caustic number, this has baking soda and shiny-clean metal tops in a restaurant kitchen. Beside that are peaches and cut apricots in a gorgeous dark-orange shade.
Mouth: well, tOMoH finds this very close to the second dram, meaty, woody, almost cork-y, so drying it comes close to desiccating and hints at incense. The second sip is a lot juicier.
Finish: it punches all one's taste buds into submission, with bits of lemon zest. The incense touch is virtually gone, making room for lemon and cream.
Comment: a wine cask is always going to split the room (between those who dislike it and those who hate it). This is no exception. It is objectively well made, but not my favourite.

Ichiro's Malt Wine Wood Reserve (46.5%, Venture Whisky imported by Speciality Brands, B#112) 7/10

Unknown punter: "The worst place to buy a bottle of Chichibu is in [the village of] Chichibu. You could not buy one for love nor money, nor Google Translate."

Dram #4

Nose: it is very different, this one. Here are custard-y doughnuts sprinkled with confectionary sugar. Perhaps we note sherbet too, yet it is less obvious than in the first dram. No, this one is dustier. The second nose has dried mango skins. No proper smoke here, but a clear feeling of warmth that Nathan likens to burning incense or a hot cup of tea.
Mouth: this is close to pomace brandy, and gives metallic vibes. Chewing releases red-or-pink lipstick that morphs into jam, save for a clear chalky, rocky note -- quarry dust blended with crumbled cork.
Finish: long, big and bright, it is shiny and glossy, if that makes sense, lipstick-y. That, again, turns jammy: blue- or blackberry jam, blackcurrant jelly.
Comment: the first cask strength of the evening, and it is a significant step up. Although it punches harder, I do not find the quality significantly different.

Chichibu On The Way b.2024 (54%, OB Ichiro's Malt distributed by Japan Import System, 12000b, b#6251) 7/10

JS [looking for the bottle]: "Where is the On The Way?"
tOMoH: "I think it's on the way..."

Dram #5

Nose: ooft! What a surprise. This is full of farm-y mud, and ash spread onto a ploughed field. Yes, we are trying a peaty 'bu. Behind that, we find lemon-y sherbet, which emerges as a trademark note throughout the evening. Earth recedes at second nosing, while ash is more present. At a push, one could identify ash-coated dark cherries. That and shaving foam.
Mouth: big, earthy, it has mud crust and parched earth. The second sip has incandescent wick and dried lichens about to ignite. It becomes more desiccating with each sip, like licking quarry dust that tastes like fire.
Finish: long, farm-y, rustic. It is full of farm-kitchen hearth and incense ash (a hippy farm?) The second gulp has burnt-orchard-tree ashes, glowing embers and torched fruit stones.
Comment: my favourite tonight, though we remain at the same general level.

130.9 8yo d.2015 Across herbaceous borders (60.2%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 167b) 7/10

Nathan Shearer [about the current market correction]: "Everyone thought it was okay to charge £100 for a [bottle of young] Caol Ila. The rest was collateral damage."
tOMoH: "Caol Ilateral damage."

Good fun. Ours was a very good host, showcasing the right blend of facts, anecdotes and humour (cue recurrent gag about Tom Cruise -- one had to be there). He almost lost control of the room when two punters walked in three drams in and did their best to steal the spotlight, but he reclaimed balance promptly enough.

Downstairs, we also try our first Raasay and our first Chinkapin cask
162.3 4yo d.2020 Grilled lobster tail in garlic butter (60.9%, SMWS Whisky Wanderers Festivals 2025, 1st Fill Chinkapin Oak Barrel, 264b) 7/10