Ichiro's Malt Double Distilleries Japanese blended malt whisky combining the distinctive character of Hanyu and Chichibu malt whiskies.
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Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries

Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries is a Japanese blended malt whisky combining malt whiskies from Hanyu Distillery and Chichibu Distillery, two distilleries closely connected to the history of the Akuto family. The combination of more mature Hanyu whisky and the younger, vibrant character of Chichibu creates a balanced profile of fruit, honey, spice, chocolate, and oak.

Category: Blended Malt Whisky
Producer: Venture Whisky Ltd.
Distilleries: Hanyu Distillery & Chichibu Distillery
Bottling series: Ichiro’s Malt
Strength: 46% ABV
Size: 700 ml
Stated age: NAS (No Age Statement)
Cask type: Sherry casks, puncheon casks and Japanese oak casks
Colouring: Natural Colour
Chill filtration: Non-Chill Filtered

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    Ichiro's Malt
    Double Distilleries

    If Hibiki represents the art of blending from one of Japan’s largest whisky producers, Ichiro’s Malt tells a smaller and more personal story. Behind the brand is Venture Whisky Ltd., founded by Ichiro Akuto in 2004 after he preserved the remaining whisky stocks from Hanyu Distillery, once owned by his family.

    Ichiro Akuto later established Chichibu Distillery, completed in 2007 and operational from 2008. Chichibu marked a new chapter for Venture Whisky while continuing the Akuto family’s whisky legacy.

    Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries embodies this connection. As its name suggests, the blended malt combines whisky from the closed Hanyu Distillery with spirit produced at Chichibu.

    Hanyu contributes influences from sherry and puncheon casks, while Chichibu adds the character of whisky matured in Japanese oak. The result balances fruit, honey, and chocolate with spice, vanilla, and oak, capturing the transition from Hanyu to Chichibu in a single whisky.

    Chichibu Distillery

    After Hanyu Distillery closed, Ichiro Akuto founded Venture Whisky in 2004 and continued to preserve his family’s remaining whisky stocks. Chichibu Distillery was completed in 2007 and began distilling whisky in 2008, becoming the first new whisky distillery established in Japan in approximately 35 years.

    Rather than competing through a century-long legacy, Ichiro Akuto chose a different path.

    Chichibu focuses on small-scale production, craftsmanship, and close control over each stage of the process. The distillery uses Mizunara oak washbacks and pot stills made by Forsyths in Scotland. It also benefits from Chichibu’s significant seasonal temperature variations, which influence the maturation of its whisky.

    This connection between tradition and a new generation is clearly expressed in Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries. Chichibu malt is blended with remaining Hanyu whisky, bringing two chapters of the Akuto family’s whisky-making history together in a single bottle.

    Maturation of
    Double Distilleries

    Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries is a blended malt whisky combining malt whiskies from two distilleries closely connected to the Akuto family: Hanyu Distillery and Chichibu Distillery. Unlike Wine Wood Reserve, its defining character comes not from wine cask finishing, but from the combination of two malt sources and different cask types.

    The Hanyu component is reported to have been matured mainly in sherry and puncheon casks, contributing depth, sweetness, and chocolate notes. The Chichibu malt is matured in Japanese oak, with independent sources mentioning Mizunara, adding aromatic wood, spice, and the distinctive character of young Chichibu whisky.

    The proportions of Hanyu and Chichibu in the blend are not disclosed by the producer. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, with natural colour and no chill filtration, helping preserve its original flavour and texture.

    TASTING NOTES ICHIRO'S MALT DOUBLE DISTILLERIES

    Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries brings together the sweetness and depth of Hanyu with the fruit, spice, and distinctive oak character of Chichibu. At 46% ABV, the whisky has a well-defined structure, balancing fruit, honey, chocolate, and spice.

    Colour

    Bright amber gold with a light golden hue.

    Nose

    Apple and pear appear first, followed by honey, chocolate, and vanilla. Sherry brings a deeper sweetness, while subtle aromatic wood and a touch of allspice add further depth.

    Palate

    Opens with pronounced spice before moving into sweet fruit, honey, and chocolate. Malt and oak gradually emerge alongside nutmeg, allspice, and a slight woody bitterness. The texture is rounded and retains good body despite being bottled at 46% ABV.

    Finish

    Fairly long and pleasant. Honey, baking spices, and oak linger most prominently, accompanied by touches of apple and chocolate. A mild woody bitterness appears toward the end without overpowering the overall profile.

    Most frequently mentioned flavours

    Based on tasting notes from Whiskybase users, Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries is consistently described as showing fruit, honeyed sweetness, and spice, alongside a noticeable oak influence.
    - Fruit: apple, peach, apricot, orange, and citrus
    - Sweet notes: honey, vanilla, caramel, and chocolate
    - Spice: pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg
    - Other notes: malt, cereals, oak, almond, and a subtle aromatic wood character

    Highly rated characteristics

    Many reviewers praise the balance between sweetness, fruit, and spice, together with its relatively full-bodied texture at 46% ABV. The nose is often described as deep, while the whisky remains light and approachable on the palate, with honey and spice extending into the finish. The combination of Hanyu and Chichibu creates an interesting profile, bringing together sweetness, malt, and chocolate with spice and the influence of Japanese oak.

    Other opinions

    Some reviewers find the oak and woody bitterness quite noticeable, particularly towards the end of the palate and finish. Adding water also produces mixed results: some find that it makes the whisky softer and sweeter, while others feel that it reduces the vanilla and almond notes, suggesting that the whisky performs better neat. Overall, the Whiskybase community considers Double Distilleries a balanced and approachable whisky with enough character, particularly defined by its fruit, honey, and spice.

    How does the Whiskybase community rate Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries?

    On Whiskybase, Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries has a rating of 85.08/100 based on 236 ratings. This is a strong score within the whisky community, reflecting positive opinions of its balance, flavour structure, and combination of Hanyu and Chichibu malt.

    Most tasting notes highlight the harmony between fruit, honey, spice, and oak, although some reviewers find the oak influence and woody bitterness more noticeable on the finish. Overall, Double Distilleries is regarded as an approachable blended malt that still offers distinctive character and depth.

    REVIEW TỪ THE DRAMBLE

    An Impressive Balance Between Young Chichibu and More Mature Hanyu


    The Dramble considers Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries a notable example of skilful blending, seamlessly combining young Chichibu malt whisky with more mature Hanyu stock. According to the reviewer, even in a blind tasting, the two components are not easy to distinguish, demonstrating how well they are integrated.

    - The nose opens with honey, orange, apple, and pear, ranging from fresh fruit to marmalade-like notes. The sherry influence is relatively subtle, bringing chocolate and candied fruit, followed by white pepper, incense, and malt biscuits.
    - The palate combines fruit and spice, with ginger, mild chilli, peach, and orange alongside malt, honey, and orange sherbet. Cedar, oak, mint, and menthol add further depth.
    - The finish is medium in length, leaning towards oak, tannins, and baking spices.
    What The Dramble appreciates most is not complexity, but balance and blending technique. Despite the youth of the Chichibu component, it integrates naturally with Hanyu rather than feeling separate or disjointed.

    Should you add water?
     The Dramble recommends caution when adding water. Water can bring out more pepper, saltiness, and mineral notes on the palate, but it also causes the nose to lose definition quickly. At 46% ABV, Double Distilleries does not really require dilution.

    The Dramble concludes that Double Distilleries is not an overly complex whisky, but it is well balanced and demonstrates impressive blending between young Chichibu and more mature Hanyu.
    Score: 79/100
    The Dramble - Independent Whisky Reviewer

     

    Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries is a Blended Malt Whisky, combining malt whisky from Hanyu Distillery and Chichibu Distillery. It contains no grain whisky and is bottled at 46% ABV.

     

    The name Double Distilleries comes from the combination of malt whisky from two distilleries closely connected to the Akuto family: Hanyu, the distillery that ceased operations, and Chichibu, the distillery established by Ichiro Akuto to continue his whisky-making journey.

     

    Yes. Part of the blend comes from the remaining Hanyu whisky stocks preserved after the distillery closed. The other component comes from Chichibu, creating a connection between two generations of the Akuto family’s whisky-making history.

     

     

    Reference sources indicate that the Hanyu component is associated with Sherry and Puncheon casks, while the Chichibu component is matured in Japanese oak, often identified as Mizunara. However, the exact proportions of each cask type and the ratio of Hanyu to Chichibu are not publicly disclosed.

     

    The profile centres on apple, pear, orange, honey, and chocolate, accompanied by layers of spice such as pepper, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Oak and aromatic wood become more noticeable towards the finish, creating a style that combines sweetness, gentle spice, and woody depth.

     

    According to Whisky Analysis, Double Distilleries retains the aromatic wood and incense characteristics also found in Mizunara Wood Reserve, but offers better balance thanks to its sweetness and the influence of other casks. The woody bitterness is also considerably reduced, making the whisky easier to drink.

    Source: Whisky Analysis – Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries Review

     

    In the Meta-Critic data compiled by Whisky Analysis at the time of the review, Double Distilleries scored 8.68 ± 0.28/10, higher than Mizunara Wood Reserve at 8.23 ± 0.56/10. The reviewer found Double Distilleries more approachable and better balanced, without the strong bitterness noted in MWR.

    Source: Whisky Analysis – Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries Review

    References

    This article has been compiled and edited based on official sources and independent reference materials, including:

    Venture Whisky Ltd.
    Chichibu Distillery
    Whiskybase Community Reviews
    The Dramble
    Whisky Analysis – Selfbuilt
    WhiskyNotes – Ruben Luyten
    Official materials published by the producer

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