Japan, Saitama. Distillery operational. Owner: Venture Whisky.

Independent & family-ownedIt was in 2007 that Ichiro Akuto, grandson of the founder of the Hanyu distillery, built a new distillery in the north-west of Tokyo, in Saitama Prefecture. Named Chichibu, it brought to a close several decades marked by the closure of numerous production sites, and enabled Ichiro Akuto to renew his family's history of expertise. Despite its small size (production capacity of 80,000 LPA/yr), Chichibu quickly drew attention and became highly sought-after. It was under the name “New Born” that Ichiro sold exclusively his malt for three years. In 2011, the first edition of a small batch Chichibu named The First was released (7,400 bottles). It was immediately welcomed by distributors and the world's whisky enthusiasts, putting Chichibu on the fast-track to becoming a distillery with strong potential as a collectible. Since then, Ichiro has released numerous single casks to respond to consumer demand, increasing the distillery's appeal among collectors.

The First Ten is, as the name suggests, the first ten year old from the Chichibu distillery, drawing to a close the series launched by distillery founder Ichiro Akuto in 2011 with the first single malt bottling Chichibu The First. A limited edition of 5,000 bottles worldwide, this version is a blend of approximately 26 casks all aged for over ten years, primarily in first-fill bourbon casks, but also in Mizunara and sherry casks. A small share of peated whisky adds complexity to the whisky’’s character.