Chichibu 2015 Martial Arts Trilogy Ex-bourbon Cask

Posted 24 August 2022 by Matt / In Chichibu
The Dramble reviews The Whisky Exchange Chichibu 2015 Martial Arts Trilogy Ex-bourbon Cask

Bottle Name: Chichibu 2015 Martial Arts Trilogy Ex-bourbon Cask

ABV: 59.5%
Distillery: Chichibu
Region: Japan

The first of TWE’s Chichibu Martial Arts Trilogy is drawn from a humble ex-bourbon barrel (#5282) that was laid down in 2015 and produced 233 bottles at 59.5% ABV. The ballot for this one is open now (until the end of today) – so interested parties should venture over to the TWE website to register. £250 is your entry price - hefty indeed - and no doubt influenced by the eye-popping prices that single cask Chichibu tends to fetch on the secondary market.

Nose: Orange sherbet, candy necklaces and barley water develop into peach melba, ripe cantaloupe melon and apricot jelly. Fruity stuff indeed. In the background spices percolate – chilli pepper alongside a touch of rock salt. The addition of water offers a sense of creaminess with fine confectioner’s custard together with meringue and Battenberg cake.

Taste: A tangy arrival of salt and pepper spiced peaches together with apple slices macerated in elderflower syrup. The floralness extends into the development before touches of wood polish, and shaved chocolate join char and caramel sauce. There’s a lot of scope for reduction here – and it takes it well. The result tends towards a much more silky arrival with amped up char and spice together with candied fruits and touches of mentholated oak.

Finish: Quite long and expressing cask spice chilli alongside lingering fruit-led sweetness and a tempering of residual salt.

A remarkably broad concentration of fruitiness (particularly on the nose) that completely belies the age of this whisky. Clearly this has been matured and drawn from a notably active cask as alongside the depth and broadness there is a tangible volume of oak spice. Personally I find this to be the perfect foil to the candied and syrupy sweetness that runs throughout – but if you’re notable spice adverse you might find it a little too piquant.

Review sample provided by The Whisky Exchange

Score: 88/100


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