Thursday, March 7, 2013

Ichiro's Malt Chichibu The Peated 2012


Distilled: 2009 - Bottled: 2012 - Age: 3 year-old - ABV: 50.5 - Outturn: 5000 bottles - Bottle: 1873

Nose: Tame with only a very small hint of delinquency. Reasonably subtle in the peat department, but nothing resembling a 3-year-old whisky that's for sure - marvelous stuff. Pork crackling, newly rich plant soil, fermented yeast, semi-dried Kombu (kelp), lightly toasted oak, and whiffs of diesel and coal smoke. I'm detecting petroluem jelly? Interestingly a sweet characteristic becomes in play over time - shy but present in the background: plain, dry chocolate log cake (without sweet icing) and smoked bananas.

Taste: Nothing deliquent here. Tarry with lemon pepper, herbs, and a moderate spicy zing (krazy Salt). Smoked diced ham, charred potato skins baked in an ashy fireplace, a mouthful of diesel smoke and inhaled air released from a bike tyre tube (in a very good sense).

Finish: Pretty consistent with the palate in my opinion - moderate but cheekily lingering with an extra touch of that toasted oak and cool mint Listerine, or is it PK chewing gum?

Comment: I quite enjoyed this. I've tried it on a few occasions but finally parted with my own money and secured a bottle. I've been looking for something a bit different of late and this cracker of a 3 year-old has done it for me. I'm confident, like many of Ichiro's bottlings, the aromas and flavour profile will change over time - most likely becoming greater.


Reviewed by Clint A

6 comments:

  1. Well I know you have a couple of other young peated single casks Clint yet to be opened. Time to crack those soon if you like this one!!
    : )
    Brian

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    1. I reckon I might just have to do that,Brian...in due time.

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    2. Actually Brian, I had a look and don't have much young peated malt at all - perhaps that's my problem ;)

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  2. Excellent review, Clint! I have an open bottle at home, and I cannot but repeat that if I was to taste this blind I would never guess that this is only three years old. Wonderful stuff! By the way, I like the "smoked bananas" and shall go looking for them the next time!

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    1. Thanks, Pierre. As mentioned a whiff of young age on the nose is present but not dominant compared to other 3 year olds. Certainly IMO it dose not resemble a young malt of this age on the palate, again only my opinion. The smoked bananas are a treat, not dominate either but present and after miid-palate and before the finish. This will all change however. I've drammed this with only 100mls left in the bottle - that's where all the action really starts to begin.

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