81 points
Chichibu The Floor Malted 3 year old, 50.5%
Another work in progress from the ever-enterprising Ichiro Akuto. This is made from barley that was malted by him and his team in Norfolk. Unusually for a Japanese malt, the aroma is, yes, malty, but it is more chaff-like than nutty. Chichibu’s floral element is there alongside grape must, verjus, and herbs. The palate is a fascinating mix of the very sweet with balancing dry and sour notes. A distillery that’s growing up fast. £90
Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2013)