Whisky Chichibu Paul Ullrich fût 3538

La distillerie

Chichibu — The New Guard of Japanese Whisky

Founded in 2008 by Ichiro Akuto — grandson of the founder of the legendary Hanyu distillery — Chichibu represents the most ambitious chapter of Japan’s craft whisky renaissance. Located in Saitama Prefecture, this small distillery operates with an uncompromising philosophy: traditional copper pot stills, floor malting for select releases, and an experimental approach to cask maturation that draws from Scotland, America, and Japan’s own mizunara oak tradition. Within fifteen years, Chichibu has achieved what few distilleries accomplish in a lifetime: international recognition as a benchmark of quality and innovation.

Akuto’s single-cask releases have become collector obsessions — each bottling reflects a deliberate cask selection philosophy that prioritizes character over conformity. The distillery’s limited annual output and refusal to dilute quality for volume have made every Chichibu cask a study in terroir, wood influence, and the distiller’s art. Paul Ullrich cask selections represent some of the most sought-after European allocations from this influential producer.

Cette expression

A Single-Cask Selection by Paul Ullrich

This bottle represents cask #3538, selected by independent bottler Paul Ullrich — one of Europe’s most respected curators of Japanese single-cask whisky. Ullrich’s partnerships with Chichibu have produced some of the distillery’s most distinctive European releases, each cask hand-picked during visits to Saitama and bottled without compromise. The Paul Ullrich selections are characterized by their expression of Chichibu’s house style while allowing individual cask character to remain unfiltered and uncolored. Details of maturation length and cask origin are typically disclosed on the label; this bottling carries the distillery’s uncompromising commitment to transparency and craft.

Profil de dégustation

Chichibu’s house character is defined by a delicate balance between malt-forward sweetness and wood-driven complexity — an interplay that varies dramatically depending on cask selection. The distillery’s use of small-batch copper pot distillation produces a spirit with notable fruit-forward esters and a silky texture. Paul Ullrich’s selections tend to emphasize clarity of flavour rather than heavy peat or overt sherry influence, allowing the distillate’s intrinsic character to speak. While specific tasting notes for this individual cask are best discovered by the collector who opens it, Chichibu #3538 will likely exhibit the distillery’s signature profile: honeyed malt, orchard fruit, gentle spice, and a finish shaped by its time in wood.

Provenance et authentification

Wines & Spirits SA sources Japanese single-cask bottlings exclusively through a network of over fifty certified suppliers, many with direct distillery relationships in Japan and established independent bottlers in Europe. Every Chichibu bottle in our collection enters our climate-controlled facility in Switzerland — maintained at 14°C and 70% relative humidity with continuous monitoring — where it remains until purchase. For collector-grade whisky at this price point, provenance is non-negotiable: we provide full chain-of-custody documentation, and every bottle is examined for authenticity markers before it reaches our inventory. This is particularly critical for sought-after single casks, where secondary-market counterfeits have become an unfortunate reality. Your investment is protected by our authenticity guarantee.

Contexte du collecteur

Chichibu single casks occupy a unique position in the Japanese whisky market: they represent the intersection of craft-distillery scarcity and auction-house demand. Unlike mass-market releases, single-cask bottlings from Chichibu are strictly allocated by the distillery and independent bottlers — typically fewer than 200–300 bottles per cask. Paul Ullrich’s selections have gained particular traction among European collectors who recognize his curation track record with Japanese distilleries. Auction results for comparable Chichibu single casks have shown consistent appreciation over the past five years, with rare cask numbers achieving multiples of original retail. This bottle represents both an immediate tasting experience of one of Japan’s most acclaimed distilleries and a tangible asset in a category that continues to attract discerning collectors worldwide.

Service et plaisir

A single-cask Chichibu deserves ritual and patience. Pour into a tulip glass and allow the spirit to open for at least ten minutes before nosing — Chichibu’s volatile esters and delicate fruit notes reveal themselves slowly. Serve neat first to appreciate the cask’s full influence; if the ABV is assertive, a few drops of pure spring water will unlock additional layers without diluting character. This is whisky for quiet contemplation rather than casual sipping — ideally savored after dinner, perhaps alongside dark chocolate or dried apricots, in the company of fellow collectors who understand what a numbered cask represents.

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