Chichibu 2009, Single Malt Newborn Heavily Peated, Cask No. 451, 315/360, 61.3% abv.

This "newborn" used Optic heavily peated barley and was matured in a new american oak hogshead for ~3-4 months from July to October 2009.

Nose: peaty, smokey, less wood than expected.

Palate: both light and heavy bodied (weird huh?), initial palate is a light sugar sweetness, mid palate is peaty, smokey, back palate has brown sugar sweetness.

Finish: short, brown sugar, light cherries, light red berries.

New make is hard to understane for me, but I liked this one. Reminds me of some Port Ellen I had, smokey up front but sweet and a little fruity in the end. Intentsity was there, just not a lot of depth. Very good overall.

Grade: B

Whiskyfun.com, Serge Valentin, sgp:547, 88 points
Malt maniacs, Serge Valentin, 88 points

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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