Chichibu Ichiro’s Malt the Peated 2016 Whisky

This is from the relatively new and incredibly popular Japanese distillery Chichibu. Distilled in 2012 and bottled in 2016 this has been produced from heavily peated malt and bottled at cask strength. Combining their young but well-developed style with peated barley for a rich and smoky Japanese dram. Nose: Sweet and medicinal peat. A hint of some sweet old Ardbegs about it. Citrus, then smokey fish. Then a lovely honeyed sweetness, with baked apples and dried apricots. Specks of vanilla, becoming more noticeable with time. Salted caramel chocolate. Palate: Darker and heavier than the nose suggests. Liquorice as well as a background of burning peat and cast iron stoves. Melted dark chocolate, white pepper and cinnamon heat. Finish: Initially mineral-heavy gravel and the sea As that fades, rich sweetness comes in, with dark chocolate picking up fresh minty notes and a smooth long finish.