Chichibu has become one of the most talked-about names in Japanese whisky over the past decade, and with good reason. Founded by Ichiro Akuto in 2008 in Saitama Prefecture, this tiny distillery has built a reputation that far outstrips its modest production capacity. The London Edition 2022 is one of a series of limited releases aimed squarely at the European market — bottled at a robust 51.5% ABV with no age statement, and commanding a price tag of £500 that tells you everything about where Chichibu now sits in the collector's hierarchy.
What strikes me about this bottling is its confidence. At 51.5%, this is a whisky that has not been thinned out for mass appeal. Chichibu's decision to bottle at cask strength — or near enough — signals that they want the liquid to speak for itself. For a distillery whose oldest stocks are still relatively young by Scotch standards, that takes conviction. And in my experience, Chichibu's conviction is usually well placed.
As a Japanese single malt with no age statement, what you can expect here is vibrancy. Chichibu is known for working with a variety of cask types, including Mizunara oak, bourbon barrels, and wine casks, and their limited editions tend to showcase interesting wood management. The NAS designation should not be read as a shortcoming — with a distillery this young, it simply reflects the reality of their maturing inventory, and the blending team has consistently demonstrated a knack for making youth taste deliberate rather than deficient.
Tasting Notes
I will not fabricate specifics here. Tasting notes for this particular edition were not available at the time of writing, and I would rather be honest about that than dress up guesswork as expertise. What I can say is that Chichibu's house style leans towards rich, fruity, and subtly spiced, with a texture that punches well above what the distillery's age might suggest. At 51.5%, expect intensity and a rewarding development with time in the glass.
The Verdict
At £500, the Chichibu London Edition 2022 is not an impulse purchase. It is a bottle for the collector who understands what Chichibu represents: a distillery at the vanguard of Japanese craft whisky, producing in tiny quantities with extraordinary attention to detail. The 7.8 out of 10 I am giving this reflects genuine quality and the excitement that comes with every Chichibu release, tempered slightly by a price point that puts it beyond casual recommendation. If you are already a devotee of Japanese single malt and have followed Chichibu's trajectory, this is a worthy addition. If you are new to the category, there are gentler entry points — but few that will teach you as much about what modern Japanese whisky can be.
Best Served
Pour this neat into a Glencairn and give it ten minutes to open. At 51.5% ABV, a few drops of still water will soften the alcohol and let the underlying character emerge without drowning it. This is not a whisky for cocktails or casual mixing — at this price and this quality, it deserves your full attention. If you want to experiment, a Japanese-style Highball with premium soda water and a single large ice cube would not be a disgrace, but I would try it neat first and decide from there.
