Founded in 2004 by Ichiro Akuto, and operational from 2008, this whisky was the first Japanese distillery since 1973. Ichiro's Malt Wine Wood Reserve includes malt distilled at the now-closed Hanyu distillery. This was matured including a finishing period in French oak ex-wine casks vatted and bottled at Chichibu. Nose: Starts with strong red wine notes, oak wood. Later morered fruits & berries then wine, dark chocolate. Later some orange flavours shows up. Very rich nose! Palate: Tingling sensation at first, then wood, spicy with peppery edge, nuts, chocolate, red fruits. Not exactly wine influenced. Finish: Quite long. Malty, stays hot spicy with peppers,bittersweet with long fading gentle wood notes.