Ichiros Malt Grain Blended Japanese Whiskey is The history of Japanese whiskey was born in Hanyu and dates back to the 17th century, thanks to the Akuto family, producers of sake in the city of Chichibu.

In 1941, the company built a factory in Hanyu and received its license to produce alcohol in 1946, under the eyes of Isouji Akuto.

It was here that they went out to produce whiskey in the 1980s, and in the 1990s they launched a single malt whiskey, but had to stop production in 2000 (coincidentally around the time that Karuizawa, another renowned Japanese distillery, also stopped production). produce), and finally closed in 2004.

The history of Hanyu does not stop there, a “myth” began here, while much of the distillery was dismantled, Ichiro Akuto (grandson of Isouji) set about buying up the remaining stock of Hanyu whiskey and currently selling it through your own brand.

Ichiros, which is becoming a luxury brand for collectors and enthusiasts in the world of whiskey, its bottles are coveted worldwide.

Ichiro Akuto is the king of independent Japanese distillers, despite working out of modest locale, with just two small pot stills in Chichibu, a city 100km northwest of Tokyo.

Despite this, Akuto’s single malts have consistently won rave reviews, in 2015 they sold a bottle of 1960 Karuizawa single malt for $118,500 at auction in Hong Kong, a record for a Japanese whisky.

Akuto’s education in whiskey distilling came through the family business.

His grandfather was a sake maker, running a sake brewery, Hanyu Distillery, established in 1625, obtained a distiller’s license to produce whiskey in 1941.

Akuto’s father continued the work that his grandfather had started, but he entered the world of whiskey where he was led to buy two stills in Scotland that could produce about 400 barrels.

However, in 2000, Japan’s economic decline and declining sake consumption forced the family to sell their business.

Ichiro Akuto has turned this potential crisis into an opportunity, gleefully removing the unwanted stills and barrels of mature whiskey from the brewery’s new owners.

This was followed by the launch of Venture Whiskey in 2008 and produced the first label of it.

– Ichiro’s Vintage Single Malt 1988 – the following year.

Much of the remaining legacy stock went into Venture’s award-winning “card” series, such as Ichiros’ Malt The Joker (color), which sold out as soon as they were released.

Qantima Group exclusively brings you Ichiros Japanese Whiskey which continues to apply the techniques learned over many years at the Hanyu Distillery as well as being one of the most ambitious Japanese distillers in operation.

Some 4,000 barrels of sherry, wine and bourbon are currently maturing, while Akuto has begun experimenting with growing barley locally, in hopes of producing a genuinely Japanese whisky.

Ichiros also has its own cooperage, which makes its aging developments more exclusive and unique.

Limited Editions.