It seems like all we’ve been hearing from the Japanese whisky world is its fast depleting supply, with world renowned labels such as Nikka and Suntory discontinuing many of their highly acclaimed whiskies. But it’s not all doom and gloom, as many creative new releases from small boutique distilleries are slowly entering the market.
One such release is the Grain Maduro Blend by Ichiro’s Malt, a whisky created by the award-winning distillery exclusively for Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s Maduro jazz lounge. A lesser-known distillery, Ichiro’s Malt has been garnering more attention worldwide particularly for its excellent, headline-grabbing single malt whiskies, brewed in the pristine countryside region of Chichibu in Saitama Prefecture.
The Maduro Blend is a concoction of 10 to 20-year vintage whiskies from five countries – Japan, Ireland, Scotland, Canada and the US. The blend was left to mature in a French oak wine barrel for three years, from which it developed plum-like fruitiness and hints of cinnamon with a gentle finishing note of vanilla. This complex character, on the advice of the producer, is best enjoyed either straight, mixed with a little water, or on the rocks – specifically, a large circular ice, which doesn’t melt as fast as the regular smaller ice.
The Maduro Blend is limited to 300 bottles, available at ¥63,000 each. Or, you could order a glass for ¥4,200. It’s only on sale while stocks last – so make a beeline for Maduro at Grand Hyatt Tokyo if you want to be one of few people in the world to savour this premium tipple.