Ichiro's Malt & Grain World Blended

What it is

The entry point to Ichiro Akuto's Venture Whisky range, known widely as the White Label. A blend of malt and grain whiskies from five countries, bottled at 46% with no age statement. It's the highest volume product the company makes and the one that funds the rest.

Where it comes from

Venture Whisky calls this World Blended Whisky on the label and means it. Chichibu single malt is blended with whiskies sourced from Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the United States, with some sources also naming England. That puts it outside the Japan Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association standard, which requires distillation in Japan, and Akuto has never tried to present it otherwise.

The exact recipe is a closely held secret. It's reported to run roughly 30% malt to 70% grain with an average age around ten years and some stocks considerably older, but the company doesn't confirm proportions and the imported components aren't named.

How it's made

The sourced whiskies are matured in their countries of origin, then brought to Chichibu and given further time there before blending, so the Japanese climate does some work on the imported spirit too. The vatting is done in large wooden vats. Non-chill filtered, no colour added.

What to expect

Soft and layered, more complex than the price band would suggest, which is the whole reason it has the reputation it does. Buttered pastry, apricot, honey and white chocolate, then orange and stone fruit with a little spice. It's a whisky built for drinking rather than analysing, and it works neat or in a highball.

How it compares

Against Suntory's Ao, the other well known world whisky with a Japanese address, this is rounder and less obviously assembled from parts. Against Chichibu's single malts it's a completely different proposition: those are small, expensive and allocated, this is the one you can actually buy. Note that ABV varies between releases, with 46% and 46.5% versions in circulation, so check the bottle.