List of Ichiro's Malts

The Ichiro's Malt brand's rather cunning modus operandi is to release and market a wide range of individually branded but very limited bottlings. You could call it the "Pokemon" card approach to whisky selling. For those of you who have not the faintest idea what that means, the concept behind Pokemon cards and other children's trading card games is to get youngsters hooked into collecting them and then selling an endless variety of cards that they simply must have. What works with kids, works with adults too or, at least, it works with this adult. Every time I see a new Ichiro's card on the market, I feel my purse strings being tugged. Fiendish!

Anyway, it does make it hard for a site like Nonjatta to keep up with all the bottlings. In lieu of reviews for all of them, I am going to make a list here of the Ichiro's Malts that I have bumped into but cannot afford. This will be a work in progress. I will add to the list as and when I find time. If anybody else has any to add or, better yet, has tried any of them, please get in touch.

Ichiro's Malts not yet reviewed on Nonjatta



Ichiro's Malt Three of Spades. New wood finish. Distilled 2000. Bottled 2007. 354 bottles. 57 per cent.



Ichiro's Malt, Aged 23 years. Bottled 2008. 58.8 per cent.This one won the best Japanese whisky in the over 21 age category at the World Whisky Awards this year. This was rather overshadowed by the headline grabbing success of the Hibikis and Yoichis in the overall grand prizes.