Chichibu : Paris Foundations 2025 Edition Asakusa

Tasting tips for Paris Foundations 2025 Edition Asakusa by Chichibu

Tasting

Nose
Rich and creamy: the aromatic profile is built around expressive tropical fruits (passion fruit, lychee, mango), complemented by red fruits (grape, blackberry). Earthy notes of forest floor (dried leaves, porcini) and a delicate plum touch add depth. Spicy hints (cinnamon), a pleasant malty bitterness, as well as floral (white flowers) and woody nuances round out the spectrum, all carried by a subtle veil of light peatiness.

Palate
The structure opens with an oily, creamy-peaty attack, lively and lemony with a peppery edge. The flavor development gradually moves into honeyed, waxy registers, unfolding an increasing creaminess. The indulgent notes evoke toast, rusk, malty tones (barley porridge) and a delicious fruitiness (mirabelle plum, damson). Vanilla, cocoa and a fine wisp of smoke enrich the aromatic balance. The long, concentrated finish picks up the malty tones, lifted by notes of gentian, mint, eucalyptus and sage. The profile remains both exotic (passion fruit) and candied (plum), gradually rounded out by toffee notes and Bourbon vanilla. A spicy (white pepper, cinnamon) and woody, subtly indulgent finale brings the tasting to a close.

An exceptional Japanese single malt whisky celebrating the Paris–Tokyo connection

Chichibu: excellence in artisanal Japanese whisky

Founded in 2008 by Ichiro Akuto in Saitama Prefecture, Chichibu embodies the excellence of modern Japanese whisky. This artisanal distillery, still led by its visionary founder, has established itself as an essential reference in under two decades. Chichibu stands out for its exceptional mastery in blending a wide range of cask types—French, American and Spanish oak, ex-bourbon and ex-wine—as well as its ability to craft single malts of remarkable aromatic complexity. The Paris Edition, an annual series released since 2018, reflects the House’s creative boldness, combining Japanese tradition with international influences, all with a consistently modern visual identity.

Paris Edition 2025: a tribute to iconic neighborhoods

Since 2018, Chichibu has been creating a blend dedicated to the French capital. This Paris Edition 2025 honors the strong bond between Paris and Tokyo, drawing a parallel between their respective districts. The Asakusa district, famed for its Sensō-ji temple and traditional atmosphere, is highlighted in parallel with Montmartre. The complex blend brings together whiskies of different ages (5 to 14 years) from a wide range of casks: four casks of new French oak, one sherry cask in Spanish oak, three French oak casks that held red Bordeaux wine, one American oak hogshead, six Bourbon Barrels, and two Bourbon Barrels that held heavily peated whisky. This diversity of casks gives the whisky exceptional aromatic richness.

Presented in a case, this 70-cl single malt showcases the bold, colorful visual identity of the Paris Edition series, inspired by Japanese kawaii culture and postage stamps, with six different labels celebrating the cultural bridges between the two capitals.