#79 Yumi Yoshikawa - Chichibu Distillery, Ichiro Akuto, Japanese Whisky, Mizunara Oak, Floor Malting, Scotch Whisky

Podcast: The Curious Bartender Podcast · Tristan Stephenson

Opublikowano: 2026-05-25

Yumi Yoshikawa is the global brand ambassador for Chichibu Distillery, the small operation in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, which has become the most celebrated whisky producer in the world. We map out the full picture: two malt distilleries in Chichibu and a brand-new grain distillery that started production in Hokkaido in January 2026, before going deep into what actually happens at Distillery I — the multi-origin barley programme, the floor malting Ichiro Akuto spent years visiting England to learn, the Mizunara oak washbacks and the lactic bacteria they bring to every fermentation, and the switch to direct fire at Distillery II...