After working at Chichibu Distillery alongside Ichiro Akuto, and following his advice, Yoshiharu Takeuchi equipped his own distillery, Nine Leaves, with pot stills designed by the renowned Scottish firm Forsyth’s in Rothes (Speyside). The wash still is large and sturdy—reminiscent of Chichibu—while the spirit still is tall and slender with a long swan neck, evoking the Glenmorangie-style silhouette.
This release is a small batch blended from three 300-litre casks that previously held Armagnac. It highlights the remarkable purity and layered complexity of the distillate: an airy, refined profile that moves gracefully through fruity, spicy, liqueur-like, herbal and floral sequences—each more delicate than the last.
Producer (brief): Nine Leaves was a Japanese micro-distillery founded by Yoshiharu Takeuchi in Shiga Prefecture, near Lake Biwa (close to Kyoto). It gained a strong reputation for uncompromising craftsmanship, very small batches, and its Forsyth’s-built stills. The distillery stopped distilling in 2023, making remaining releases increasingly sought-after.
Nose: Fine and airy. Juicy aromas of fresh pineapple, clove and lemon take centre stage immediately. It then grows more heady (cane flower), more supple (cane sugar) and more vanilla-led. Finally, eucalyptus and an incense-like “aromatic paper” note add a lightly smoky, ember-like (empyreumatic) touch.
Colour: Golden yellow.
Palate: Elegant and slender. Fruit returns (lemon, pear), while the profile also charges through bright, fresh vegetal and herbaceous territory—cane fields, freshly cut hay and reed-like notes. With time, cane syrup spreads gently across the palate.
Finish: Delicate and long, closely linked to the palate and inviting you back to the fresh pineapple from the first nose. The after-aroma is especially suave—honeyed (acacia), mentholated, and softly infused with lemon balm.
