Ichiro's Malt card series
Several Japanese whisky distilleries have produced legendary lines of whisky bottles, and Ichiro’s Malt Card Series is one of them. Just like a deck of playing cards, this unique collection features 54 bottles that represent each card in a deck. Each vintage bottle has its own original card label, but not only that – they each have their own one-of-a-kind, luscious flavors that make them even more irresistible.
Hanyu Distillery, now a closed whisky distillery, was one of the most renowned distilleries in Japan just like the Karuizawa Distillery. Even though the Hanyu Distillery was for whisky production, this family business went further back in Japanese history. In 1626, the Akuto Family were sake makers in Chichibu. But that changed when, in 1941, the family established a business in Hanyu and began producing Scotch-like whiskey. During the time of its opening, Hanyu Distillery created the Ichiro’s Malt Card Series line, but this popular distillery closed down in 2000. However, there was still stock left behind, which an heir of the Akuto Family inherited, and that’s why the Hanyu legend continues living today. The entire collection is so rare and valuable that it even sold for nearly $490,000 in an auction!
The Ichiro’s Malt Card Series is almost impossible to find due to its rarity. These collectible Japanese whisky bottles are scattered around the world, offered in auctions or sold elsewhere. At Dekanta, though, we also offer many of the cards from the original Card Series. Here are several available cards from Dekanta’s own collection:
The Joker – Colored and Monochrome
The Joker was the last card in the famous Ichiro’s Malt Card Series, and the colored and monochrome version of the Joker were bottled in 2014 and distilled between 1985 to 2000. Both of the Jokers have their own unique tasting notes, so they don’t just have different card label designs. The Monochrome Joker aged in a single cask (quite fitting for the name “Monochrome”) while the Colored Joker matured in various casks, such as bourbon and sherry, which gives the Colored Joker Japanese whisky a more “colorful” flavor.
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