【神イベント!!】秩父ウイスキー祭2024参戦記当日編

Contents

Breakfast ~ Arrival at event venue
Matsuri no Yu
Chichibu Reiwa Chamber of Commerce
going home
Impressions of the event
1. Points to note ①: Ticket competition
2. Points to note ②: Too crowded
Purchased product introduction
Closing Thoughts
YouTube

Breakfast ~ Arrival at event venue

Today is the day of the Chichibu Whiskey Festival event.

The state of the day before the eve festival etc. is ``The previous day”, so if you haven't yet, please take a look there.

[An Amazing Event!!] Chichibu Whisky Matsuri 2024 Report: Day Before

移動〜到着早朝から移動し池袋にやってきました。すぐさま池袋から特急ラビューに乗り込みます。池袋から約80分ほどで西武秩父に到着です。タイトルでおわかりの通り、今回は秩父ウイスキー祭2024に参加すべく秩父にやってきました。本日は2

This time, “Route Inn Hotel Seibu Chichibu Ekimae" since yesterday.

https://hb.afl.rakuten.co.jp/hgc/1dbf8fad.4a5d8164.1dbf8fae.092c41c8/?pc=httpstravel.rakuten.co.jpHOTEL1345213452.htmlcidtr_af_1632&link_type=hybrid_url&ut=eyJwYWdlIjoiaXRlbSIsInR5cGUiOiJoeWJyaWRfdXJsIiwic2l6ZSI6IjEwMHgxMDAiLCJuYW0iOjEsIm5hbXAiOiJyaWdodCIsImNvbSI6MSwiY29tcCI6ImRvd24iLCJwcmljZSI6MCwiYm9yIjoxLCJjb2wiOjEsImJidG4iOjEsInByb2QiOjAsImFtcCI6ZmFsc2V9

At Route Inn, all guests can enjoy breakfast free of charge.

Breakfast was a buffet style and had a lineup that went beyond being free.

I'll be drinking a lot of whiskey at events, so I'll have to eat a lot to avoid getting sick.

I drank a lot of whiskey yesterday, so I found the miso soup to be even more delicious than usual.

After eating, check out and walk to the event venue, around Chichibu Station.

I didn't find anything that I really wanted at the store, so I slowly headed to the venue and arrived around 10:30.

When I arrived, the first thing that surprised me was that there was a long line to get a glass.

I think it took about 10 to 15 minutes just to exchange glasses.

After successfully exchanging our glasses, we entered the venue a little early, and the event began.

I'm going to try it right away.

1st cup: Shinanoya Clynelish 1996 24 Years Old Bourbon Cask

This is one of the most talked about books.

Clynelish is often off the mark if it is labeled as Secret Highland, but I think the taste is guaranteed if it is labeled as Clynelish.

I tried it right away and found it to be a delicious Clynelish as usual.

I felt the refreshingness of honey, apple, and spices and herbs in the aftertaste.

2nd cup: Springbank 10 years old

The image is on the left.

This time, we were offered the official standard brands of Springbank 10 Year Old, Longrow, Hazelburn 10 Year Old, and Kilkerran 12 Year Old.

I think we waited in line for about 20 minutes before being served.

It was only offered officially, so I'm not sure if it was worth lining up for 20 minutes, but each bottle is one that you won't be able to drink easily, so it's probably a good thing.

3rd cup: Hazelburn 10 years old

The image above is on the right.

It's been over two years since I started drinking whisky, but this is actually my first time drinking the official Hazelburn 10 Year Old.

I've had the limited edition and hand-filled ones, but surprisingly I haven't had the chance to try the standard 10 years old. .

I even lined up to drink this.

When I compared it to Springbank, I liked Hazelburn better.

It felt sweet and salty, so-called briny.

4th cup: Cadenhead Enigma Campbelltown Blended Malt 15 Years Old

I had this whiskey at a bar before and it was delicious.

If you can drink this for free, you'll have no choice but to drink it.

The contents are a blended malt of Hazelburn and Kilkerran.

This one also has a briny taste typical of Campbelltown and is delicious.

5th cup: Bar Kitchen PB Kanosuke

This is Kanosuke from the private bottle of Bar Kitchen, a famous restaurant in Fukuoka.

I got the impression that the sherry was working well.

Kanosuke is a peat type, but I personally prefer Kanosuke without peat.

6th glass: Kingsbury Royal Black La

It's a bit difficult to put into words, but it has a cold sweetness that feels like something from the past, and the overall impression was clean and without any sarcasm.

7th Cup: Acorn Williamson 2015-2022

This is a relatively young Williamson distilled in 2015.

Williamson means Laphroaig.

It was young, so it had a strong peat flavor and was delicious.

It may seem like a bit of a waste, but I think bourbon barrels like this, with their pale color and strong, young peat, are delicious in a smoky highball.

8th Cup: Single Cask Ledaig 1993 29 Years

The image is on the left.

The peat wasn't too strong, and you could really taste the yellow fruit, which was delicious.

9th Cup: Single Cask Tobermory 1994 27 Years

The image above is on the right.

It was a beautiful sherry with a hint of raisin.

Lunch break ①: Hanayuu

I'm going to have lunch here.

Return to Ohanabatake Station,HanayuuI received tempura soba.

[Chichibu, Saitama] Hanayu: Tempura Soba ¥400 [Visited February 2024]

前置き本日は『秩父ウイスキー祭2024』というウイスキーイベントに参戦しております。こういったウイスキーイベントでの悩みは昼食に何を食べるかということです。イベントではウイスキーを主にストレートで飲みます。無料試飲もありますが、有料試飲もあ...

Lunch break ②: Chichibu Soba Ohanabatake Station branch

One cup of soba is not enough to satisfy the stomach of a growing adult.

So, nearby ``Chichibu Soba Ohanabatake Station Branch'But I got tempura soba.

[Chichibu, Saitama] Chichibu Soba Ohanabatake Station: Tempura Soba ¥460 [Visited February 2024]

秩父そば御花畑駅店つい先程まで『はなゆう』で天ぷらそばを食べていました。育ち盛りのアラサーの胃袋は蕎麦1杯では満たされませんので、はなゆうから徒歩数十歩のところにある『秩父そば御花畑駅店』へとハシゴすることにします。オーダーを口頭

After dinner, we will return to tasting.

10th Cup: Maltyama Benromach 2011 10 Years First Fill Bourbon Barrel

It was a Benromac with peat and citrus elements.

The price is cheap so I thought I'd buy it again.

11th glass: Chichibu Red Wine Cask 2023

There was a long line, but if you participate in the Chichibu Whiskey Festival, you have to try Venture Whiskey, made by Chichibu Distillery.

It was a sweet and delicious bottle without any of the unpleasant elements of a red wine barrel.

12th cup: Chichibu Chibi Dal 13 years old

The photo is on the left.

I felt the banana element.

Lately, I feel like I've been hearing more and more banana elements in Japanese.

13th cup: Chichibu Chibi Dal 9 Years Heavy Peated

It's on the right in the photo above.

It was a bottle that had yellow fruits and peat.

14th cup: Komagatake Cask Sample

The photo is on the right.

I felt a nutty feeling and a fruity feeling in the second half.

Official has a persimmon element, but it is interesting that some single casks do not have a persimmon element.

15th cup: Tsunuki cask sample

It's on the left in the photo above.

I've been feeling bananas in Tsunuki lately.

16th cup: [Yamaoka-san seminar] Glenfarclas?

I will introduce them in order starting from the left side of the photo.

This time, I was able to make a reservation for Mr. Yamaoka's seminar to be held on the day of the event, so I will be attending it.

We were able to drink whiskey from the 70's, so we each got a precious glass.

Probably one with Glenfarclas.

I felt fruity, cinnamon, milky, and a little sour.

It feels like bourbon in color, but I was told that the correct answer is fino sherry.

17th cup: [Yamaoka-san seminar] Tomartin

I felt the elements of so-called real sherry, with dark sherry, coffee and chocolate notes.

18th Cup: [Yamaoka-san Seminar] Carse Bridge

Although it is a grain whiskey, I felt a little viscous sweetness.

I was told that it was probably Sherry Hogshead from the second fill.

19th Cup: [Yamaoka-san Seminar] Longmorn

A little gamey, apple, with some tropical fruit on the finish.

The distillery is unknown, probably Benriach, and there are elements of tropical fruit.

20th cup: [Yamaoka-san seminar] Ben Riach

It felt like a really tropical fruit.

This was one of the top 3 delicious things in my life.

21st Cup: [Yamaoka-san Seminar] Secret

This is one that will be released in the future.

This one also had some tropical fruit elements, but in the second half I felt a nutty and apple fruit element that was a little different from tropical fruit.

[Yamaoka Seminar] Impressions

We were told that the 60's whiskey is best and the 70's is still good.

The differences between the 1970s and after are related to floor malting, fermentation time, yeast used, real sherry, and distillation temperature and period.

There are some products that can no longer be legally used, such as real sherry, but the reason why the manufacturing methods of the 1960s and 70s are different from the modern manufacturing methods is that modern manufacturing methods are the result of seeking efficiency by shortening the manufacturing period.

For example, in the 1960s and 1970s, ale yeast was used, but it took a long time to ferment.

Distillery yeast is now used, which greatly reduces fermentation time.

If fermentation time can be shortened, production capacity can be increased.

It's not accurate to say that the flavor is compromised, but the complexity and fruity elements tend to be lost.

Speaking of fermentation time, I have heard that Glencadam shortened the fermentation time, which affected the taste, so they changed the fermentation time back.

I heard that the Dornoch I drank at the seminar yesterday was fermented for 7 days using ale yeast, and although it was aged for 5 years and is relatively short-ripened, it was delicious with a clear passion fruit element, so it made sense.

While seeking efficiency, some distilleries are going back to the past, such as by setting longer fermentation times or restarting floor malting, or by using ale yeast or real sherry.

It was a very educational seminar, as I realized that there are some things that are better for efficiency, and others that are better for taking more time and effort.

I don't think I can buy it anymore because it's too expensive, but I would like to try drinking something from the 60's or 70's sometime in the future.

Asaya store

I visited yesterday to cool down after the event, but...Asaya store” I visited again.

Asaya store

秩父の地酒とスコッチウイスキーの限定商品&ボトラーズを扱っております。ウイスキーの店頭量り売りや詰め替え（小分け）販売を行なっており、ECサイトにて日本全国に配送しております。

I heard some interesting things when I heard about them, so I bought some.

Boar soup

To cool down a bit, I had some boar soup at the Chichibu Gourmet Food Festival.

After that, I lined up for the Galapon lottery, but of course I didn't win. .

Now let's get back to the last spurt of the tasting.

23rd cup: Rudder Komagatake 2016-2023 7 years

I felt banana and ginger.

This one had a slightly different impression from the Komagatake I've had so far, but it was delicious.

24th cup: Shinanoya Shizuoka Non-Pete

The photo is on the right.

I could really taste the banana, and it had an impression similar to the Shizuoka from Whiskey Plus's private bottle that I previously purchased.

25th cup: Shinanoya Shizuoka Peated

It's on the left in the photo above.

Personally, I prefer non-peated Shizuoka.

Personally, I felt that the peat was too strong.

26th: Noto Charity Bottle Friendship Blended Friendship 36 Years

I felt a solid raisin sweetness.

I got the impression that Hibiki, Tsuru, etc. were upwardly compatible.

27th cup: Yamaga Cask Sample Non-peated

I feel that there is an element of plum in the way newborns like Niigata Kameda, Igawa, and Kusumi are being praised, and I think that is what has come out.

28th cup: Yamaga Cask Sample Peated

The peated one was nice, but I personally preferred the non-peated one.

29th cup: Kusumi Newborn Cask Sample

There was a grassiness that comes from its youth, but I also felt the woodiness of the sherry and barrel.

I'm sorry to leave you behind, but it's almost time for the tasting offer to end, so I'll leave the event.

Matsuri no Yu

After the event is over, you can go to the ``Seibu Chichibu Ekimae Onsen Matsuri no Yu” and sweat.

[Chichibu, Saitama] Seibu Chichibu Ekimae Onsen Matsuri no Yu [Visited February 2024]

『秩父ウイスキー祭2024』に参加した後、秩父を離れる前に汗を流すべく『西武秩父駅前温泉祭の湯』に立ち寄ります。サウナ施設というかスーパー銭湯ではあります。そして、名前の通り西武秩父駅の駅前というか、直結している好立地にあります。サ

Chichibu Reiwa Chamber of Commerce

I still had some time after my bath, so I decided to go to the "Chichibu Reiwa Chamber of CommerceI would like to ask Mr.

Chichibu Reiwa Whisky秩父令和商会公式ストア powered by BASE

秩父令和商会のウイスキー、ディアレットフィールド醸造所の蜂蜜酒ミードを中心に取り扱う秩父令和商会公式ストアです。

*It appears to be undergoing renovations from the end of March 2024.

I was able to come across this bottle, which I personally thought was the most delicious among the bottles released last year.

It tasted like peach juice and was really delicious.

going home

I was thinking of buying some souvenirs to take home at the end, but I was unable to buy them due to the wrong business hours. .

The Laview I had booked had already arrived, so I boarded it and left a short while later, leaving Chichibu behind.

In the end, I only had a light dinner, so I went to Ikebukuro and said,Ramen Butayama Ikebukuro West Exit” I stopped by.

[Tokyo, Ikebukuro] Ramen Butayama Ikebukuro West Exit — Dai Ramen, ¥1,000 [Visited February 2024]

本日は『秩父ウイスキー祭2024』というウイスキーイベントに参加しておりました。イベントも秩父も満喫し、西武秩父駅から特急ラビューに乗ること約80分。池袋駅に到着しました。ウイスキーなどなどお酒を飲んでいたことも相まって、乗車時間の8

It was past 10pm, but I ate a large bowl of ramen. .

I walked a lot, and this is also a salad, so it's probably low in calories. . (big lie)

Impressions of the event

As it is a traditional event, there was quite a lot of excitement.

I saw a few people from overseas as well, which shows how popular Japanese whiskey is.

While enjoying various delicious bottles, I also attended one seminar on Saturday and one on Sunday. I learned a lot and it was a very satisfying event.

Points to note ①: Ticket competition

The Chichibu Whiskey Festival is the only place where tickets are competitive, but tickets are always competitive.

I bought it at a pre-sale at a bar, but most bars sold out on the same day.

General sales sold out within 1 minute. .

There will also be competition for seminar tickets.

There will also be competition for hotels around Chichibu.

The competition seems to be getting more intense every year, so I think it's a very difficult event to participate in overall. .

Points to note ②: Too crowded

Honestly, I thought this event was too crowded. .

The last time it was held there were 2,500 people, and this time there will be 4,000 participants, an increase of 1,500 people.

The event venue itself had increased by one, a new large tent field, since last time, but I had the impression that the increase of 1,500 people was not enough to accommodate the increase.

On the day of the event, the temperature was high, and there was no air conditioning inside the tent, so it was like a light sauna when the venue had just opened or at peak times, which reminded me of last year's event in Yokohama. .

I'm not familiar with the geography of Chichibu, but if there's a large venue nearby, I'd like to hold it there, have more tents, or if I'd like, hold it for two days, or hold it in the summer instead of February.

However, many of the event staff are bartenders, so if the event is held for two days, there will be no sales from the bar on Saturdays and Sundays, which I think will be a pain.

I think it's a difficult problem, but I feel that something needs to be done about it.

Purchased product introduction

Now, I would like to introduce you to the items I purchased at this event.

First of all, if you participate, you will receive this strap and glass.

Point to note 3: There are many defective straps.

This time, I heard rumors that the straps are easy to break and that there are many defective products.

In fact, I've seen people break down right in front of me.

When I looked closely at my strap, I noticed that it was fraying at the seams. .

In this state, I think it will be difficult to reuse it at other events where glasses are not provided, so I will keep it as a memento.

1st one: AMAHAGAN

AMAHAGAN was sold by Nagahama Distillery for an event only.

This time it's White Port Cask.

There seems to be red and white port wine, so it's a white port wine barrel.

2nd bottle: Nagahama single malt

This is also a Nagahama single malt sold by Nagahama Distillery for an event only.

This time it's Sauternes Cask.

The shape of the bottle has changed from this time.

I buy it every time I go to an event, and I've accumulated quite a bit of both AMAHAGAN and Nagahama, so I'm planning on opening them up soon.

3rd: Glen Alahi 30 years old

That's all the items I bought at the event, and now I'll introduce the items I bought at Asaya Shoten sold by weight.

The image is on the left.

This is Glen Allahi 30 year batch 3.

This is one that was sold last year.

From the beginning, I had given up on the idea of buying it in a bottle, so I thought it would be nice to be able to drink it at a bar somewhere.

I am grateful for the purchase.

I'm really looking forward to Glen Alahi, as the longest bottle I've ever had is about 25 years.

4th: BBR Chichibu

It's in the middle of the image above.

This is a rare BBR Chichibu.

The barrels may or may not have been transported to BBR's aging warehouse, but they were then bottled and sent to Japan, so each bottle costs around 100,000 yen, including transportation costs.

I'm looking forward to this one because it gives me a taste of Chichibu.