Salud debuts sixth Chichibu 7even Gods of Fortune
Dutch distributor Salud Spirits has revealed the penultimate single malt release in the Chichibu 7even Gods of Fortune collection: Daikokuten.
Introduced in 2022, the series will contain seven bottlings of Japanese Chichibu whisky, with the final edition due for release in 2025. Inspired by the seven gods of fortune worshipped in Japan since the Middle Ages, each bottling highlights a different god that generally represents good fortune but carries other associations. The sixth edition, Daikokuten, pays tribute to the god of commerce and prosperity. He is sometimes considered the patron of cooks, farmers and bankers, a protector of crops, and a demon hunter. Daikokuten is characterised by his smile, short legs and hat. He is usually depicted with a bag full of valuable objects. The heavily peated liquid was distilled in 2015 and aged for nine years in a second-fill Bourbon barrel, resulting in vanilla, orange, peach, peat smoke and spices on the palate. Bottled in 2024 at 61.9% ABV, the single barrel expression is limited to 187 bottles. The 7even Gods of Fortune series was created in partnership with Warbb, a fast-growing digital and NFT designer. His digital art is described as colourful, mixed with depth and nature. Robbin Snijders, designer and owner of Warbb, commented: “When I was approached by this wonderful whisky brand, I was immediately enthusiastic. It’s an honour to contribute to the total customer experience and, for me, it’s the ultimate way to bring my art to life. “I want to immerse the proud owner of this rare Chichibu bottle in a world I’ve created: the world of Warbb." Ichiro Akuto, the owner of the Chichibu distillery, is considered 'one of the most influential people in Japanese whisky', having operated his family’s Hanyu distillery until its closure in 2004 and managing the release of its remaining liquid since. He opened Chichibu in 2008. Akuto releases two single casks for Salud BV and Salud GmbH every year. The 7even Gods of Fortune is a project created by the Salud Holding Group, with previous releases including Ebisu, Hotei, Bishamonten, Benzaitan and Fukurokuju. Maurice van Vliet, CEO of Salud, said: "Everything about this project is special. We will celebrate the launch of this release with an exclusive dinner powered by Jermain de Rozario from Restaurant de Rozario in Helmond. "The dinner is accompanied by our amazing Japanese Chichibu and other special releases we will bring to the market in 2025. Even the Japanese ambassador to the Netherlands is part of this special occasion. It might be the last series that we will do – let's see. For now, we are enjoying every moment of it."
