From Yoichi Distillery built in 1934 by the "father of the Japanese whisky industry" - Masataka Taketsuru - who studied the "art of whisky" at Glasgow University in 1918 and at Hazelburn Distillery, Campbeltown, Craigellachie Distillery, Speyside and Lagavulin Distillery, Islay. "Yoichi is not only a jewel in the Japanese whisky crown, there is the crown itself!" Jim Murray, Lademanns Whiskybog
Nose: Smoky, grilled bacon, eucalyptus and menthol. It develops with vanilla, citrus, fruit and honey.
Taste: It starts with licorice. Then comes notes of charred wood and caramel, a very smooth and elegant whisky.
Finish: Long, smooth and powerful, it finishes with charred wood and peat fire...
From the Yoichi Distillery built in 1934 by the "father of the Japanese whisky industry" - Masataka Taketsuru - who studied the "art of whisky" at Glasgow University in 1918 and at Hazelburn Distillery, Campbeltown, Craigellachie Distillery, Speyside and Lagavulin Distillery, Islay. So it's no wonder that the Yoichi malt is quite smoky in flavor. And even though Taketsuru died in 1979, Nikka Distillers has preserved his ideas about malt production and flavor.
He worked for Suntory but when they weren't interested in building a malt whisky distillery in Japan, he did it himself. He found the perfect location on the island of Hokkaido. Near the winter sports city of Sapporo - the distillery is located. With very long cold winters - it's not unusual to see snow on the barrels in the warehouses. A perfect climate for whisky production. "The best distillery in all of Asia", as Jim Murray writes in Lademann's Whiskybog.
Yoichi Distillery is surrounded by mountains on 3 sides and the 4th side faces the Sea of Japan. Only 70 kilometers away is an active volcano. If you have the chance, read Jim Murray's entire article in Lademanns whiskybog (pages 206-207) - rarely has a distillery and its malt been so highly recommended. But we'll just quote a few snippets:
"The malt is like a northern highlander, with a hint of fruit here and spice there. It is sold in Japan as a 10-year-old. Here the peat has been increased slightly and the balance is as close to perfect as you could wish for: there are hints of apples, raisins and grass on the nose, while the sweetness on the palate intensifies, leaving malt and peat to fight for the finish. This is a better balanced whisky than the massive 12 year old, a whisky where the peat needs to be cut while it's still in the glass and the malt and toffee add weight. Both whiskies are truly excellent - malts that confidently show their character in full measure."Yoichi
