This month’s whisky reviews have all been of the three “recipe” malts sold in Yoichi’s distillery shop—you can read these reviews here, here and here. These malts, all of which I quite enjoyed—are used in the making of Nikka’s blends. It’s been interesting to taste them on their own but, of course, there was no way this series was not going to end with my making a few blends of my own. Keep in mind that while my vattings of the three still result in single malt whisky (100% malt whisky from the same distillery), Nikka blends these with grain whisky to produce their blended whiskies. In other words, I am at no risk of accidentally reverse engineering one of Nikka’s blends. And, of course, I did not purchase the corresponding three bottle set from Nikka’s other malt distillery, Miyagikyo. Though I suppose Yoichi’s current NAS single malt whisky probably is a vatting of at least these three components, diluted down to 45%. So maybe my fooling around is not entirely of a different kind from the distillery’s own activity? Anyway, I have three experiments for you below. The first comprises equal parts of the Woody & Vanillic, Peaty & Salty and Sherry & Sweet. The other two emphasize either the Sherry & Sweet or the Peaty & Salty. Continue reading
Category Archives: Yoichi
Yoichi “Sherry & Sweet”
Here is the third of the three NAS Yoichi malts that I purchased at the distillery. Together with the previously reviewed Woody & Vanillic and the Peaty & Salty, this Sherry & Sweet is one of three forms of Yoichi’s distillate that are used in Nikka’s blends. I rather liked the other two despite their lack of age and am curious to see what I make of this one. Let’s get right to it.
Yoichi “Sherry & Sweet” (55%; from my own bottle)
Nose: There’s some young oak but there’s also a lot of raisiny sherry. On the second sniff there’s some pencil lead and some dried apricot and some orange peel. A few drops of water push the oak and pencil lead back and pull out notes of toffee and cream.
Palate: Comes in with the raisins and the dried apricot and orange peel leading the way; a bit of tannic bite as I swallow. Very approachable at full strength; rich texture. More citrus with water and the tannic note disappears. Continue reading
Yoichi “Peaty & Salty”
I’ve previously reviewed a whisky from Yoichi called “Peaty & Salty” but this is not a re-review or a review of another iteration of that one. Or maybe it is a review of another iteration. That previous review was of a 12 yo “Peaty & Salty” from what Nikka then called their Key Malts—the component malts that were used to compose their blends. Stocks of aged whisky in Japan dropped dramatically after that and age statements disappeared from almost all official distillery releases (Yoichi’s classic 15 yo is yet to be revived). As to whether the current Yoichi component malts being sold at the distillery (which is where I acquired a set of three this past June) is otherwise made just as the 12 yo used to be, I don’t know. And, of course, I do not know how old this current release is. I can say that I rather liked the current NAS “Woody & Vanillic” (which I reviewed last week). And having liked the 12 yo incarnation of “Peaty & Salty” a lot back in 2019 (my review is here), I have high hopes for this one as well. Let’s see if they’re repaid in kind. Continue reading
Yoichi “Woody & Vanillic”
Last month’s whisky reviews had a south coast of Islay theme (two Laphroaigs, a Lagavulin, and an Ardbeg). This was not planned. This month’s whisky reviews also have a theme; this time it’s planned. That theme is Yoichi Key Malts. Well, I don’t think these are actually called Key Malts anymore. But let me back up.
Once upon a time Nikka’s Yoichi distillery put out a flagship 15 yo whisky. This was an excellent whisky. At that time Nikka also bottled as distillery exclusives, at both Yoichi and their other distillery, Miyagikyo, the so-called Key Malts. These were 12 years old and comprised the component malts used in the vatting of Nikka’s mainline blends—I reviewed the 12 yo version of the Peaty & Salty back in 2019. The Yoichi 15 was discontinued a while ago, of course, as stocks of aged whisky were depleted. The component malts are still sold at the distillery in 500 ml bottles, but they’ve also lost their age statements and the Key Malts name. Nonetheless, when I was at the Yoichi distillery briefly in June I couldn’t resist buying the set of three Yoichi component malts anyway and I’m happy to say they survived the journey from first Hokkaido to Tokyo and then Tokyo to Minnesota. Starting with the Woody & Vanillic, I’ll be reviewing all three this month. The Peaty & Salty will be next and then the Sherry & Sweet. For my final booze post of the month I’ll post the results of my own blending experiments with these whiskies. I’m going to try them in different ratios and see which I like best. Okay, let’s get the series started! Continue reading
Yoichi 26, 1987 (SMWS)
Okay, let’s make it three full weeks in a row of reviews of peated whiskies. Like Monday’s Ardmore and Wednesday’s Brora this does not feature full-throated Islay-level peat. In fact, it’s not from the Highlands or even Scotland. But it’s from a distillery whose whisky these days is as scarce as Brora’s: Yoichi, all the way from Hokkaido in Japan. Bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, this is easily the oldest Yoichi I’ve had—and it’s another sample that I have sat on for a really long time, for no reason that I can determine. I really liked the last 1987 I had (this 23 yo bottled by La Maison Du Whisky) and am hoping that this will be at least as good. The only thing giving me pause is that it was matured in a virgin oak puncheon: 26 years in virgin oak (if this wasn’t a finish) seems like a really long time. My suspicions of of the last virgin oak cask I reviewed (this Glendronach) were proved accurate and this one spent a decade and a half more in the cask. Let’s see if it somehow escaped the curse of over-active oak. Continue reading
Yoichi 12, “Peaty and Salty”
Peat week continues. Yesterday I had Batch 010 of the Laphroaig 10 CS. Today’s malt is 2 years older but was never as easily to hand as any iteration of Laphroaig 10 CS. I could be wrong but I believe this was only ever available at the Yoichi distillery; and as that’s on Hokkaido you’d have to be very dedicated to get to it. I have never been to Japan (except in transit), leave alone to Hokkaido and I did not get this at auction either (which is probably the only other place to find it now). I got it via a sample swap some years ago with a fellow whisky geek who had indeed made the journey to Hokkaido. I believe this and a number of others were made available at the distillery as so-called “key malts”, components that went into Nikka’s signature blends—others included “Sherry & Sweet” and “Woody & Vanilla”. I’ve reviewed a number of the other hard-to-get Yoichis I acquired in that sample swap but somehow forgot all about this one. I took the sample with me to Lake Superior earlier this month. I’d hoped to drink it on the rocks by the lake but the mosquitoes made short work of that fantasy. I drank it inside the cabin instead, looking at the lake through a window. Please construct your own metapor. Continue reading
Yoichi 5, Genshu Single Cask 406182
I reviewed a Japanese restaurant yesterday and will have a review of another Japanese restaurant tomorrow. Here in between, therefore, is a review of a Japanese whisky. This marks a dramatic return to my usual practice of pointless reviews (from the perspective of people looking for buying guides): not only is this Yoichi single cask no longer available, it was only ever available at the shop at the distillery—meaning you’d not only had to have gone to Japan to be able to buy it, you’d had to have gone to Hokkaido. I did neither of these things. This sample came to me through a swap, a couple of years ago, with a generous fellow whisky geek—he was also the source of the other Genshu casks I’ve reviewed: a 10 yo, a 15 yo and a 20 yo. I think these were all 500 ml bottles and that the full name of the series is “Taradeshi Genshu”. Who or what that refers to, I’m not sure, and the internet is not being of much help. If you know, please write in below. Continue reading
Yoichi 20, Genshu Single Cask 100126
On Monday I reviewed the (now discontinued) Yoichi 20, which used to be part of the distillery’s core range. Here now is another Yoichi 20, this a so-called Genshu single cask, a series that, as I understand its, used to be/is only available at the distillery and at select bars in Japan. I’ve previously reviewed a 10 yo single cask, and also a 15 yo, in this series and have a sample of a 5 yo waiting in the wings as well. Well, let’s see how this one compares to the regular 20 yo.
Yoichi 20, Genshu Single Cask 100126 (60%; from a sample received in a swap)
Nose: Quite a bit peatier than the regular 20 yo: phenolic notes waft up through the sherry. The sherry is much richer and fruiter too (apricot, orange peel); some leather and brine and cured ham below that along with some pencil lead and just a hint of savoury gunpowder. Far less oak than in the other. After a couple of minutes there’s some toffee and a bit of maple syrup. Water knocks back the smoke and pulls out more toffee and fruit (some plum now with the apricot); some slightly dusty oak too now. Not much change with the added drops of water.
Yoichi 20
The Yoichi 20 used to be the oldest malt in the distillery’s core range. I say “used to be” because it has been discontinued (and it never made it to the US). As you are probably aware, there is a tremendous shortage of aged Japanese whisky. Between declining stocks and sharply rising prices, quality aged Japanese whisky is more and more out of the reach of regular drinkers. Which is not to say that the Yoichi 20 was ever affordable. Even four years ago it was well north of $200 for a bottle. Keep in mind that at that time you could still find the Yamazaki 18 in the neighbourhood of $100. This is probably due to the fact that in 2008 a 1987 vintage edition of the Yoichi 20 won a major award, right around the time that Japanese whisky began to become hot. Pretty much every release since has received rave reviews, though it’s not always easy to tell non-vintage releases apart*. Anyway, I’ve long wanted to try it and am glad to be able to through a sample swap. Continue reading
Yoichi 10, Genshu Single Cask 407481
I don’t have very much experience with Yoichi. The few that I have reviewed are the only ones I’ve had. I do have a few more on hand thanks to some sample swaps and my experience will have doubled or tripled in the next month. One of the three that I have reviewed was another of these “Genshu” single casks, a 15 yo—I believe this series of single casks is only available at the distillery (and heartfelt thanks again to Gimmeadram who was generous enough to share a number of samples from the bottles he got on his visit there). I found that 15 yo single cask to be a bit of a departure from the regular release 15 yo. As I’ve not had any other younger Yoichi I’m not in a position to compare this 10 yo Genshu cask to anything else. I did want to get to it though before tasting the older ones I have on tap for either later this month or in July.
Anyway, let’s get to it.
Yoichi 15, “Genshu” Single Cask 412195
I don’t really know too much about this whisky. I believe it’s available only at the distillery (and considering Yoichi is on Hokkaido, that’s a bit out of the way for regular visitors to Japan). It is said to be both a single cask and a vatting so there might be some Glendronach-style shenanigans going on. Anyway, that’s enough non-information for me. On to the whisky!
Yoichi 15, “Genshu” Single Cask (59%; cask #412195; from a sample received in a swap)
Nose: Raisins, dark rum, mild caramel, some cola concentrate. Dried tangerine peel comes up from under followed by some salt and some savoury notes (a wisp of gunpowder, salted nuts, ham) and some graphite. Textbook heavily sherried whisky with nothing tannic about it. With more time the citrus expands quite a bit. With water the salt expands (salted nuts) and it brightens up in general. Then sweeter, richer fruit starts appearing on the nose—cherry and plum at first and then some apricot jam. And after a bit it’s as though that sticky fruit’s been applied as a glaze on some roast pork. Continue reading
Yoichi 15
This Yoichi 15 (now in the US, albeit not at a friendly price) is a bottle that I plan to follow over its life on the blog. This first review is from a freshly opened bottle (the very first pour, in fact). I will follow up after the bottle’s been open for some time and drunk down a bit, then at the halfway point, and then a couple more times before the end. I expect it will take me more than a year to finish the bottle. If changes are not significant I will merely add notes in the comments to this review. If a full review seems warranted I will post one. In such a case the new review(s) should not be viewed as a correction or replacement of this one but merely as another iteration.
Yoichi 15 (45%; from my own bottle)
Nose: Starts out with salt and some minerally, very slightly gunpowdery smoke. Some polished wood below that with salted nuts and sweeter notes (plum sauce, apricots). After a bit there’s a peppery, olive oily note as well but as it sits it becomes all about the fruit, with citrus (orange) joining the party late. Continue reading
Yoichi 23, 1987, Cask 112814
The run of reviews of sherried whiskies continues but with this Yoichi single cask I also begin a mini-run of Japanese whiskies.
Nikka and Suntory are the heavyweights in the Japanese whisky industry. And Yoichi is to the Nikka stable of distilleries/brands what Yamazaki is to Suntory’s: the featured player. In the last year a few of Nikka’s whiskies finally made it to the US market: the excellent Yoichi 15 and the vatted malt, Taketsuru 12. Very recently, a few more have joined that initial pair: Taketsuru 17 and 21 (a review of an earlier iteration of the latter is coming soon), a 12 yo from Miyagikyou, Nikka’s other malt distillery and a single grain. The pricing on all of these, unfortunately, has not been recession-friendly. I shudder to think of what we would be asked to pay for the more prized Yoichi single casks such as the one I am reviewing today. This was bottled in 2010 by the famous French store/importer La Maison du Whisky. Continue reading