Whisky: Yoichi 10 Year

Country/Region: Japan 

ABV: 45%

Nose: Salty sea spray and slightly funky parmesan cheese rind lead the way. There are hints of crushed black pepper and mustard seed, but this is the saltiest Japanese whisky I’ve ever encountered.

Palate: Metallic and smokey, it’s almost like a hint of hot iron. There is crispy burnt pie crust, bits of wood polish, and an undeniably savory yet sweet caramelized onion holding it together.

Finish: Medium to long briny metal polish.

Score : 6

Mental Image : An old weathered iron fence, hot to the touch, running along the beach on a warm summer’s day/ 

Something Better : Ledaig ~11y Cask Strength IB (thinking specifically of the 2005 Exclusive Malts Bottling) (More smokey cheese funk, savory/umami sea notes)

Something Similar : Nikka Yoichi NAS (sharper peat from the addition of younger malts, stronger iodine)

Something Worse : Rock Oyster NAS (similar salt, less funk, less complexity)

Notes : The wife and I were lucky to try this after discussing some of our favorite peaty malts with friends at the local Laphroaig Cairdeas release event. The opportunity to sample it came after my wife and I admitted we had never really found a Japanese whisky we absolutely loved (a unicorn Hanyu aside). For my wife, the problem is a fundamental one of style: she likes whiskies with hard edges and lots of layers. Her favorite way of putting it is “a whisky that punches you in the face.” She had tried Hakushu before based on the recommendation of local whisky enthusiasts who described it as ‘heavily peated’ and was disappointed when it reminded her more of a Balvenie than an Ardbeg. The Yoichi, we were told, would be a different experience and have far more of the maritime smoke notes that we prize.

The Yoichi was a pleasant surprise. It was very different than all of the other Japanese whiskies we had sampled, and it hit both the peat spot for her and the salty/iodine spot for me. The faint funk and maritime notes were complex and delicious. We subsequently compared it to some of the Yoichi distillery bottles ‘Peaty & Salty’ and ‘Sherry & Sweet.’ Each was better and more complex than the last and left us with one more excuse to visit Hokkaido. 

In the months since this tasting opportunity, we adopted our bottle of the Yoichi NAS from Duty-Free in Osaka. I think I might prefer the NAS a bit more for its more peat-forward profile. If I could buy the NAS bottle for the price I got it at Duty-Free (33.94), it would easily be a daily drinker…, especially compared to the $300+ tags I saw on the few Yoichi 10 bottles I came across during our last bit of travels. The Yoichi 10 was great; I am still in awe that our friend shared it with us, though I would like to think I would do the same. Whisky is made to be opened and shared among friends.