Yoichi 10yo

Time for the Yoichi 10, one of the many, many discontinued age statement whiskies from Nikka. They really did shock the whisky world when earlier this year Nikka announced the discontinuation of their entire single malt whisky line-up. While prices of both Yoichi and Miyagikyo were rising before that as part of the Japanese whisky boom, after that shocking revelation they really skyrocketed. There’s not many places left where you can find the 10yo for less than 100 euro.

Yoichi 10yo (45%, OB)

Nose: Earthy. Wood polish and sandal wood. Lightly spiced (all spice, cinnamon) and in the background a thin layer a barbecue smoke. Fruity, but not overly so. Apples and apricots.
Taste: Fairly peaty and smoky (wood) actually, much more than the nose suggests. Pretty big and powerful, I didn’t see that coming. Some sweeter flavours appear now. A hint of brown sugar and honey, and some dried red fruits.
Finish: Smoky and sweet.

Rating: 85

I’m impressed. A good whisky, especially considering this is an entry level malt, even though you won’t be able to find it anymore for entry level prices.

Thijs Klaverstijn

Thijs is a spirits writer and accredited liquorist from The Netherlands. He runs the blog Words of Whisky and contributes to a number of Dutch and international publications.

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