Yoichi 15yo: Great Nose, Disappointing Finish
The 15 year old Yoichi is the first whisky that I tasted blind. I liked it and thought it was a Highland Park. It really reminded me of a 1987 Highland Park by Gordon & MacPhail. I’ve had it a couple of times since and no longer agree with my first rating for this whisky, which was 81. Not an exceptional score, but a good dram nonetheless. Now I believe it is actually a bit better than that first impression, which is something that happens to me quite often. In my case, first impressions aren’t always the best impressions. And that’s why it’s important to (if you have the opportunity) taste a whisky at least twice before forming your opinion.
Nose: Some green grapes, apple and quite some vanilla. Also a hint of smoke. Also some hay, wood dust and a bit of caramel. It really is a lovely nose.
Taste: A bit salty to start, maybe too much, but it does get more mild. It has a very warm and creamy mouthfeel. It is bottled at 45 per cent abv, but it tastes like it should be above 50. There is also plenty of spiciness.
Finish: A medium finish with again the tiniest bit smoke. Not the best of finishes.
Rating: 84
It’s still in that good but not great category for me. A better finish might have lifted it 2 or 3 more points.
Photo: Wikimedia/Cereales Killer
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.
Nice blog! In my opinion it’s quite normal that a first and a second tasting differ. If the mood is different, the weather has changed or even if you caught a small cold it really makes a big difference.
I’m a fan of Japanese Whisky. I’ve tasted some nice Hakushu and Yamazaki. I’d like to taste this Yoichi as well.