Japan, Hokkaido. Distillery operational. Owner: Nikka

Whisky Distilling (Asahi)Founded in 1934 by Masataka Taketsuru in the south-west of the island of Hokkaido in the fishing village from which it takes its name, Yoichi caused quite a stir when, in 2001, its 62.2% 10 Year Old was named “Best Single Malt in the World” by a panel formed primarily of journalists and professionals from the Scotch whisky industry. Since then, the ongoing stream of Japanese whiskies has continued to chip away at the assumed supremacy of Scottish, Irish and American whiskies in the international scene. Yoichi has played a particularly active role in this phenomenon, releasing numerous exclusive versions of its malt, including Yoichi 20 Year Old 1987, 55%; Yoichi 25 Year Old 1988, 62% and Yoichi 35 Year Old.

A single cask Yoichi (#228375) distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2010 after maturation in a remade bourbon cask to mark the 10th anniversary of the Whisky Live event held that year in London. The cask was selected by Whisky Magazine journalist Dave Broom, author of the wonderful book on Japanese whisky, The Way of Whisky: A Journey around Japanese Whisky. Up until the mid-2010s, Nikka regularly released limited editions and single casks. This habit was lost over time due to the rising popularity of Japanese whisky grew and the pressure placed on stocks by this new international demand. In 2015, the range’’s aged versions where replaced with No Age Statement bottlings and special editions became drastically more rare.