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 (#112112) distilled in 1986 and bottled at cask strength in 2008. In the 2000s and the first half of the 2010s, at a time when Japanese whisky was still little known outside of the country, Nikka released many single casks, notably for La Maison du Whisky. This era came to a close in around 2014 when the standard range of whiskies with age statements was replaced by NAS versions and these special editions. These older bottlings are now highly prized by collectors and enthusiasts.