Established in 1934, the Yoichi distillery’s coastal location on the northern island of Hokkaido was chosen by Masataka Taketsuru due to the climate there more closely resembling that of Scotland than any other area in Japan.
Taketusuru studied for many years in Scotland and brought his knowledge back to Japan, even featuring the likes of traditional coal fired stills in his distilleries.
The whisky has an earthy smokiness on the palate which balances delicately with oak spice and nutty characters. Soft fruit and a distinct coastal note make this is a robust savoury dram worth trying.
