An age statement returned to Yoichi in 2022.

It was the first such release since 2015 — a gap of seven years.

That whisky was Yoichi Single Malt 10 Years Old.

Made entirely from Yoichi malt matured for at least ten years, it deepens the distillery’s signature combination of peat, weight and fruit.

Time has not softened Yoichi into something anonymous. Even after ten years, its power is still clearly there.

The Return of the “10 Years” Age Statement

Yoichi Single Malt 10 Years Old returned in 2022.

For Nikka, it marked the first age-stated Yoichi release since 2015.

The whisky was first launched in Hokkaido before a nationwide limited release, with 9,000 bottles announced for the domestic market in its year of return.

Age-stated whisky cannot simply be increased on demand. Every bottle depends on stocks that were laid down many years before anyone knows exactly how the future market will look.

The number “10” therefore represents not only age, but a decision made at least a decade earlier to keep and mature the spirit.

A Decade of Maturation Without Losing Yoichi’s Strength

Yoichi 10 Years Old is composed from malt whiskies matured for ten years or more.

Nikka’s official tasting notes describe ripe banana-like fruit, oak and a powerful, complex malt aroma.

On the palate, pear-like fruit is joined by a peaty, smoked character.

The finish is long, combining deep richness with the roasted character of peat.

Maturation brings sweetness and depth, but the whisky does not lose the structure for which Yoichi is known.

Rather than erasing the distillery character, time gives it greater depth.

Coal-Fired Distillation at Over 1,000°C

One of the defining features of Yoichi is its continued use of direct coal-fired distillation, a method that has become rare even internationally.

At Yoichi Distillery, craftsmen feed coal directly beneath the pot stills and continually adjust the fire by hand.

The base of the still can exceed 1,000°C.

This intense heat creates a controlled degree of charring, contributing to the roasted and complex character associated with Yoichi malt.

The stills also use straight heads with downward lyne arms.

Masataka Taketsuru adopted this approach from the Longmorn Distillery in Scotland, where he studied whisky production.

The result is a distillate that retains a broad range of flavour compounds and develops into a rich, powerful whisky.

Yoichi, the Place Taketsuru Chose in 1934

Yoichi Distillery was completed in 1934.

Masataka Taketsuru had returned from Scotland determined to make authentic whisky in Japan, and chose Yoichi for its cool maritime climate.

The Yoichi River provided water, the region was cold enough for slow maturation, and sea winds arrived from Ishikari Bay.

At the time, Hokkaido also offered access to barley, peat and coal — practical conditions that aligned with the style of whisky Taketsuru wanted to produce.

The character of Yoichi therefore comes from more than one production technique. It is tied to the place itself.

What “10 Years Old” Means in Yoichi

Age statements naturally draw attention to numbers.

With Yoichi 10, however, the more interesting question is what happens to a powerful coal-fired spirit after a decade in cask.

Fruit becomes sweeter, oak becomes more integrated, yet peat and roasted notes remain.

Yoichi 10 Years Old is where maturation and distillery character can be seen at the same time.

Yoichi Single Malt 10 Years Old

Hokkaido, Japan | Yoichi Distillery | Single Malt Japanese Whisky | Aged 10 Years or More | 700ml | 45% ABV

Aged for at least ten years, Yoichi 10 combines ripe banana and pear-like fruit with peat, smoke, roasted notes and a long, weighty finish.

Available at IMAMI

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