Nikka Yoichi 20 Years

This one comes in quite small batches so if you find one make sure you grab it!

Its one of my all time favorites, very special and very japanese.. Kinda hard to put it right but if you have tasted Yoichi 10yo. and liked it this will feel like an punch to the face. So many flavours and complexity i dont really feel i can give an straight review of it but ill scratch down a few notes

To put it short.. You like Yoichi? Of course you do.. You like a little peat? Sure who dont? Sherry? We all know sherry and peat marry themself together pretty damn well. We have some ginger, pepper, smoked salmon, plums, herbs.. It sounds like a complete mash of random flavours but it just melts together and create something completely fantastic!

Perhaps Serge from Whiskyfun can explain it better then me. He is one of the few journalist i trust and dont feel bribed like some others…..

“This should be excellent…

Nose: amazingly original at first nosing, starting on old kelp, oysters, fishmonger’s… Also tar, diesel oil, well hung pheasant. All that settles down then and we get more ‘regular’ nuts, cigar box, leather, caramel crème and vanilla – and let’s not forget the spices (curry, lots of cinnamon)… A fantastic and unusual profile.

Mouth: bold, ample, spicy attack, with a great sourness (small apples, grape skin). Gets quite acrid but that’s great in this context. Superb sharpness. Develops on ‘genuine’ liquorice, something varnishy, tea, notes of Fino (flor, old walnuts). Hints of kiwi and green apples. Beautiful and highly original.

Long finish mostly on fresh apples and cinnamon… I love it, I think it’s a masterpiece. 91 points.”

http://www.whiskyfun.com/archivedecember06-2.html#281206 ( scroll down )

Here we see how different our notes are and the tastes we can find. Like always, remember its all very personal!