Yoichi distillery

Yoichi Distillery is a Japanese whisky distillery located in Yoichi, Hokkaido, Japan. It was established in 1934 by Masataka Taketsuru, a pioneer in the Japanese whisky industry.

History

Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Yoichi Distillery, was born into a family of sake brewers in Hiroshima. He studied organic chemistry at the University of Glasgow and apprenticed at several Scotch whisky distilleries. Upon his return to Japan, he joined the Kotobukiya company (now known as Suntory) and helped establish their Yamazaki Distillery. However, Taketsuru believed that the climate and terrain of Yoichi, Hokkaido were more similar to those of Scotland and would therefore be ideal for whisky production. He left Kotobukiya in 1934 to establish the Yoichi Distillery.

Production

Yoichi Distillery is known for its traditional production methods. The distillery uses direct coal-fired distillation, a method rarely used in modern whisky production due to its labor-intensive nature. This method gives the whisky a distinctive, robust character. The distillery also uses a variety of cask types for maturation, including American oak, sherry, and locally sourced Mizunara oak casks.

Products

Yoichi Distillery produces a range of single malt whiskies. The core range includes the Yoichi Single Malt, a no-age-statement whisky that showcases the distillery's signature peaty, maritime character. Limited editions and aged expressions are also released periodically.

Awards

Yoichi whiskies have received numerous awards at international spirits competitions. Notably, the Yoichi 20 Year Old was named the "Best Single Malt Whisky in the World" at the 2008 World Whiskies Awards.

In popular culture

The story of Masataka Taketsuru and the founding of Yoichi Distillery was dramatized in the NHK television series Massan, which aired in Japan from 2014 to 2015.

See also

• Japanese whisky
• Nikka Whisky Distilling
• Masataka Taketsuru
• Suntory