Yoichi 10 ans NAS Suntory ancien

La distillerie

Yoichi — Hokkaido’s Coal-Fired Pioneer

Founded in 1934 by Masataka Taketsuru—the father of Japanese whisky—Yoichi Distillery sits on the rugged coast of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island. Taketsuru chose this location for its maritime climate and cool temperatures, conditions he believed mirrored those of Scotland’s whisky heartlands where he trained. Yoichi remains one of the few distilleries in the world to employ direct coal-fired pot stills, a labour-intensive method that imparts a distinctive robust, peaty character to the spirit. The distillery’s proximity to the sea adds a subtle mineral salinity that underpins its house style.

Yoichi built its reputation on heavily peated single malts at a time when Japanese whisky favoured lighter, more delicate profiles. The distillery’s 10-year-old expression, now discontinued as an age-stated release, remains a benchmark of the classic Yoichi character—bold, maritime, and structured. Bottles from the pre-2016 era, before Nikka ceased age-statement releases due to stock shortages, have become increasingly sought after by collectors who prize the transparency and consistency of declared maturation.

Cette expression

A Discontinued Age-Statement from the Coal-Fired Era

This is an older bottling of Yoichi 10 Year Old, released before Nikka discontinued its age-stated core range in 2016. The “NAS Suntory ancien/old” designation in the product name indicates this is a pre-reform bottle from the period when Yoichi 10 was still a staple of the distillery’s lineup. These earlier releases carry the full weight of Yoichi’s coal-fired distillation method and decade-long maturation in a combination of sherry, bourbon, and refill casks. The expression represents a transparent, age-declared window into the distillery’s robust coastal style before allocation pressures forced the shift to non-age-statement releases.

Profil de dégustation

Provenance et authentification

Wines & Spirits SA sources all Japanese whisky directly from a curated network of over 50 certified suppliers in Japan and Europe, ensuring full traceability and authenticity on every bottle. This Yoichi 10 Year Old is stored in our climate-controlled facility in Switzerland, maintained at a constant 14°C and 70% relative humidity with 24/7 monitoring to preserve its integrity. As discontinued age-statement releases become increasingly targeted by counterfeiters, our provenance guarantee and authenticated supply chain provide essential peace of mind for collectors acquiring bottles from the pre-2016 era.

Contexte du collecteur

The End of Age-Statement Yoichi

Nikka’s decision in 2016 to discontinue all age-statement releases—including Yoichi 10, 12, and 15—marked a watershed moment in Japanese whisky. Soaring global demand had depleted aged stocks to unsustainable levels, forcing the distillery to prioritise its non-age-statement core range. Since then, older bottlings of Yoichi 10 have appreciated steadily at auction, with some pre-2015 releases commanding multiples of their original retail price. This expression represents a tangible link to the era when transparency and declared maturation were the norm, making it a meaningful acquisition for collectors documenting the evolution of Japanese whisky’s market dynamics.

Service et plaisir

Serve this Yoichi 10 neat in a tulip glass to appreciate its layered aromatic complexity and robust palate. Allow the whisky to rest for five to ten minutes after pouring—the aeration softens the smoke and reveals underlying fruit and spice notes. This is an ideal dram for contemplative evenings, pairing beautifully with dark chocolate, aged hard cheeses, or simply enjoyed alongside quiet reflection on the coal-fired craft that defined an era of Japanese whisky.

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