Released as part of the Nikka Discovery series in the latter half of 2021, this expression is a Japanese single malt from the Yoichi Distillery made exclusively with unpeated malts. You'll usually find a good helping of smoky elements in Yoichi's whiskies, so this ought to be a fascinating experience for Japanese whisky fans.

VOL 70cl

ABV 47%

Nose: Refined and balanced. Staying close to its foundations of malted barley, the first nose also reveals aromas of fruit and acacia honey. Becoming increasingly exotic, it then develops a nobly spicy and herbaceous register. Little by little, medicinal notes delicately cover the aromatic palette.

Palate: Taut and lively. Citrus fruits initially bring a lot of energy to the first impression in the mouth. This lively start is then followed by a beautiful vanilla and almost roasted sequence, the richness of which highlights the incredible balance of sweet and savoury flavours. A particularly mouth-watering bitterness completes the picture.

Finish: Long and rich. Like the first nose, the start of the finish focuses on malted barley. Aniseed, vegetal and creamy flavours gradually spread across the sides of the palate. On the retronasal olfaction, a handful of nuts and juicy fruits bring pleasing length to the very end of the palate. The empty glass is malty and spicy.