Next up in our Whisky Ladies evening was a ‘quick trip to Japan!‘ (Pollywood)

Nikka ‘Yoichi’ 10 year (Whisky Lady)

Here’s what we found:

• Nose – Quite masculine at first, though fruity especially a strong apple cinnamon, like a mid-autumn cider. As it opened, became as American as apple pie… naturally with caramel and vanilla ice cream!
• Taste – Smooth, well-rounded, unmistakably an autumn dram, juniper, pine, apple, a drizzle of honey, a cognac-like quality
• Finish – Just a hint of spice at the end but overall smooooooth beyond belief! As it aired, even more character emerged.

We concluded this was like autumn in Vancouver… The kind of crisp fall day where you could go for a brisk hike in a tall deep forest then come back and reward yourself with a steaming hot, fresh-from-the-oven fruit pie!

Here’s what the Nikka folks say:

This 10 year old bottling unmistakably carries the Yoichi pedigree, which propelled Japanese whisky to international recognition. Peat notes surround a core of ripe fruit aromas, while a rich texture and underlying power make this the most masculine of Japanese single malts.

By now, most would be familiar with Japan’s popularity on the global whisky scene. Nikka‘s Yoichi distillery in Hokkaido was founded by Masataka Taketsuru in 1934.

The folks over at Nikka describe their distillery as one which :

…produces rich, peaty and masculine malt. The whisky gets its distinct aroma and body from direct heating distillation, in which the pot stills are heated with finely powdered natural coal–the traditional method that is hardly ever used today, even in Scotland.

The adherence to Scottish whisky making traditions is characteristic of the vision set by Taketsuru-San. Credited as the founder of Japanese whisky, Taketsuru studied chemistry and apprenticed at Hazelburn distillery in Scotland before bringing his love of whisky and bonnie Scottish wife – Jessie Roberta “Rita” Cowan – home to Japan in 1920. He built Suntory’s Yamasaki distillery, nurturing its development for a decade before venturing on to found the Nikka brand.

As for our inaugural Whisky Ladies evening?

One remarked it was “A trip around the world and a relationship all in one night!”

Other whiskies sampled during our rollicking session included:

• Compass Box’s Asyla
• Kilchoman Coull Point 
• Caol Ila 12 year
• Ledaig 1997 Island

Nikka ‘Yoichi’ 10 year (Table For One)

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