YOICHI DISTILLERY

The Yoichi Distillery, founded in 1934, was the first distillery of NIKKA WHISKY. Masataka Taketsuru established it as his ideal whisky-making location, seeking an environment similar to that of Scotland, with a cool climate, crisp air, and fresh water resources. After a long search across Japan, he finally found Yoichi, Hokkaido, which provided all the natural qualities needed to make his ideal authentic whisky.

Located at the base of the Shakotan Peninsula and surrounded by mountains on three sides, Yoichi faces the Sea of Japan. Snowfall during winter melts into the Yoichi River in the spring, becoming water that serves as the base for the distillery's whisky. The chilly climate throughout the year allows for a slow maturation process, while moist, crisp air from sea breeze and river fog provides ideal conditions for aging whisky in barrels. The Yoichi River, home to fish like ayu and salmon, is an essential water source for distilling.

In addition, the location used to be abundant in barley and peat for the malt whiskies, as well as coal from the Ishikari Plain. It is said that Yoichi’s malt has a slight scent of the sea, a flavour possibly imbued from the coastal winds blowing from the Ishikari Bay.

Environment surrounding the distillery is strongly reflected in the whisky. Everything from the equipment, production methods, craftsmanship, are all reflected in the characteristics of the whisky. The pot still at Yoichi Distillery is a straight-head type, with the lyne arm pointing downwards, and traditional direct coal-fire distillation is used. This is the same production method as the Longmorn Distillery where Masataka studied. This distillation process retains various flavours other than alcohol, resulting in a complex and rich flavour. With the pot still having a bottom temperature of over 1,000 °C, this creates a unique aroma when the coal is properly charred. Due to requiring a skilled technique to adjust the amount of coal burned to maintain the proper heat, this distillation method is rarely seen in the world today.

Yoichi malt, made with coal-fire distillation, is known for its bold and heavy flavour profile. Even when aged in new barrels, which often imparts distinct woody and vanilla notes, Yoichi malt retains its inherent richness and depth. Whether blended with grain whisky or combined with other malts, Yoichi malt serves as the core for creating rich, complex whiskies. One of the key malt whisky (heavy-peat) has become a traditional signature from Yoichi Distillery.

Traditionally in Scotland, whisky distilleries and barrel-making factories operated separately. However, in Japan, the companies had to make its own barrels. When Masataka Taketsuru began whisky production in Yoichi, he invited skilled coopers that had expertise in making beer barrels, to create whisky barrels. These craftsmen experimented until they produced high-quality barrels that met Taketsuru’s standards, laying the foundation for NIKKA WHISKY’s cooping techniques. Masataka often encouraged the coopers “I’ll make great whisky, you make great barrels.”

This refined cooping expertise, nurtured at Yoichi, would later be passed on to the Miyagikyo Distillery and the Tochigi factory, inheriting the traditions.