Miyagiko & Yoichi Grande

Yoichi was founded in 1934 by Mastaka Taketsuru, who is famous for travelling to Scotland in 1918 to study the art of whisky creation. After completing his contract with Yamazaki, he sought a new location and venture. He selected the current Yoichi site on the island of Hokkaido for its ideal conditions. Coastal influences are assisted by the surrounding mountains that offer a unique setting for whisky distillation. The stills were fired up in 1936 and production began that year. Its whisky was called Nikka and shortly afterwards the parent company also adopted this name. The distillery is well known for using coal-fired distillation; a practice that most Scotch distilleries have stopped. It is believed that this method is central to the character of the whisky and why it is retained. Today, its whiskies are highly prized, sought after and well worth experiencing given the opportunity