Japan Archives - More Drams, Less Drama

Four Yoichi: Single Malt, Grande, 12-year-old Sherry & Sweet and 20-year-old

Yoichi Single Malt / Grande / 12yo Sherry & Sweet / 20yo

6th July 20266th July 2026Coldorak

Yoichi is one of those distilleries we keep coming back to, not out of duty but out of sheer affection. There is something about that coastal peat, the old‑school direct coal firing, and the quietly uncompromising house style that makes even a simple line‑up feel like a mini‑masterclass in what a Japanese single malt can be when it leans into its roots rather than chasing trends. In this session, we are looking at three expressions that map out very different phases of Yoichi’s story: the Yoichi Single Malt, the Grande, the 12‑year‑old Sherry & Sweet, and the venerable 20‑year‑old.

If you have followed our previous Yoichi coverage, you will know we have already spent time with several distillery exclusives and the NAS trio that effectively stepped into the space once occupied by the 12-year-old Sherry & Sweet and its two siblings (the woody and vanillic, and the peaty and salty). This new line‑up lets us reconnect with that lost benchmark, place it alongside a more contemporary ‘Grande’ interpretation, and then look up toward the long‑aged 20-year-old as a sort of North Star for mature Yoichi character. Taken together, these three whiskies should give us a useful snapshot of how the distillery’s profile stretches from youthful, cask‑forward charm to fully developed, time‑polished depth – and why, after all these reviews, Yoichi still feels like a distillery we haven’t finished exploring.

Go (Five) Hibiki

17th June 202616th June 2026Coldorak

Suntory Hibiki has come to represent the polished, expressive side of Japanese whisky, and this lineup of five bottles shows how Suntory kept the name alive as aged stock became harder to find. With four no-age-statement releases and only one age-stated bottling, the 17-year-old, today’s lineup also reflects the wider pressure the Japanese whisky industry faced in the 2010s as mature distillate was depleted and producers had to rethink what their flagship blends and single malts could be.

Suntory’s answer was to lean into blending skill and house style rather than rely only on age statements, and Hibiki became one of the clearest examples of that shift. This review looks at how those expressions differ, what they reveal about the brand’s approach, and how Hibiki adapted when older stocks were no longer available in the volumes the category had once depended on.

Shizuoka Prologue W & Prologue K

15th August 202515th August 2025Coldorak

Earlier this year, we first encountered the young Japanese distillery Shizuoka when we reviewed the Shizuoka Contact S and United S. As I explained then, Shizuoka uses two unique stills: one originates from the closed and famous Karuizawa distillery, and the other is a wood-fired direct heat still. Now, we look back at their early years by reviewing their first releases from each of these stills: the Shizuoka Prologue W and Prologue K.

Nikka Yoichi Non Peated Miyagikyo Peated

Yoichi Non Peated & Miyagikyo Peated (2021)

21st May 202520th May 2025Coldorak

The Nikka Whisky Discovery range comprised a series of whiskies released over three years, from 2021 to 2023, offering fresh interpretations of Nikka’s classic expressions. Nikka launched limited editions that focused on exploring specific components of their whiskies and their aromatic impact. The first edition delved into the influence of peat, featuring a Yoichi Non Peated (unusual for this typically peated distillery) and a Miyagikyo Peated (a departure from their usual unpeated style). The second edition, released in 2022, highlighted the role of yeasts, with both Yoichi and Miyagikyo using a different ’Aromatic’ yeast for fermentation. Finally, the last release showcased grain whiskies by combining the expertise of four distilleries, including one closed for 25 years, resulting in Nikka The Grain, a blended grain whisky using various grains from these distilleries. These whiskies were launched in anticipation of Nikka’s 90th Anniversary, which happened in 2024, and was celebrated with the Nikka Nine Decades. Today, we will review the first two releases: the Yoichi Non Peated and the Miyagikyo Peated, launched on the 28th of September 2021.

Shizuoka Contact S & United S

7th February 20255th November 2025Coldorak

Founded in 2016 by Taiko Nakamura under Gaia Flow, the Shizuoka Whisky Distillery has quickly made a name for itself in Japan’s craft whisky scene. Nestled in the mountainous Tamagawa region of Shizuoka Prefecture near Mount Fuji, the distillery blends innovation with a deep respect for local resources. Its architecture seamlessly integrates modern design with natural elements, embodying Nakamura’s vision of a distillery rooted in both tradition and forward-thinking experimentation.

A key highlight is its use of two historic pot stills: one salvaged from the legendary Karuizawa Distillery and the world’s only wood-fired direct heat still, fuelled by locally sourced timber. This unique setup enables Shizuoka to craft distinctive spirit styles, often blended in releases like Contact S. The distillery is committed to using 100% local ingredients, including Shizuoka-grown barley, a proprietary yeast strain (NMZ-0688), and pure water from an on-site well fed by underground rivers.

Maturation is accelerated by the region’s significant temperature swings, with ex-bourbon barrels playing a primary role. Shizuoka’s debut single malts, Prologue K (distilled in the Karuizawa still) and Prologue W (from the wood-fired still), gained a cult following for their contrasting profiles – Prologue W, in particular, stood out for its refined fruitiness and balance. With limited releases and a highly sought-after private cask program, Shizuoka has solidified its reputation as a producer of small-batch, terroir-driven Japanese whisky.

Today, we’ll review the Shizuoka Contact S & United S, with plans to revisit the distillery later for a closer look at Prologue K and W.

Chichibu 2013 & 2015 for LMDW

24th January 20255th November 2025Coldorak

In the past, we’ve had the pleasure of tasting a few Chichibu whiskies, including a single cask bottled for La Maison du Whisky. Today, we’re revisiting this iconic distillery with two more single casks, both bottled exclusively for La Maison du Whisky. First up is a Chichibu 2013, bottled in 2022 for their Antipodes collection, followed by a Chichibu 2015, bottled in 2024 for their Foundations collection. Let’s dive in and see what these two single casks have to offer!

Hakushu and Yamazaki 25-year-old (2024)

31st December 20245th November 2025Coldorak

Back in September, I attended the Dugas Club Expert show, primarily to catch up with Graham and Fay Coull, who were making an appearance since leaving Dingle. The event featured a stunning Suntory booth, as Dugas distributes their products in France. One side of the booth showcased Laphroaig and Bowmore, while the other side highlighted Suntory’s Japanese brands: Chita, Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Hibiki.

Thanks to the generous pours from Christophe Davoine, House of Suntory’s brand ambassador, I was able to bring home samples of Yamazaki 25-Year-Old and Hakushu 25-Year-Old for a proper review with a fresh palate. We’ve already reviewed the younger Yamazaki expressions – Distiller’s Reserve, 12-Year-Old, and 18-Year-Old – which happens to be one of the most read articles on this humble blog. Before I dive into Hakushu’s lineup, including the Distiller’s Reserve, 12-Year-Old, and 18-Year-Old (coming soon…ish), let’s focus on these 25-Year-Old expressions.

Japanese Blended Whisky #1 21yo Batch 2 That Boutique-y Whisky Company

Japanese Blended Whisky 21yo Boutique-y

15th February 20245th November 2025Coldorak

In the backdrop of Japan’s whisky shortage crisis in 2015, renowned brands such as Nikka and Suntory found themselves grappling with depleted stockpiles of aged whisky. In response, they made the strategic decision to either discontinue age statements for their flagship expressions or significantly curtail production, opting instead for controlled allocations to their distributors. This scarcity, coupled with a fervent fear of missing out and an element of greed, precipitated an unprecedented surge in prices for the remaining inventory, a trend that has persisted unabated till present day. Amidst this tumultuous landscape, however, That Boutique-y Whisky Company defied the odds by unearthing a cache of 21-year-old Japanese blended whisky, releasing six batches over a few years.

Kirin Fuji Gotemba Single Blended Japanese Whisky

Fuji Single Blended Japanese Whisky

7th June 20235th November 2025Coldorak

Kirin Fuji Single Blended is a Japanese whisky made by the Kirin Fuji Gotemba distillery. Positioned at an elevation of 620 metres, this distillery is nestled in the town of Gotemba, at the base of Mount Fuji. Kirin Fuji is made utilising 100% single malt and single grain sourced exclusively from the distillery (so this is a genuine Japanese whisky). The single malts, distilled using pot stills, and the single grains, distilled using Doubler, Batch Kettle, and Column stills, are subsequently aged in American oak casks. Single blends, a rare category encompassing blends that exclusively feature malt and grain derived from a singular distillery, are a unique find in the world of whiskies. Consequently, it is worth exploring this Fuji Single Blended Japanese Whisky.

Yoichi 10yo (2022) vs 12yo (2015)

11th April 20235th November 2025Coldorak

In 2015, Nikka declared that due to the depletion of their aged stocks, the renowned Nikka’s peated single malt aged versions, namely the Yoichi 10, 12, 15, and 20-year-old, would no longer be available. They were then substituted with a non-age statement version referred to as simply ‘Yoichi single malt’ (we reviewed it here). However, Nikka made an announcement last year that the Yoichi 10-year-old would be making a comeback. It was scheduled to be released at the distillery in July 2022, and globally in Japan in November. As a result, we can now try out the new Yoichi 10-year-old 2022 and compare it with the 12-year-old, which was last bottled in 2015. Unfortunately, I do not possess the old 10 to make a more in-depth comparison.