Tasting

With Yoichi, the smoke hits the glass first, followed by something salty, almost like seaweed on the shore. That's no accident: cold sea air blows across the warehouses year-round and works its way into the whisky along with it.

Yoichi's signature is a bold, oily character, peat smoke mingling with dark fruit and a hint of leather. A robust sweetness often lingers in the finish. The standard "Yoichi Single Malt" shows this in more measured form, while "Yoichi Peaty & Salty," from Nikka's Discovery Series, pushes deliberately further into smoke and salinity.

Akkeshi tastes younger and more sharply defined, hardly surprising for a distillery that's only been bottling since 2020. Smoke also takes center stage here, joined by more citrus and a mineral note reminiscent of the oysters the town is known for.

Both are best tasted neat at room temperature, in a narrow nosing glass that funnels the aromas toward the nose. A few drops of water often open up the smoke even further. Add ice, and you'll lose exactly those finer notes.

Despite sharing an island, the two stand a fair distance apart. Yoichi feels like an old, weather-beaten fisherman. Akkeshi feels like his younger neighbor, one who's only recently come to know this same coast, but takes it every bit as seriously.

Hokkaido doesn't yet have a tasting tradition of its own the way Islay does. The scene here is too young; it's still taking shape.