Fruity, floral, peated Japanese single malt from Yoichi distillery on Japan's nothernmost main island, Hokkaido. It's one of a pair of exciting Nikka releases based around aromas and flavours from fermentation and yeast, the other being Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast, an unpeated whisky from Yoichi's sister distillery.
Utilising their experience of using and experimentating with various different yeast strains, Nikka fermented this batch of whisky at a low temperature for a particularly estery character said to be akin to a fine daiginjo sake.
Fine, distinguished. On the first nose, a herbaceous, salty and empyreumatic (sleet) peat clearly dominates. Allowed to breathe, it makes way for fruits (apple, pear, Canary melon), flowers (lily, carnation) and mint, all of which bring lots of momentum to the aroma palette. Gradually, it becomes increasingly milky (cream, coconut), exotic (pineapple, yellow kiwi) and medicinal (ointment, Arnica).
Firm, lively. Giving its own take on the herbaceous, salty and empyreumatic register of the first nose, the attack also evokes a field of barley swept with sea spray. The more earthy and rooted mid-palate pours blocks of peat onto the tongue. The floral (tulip, cyclamen) and fruity (Mirabelle plum, greengage plum) end of the palate is also rustic and marine.
Long, crisp. Unexpectedly, the start of the finish invites us to bite joyfully into whole bunches of white grapes. Flavours of plum and pulp bring lots of smoothness to the end of the palate. On the retro-nasal olfaction, evoking an evanescent peat, a fine layer of liquorice delicately coats the taste buds. The empty glass releases wisps of translucent smoke.
