Nikka Yoichi 12 Year

Tried one of the old style wood cork tops likely bottled in the mid 2000s. As good or possibly better than later batches of Yoichi 15/20. Nose: Raisins, Dark Chocolate, Mackerels, Salted Toffee, Smoke, Brown Sugar, Peaches, Coconuts, Walnuts, Pecans, Burnt Honey, Sakura Palate: Raisins, Truffles, Dark Chocolate, Dates, Walnuts, Vanilla, Walnuts, Hazlenuts, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Hoisin Sauce, Plums, Barbecue Beef Ribs, Blackberries, Mocha, Cranberries, Mackerels, Salted Cod Finish: Dark Chocolate, Raisins, Honey, Walnuts, Mackerels, Smoke, Apricots, Cashews, Smoke, Truffles, Cranberries, Blackcurrants, Morello Cherries, Coconuts

Nose: opens with apple sweetness, bleu cheese funk, nutty Palate: ethanol, sharp, almonds Finish: short, thin

Lightly sweet on the nose. Lightly oaky with notes of honey and vanilla. Well balanced with smoke and peat into the short-medium finish.