This post mainly effects Japanese readers and hopefully isn’t a portent of things to come for Single Cask Yoichi prices outside of Japan which are already sky high.
I tasted the following at Whisky Live Tokyo a couple of weeks ago; Yoichi Single Cask 1988-2013 23YO Warehouse 25 #100212 62%
Very impressive whisky and I was looking forward to it’s release, hoping to buy a couple of bottles. Well it has now been released on Nikka’s Asahi Shop website for a whopping Y31500!
Now I purchased the last 2 bottling’s of Yoichi Single Cask from the same website(with a Japanese contacts help), and both cost me about Y19000, the younger one maybe a bit cheaper. One was a 1994 and the other a 1988, both bottled in 2012. Both are also excellent. So we are talking about a 50%+ price bump between the last releases and the latest. Now I firmly believe these are Y19000 bottling’s, the 1988 cask 100129 being one of my all-time favorite whiskies. But Y31000, that’s the sort of pricing that takes the wind out of my purchasing sails. Strangely enough, Miyagikyo Single Cask prices do not seem to have been effected, with the latest release on par with the previous bottling at Y8400 for a 2001-2013. So, Miyagikyo here I come(for now)!
Hi Brian, I do think that Yoichi has a much lower distilling capacity then Miyagikyo and the demand for Yoichi is, abroad, a lot higher.
So it may just be a matter of stock levels and demand.
Impossible to know for sure of course Niels. All I know is, if this is the future of pricing for their single cask bottling’s, I’m now out of the market as I’m sure are many others.
Hi,
I tried both bottles during Whisky Live, and honestly, I like the Miyagikyo a little more than the Yoichi. Given the 4 times price difference, I am going for the Miyagikyo this time.
Well some one told me you prefer Miyagikyo over Yoichi anyway Aaron : )
I didn’t get to try this Miya one at the show but have a couple of bottles on order so looking forward to opening one.
Brian
I fear we can expect to see this a lot more in the near future, and of course not just with Nikka but most good Japanese whisky/brands. Buy up now as it may just be out right sore in a few years?
A fear shared Clint. Not only that what will that do for prices at bars when you are just ordering a shot? Rhetorical question!
OUCH! is right! I wonder if Nikka are trying to cash in on the cachet of Yoichi. Many wineries ramp up their prices because they know their product sells for much higher prices in the secondary market & they figure they should get a slice of the action because they make the stuff. Miyagikyo has always been the poor cousin – although not in terms of quality – more a question of style & the historical pre-eminence of Yoichi.
I bottle of Yoichi vs 4 of Miyagikyo – I’m with you Brian – Miyagikyo wins!
They do seem to be trying to cash in on the rise in awareness/popularity of Japanese whisky domestically Alan. I just can’t think of any other reason for such a huge price rise.