YOIYO [ASAKA Distillery] original whisky ASAKA. Sold by Lotte. Features, price, and how to purchase.
YOIYO [ASAKA Distillery] Original whisky ASAKA,the 12th in the YOIYO series, is now available from Lotte’s [Japanese craft sake chocolate].
The YOIYO series has previously collaborated with Mars Shinshu Distillery, Akkeshi Distillery, Gaia Flow Shizuoka Distillery, Mars Tsunuki Distillery, Sakurao Distillery, and Saburomaru Distillery, but this is the first time for the ASAKA Distillery.
The YOIYO gift campaign that has been a regular feature of these events does not seem to be offered this time, but the “Yamazakura Single Malt Japanese whisky ASAKA YOIYO Edition” used for this chocolate is now available in limited quantities.
1.What is “YOIYO”?
A chocolate that makes you feel intoxicated by Japan.
There is a Japan you do not yet know.
It is a taste born of pure water, raw materials rooted in the land, and traditional techniques.
We have packed carefully crafted sake into a single piece.
Enjoy it at dusk or after dinner, as if you were going on a trip.
This is a chocolate for adults.
Have a good night, feeling a little tipsy.
YOIYO” is a “Japanese craft sake chocolate” or so-called “whisky bonbon” sold by Lotte Co. The wonderful and particular taste of Japanese whisky and the thoughts of the whisky maker and the chocolate maker are packed into a single piece of chocolate.
The package design of each product has a fashionable design printed with the regional scenery of each distillery and distillation equipment.
The first stage, “YOIYO <Marus Shinshu Distillery> Komagatake” has been a hot topic among whisky fans since its release.
This time we will introduce the 12th volume, “YOIYO [ASAKA Distillery] Original Whisky ASAKA.
2.Vol. 12 “YOIYO [ASAKA Distillery] Original Whisky ASAKA
Image Exhibit: YOIYO/Japanese craft sake chocolate
| Product Name. | YOIYO [ASAKA Distillery] Original whisky ASAKA |
| Release date | September 12, 2023 |
| Retail price |
1 piece: 626 yen (tax included, shipping not included) |
| Purchase page |
Click here to purchase 1 piece |
3.Yamazakura Single Malt Japanese whisky ASAKA YOIYO Edition Features
Image Exhibit: YOIYO/Japanese craft sake chocolate｜Mouth Lovers Lotte
Limited quantities of the limited whisky “Yamazakura Single Malt Japanese Whisky ASAKA YOIYO Edition”, the whisky used in the chocolate of this 12th YOIYO series “YOIYO <ASAKA Distillery>”, can be purchased!
Click here for purchase page
This limited edition whisky, a blend of five barrels carefully selected for YOIYO, is made from bourbon-barreled, non peated ASAKA sake.
Matured in a climate with extreme temperature differences, it has a gentle, mellow flavor with a light citrus acidity and a refreshing lemongrass-like aroma that is typical of ASAKA sake. Enjoy the barrel-derived sweetness and malt flavor, and the short but firm aftertaste.
The nonchill filtered (non-cooled filtered), natural color (no coloring) finish is used.
| Alcohol content | 48% (including the addition of a few drops of alcohol) |
| by alcohol | Single Malt Japanese whisky |
| Cask type | Bourbon casks |
| Volume | 700ml |
| Number of bottles sold | Limited quantity |
| Suggested retail price | 16,500 yen (tax included) |
| Release date | September 12, 2023 |
4.Subject Product Reviews
4-1. YOIYO [ASAKA Distillery] Original whisky ASAKA
YOIYO is a whisky that finally becomes one taste when combined in the mouth,
It is a different approach from conventional whiskies,
I am looking forward to hearing your impressions when it arrives in your hands.
When you go home after a hard day’s work and take a break,
I hope you will enjoy it as a reward for yourself when you go home after a hard day’s work and take a break.
It goes well with both whisky and chocolate,
It is also good with black tea.Mr. Shohei Kuroha, whisky Section Manager, Production Department, Sasanogawa Brewery
Reference: Lotte official website
5.Products of ASAKA Distillery
For more information on the products of ASAKA Distillery, please click ↓here↓.
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
