Nikka Blend

A fairly readily available whiksy in Europe. Bottled at 40% and priced in the entry level range.

• Nose: Banana, fruit, freshly cut dried wood, honey
• Mouth: Warm, sweet, malt and oak
• Finish: Short, a few lingering tannins

Comment: A very nice drinking whisky that would probably benefit from a few more vol. But generally well rounded.

80 points.

Nikka Black Clear

A 37% vol no age statement blend from Nikka.

• Nose: Very light fruitiness, a bit alcohol bite, some sweetness. Not too horrible.
• Mouth: Alcoholic
• Finish: A bit fruit, fairly mild, again alcohol

Comment: Almost nothing to it, tastes like a bottom shelf mixer which it probably is.

70 points

(2017)

Yoichi 8 Year Old Hokkaido Distillery

Can't say too much about this one except it's an eight year old Yochi. Bottled at 43% vol. in 500ml bottles.

• Nose: Peat, smoke, malt, sugar, honey, oak, a bit yeast
• Mouth: Malt, peat, oily and dry
• Finish: Dry peat and smoke, malt, oak and cedar wood, licorice

Comment: A fantastic younger version of the Yoichi with lots of power. Rather dry which suits this one very well. Nose is a bit restrained but mouth and finish are a lot of fun.

88 points

Nikka Taketsuru 17

Today I taste the Nikka Taketsuru 17yo pure malt. This one was bottled around 2010 with 43%vol.

• Nose: Mineralic, green grass, pear juice, sweet peat, 
• Mouth: Very mild, malty, light pepper
• Finish: Sherry, light oak, very mild again, bananas, burnt oak "smell" and sandalwood

Comment: Very enjoyable whisky, fairly simple but distinctively Japanese finish.

85 points

(2010)

Nikka Pure Malt Black

Nikka claims the Pure Malt Black has a high Yoichi content and a blod taste. Reasonably priced in 0.5l bottles with 43% vol. I already tasted the Red and White versions so let's see how this fares.

• Nose: Fruity -  papaya!, some malt, smoke, black tea, a little bit peat
• Mouth: Oily, butterscotch, generally a tad watery/weak
• Finish: Malt, pepper, some fruit, medium long with lingering smoke 

Comment: A great nose but mouth and finish can't keep up. Still probably my favorite of the three. The smokiness combined with the fruit is very nice.

81 points

(~2015)

Nikka 2000 Coffey Grain Cask# 231298

Another Nikka Coffey Grain whisky. This time a 11 year old single cask aged for 11 years. Bottled at 63% cask strength and as of writing this still available in some stores.

• Nose: Oak, dry, water soaked grains, slight sweetness
• Mouth: Oak, raisins, with water a (quality) vodka note comes forth
• Finish: oak, sweet, some raisins again, with water slightly alcoholic again

Comment: Not overly complex but a grain whisky which despite its for a grain whisky young age is quite tasty. I enjoy it more without water despite its high strength.

83 points

Nikka Coffey Malt

Nikka Coffey Malt - tasted this one together with the Nikka Coffey Grain. Distilled in the Miyagikyo distillery. 0.7l bottle with 45% vol and no age statement.

• Nose: Glue, malty, sweet acorn, candied apple, hints of smoke
• Mouth: Oily, creamy, light malt
• Finish: A bit alcohol, light caramel and malt, glue again, a little bit of Miyagikyo profile in the very end.

Comment: Definitely not the usual Miyagikyo profile. It needs some time to breath for the nose to open up. Like the Coffey Grain the mouth feel has a very unique creamy mouth feel. Overall the malt wasn't too exciting to me though. 

78 points

(2014)

Nikka Coffey Grain

To quote the Nikka website: Nikka operates two Coffey stills (named after its inventor Aeneas Coffey) within the Miyagikyo distillery for the elaboration of its grain whiskies. Imported from Scotland in 1963, these old stills yield a distillate with more flavour and depth than modern column stills, imparting a distinct character that defines the house blends. These two unique bottlings showcase the innovative spirit of Nikka.

Bottled in 0,7l bottles at 45% vol. with no age statement. Tasted this together with the Nikka Coffey Malt.

• Nose: Some biting alcohol, light bodied, a little bit raisins, sharp
• Mouth: Creamy or milky..., very grainy taste, light sugar water
• Finish: Alcohol, grain, vodka, light oak influences, short

Comment: I did not enjoy this very much, a strong alcohol flavor more in the vein of new-make. Nikka has much better offerings in that price-range.

73 points

(2014)

Nikka Pure Malt Red

The red version of the Nikka Pure Malt series with the White, Black and Red. The Red is said to have a high Miyagikyo content. Bottled at 43 % vol. in 0.5L bottles.

• Nose: Some smoke and sherry, honey, honeyed herbal tea, damp moss
• Mouth: Mild, oak, brown leaves (like the ones that lay around the streets in autumn), some vanilla
• Finish: Mild, light smoke and sherry, sweet

Comment: Like the White the Red doesn't have an overly Japanese profile in my opinion but it is a lovely sweet drinkable malt none the less.

81 points

(2014)

Nikka Kingsland

Nikka Kingsland blend miniature. Tasted this together with the Nikka Super and the Nikka Gold & Gold blend. 43% vol.

• Nose: Malt, light smoke, some light green fuits and vegetables
• Mouth: Mild cream, woods, juicy and full bodied
• Finish: Light grassyness, a bit oak and molasses

Comments: This is a good blend. Japanese profile and good all around qualities. Recommended.

77 points

(~2014)

Nikka Super

Nikka Super Blend, tasted together with the Nikka Gold & Gold and the Kingsland blend. Bottled at 43%.
Bought this miniature in Japan in 2014.

• Nose: Malt, a touch alcoholic, some alcohol, slight caramel but generally dry
• Mouth: Mild, oily mouth feel, corn and sugar
• Finish: Some light tannins, a little bit woods, malt and slightly smoky

Comments: Pretty good all around blend with a fairly Japanese profile (a little bit Yoichi?). Only the slightly alcoholic nose is a minus.

75 points

~2014

Nikka Gold & Gold

Nikka Gold & Gold blend. Bottled at 43%. Tasted this together with the Nikka Super and the Nikka Kingsland blend.

• Nose: Initially an alcoholic bite, gets better with some breathing but still present, some light menthol, molasses
• Mouth: Mild, a little bit smoke
• Finish: Malt, caramel, short and sweet, a little oak

Comments: Mouth and finish aren't too bad but the inexpressive alcoholic nose kill the enjoyment of this one a bit.

74 points

(~2014)

Nikka Taketsuru NAS

The Nikka Taketsuru is a non age statement blended malt released in 2014 (in Europe). According to Nikka most malts in this one are around 10 years old. Bottled at 43% vol.

• Nose: Wood aromas, berries, green banana, grape gums, muscat grapes
• Mouth: Some light sherry, oily, wood, some slight tobacco, feels and tastes a bit watery nonetheless
• Finish: Fruity, sherry and honey and a hint of smoke. Still a bit watery. Adding a little bit water enhances the fruity aromas and adds some vanilla.

Comment: Lovely blended malt with a very Japanese profile. But the weak bodied watery taste in the mouth and finish diminishes the overall enjoyment a little bit. Adding water gives it more fruitiness but certainly doesn't help with the slightly watery overall taste.

83 points

(2014)

Miyagikyo 1989 - 23yo - Cask #40745

A Nikka Miyagikyo single cask from 1989 bottled in 2010. 60% vol. Not sure what cask type this is...

• Nose: Oak, solvent, a little tobacco, licorice, water opens it up a lot with smoke, sherry and caramel with vanilla
• Mouth: Oily, smoky, burnt ham and burnt/caramelized papaya and figs, oak and something like chewing on fresh green'ish twigs
• Finish: Smoky, a bit oak and sherry, water makes it peppery and more smoky. A tad sharp and fairly dry. At the very end some subtle (Fino?) sherry comes trough.

Comment: Flavorful with some tasty caramelized fruits but it's not one that is easy to grasp. You need two or three sessions with this one. Also a bit rough around the edges.

87 points

Miyagikyo 10

The Nikka Miyagikyo 10 year old. The youngest standard from the Nikka Miyagikyo distillery with an age statement. Bottled with a solid 45% vol.

• Nose: Green vegetables, fresh and light malt, banana, tropical fruits, water makes it fruitier 
• Mouth: A bit smokey and grassy, slightly oily
• Finish: Spices, caramel, vanilla, poundcake with caramel cream, cream, light smoke/ peat and oak.

Comment: Generally not too, it doesn't feel too young although it still feels not completely round. Unlike with the Yoichi I think the Miyagikyo 12 is a good step up from the 10yo.

83 points
(~2014)

Yoichi NAS

A no age statement Yoichi bottled in 0.5L bottles. Surprisingly easily available here in Germany - bought it in a supermarket! 43% vol. alcohol

• Nose: Malt, medium peat and smoke, some green vegetables and green banana maybe, slightly youngish with some mild alcoholic bite, raisins
• Mouth: Peat and relatively fruity, some alcoholic bite but not too bad
• Finish: Warm, peat, smoke, chili and a touch of oak

Comments: Very enjoyable to drink although a touch youngish in the overall profile. But for the price it's excellent.

80 points
(2014)

Miyagikyo 2002 - Cask# 101127

A Nikka Miyagikyo, been a while since I tasted one. This one was distilled in 2002 and bottled in 2012 just slightly missing the 10 year mark. Aged in a refill Butt and bottled with 62% vol. cask strength.

• Nose: Honey, Grass, fruits (sort of tropical), quite sharp - water lessens the sharpness and brings forth Haribo Gummi Bears (the green ones), kiwi + apple juice
• Mouth: Fruity, slightly oily and depending on the water amount a tad sharp
• Finish: Fruity with apple and kiwi again, sweet and again a bit sharp

Comment: This need and takes quite a bit of water although it is a two edged sword. A little bit brings a lot of fruitiness while some alcoholic sharpness remains. Adding more makes it milder without diluting the overall punch too much but mutes all the lovely fruit. Still I love the fruit here with just a little bit of water.

85 points

Yoichi 12

Nikka Yoichi 12, one of the standards from the Yoichi line. Bottled at 45%

• Nose: Peaty and very maritime, smokey and a bit grassy with honey in the background. Hints of tobacco and oak
• Mouth: Quite light, peat, some very light oak and a touch of sherry?
• Finish: Some woods, peat, medium long, warm

Comment: Classic peaty Yoichi but not overly complex. I think the 10 year old or the 15 year old are a much better deal value wise.

83 points

(~2013)

Nikka Pure Malt White

This one supposedly is only "half" Japanese. According to the Nikka website:

"Black" is a pure malt whisky made primarily with the Yoichi malt, and it has a solid, bold taste. "Red," on the other hand, is made primarily with malt of the Miyagikyo distillery and has a soft, delicate flavor. "White" is a pure malt whisky made mainly with Islay, Scotland type malt and has a heavy, peaty essence.

It comes bottled in 500ml bottles at43% vol. at an fairly affordable price. Batch Number 14A60C. Lets see how it fares.

• Nose: Peat, banana & yellow fruits, salty, mossy old wood
• Mouth: Oily, nutty, a few bitter tannins
• Finish: Peaty and peat sweetness, oily, slightly nutty again and drying towards the end

Comment: The taste is fairly un-Japanese and more reminiscent to Port Charlotte or Caol Ila in my opinion. I.e. a peaty islay whisky. Its a good drink but nothing special in that regard.

80 points

(2012)

Nikka - The Blend of Nikka

The Blend of Nikka Maltbase Whisky is named fairly similar to the Nikka blend I recently tasted (link) but is bottled at 45% vol.
Again this is a 5cl mini bottle imported and available trough LMDW.

• Nose: Dry wood, a tad plywood at the begining but vanishes after a while, a hint of sherry, some light honey and vanilla, a touch alcoholic
• Mouth: Sweet - almost sugary, surprising after the dry nose, a bit malty, a little bit oak
• Finish: A bit peaty, sweet honey and some malt

Comment: This Nikka blend is much better than the one I previously tasted. The hints of peat and sherry actually make it a relatively interesting drinking whisky and the 45% vol. help too. Still it has a little bit youngness to it.

80 points

(2012)