One of their most notable distillery’s, producing both a selection of sassy and seductive single malts and a bounty of mind blowing blended bottling’s is Nikka.
Since 1934 it has
been producing whisky inspired by their distillery founder Masataka Taketsuru’s
time in Scotland during the late 1920’s. Where he was not only able to feed his
passion for all things whisky but also able to learn all the in’s and out’s to
the art of distilling.
In a way of paying
homage to Taketsuru, Nikka's current range now includes three blended whiskies named after their founder,
in the form of a 12, 17 and 21 year old bottling. These are what would be classed in old money
as pure malts or vatted malts, as they’re made using a blend of single malts
and not any of their equally delicious grain whisky.
I’ve been
dipping in and out of my bottle of the 17 year old for a few months now and I
thought it’d only be rude not to review and share my thoughts on this jubilantly
joyous drop of Japanese dramarama.
The nose
kicks off with wondering and weaving waves of blackberry and apple pie, tinned peaches drenched in syrup and all the raspberry, cream, oat and honey components
of a cracking cranachan.
A bitter
clash between a few squares of bitter dark chocolate and spoon of Seville orange
marmalade then ensues, but it’s not long before they’re both brought into line
by the dominant and disciplined presence of some aged wood spice and an accompanying
wisp of vivacious velvety vanilla.
Freshly
picked verbena leaves, rosemary and ground white pepper make for the next set
of nasal offerings, along with swirls of spiced caramel, toasted macadamia nuts
a waft of cindering oak.
A blasé blast of furniture polish on a soft leather car interior, a droplet of orange oil and the subtlest possible hint of the coast, then tie up
all the proceedings on the nose just perfectly.
The palate
which is gloriously gutsy and gung ho, kicks off with crude infused waves of
espresso and peat, which soon evolve into something more cigar-esque and dare I
say mentholish.
An opulent oaky
sextet consisting of aged, spiced, toasted, dry and freshly polished varieties make for
the next set of palatable pleasures. Followed by warm pot of blackberry compote, baked
peaches and a glug of vanilla infused honey.
A slice of
monstrously moorish homemade lemon drizzle cake and a few more squares of that aforementioned
bitter dark chocolate then add a further depth of deliciousness to the
dramanagins, as does a dried cinnamon stick, a hint of anise and yet more of
those macadamias.
Everything
on the palate is then brought together beautifully with a spoon of peppery
marmalade, hints of burnt caramel and the taste of a damp chewed pencil.
The palate
may not linger for as long as you may like, but it does so long enough to
provide you with a detailed highlights package of what this bold, brash and
balanced beauty has delivered so well on the senses.
