Nikka From The Barrel Review

Hokkaido does look like Scotland doesn't it!

“Bourbon Made On Hokkaido”

Country: Japan

Brand: Nikka From The Barrel

Type: Blended Whisky

Age: NAS 

ABV: 51.4 % 

Colour: Polished Mahogany

Nose: The Alcohol is quite strong so be sure to give Nikka enough time in the glass to reveal its Aromas. The first impression is a Sweet, Fruity, Spicy, Oaky Bourbon-like Spirit. I find Banana, Pineapple, Mango, White Grapes, Mandarin, Red Apple, Grapefruit Juice, Orange, Golden Syrup, Honey, Peanuts, Marzipan, Candies, Plum Jam, Cereals, Custard, Butter, light Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, light Floral notes and hints of Leather and Charcoal. Take your time with this Spirit. I nosed it for over half an hour and the Fruit impressions kept coming. After some time a certain Sour note pops up that I can't quite place.

Palate: The Delivery is strong thanks to the high ABV. On the Palate, the Nikka is Bitter-Sweet, Spicy and slightly Sour with lots of Tannin, Charred Oak, Toffee, Bourbon, Malt, Vanilla, Orange, Mandarin, Apples, Banana Ice Cream, Honey, Nougat, Marzipan, Pepper, Nutmeg, Clove, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom, Nuts Dried Herbs and Aniseed.    

Finish: Middle-Long. Bitter-Sweet and slightly Sour at first but Dry in the end. I find Charred Oak, Tannin, Cereals, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Vanilla, Dried Fruit, Nuts, Dried Herbs, Orange, Grapefruit, Banana, Lemon, Pepper, Cloves, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Menthol and hints of Tobacco and Metal. 

With a bit of water the Nose gets more Vanilla and some Floral Perfume. On the Palate and in the Finish the Alcohol gets less strong of course and the Spirit becomes very Smooth. But also less interesting. Vanilla, Toffee and Banana Ice Cream start to dominate. Still, you can experiment with a couple of drops at a time.  

Rating: 83 

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks: This successful Blend from Nikka most likely contains Malt Whisky from Yoichi and Grain Whisky from Miyagikyo. The matured whiskies are blended and then married in first fill Ex-Bourbon casks. It is bottled directly from these Casks. Bottled at Re-Cask Strength as it were. The average price amounts to 45 US Dollars for a 50 CL bottle (November 2015).

In 1934 Nikka Whisky and the Yoichi Distillery were founded by Masataka Taketsuru the "Father of Japanese Whisky" who learnt the trade in Scotland. The Miyagikyo Plant followed in 1969. Nikka is currently owned by Asahi Breweries. 

Attention: The Label of the sample bottle shows some errors. The correct ABV is 51.4% and Nikka from the Barrel is not a Single Malt Whisky.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: Certainly not a bad Blend. The Grain component is less noticeable than in many of its Scottish peers. The Nose is Fruity but you need patience to be able to get all the details because the Alcohol is quite strong. It's a must to give the Nikka enough time in the Glass (at least 1 hour) before you can start Nosing. On the Palate you will find more Toffee, Citrus, Spices and Oak. The Tannin is quite strong, even more so in the Finish. There's also a certain Sour note around that you will need to appreciate. You will like the Banana Ice Cream note though. Many Blended Whiskies are not interesting enough to sip neat but this Nikka is one of the exceptions to the rule. Certainly worthwhile to give it a try, especially if you're into Bourbon. 

Jan van den Ende                                                            November 30, 2015

Part of the Yoichi Distillery