Nikka from The Barrel Whisky

I started my year on a high note. My first tasting was a world whisky – the Paul John Classic Select Cask. And what a high note that was. Creamy and delicious and full of exquisite flavours. The weeks following the Paul John tasting, I tried  a blend, a bourbon and a few single malts. I think it is time  again for another world whisky.

This week I want to try something else from the East, and I grabbed the Nikka from The Barrel Japanese single malt whisky from my collection. It feels like Japanese whisky currently is their moment in the sun with a high demand for products from there.

First a bit about Nikka: It was the year 1918 when a young man set off from Takehara City for Glasgow to study Chemistry. This man was Masataka Taketsuru. Growing up in a distillery family, he thought that he would continue the family tradition of making sake.

However, soon after arriving in Scotland, he discovered the golden water of life. He found whisky, and it stole his heart. The rest is history.

He studied and apprenticed at distilleries, learning first-hand from craftsmen and received training as a blender. He married Rita and returned to Japan. In 1934 Masataka established Nikka Whisky and built its first distillery in Yoichi. Nikka went from strength to strength.

Today it has a reputation for award-winning whiskies from both the Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries.

I have tried the Nikka Coffee Grain and the Nikka Miyagikyo and loved it. Now it is time for Nikka from the Barrel. This release is a blend of matured whisky including Miyagikyo and Yoichi single malts and a grain whisky that is re-casked (a process known as marriage) for a further 3 to 6 month period.

It is also where the name comes from Nikka  from the “re-casked” Barrel. Nikka From the Barrel whisky is bottled at a near cask strength ABV. It is one of the few blended whiskies that are bottled at cask strength.

Also Read: Santis Malt Alpstein whisky

Nikka from the Barrel Whisky Review

COUNTRY: Japan

ABV: 51%

COLOUR: Gold red copper

NOSE: Clean and crisp with hints of candied cherries, sherry sweetness, vanilla, and it smells like I am walking through a Japanese pine forest. Bits of banana, lots of oak and spicy cinnamon. The whisky needs to breathe a bit for the alcohol to disappear.

PALATE:  Big and bold with some alcohol bite. Oak, caramel, fruit with hints of vanilla and sweet paprika. Citrus notes that border on pectin with strong alcohol notes. Not as smooth as other expressions and somewhat one dimensional on the tongue.

It needs quite a few drops of water to tame the alcohol. Water brings more sweetness to the forefront and tames the pectin notes a bit.

FINISH: Crisp with notes of fruit and oakiness, hints of pepper and caramel.

RATING: VERY GOOD

I am a bit disappointed. After the other Nikka’s I have tasted, I was expecting something more complex and rewarding. Perhaps I was expecting too much. My measure is always, do I finish my glass? I did finish my glass, but just because I was too lazy to get up and change it to something else.

It is not a bad whisky. I have seen glowing reviews on this dram with people loving it. I found it a bit flat. However, everyone’s taste is different. Perhaps I had a hectic day, and this influenced my experience. I will give this another try again in a few weeks and see what I think then.

The Nikka bottle size is  only 500ml. The good news, however, is that Nikka is readily available in South Africa. Whisky Brother & Co and other good stores will certainly have it. Other releases from Nikka include the Nikka Pure Malt Red and Nikka Pure Malt Black whisky.

Also Read: Kamiki Malt whisky