Nikka Tailored 43% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (80)

Benefit of the doubt, even if It says 'premium blended whisky' and not 'Japanese blended whisky'. What's more it's an expensive bottle for an NAS blend (north of 100€) but we do appreciate that Nikka know how to make stupendous whiskies so once more, the truth will be in our glass. Hopefully. Colour: gold. Nose: I wouldn't claim that Miyagikyo and Yoichi are immediately recognisable, but this is a fresh malty nose, rather on ripe apples and bananas at first, with a moderate amount of coconut, sawdust and vanilla. Also yellow peaches and zucchini and acacia flowers, jujubes, a touch of vanilla fudge and light toffee, some soft honey… In short, it's fresh and 'nice'. Mouth: starts rounded and sweet, rather on apples once more, green bananas, panettone, a green tannicity (green pears), then we have more straight oak while it's becoming drier and drier, although this 'yellow' fruitiness would remain there as well. Finish: grass, bitters and fairly oversteeped green teas, plus zests and apple peel. It's dry and bitter but that's counterbalanced by the fruitiness. Comments: isn't there some 'clean and fruity' Ben Nevis in there? It's an excellent blend but some juvenile oak feels a bit. Probably not 100% Japanese, but possibly 100% Japanese-owned, which is not too bad.

BOW (87)