A blended whisky that Masataka Taketsuru was particular about: The Nikka 12, a premium blended whisky blended from carefully selected 12-year-old or more original whiskey.
An unknown refinement born from the freedom of blended whisky!
The encounter of Nikka’s proud malt whiskey and café grain!
A beautiful balance achieved by the outstanding technology inherited from Masataka Taketsuru.
１．Company
Nikka Whisky Company, Ltd.
２．Distillery
Nikka’s blended features consist of whisky produced by three distillers (machines).
One is the straight pot still at the Yoichi distillery. The first is the straight pot still at the Yoichi distillery, which is currently the only distillery in the world that distills directly over coal, producing a heavy and powerful malt. It is a full-bodied malt with plenty of peat and smoke.
The other is the bulge pot still at Miyagikyo distillery. The gorgeous, aromatic malt produced by indirect steam distillation is a completely different type of sake from Yoichi. Yoichi is compared to Highland and Miyagikyo to Lowland, and each distillery produces its own unique whisky.
The grain whisky is made from Miyagikyo’s café-style continuous distiller, which was introduced in 1963, based on founder Masataka Taketsuru’s earnest wish that “Japanese whisky would not be able to be called a full-fledged whisky until we start using grain whisky. It is essential to balance the unique malts of Yoichi and Miyagikyo. It is brought together by blending techniques that have been handed down from Mr. Taketsuru.
The Nikka, which bears the company’s name, is the best work of its kind in Nikka’s history.
３．Product Name
The Nikka 12
４．Characteristics
A balance beyond expectations that challenged Blended’s infinite possibilities.
A premium blended whiskey made from a carefully selected blend of 12+ year old whisky.
The Nikka 12 Year Old is a concentrated blend of finely honed blending techniques.
The heavy, powerful, peat-scented, distinctive Yoichi malt and the gorgeous, fruity, light Miyagikyo malt are softly enveloped by the sweet, mellow Café Grain.
The taste is sweet like savory biscuits, cereals, melon, and peach syrup.
The solid, malt-based maturity melds with a mellow, mellow richness, leading to a pleasant aftertaste with faint hints of cocoa and cinnamon.
The whisky-like flavor and aroma, all elements are well-balanced and harmonized to a beautiful degree.
The impression is that this is the result of meticulously calculated blending. It is a whisky that is like a reliable gentleman’s whisky with the full force of Nikka’s unique character.
The bottle design has a bold cutout that resembles the collar of a kimono that overlaps each other. The bottle design, which expresses “overlapping” and “Japanese spirit,” seems to embody the pride of being a Japanese blended. The wooden cap also gives a sense of dignity.
The tasting notes on the manufacturer’s website are as follows
Nose: Rich malt aroma with gorgeous fruit and bouquet. Sweet oak-aged aroma with hints of vanilla and caramel.
Taste: Mild and smooth on the palate. Light and smooth, with the fullness of malt blended with the soft sweetness of café grains.
Lingering: Sweet and rich aroma of cocoa and cookies, accompanied by subtle spices and bitters, lingering pleasantly.
Type: Blended
Ingredients: Malt, Grain
Alcohol content: 43%.
５．Awards
- 2017 ISC 金賞
- 2015 グッドデザイン賞
６．Price
Suggested retail price: 700ml 6,000 yen (6,480 yen including tax)
The product is sold at mail order and online auctions for around 9,000 yen to 10,000 yen. (As of April 1, 2019)
Price at DiningBar Hidden Lounge
At DiningBar Hidden Lounge, this whisky is priced at
45ml: 1,400 yen
The price of this whisky at DiningBar Hidden Lounge is 1,400 yen for 45ml.
７．Finally
It is a delicious whiskey, quite mild and easy to drink. It has a mild mouthfeel with a vanilla sweetness, and after a while of drinking it down, you begin to feel the spiciness on your tongue. There is no hint of alcohol in the aroma at all. It is characterized by a slightly tangy aftertaste, which is common in Japanese whiskey, spreading out without unpleasant taste.
Even if it is mixed 1:1 with water, the taste does not change much, and it becomes milder and tastier, so it is recommended for whiskey beginners.
Unfortunately, however, it has been announced that The Nikka 12 will be discontinued by the end of March 2019, as soon as the stock runs out.
As a successor, The Nikka (Non-Age) will be released on April 9, 2019.
Although the 12-year-old product will be changed to non-ageing, the price structure will remain the same at 6,000 yen (suggested retail price), and it must be said that the price has actually been raised.
For those who have not yet had it, or for whisky beginners, please try it at DiningBar Hidden Lounge.
