Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whisky

A little background

In the last 3 to 5 years, Japanese whisky has taken the whisky industry by storm, winning award after award.  One of those Japanese Distilleries experiencing great success is Nikka, a distillery who’s won more than a handful “Whisky of the Year” awards over the last decade. 

The result of this is increased worldwide demand for Japanese Whisky, creating a shortage in age stated bottles. This leads us to the focus of this review, Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whisky, a NAS (no age statement) Japanese whiskey that’s bottled at 43% ABV. In the United States this Japanese Whisky can be purchased for around $60-$80, however international markets are seeing it hit prices upwards of 100$ USD.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Caramel

Nose

Very fragrant. I can smell a hint of vanilla and coconut – definite bourbon influence here I think. Some sherry spice as well. Unsure if there is actually Mizunara influence, but I do smell a somewhat unconventional perfume, sandalwood type smell. Citrus rind, cereal, and bread. Mostly it is fruit, perfume and some spice with the tiniest hint of smoke.

Palate

‘Very Smooth’ – Which is not a good thing in my opinion. But very very palatable. You get an aftertaste of ‘new make’. Sweet, very sweet. Fruity and raisin. Zesty citrus, some ginger – Is this whisky or chicken teriyaki? Not overly complex.

Finish

Short and very fleeting. Some new make bitterness.

In conclusion

Short and very fleeting. Some new make bitterness. This whisky is blended exceptionally well and you can taste that it’s a young whisky rushed out to make more money. However, I must give credit where credit is due. The blending is superb with this whisky! The nose is excellent and super compelling and somewhat unique.

The Palate, unfortunately is quite unsophisticated but very smooth. I mean, one could down this like cordial, that is how ‘smooth’ it is. But is that a good thing? I don’t think so. There isn’t much character or interest factor and you can tell they rushed it out albeit the exceptional blending prowess to smooth out the kinks. Finish? What finish? The flavor disappears so quickly, it is hardly a finish.

It is a good intro to Japanese whisky, however I would go for a Nikka from the Barrel any day. This lacks power, lacks flavor and interest factor. Unfortunately, in today’s Japanese whisky market you don’t have many other options at this price point. For me though, I would rather get another bottle of good bourbon or scotch for the same price.