Nikka Taketsuru Single Malt

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 43% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: Yes

Special Features:

Taketsuru Pure Malt brings together the robust malts of Yoichi and the more elegant character of Miyagikyo. Its composition consists entirely of malt whiskies, with no grain whisky in the recipe. The challenge in blending is to achieve malty richness and a smooth mouthfeel without this otherwise frequently used component.

Key components include sherry-cask-matured malts from both distilleries and malts from reconditioned casks at Miyagikyo. Fruity and floral impressions complement the malty depth and peat notes. The bottling carries no age statement and won the title of World’s Best Blended Malt Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards in 2023. It is offered at 43% in a 0.7-litre bottle with gift packaging.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose reveals fresh fruit notes of apple and apricot, joined by the soft sweetness of vanilla and hints of toasted oak.
• Palate: On the palate, banana and navel orange meet a light yet rich malty structure and peaty depth. The mouthfeel is silky.
• Finish: The lingering finish combines sweetness with a slightly bitter note reminiscent of dark chocolate. Gentle wood and peat notes accompany the aftertaste.

Distillery/Bottler:

The name Taketsuru honours Masataka Taketsuru, who learned the craft of whisky-making in Scotland and later founded Nikka. The company’s history began in 1934 with the establishment of Dai Nippon Kaju and the construction of the Yoichi distillery on Hokkaido. The cool coastal location matched Taketsuru’s vision of suitable conditions for whisky production. Miyagikyo, near Sendai, followed in 1969, deliberately conceived as a counterpart to Yoichi.

The two distilleries’ different working methods give Nikka’s blenders a broad selection of malt whiskies. Yoichi uses directly coal-fired pot stills, preserving a distillation method that is now rare. At Miyagikyo, by contrast, the stills are heated indirectly with steam. Their rounded shape and upward-sloping connecting pipes favour a different distillation process and a gentler style. In Taketsuru Pure Malt, Nikka brings these contrasting characters together in a single blend.

Facts: