Nikka Whisky From the Barrel - Extra Marriage - 40th Anniversary Limited Edition

Volume: 0.5 litres | Alcohol content: 51.4% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

For the limited Extra Marriage edition celebrating the 40th anniversary of From the Barrel, Nikka extends the resting period after blending from three to six months. More than 100 batches of malt and grain whisky marry in used Puncheon casks for twice as long as in the standard bottling. The edition retains the robust strength of 51.4% and the distinctive 0.5-litre block-shaped bottle.

Coffey grain is combined primarily with malt components from Yoichi and Miyagikyo. The extended marriage harmonises the many components and rounds out the mouthfeel without diminishing the blend’s powerful structure. Honey and beeswax contrast with pineapple, candied lemon and plum jam, while cocoa, toasted grain, ginger and nutmeg add depth. Oak and a flinty, salty trace of peat lend definition to the long, dry and gently bitter finish.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose opens with soft oak, chocolate, vanilla and orange peel. Ripe fruit mingles with beeswax, iris, roasted pineapple and nutmeg.
• Palate: The whisky is full-bodied and smooth on the palate, with fine oak tannins. Citrus fruit, honey, medicinal herbs, gentle oak spice and smoke enliven its powerful structure.
• Finish: The finish is long, woody and gently bitter. Chocolate and honey linger with a hint of smoke.

Distillery/Bottler:

Nikka Whisky Distilling Co. Ltd is responsible for this Extra Marriage anniversary edition, released as an official bottling. The company’s history began in 1934, when Masataka Taketsuru founded its predecessor in Hokkaido and established the Yoichi distillery. His adopted son, Takeshi Taketsuru, continued this work as the second Master Blender and developed From the Barrel, among other whiskies.

Nikka’s blending possibilities are rooted in deliberately contrasting distillates. Yoichi fires its pot stills directly with coal, producing a robust, deep and lightly smoky malt. Miyagikyo, by contrast, uses indirect steam heating and is known for a softer, more floral and fruity style. Grain whisky from traditional Coffey stills adds another dimension, as these distillates retain more aromatic compounds than highly purified neutral spirit.

Facts: