Nikka Tailored

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

Special Features:

Malt whiskies from Yoichi and Miyagikyo make up the largest share of Nikka Tailored, complemented by grain whisky from traditional Coffey stills. These different spirits come together in a smooth, rounded blend whose whiskies mature predominantly in American oak casks and former sherry casks.

Its character draws on the contrast between sweet cake notes and fruity bitterness. The angular bottle with its sloping shoulders bears the Nikka emblem and comes in black-and-white gift packaging. The whisky is offered at 43% in a 0.7-litre bottle.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose is soft and rounded. Apple, apricot and other white-fleshed fruits mingle with clearly noticeable honey. Chocolate notes and candied orange peel complete the bouquet.
• Palate: The palate has a creamy texture. Vanilla and Bundt cake contrast with the bitter notes of dark chocolate, mandarin peel and orange peel.
• Finish: Lightly toasted notes balance the bitterness on the finish. Vanilla sweetness and fruity bitterness remain intertwined.

Distillery/Bottler:

Masataka Taketsuru founded Nikka in 1934 with the Yoichi distillery on Hokkaido. He sought a setting reminiscent of Scotland, with a cool climate and good water resources. Yoichi lies at the foot of the Shakotan Peninsula, surrounded by mountains on three sides. The distillery still uses pot stills heated directly by coal fires. Their straight necks and downward-sloping lyne arms are among the production choices that shape the robust style of its malt whiskies.

In 1969, Taketsuru expanded the company with Miyagikyo, west of Sendai. The second distillery was established to offer more blending possibilities through a different malt style. Here, pot stills with bulbous necks and upward-sloping lyne arms are heated indirectly by steam. Repeated reflux during distillation supports the distillery’s lighter, fruity and floral style. Miyagikyo also operates traditional continuous Coffey stills for grain whisky. These retain more of the grain’s character than modern distillation columns.

Facts: