Should we expect the vintage-ness of the 1956 Yoichi to make a difference to the taste? Actually, yes. Thankfully it still is available in several countries in the region. It is unclear how big the outturn is, but I hear that this bottle - bottled a while back in 2016 - sold out pretty quickly in many stores in Japan. This is once again a blended whisky, but it specifically contains a component of incredibly vintage Yoichi single malt distilled in 1956, some 25 year old Coffey grain whisky and Miyagikyo single malt that had been matured in a sherry cask. The Nikka Black Blender’s Spirit has a more unique composition and provenance. Nikka Black Blender’s Spirit 60th Anniversary, 43% ABV FRAGRANT AND FLORAL Ends on a lightly vegetal, mentholated note. Nevertheless, there is a well-integrated background of very slight soft citrus fruits white pomelo, yuzu, topped off with a coat of white pepper spiciness on the back palate.įinish: The finish is long with fading dry vanilla oak notes and a sweet and subtly bitter Manuka honey note. I do not get the apples seen earlier on the nose. This is sweet but not particularly fruity. Develops to a slightly musky barley and oatmeal porridge. Opens up on the first sip with light cream, vanilla and honeyed granola. Like the nose, this takes a while to open up. Palate: The palate is light-bodied, gentle with straightforward notes of cream and soft fruits. Behind the smooth texture there is but a hint of a mildly solvent note often seen in grain whiskies.Īs you pull away there is a gentle brush of peppermint and basil leaves a slight herbal mentholated note. There is not so much as a prickle whatsoever. This is really smooth on the nose - probably as gentle and friendly as a Jameson. Initial notes of Martinelli’s apple juice, and a lightly sour note - similar to nosing white cream soda or Prosecco.ĭevelops into mild vanilla, cream and lightly toasted barley cereal. Overall, it is friendly, fresh, floral and lightly grassy. If you’re raising your eyebrows at the inclusion of Ben Nevis, do note that this was formulated before the new Japanese whisky labelling standards were introduced. The blend reportedly consists of at least some spirit from Yoichi Distillery and some from Ben Nevis. The Nikka Black Special is a blend of malt and grain whisky distilled using Coffey column stills. To learn more about each Flavour Camp, please click here. Note: We have assigned every bottle we review to one of five Flavour Camps, based on the most dominant flavours found. The Flavour Camps are : (1) Fragrant and Floral, (2) Fruity and Spicy, (3) Malty and Dry, (4) Rich and Round and (5) Smokey and Peaty. Nikka Black Special, 42% ABV FRAGRANT AND FLORAL Great opportunity for another side-by-side review. Someone did ask if just took out the bottle from the refrigerator. The bottle has a much more premium feel with beautiful matte frosted blue glass. This particular edition was specially bottled in 2016 to commemorate Nikka’s 60th Anniversary.
NIKKA WHISKEY REVIEWS SERIES
We recently found a local store still selling a limited edition expression from the series - the Nikka Black 60th Anniversary Blender’s Spirit. The most commonly seen one is a jet-black bottle with the label “Nikka Black Special”. There are a couple of editions within the Nikka Black series. (Film: Lost in Translation (2003) (Focus Features)) And because bottles are so affordable, in Japan, this is enjoyed at casual dates, parties, concerts, or when you’re getting smashed while singing karaoke with Bill Murray and young Scarlett Johansson in midnight Tokyo. This is not styled as a highbrow single malt. The general consensus is that Nikka Blacks are lightly sweet and incredibly easy to drink. Source: NTUC (Yes, you can literally get them at NTUC) Suntory’s move towards blends was much more well received as they catered to local palates with their smoothness, light and more citrusy profile that suited the popular Highball cocktail. The Nikka Black is a little bit like Nikka’s answer to Suntory’s affordable blended whisky lines. Brands like Suntory focused on developing lighter-tasting blended whisky suitable for making whisky highballs. Suffice to say, the average Japanese consumer was not a huge fan of robust, muscular Scotch, and typically prefers something lighter and more floral. Outside of Asia-Pacific, it isn’t terribly well-known, so there isn’t much data to be found on it in English.
The Nikka Black series - nicknamed “Bearded Black” - is a line of affordable mass market whiskies developed in 1965 to appeal to the Japanese palate. Pour a Nikka Black, and white people in Tudor-era outfits would give you a moustache. Today, we review a Nikka series very often seen in Japanese convenience or grocery stores.
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