Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whisky

Apr 2

I mean, the guy founded you and you’re not gonna name a whisky after him? I’m surprised it took Nikka that long, but they did it! Then they did it again…this is the story of the first one - the black label.

If you’ve been reading along these reviews, you know that Masataka Taketsuru is the father of Japanese whisky. You’ll also remember he had a falling out with his co-founding father, Shinjiro Torii, and set off to found Nikka as Japan’s second distillery and one entirely his own. Up in Southern Hokkaido, the Yoichi Distillery grew.

Taketsuru lived to 85, passing away in 1979. In his lifetime, he saw Yoichi be joined by the Miyagikyo Distillery in Sendai. The latter was designed by Taketsuru to be a complete departure from Yoichi - after all, he wasn’t going to get any of Suntory’s distillate, now was he. I’ll touch more on the Miyagikyo Distillery in the next review (Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt).

The thing about this is……I didn’t love it. I just didn’t. It wasn’t bad, certainly not below an ok, but it didn’t hit my palate well. BUT - I found out after tasting it that this is now the old label and old blend, replaced by a similarly accented white label. Maybe the newer blend is more to my liking? This is honestly the first modern and/or current Nikka product I haven’t particularly liked (joined soon after by the Nikka 12), but if I only don’t like two products out of an entire line, I still think they’re doing something very right over there.

One little thing, though…again, naming stuff bugs me. “Pure Malt”. “Pure”. Could mean…anything? In this case, it means “a blend of malt whiskies from various distilleries”. So Pure = Blend. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Side note: as of 2021, Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whisky qualifies as Japanese Whisky as defined recently by the Japan Spirits & Liqueur Maker’s Association.

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whisky: Specs

Classification: Japanese Blended Whisky

Origin: Nikka Yoichi and Miyagikyo Distilleries

Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: NAS

Location: Hokkaido and Sendai, Japan

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whisky Price: $70

Official Website

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whisky: Tasting Notes

Eye: 14K gold. Very thin rims and droplet legs.

Nose: Very Scotchy - malt is bright and just a touch sweet. If I had to guess, the nose indicates Golden Promise barley. Yellow plums, candied kumquats, no proof heat.

Palate: Yuzu custard, tons of malt - almost beer-like, like this was distilled from a nice drinkable beer. Malt sweetness is tampered by the citrus then comes around again. Mouthfeel is silky, light-to-medium bodied, opens up sultanas and creamy oak and a slight effervescence.

Finish: Fruity - apricots, figs, only a touch drier, velvety and still effervescent.

Overall: I’m torn…this is a good blend that could pass for a good single malt, but the mouthfeel is a bit off, a bit oddly textured. Maybe the new blend will agree with my palate better.

Final Rating: 6.2

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)