Nikka 12 Premium Blended Whisky

Nikka is cutting even more into their output to be able to re-launch Yoichi and Miyagikyo with an age statement in due course. At this point in time, this bottle is the only one with an age on the label on the official Nikka website! It is composed from Yoichi malt and Miyagikyo malt and grain (I confess, I was not aware they produced grain whisky at the latter). Let’s get to it.

The nose is very elegant on nuts, raisins, caramel, cherries, plums and green tea. There is even a hint of condensed, sugared milk in there! Then a truckload of caramel and some cinnamon, banana and peach. Surprisingly round and very nice.

It is pretty oily, honey-sweet and a tad boozy on pear drops, peach from a can, pineapple, toffee and raisins. Nice spiciness in the guise of ginger, toasted oak and cinnamon.

The finish is long on dried fruit, caramel and wood spices. Only in the finish do I get some typical grain whisky notes, which I find extraordinary. A hint of candied orange peel at the death.

Very good and indeed tastes ‘premium’, it has something extra. The fact that it’s bottled at 43% also sits well with me. But paying 100 to 150 EUR for a bottle of this seems extravagant, whether or not it is bottled in beautiful decanter that is supposed to be reminiscent of a Kimono neck line. Thanks for the sample, Arno.

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