Nikka Black Blender’s Spirit 60th Anniversary

Black Nikka is a very popular Japanese blended whisky. This limited edition was bottled in 2016 to commemorate its 60th anniversary. It contains malt and grain whisky from Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries; apparently, some of the whisky produced at Yoichi dates from 1956, and some of the grain whisky is 25 years old. It comes in an unusual square blue bottle.

The nose is soft and quite lush with notes of milk chocolate, nougat and vanilla. As it opens up, flavours of oranges and honey develop. Then there are some malty and grainy notes, followed by a whiff of smoke.

The palate is medium-bodied and creamy. The malty and grainy flavours are back, now together with vanilla drops, orange peel and apples. Some wood spice, too.

The finish is long and slightly spicy. The vanilla flavours are back, together with grainy and malty notes.

A beautifully rounded and complex blend, an excellent example of the blender’s art. Good job!

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