So today, I want to say goodbye to the old Nikka singe malt range by reviewing a total of six expression:

1. Yoichi NAS
2. Yoichi 10 Years Old
3. Yoichi 15 Years Old
4. Miyagikyo NAS
5. Miyagikyo 10 Years Old
6. Miyagikyo 12 Years Old

Miyagikyo was founded in 1969 on the island of Honshu (the biggest of the four Japanese main islands), built in a valley landscape. The whole production process in the distillery (also called ‘The Innovator’) is managed by computers. The eight pot stills and two coffey stills (added in 1998) are heated by steam. The house style is subscribed as “round and generous, yet gentle and delicate”.

The Miyagikyo 12 Years Old is aged in sherry casks, for “increased body and complexity”. It is characterized by “a fruity noise with a hint of vanilla and a sweet, well-balanced palate.”

Facts

Miyagikyo 12 Years Old

Nose

Rather light. A bit floral. Roasted coffee, pecan nuts and spices.

Taste

Rich. Salted popcorn with caramel sauce. Sweet caramel. Berries covered with chocolate. A pleasant saltiness to round things up.

Finish

Long. Warming and drying. Hints of fruits.

Overall

The palate is really, really good but the rest lacks behind a bit. Overall not the sherry bomb I would have expected but pleasant nonetheless.

Score: 85 / 100

So today, I want to say goodbye to the old Nikka singe malt range by reviewing a total of six expression:

1. Yoichi NAS
2. Yoichi 10 Years Old
3. Yoichi 15 Years Old
4. Miyagikyo NAS
5. Miyagikyo 10 Years Old
6. Miyagikyo 12 Years Old

Miyagikyo was founded in 1969 on the island of Honshu (the biggest of the four Japanese main islands), built in a valley landscape. The whole production process in the distillery (also called ‘The Innovator’) is managed by computers. The eight pot stills and two coffey stills (added in 1998) are heated by steam. The house style is subscribed as “round and generous, yet gentle and delicate”.

The Miyagikyo 10 Years Old is characterized by “a lively, floral nose harmonizing the light scent of malt and a creamy, silky palate”, thus making it “not unlike single malts of Speyside”.

Facts

Miyagikyo 10 Years Old

Nose

Ah yes, the influence of bourbon barrels isn’t deniable. A lot of oranges, accompanied by lemons, vanilla and caramel. Malted barely. Hints of light smoke and soap in the back. Maybe also some sherry but I am not complete sure.

Taste

Smooth and soft with a light tingling on the tongue. Lots of vanilla. Milk chocolate, cinnamon and coconut. Cooked vegetables. Balanced by a light touch of peppery oak and peat.

Finish

Medium. Bitter and spicy. Nuts.

Overall

Yeah… not exactly a disappointment I would say, but I am also not “wowed” to be honest. Not bad, but doesn’t really stand out either. Especially the finish is a bit weak in my opinion.

Score: 83 / 100

So today, I want to say goodbye to the old Nikka singe malt range by reviewing a total of six expression:

1. Yoichi NAS
2. Yoichi 10 Years Old
3. Yoichi 15 Years Old
4. Miyagikyo NAS
5. Miyagikyo 10 Years Old
6. Miyagikyo 12 Years Old

Miyagikyo was founded in 1969 on the island of Honshu (the biggest of the four Japanese main islands), built in a valley landscape. The whole production process in the distillery (also called ‘The Innovator’) is managed by computers. The eight pot stills and two coffey stills (added in 1998) are heated by steam. The house style is subscribed as “round and generous, yet gentle and delicate”.

The Miyagikyo NAS is characterized as “soft, fruity and spicy”, making it “perfect as an apperitif”.

Facts

Miyagikyo NAS

Nose

Rich and deep. A bit floral at first. Then cooked citrus fruits on vanilla pudding with cinnamon. Blond tobacco and floral honey. Followed by anise and a whiff of cacao powder.

Taste

Vigorous and oily. Nuts strewn with cacao powder. Pepper. Followed by ripe plums, pears and apricots.

Finish

Long and slightly sour. Hey, grass and flowers. Hints of nuts.

Overall

Wow! This is probably one of the best NAS expressions I came across more recently. Really pleasant and varied.

Score: 86 / 100

So today, I want to say goodbye to the old Nikka singe malt range by reviewing a total of six expression:

1. Yoichi NAS
2. Yoichi 10 Years Old
3. Yoichi 15 Years Old
4. Miyagikyo NAS
5. Miyagikyo 10 Years Old
6. Miyagikyo 12 Years Old

Yoichi was founded in 1934 on the island of Hokkaido (the northernmost of the four Japanese main islands). The distillery (also called ‘The Icon’) is located less than a mile from sea and gets its water from an underground source that runs through peat. Thus it is not surprising that the house style is subscribed as “peaty and salty”. Interestingly enough, Yoichi’s small pot stills are still fired by coal, a traditional method that is no longer used by Scottish distilleries.

The Yoichi 15 Years Old “is drawn from several malt whisky casks, illustrating the diversity and richness of the whiskies made by the Yoichi distillery”. It is characterized “by a peaty, mature nose and a smooth, complex palate”.

Facts

Yoichi 15 Years Old

Nose

Fresh and soft. Pears and peaches mixed with cinnamon roasted almonds. Balanced by a thick layer of peat in the background. Then varnish comes to light.

Taste

Smooth and oily. An interesting mix of sweetish and salty elements, poured together in a big cup of fresh pressed lemon juice. Followed by pepper and menthol drops. Afterwards, chili bitter chocolate, espresso and fresh flowers emerge.

Finish

Long and drying with a light citrus bitterness. Pepper, bitter chocolate and anise.  

Overall

Very smooth and elegant. The nose is not that peaty but I really liked the complex palate.

Score: 88 / 100

So today, I want to say goodbye to the old Nikka singe malt range by reviewing a total of six expression:

1. Yoichi NAS
2. Yoichi 10 Years Old
3. Yoichi 15 Years Old
4. Miyagikyo NAS
5. Miyagikyo 10 Years Old
6. Miyagikyo 12 Years Old

Yoichi was founded in 1934 on the island of Hokkaido (the northernmost of the four Japanese main islands). The distillery (also called ‘The Icon’) is located less than a mile from sea and gets its water from an underground source that runs through peat. Thus it is not surprising that the house style is subscribed as “peaty and salty”. Interestingly enough, Yoichi’s small pot stills are still fired by coal, a traditional method that is no longer used by Scottish distilleries.

The Yoichi 10 Years Old was “made from a vatting of whisky aged in bourbon barrels, new oak barrels and sherry barrels, all reworked at the distillery”. It is characterized “by a fruity, sweet nose and a smooth, velvety palate”.

Facts

Yoichi 10 Years Old

Nose

Apples and stone fruits (peaches, apricots and plums) but overall not as fruity as expected. Fresh mint leaves, cinnamon and mixed nuts with a whiff of caramel. A good portion of peat and cold campfire smoke in the back, although without the coastal touch I found in the NAS version.

Taste

Rather strong and floral. Vanilla, cinnamon, sugared grapefruits and limes. Followed by more than a handful of black peppercorns. Also a slightly oaky. Again some peat and ash in the back.

Finish

Long. Warming, bitter and slightly dry. Dried flowers. A whiff of fruits and peat.

Overall

To be honest, I am not the biggest fan of floral single malts, but I kinda liked this expression. It has a pleasant fruitiness to it, although I am missing the coastal touch of the NAS version.

Score: 85 / 100

So today, I want to say goodbye to the old Nikka singe malt range by reviewing a total of six expression:

1. Yoichi NAS
2. Yoichi 10 Years Old
3. Yoichi 15 Years Old
4. Miyagikyo NAS
5. Miyagikyo 10 Years Old
6. Miyagikyo 12 Years Old

Yoichi was founded in 1934 on the island of Hokkaido (the northernmost of the four Japanese main islands). The distillery (also called ‘The Icon’) is located less than a mile from sea and gets its water from an underground source that runs through peat. Thus it is not surprising that the house style is subscribed as “peaty and salty”. Interestingly enough, Yoichi’s small pot stills are still fired by coal, a traditional method that is no longer used by Scottish distilleries.

The Yoichi NAS is meant to offer “drinkers a light-hearted introduction to the superior quality of Yoichi malt whisky” with its “impressive balance and full personality”.

Facts

Yoichi NAS

Nose

Relatively fruity with a lot of peach, accompanied by green apples and green pears. Nut mix with red berries. Hints of salt, peat and dusty oak.

Taste

Lots of sugared lemon followed by plums, peaches and cherries. Furthermore walnuts and almonds. Also slightly peppery. A whiff of coffee. Mildly-peated seaweed in the background.

Finish

Pretty long and dry with a slightly bitter touch. Hints of old oak and salt.

Overall

Not bad, not bad at all! In all seriousness, this is indeed a balanced and more complex than expected entry level expression and thus a fine starting point into the Yoichi range. Reminds me with its salty and peaty touch of some coastal Scottish single malt.

Score: 83 / 100

This blended whisky is available exclusively in Europe and is

A selection of slightly peated malts and Coffey still grain whiskies from Nikka’s stocks; this well-balanced whisky has a smooth taste of the casual whisky enthusiast.

Truth be told, I am not sure if the Nikka Blended Whisky is also affected by the recent ‘Nikka Shock’.

Facts

Nikka Blended Whisky

Nose

Fruity. Lots of apples, pears, peaches and nectarines combined with hints of strawberries and blackberries. Underlying tones of vanilla, coconuts and heather honey. Malted barley. Also a floral touch of grass and roses. There is no sign of peat though.

Taste

Oily, creamy and reasonable strong given the low strength. Pear-almonds cake. Gets dryer and spicier towards the end. Again no signs of peat.

Finish

Medium with a dry sweetness. Hints of oak. Fruits and floral honey. Dark chocolate.

Overall

Soft and smooth, although I am a bit disappointed that I couldn’t find any peat. But overall a well-made blend and not only for ‘the casual whisky enthusiast’ in my opinion.

Score: 83 / 100

Facts

Yamazaki 18 Years Old

Nose

Very, very smooth but incredible complex at the same time. At first chocolate raisins and a whiff of dark rum. Evolving vanilla and oriental spices. Then a delicate plum wine comes to the foreground. Moves on with cherry water pipe tobacco, red fruits and figs. And I cannot help myself but is there some smoke in the very distant background?

Taste

Full-bodied with creamy sherry. A noticeable oak influence as well. Again that delicate plum wine from the nose, now even more delicate. Followed by fresh lemon lime juice. Goes over in figs and dates.

Finish

Medium with a dry sweetness. Slightly spicy tobacco. Again a very distant smokey touch.

Overall

This single malt has a lot of superstar qualities – full of character and complex, yet incredible all-around balanced and smooth. The nose and the taste are perfectly matched to one another, only the the finish falls behind a bit. Still a true Japanese masterpiece.

Score: 94 / 100

Yamazaki 12 Year Old was matured in three different casks including American, Spanish and Japanese (Mizura) oak. The latter gives this single malt a very unique character so even when it shares some similarities with Speyside whiskies it is way more than a mere copycat.

Facts

Yamazaki 12 Years Old

Nose

A very delicious fruit salad. Plenty of white peaches and apricots. In addition, nectarines and pineapples. There is also some lemon zest in between. All this is rounded off by a few drops of honey and some vanilla bean syrup.

Taste

Smooth and soft to the palate. A delicate sweetness balanced by a just as delicate spiciness. Followed by sweetish citrus and the fruits from the nose.

Finish

Medium to long and slightly dry with an interesting mix of bitter citrus and hints of dark honey.

Overall

Stunning harmonic, yet surprisingly complex for a 12 Year Old. The fruitiness is just absolute lovely.

Score: 90 / 100

Because I have no clue how a Macallan 10 Year Old tasted like in 1975, here are some hard facts:

The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013 is 100% matured in ex-sherry casks and is part of the annual “Cask Collection” from Yamazaki (Suntory). It is reported that 2013 was the final year of the series.

So let’s see what all the fuss was about.

Facts

Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013

Nose

Rich and vibrant sherry notes as expected. Dry, walnuts – seems like oloroso sherry to me. I detect some raisins behind the massive sherry wall or at least I think so. A very appealing, engaging nose for sure. Makes curious for more.

Taste

Creamy at first but a certain sherry dryness develops soon. A strong, nutty taste. Some hardly noticeable fruits in the distant background – almost like dried fruits, maybe the raisins from the nose? Slightly sweeter at the end.

Finish

long with a strong focus on walnuts and raisins, again a very light fruitiness to round things off

Overall

This single malt keeps what it promises: vigorous, uncompromising sherry. In that sense, it is a well-balanced and truly exquisite sherry whisky. I would almost venture to say that this is the benchmark for other sherried whiskies. But is that really enough to be “the world best whisky”? Well, I am not too sure about that one. This is without a single doubt a very beautiful single malt but it can not live up the hype in my personal opinion.

Score: 91 / 100