Spirit Type: Whisky

Country: Japan

ABV: 45%

Bottle Size: 700ml

Description:

With a 95% corn mash bill, Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky is called after the type of still used to make it. If it were distilled in the USA and matured in brand-new charred oak barrels, it might have been classified as bourbon (among other requirements). The grain whisky in Nikka's blended whiskies, such as the Super Nikka, From the Barrel, and Tsuru 17, is produced in the Miyagikyo distillery.

The Nikka From The Barrel, which we haven't had a chance to sample yet but is unquestionably on my list of whiskies to try in 2016, is the only member of the group that is available in the USA.

The whisky has a fresh, light flavour. Rich and creamy but with a mild flavour profile that feels suitable for a 45% ABV spirit, it has a smoothness and weight to it.

When eating, the flavours are mostly the same as the aroma; there is vanilla and caramel with a hint of citrus. But there's also a flavour that emerges at the very end, something that grows in the background just when you think you've tasted everything. Although some reviews have compared it to smokey barbecue, we believe they are on the correct track. However, there is also something unique about this dish.

The whiskey has a smooth, unbitter finish, yet the flavour lingers long after the alcohol has disappeared. I'm not complaining because we really like it.

The flavours are chilled (excuse the pun) by the ice. The whiskey has been boiled down to only the strongest flavours, leaving behind the complex array seen in the neat version.

There isn't much flavour at first, but as the liquid heats up, flavours like vanilla and caramel begin to reappear. After the spirit has left again, those flavours continue, albeit with less vigour and diversity.

Norm's Pick - Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky 70cl

The Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky is made using the Nikka Coffey Still which is the world’s first patented continuous still invented by Mr. Aeneas Coffey in 1830.

This whisky is predominantly made from corn and will give you complex, sweet and mellow flavors which will help you re-discover the beauty of a grain whisky.