Miyagikyo

Whisky #532: Nikka Date Blended Japanese Whisky

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Nikka Date Blended Japanese Whisky. Sendai, Japan. ABV: 43%. Tasted at Tokyo Bird, $24.

Colour: Bright golden toffee.

Nose: Like ripping open a fresh pack of teriyaki beef jerky…though maybe that’s also because I’m sat in a fantastic izakaya bar here in Sydney (Tokyo Bird) with plenty of tasty morsels being grilled in the kitchen. A bit of time in the glass gives off some tropical fruit and lemon marshmallows.

Palate: Fresh oak forward. Lightly toasted bread with a hint of honey. Pepper and cloves later.

Finish: Cane, sugar cane, charcoal, charred meat. A salty, woody tang to finish.

Comments: The Nikka Date (pronounced “dah-teh”)  is a blend of malt and grain whiskies distilled through the Coffey stills at Nikka’s Miyagikyo distillery. It’s got much more character than most blends, a bit of punch that belies it’s lowish  43% ABV.

It has got layers upon layers, and in that respect it’s quite similar in character to the Nikka Coffey Malt that I reviewed quite early on in the Whisky a Day journey back at Whisky #245. It’s not seamless and tends to jump around with the flavours a little, but with time in the glass it’s like the whisky decides that it’s time to peel back another of the seven veils to reveal something new.

Whisky #245 – Nikka Coffey Malt Japanese Whisky

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IMG_3765Nikka Coffey Malt Japanese Whisky. Sendai, Japan. ABV: 45.0%. Tasted at Helvetica, $28.

Colour: Light amber.

Nose: Fresh oak, sawdust, hay-like notes along with some sweetness.

Palate: Much drier than I was expecting – from the nose I had thought it might by a bit richer and maybe a little syrupy.

Finish: Dried cocoa, liquorice. Interesting that there’s a few more sweet notes emerging in the finish compared to when it first enters the mouth. Flavours and a gentle heat seem to build for a while before the eventual fade.

Comments: A real chameleon of a whisky; it’s constantly revealing more layers of complexity with each sniff, each mouthful. Rich yet delicate, it’s a whisky of contrasts. Much like a girl playing hard to get when you’re first dating, it’s a whisky that beckons you back for another encounter or five to truly get to know it.

Whisky #34: Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky

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IMG_2597Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky. Sendai, Japan. Tasted at Helvetica, $19.

Colour: Bright caramel.

Nose: Toffee sweet medicinal notes.

Palate: Soft soft smooooth. Hints of creaming soda, buttery creamy goodness.

Finish: I don’t want it to finish. But it is smooth, oily & mouth coating; has a very gentle warmth.

Comments: I’m a foodie, but corn is one of only four foods that I don’t like. Finally something made from corn that I like. I could gnaw at this Nikka Coffey corn cob all day!!