World Whisky Review #21: Nikka Takeretsu Pure Malt

Distillery: Blend of Miyagikyo and Yoichi

Region: Japan

ABV: 43%

Age: NAS

Price: Part of a sample swap courtesy of /u/matt5784

Color: 1.2, Chestnut/Oloroso Sherry.

Nose: Damp moss, fresh wood, and freshly cut hay. There’s a bit of a perfume-y smell as well.

Palate: Light and balanced. There’s sweetness from the malt and then some spices from the oak and allspice. With some water, it does open up and some notes of lemon zest and eucalyptus show up.

Finish: Medium in length, more of the oak spice and allspice. With some water, some bitter coffee and smoke come out.

Conclusion: This whisky was my introduction to Japanese whisky a few years back. I distinctly remember being on a rather stressful business trip and nearly popping this open at the hotel to relieve some of that stress. I do remember absolutely loving it then, it was a fun, light, and well polished dram. I’m not sure if my palate has changed or if what Nikka is putting out has changed, probably a combination of the two, as I can’t say I particularly enjoyed this one. While it’s light and balanced, it’s ultimately incredibly boring and not quite so polished. Quite a shame, especially since the price seems to be ever climbing. Would I buy a bottle of this? No.

Final Score: 76.

World Whisky review #21, Japanese Whisky Review #9, Whisky Network Review #143

Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky.
• 85-89: Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection (if feasible).
• 80-84: Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here.
• 75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink.
• 70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.