The Nikka 12 Year Old Blended Japanese Whisky is the product of two distilleries (Yoichi and Miyagikyo). This is a well-balanced blend and the result of 'the art of blending and craftsmanship'. It's also awarded 'Best Blended 12 Year Old ' at the 2016 World Whiskies Awards.

Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such may have some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product pictured. Whisky is big business in Japan with Scotch whisky being especially popular, yet with their own history of brewing and sake production, it's only logical that the Japanese are now making whisky too. What began as a conscious imitation of Scotch, now has a style all of its own, and since commercial production began in the early 20th century, the quality has been steadily improving. Today, most of the malt whisky produced in Japan is for blending but Japanese distillers generally don't trade casks in the manner that Scottish distillers do. Consequently, it's up to each distillery to produce a diversity of styles that will form the base components of 'house blends' that offer unique and complex flavour profiles. Some Japanese blends will even include a percentage of Scotch whisky, rather than whisky from rival local distillers. This jealous reluctance to exchange is considered one of the major obstacles holding the industry back from the prominence it deserves: In a number of blind tastings recently organised by Whisky Magazine , which have included Japanese single malts in the lineup along with malts from distilleries considered to be among the best in Scotland, on more than one occasion, the results have had Japanese single malts scoring higher than their Scotch counterparts. After a long absence from the Australian market, we've finally managed to secure some world class Japanese whiskies from the Nikka distillery, Japan’s second largest whisky producer after Suntory. Now owned by the brewer Asahi, the company was originally set up by Masataka Taketsuru, who built Yoichi distillery in 1934, having previously spent two years studying the art of distilling in Scotland. (He also developed the now famous 'Yamazaki' distillery in Kyoto for Suntory which he managed for ten years). Yoichi typically produces rich, peaty and masculine malts. The whiskies get their distinct aroma and body from direct heating distillation, in which the pot stills are heated with finely powdered natural coal - a traditional method that's hardly used today, even in Scotland. Tasting note: Nose: Pronounced, astonishingly fresh, dry, peat. Palate: Mint creams, then orangey. Finish: After the creaminess, the peat surges back. Clean, sweetish, soft smokiness. Comment: This is a wonderful whisky at 10 Years Old. I love the almost shocking hit of heavy peating. Rating: 9/10 . - Michael Jackson, www.whiskymag.com

The Coffey Still is the worlds first patented continuous still invented by Mr. Aeneas Coffey in 1830. Masataka Taketsuru valued the feature of this type of still, which retains the flavours of ingredients and also creates a distinctive texture. Complex, sweet and mellow flavours in Nikka Coffey invites you back to beauties of grain whisky.

This refined vodka is the purest expression of the signature “Coffey Stills” which produce Nikka Whisky’s outstanding grain whiskies. With decades of experience in distilling white spirits as well as whisky, Nikka’s vodka perfectly captures the extremely smooth and delicate taste of the Coffey-distilled corn and barley spirits. Each spirit is distilled separately and skillfully blended. The formula is perfected with minimal filtration using white birch charcoal to deliver precise balance and mellow texture.

Limited edition release from Nikka - a decanter in the shape of a potstill. Deluve gift set edition.

Retaining the elegant warmth of Miyagikyo malt, peat brings out a mellow sweetness and more solid body. Nikka says it has the sweetness of raisins and dry cherries, and a light yet firm peatiness.

This rare version of Miyagikyo single malt is part of the "Nikka Discovery" series: an inside look at the various experiments made during the whisky-making process at Nikka. Focusing on the distinctive aromas generated by yeast selected from Nikka's vast "culture collection", this expression is partly made from a batch which offers fruity aromas of peach and apricot. Please discover an exquisite combination of these fresh aromas and Miyagikyo's original comforting, elegant style.

Rumoured to be discontinued, prices are already jumping abroad. Best buy now while Australia is still catching up! Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product not pictured. The 12 year old blended malt sourced from two of Nikka's distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagikyo, named after the company's founder, Masataka Taketsuru. An NAS (no age statement) Taketsuru bottling has recently been released (2016) in Australia at an increased price.

Lots of very warm reviews on the blogoshere for this no-age-statement expression of Nikka which reportedly over-delivers for an entry level whisky. Named after the company's founder, Masataka Taketsuru, and aged on average for around 10 years, it includes whiskies from the Miyagikyo & Yoichi distilleries, including malt matured in Sherry casks.

Nikka Tailored Premium Japanese Whisky was release in 2019 as the long-awaited replacement for the Nikka 12 Year Old. This whisky has been exceptionally produced. The nose is lively and fruity with malty aromas of vanilla, caramel, cookies, and biscuits. The palate is sweet but with a firm malt base carried by a gentle sweetness from the Coffey grain. The finish lingers with a spicy bitterness. In 1918, a young Japanese man with an ambition to make genuine whisky went alone to Scotland to unveil the secret of whisky making. He is Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky. Given the chance to go to Scotland, Masataka became the first Japanese ever to master how to make whisky.