Nikka Whisky

Last Updated: 3/18/2021

If you like Japanese whisky, then you need to know Nikka. They are a defining brand from Japan and produce some of the world’s greatest whiskies.

This post dives into their history, their distilleries and products, and where to find them.

Nikka Whisky Intro

Nikka Whisky is one of the preeminent Japanese whisky producers, alongside rival Suntory. The two competitors’ histories are closely linked and their rise parallels the rise of the mega-popular Japanese whisky category.

And while Suntory may be the more revered of the two, it was Nikka’s founder, Masataka Taketsuru (竹鶴 政孝), that deserves much of the credit for Suntory’s early success. Indeed, much of the success of Japanese whisky, on the whole, can be traced back to Taketsuru-san. A bold statement, but the facts support it. 

Taketsuru and Nikka’s Early Years

A lot happened before Nikka founder Taketsuru-san would be dubbed the “father of Japanese whisky”.

Taketsuru was born into a sake brewing family in Hiroshima in 1894. He became a chemist and was later employed by a beverage company (not Suntory) looking to approximate foreign liquors. Japan’s previous isolation had severely limited the country’s knowledge of Western distillation— including whisky production.

By 1919, he was traveling around Scotland and learning how to distill from various Scotch distilleries, notably Longmorn and Hazelburn. Taketsuru-san studied every aspect of the production process.

He returned to Japan in 1920 as the country’s leading expert on whisky production. Shortly after his return, his expertise was used to establish Suntory (then Kotobukiya) and launch/operate the hugely successful Yamazaki distillery. 

Taketsuru-san and Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii famously butted heads. At the end of their relationship, Torii demoted Taketsuru to a beer factory manager in Yokohama. This disrespect led Taketsuru to quit before his 10-year contract was up.

With some help from his wife Rita, Taketsuru-san went off to found his own distillery. He chose the quiet coastal town of Yoichi in Hokkaido due to its cold climate and humid marine air, similar to many of the distilleries he’d visited in Scotland.

In 1934, the Yoichi (余市) Distillery was complete and Nikka Whisky was born.

The history of Nikka Whisky is deeply connected with the history of Japanese whisky. Learn about Japanese whisky history with this informative post.

The Nikka Yoichi Distillery – 余市

True to the climate and design concept, Nikka Whisky’s Yoichi distillery produces legendary single malt whiskies that have a Scotch-like character. They are moderately peaty, smoky, a little briny, and with a robust and malty character.

Using the older distillation method of direct firing (as opposed to steam or water jacket) in pot stills also lends to a more robust character in Yoichi whiskies. 

Nikka has discontinued most of its age statement whiskies due to high demand and insufficient supply. Gone are the Yoichi Single Malt 10 Year, 12 Year, 15 Year, and 20 Year expressions.

Quite a bummer, but they’ve increased production, so there will likely be a return of a few age statement bottlings. 

Yoichi Single Malt, NAS Whisky

The Japanese whisky boom has not been kind to Yoichi’s lineup of age statement single malt whiskies. Instead of trickling out a few of them, like rival Suntory, Nikka decided to eliminate their entire lineup. The only whisky remaining is the NAS Yoichi single malt, but that’s still pretty good.

Nikka’s Yoichi NAS Single Malt was released in 2016 and carries the hallmark characteristics that the fabled distillery’s brands are known for. A moderate level of (Scottish-sourced) peated malt brings smoky, medicinal, and briny notes. These aren’t to the levels of a typical Islay Scotch but are noticeable for a Japanese whisky.

Other notes include lemon zest, raisin, savory and roasted malt, almond, milk chocolate, vanilla, and cedar. The palate for this Nikka is dry and carries a long finish. Prices for this single malt Nikka start around $80 US. This isn’t a collector whisky, but it certainly demands shelf space for the Japanese whisky connoisseur. 

Want to learn more? Take a look at my Nikka Yoichi single malt whisky review.

The Miyagikyo Distillery – 宮城峡

Nikka further expanded in 1969 with the founding of the Miyagikyo (宮城峡) Distillery. Miyagikyo is tucked away in Miyagi’s mountains to the west of Sendai. Its pure, soft water and higher elevation lead to a lighter and fruitier profile for its whiskies. 

Besides the pot stills at the Miyagikyo facilities, there are a pair of dual-column continuous stills. These “Coffey” stills were imported from Scotland in 1963. The old-school design is less efficient than modern multi-column stills, and provides a rich mouthfeel, with a few more congeners. The column stills provide a lot of grain whisky for Nikka’s blends, plus a little malt.

In 2012 the “Coffey” line was introduced with Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky. This corn-dominated product was an immediate hit. Since, Coffee Malt, Gin, and Vodka have been released.

In 2015, Nikka discontinued most of the Miyagikyo lineup, including the 10 Year, 12 Year, and 15 Year Single Malt whiskies. The company has poured vast resources into increasing production, so let’s hope they make a return in the next decade or two!

Miyagikyo Single Malt, NAS Whisky

Nikka’s Miyagikyo Single Malt NAS is a formidable whisky and last-man-standing in a once robust lineup. This is a more aromatic, feminine whisky than the Yoichi. It’s still loaded with malty notes, but gone is the peat influence. Notes include fresh flowers, almond, loads of citrus, bruised apple and pear, lychee, pineapple, coconut, fennel, cinnamon, chocolate, and tobacco. The texture is quite supple and there is a slightly sweet impression on the first sip. 

Pricing for the Nikka Miyagikyo NAS is similar to Yoichi— about $80. A quick search on Wine-Searcher should reveal a number of options locally or offering shipping. 

Want to learn more? Take a look at my Nikka Miyagikyo single malt whisky review.

Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky

Nikka Coffey Grain uses the Miyagikyo Distillery’s old-school Coffey stills and a 95% corn mash-bill to great success. This whisky is sweet (-ish), supple, smooth, and light. Grain and barrel characteristics dominate: dried cereal, toast, vanilla, cinnamon, and char. Other tasting notes include dried fruit, apricot, melon, peanut, and caramel.

Overall, Nikka Coffey Grain is a solid Japanese whisky. In many ways, it reminds of Bourbon whiskey. It makes a great choice for classic cocktails like the Japanese whisky highball, a mint julep, whisky sour, old fashioned, or Manhattan. Prices start around $60 US.   

Nikka’s Coffey Grain (and Coffey Malt) whisky had been “temporarily suspended” as of 2019. Again, let’s hope it makes a comeback. The younger nature of the Coffey-line whiskies means it probably won’t take as long as the older age statement single malts to bounce back.

Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky

This all-malt whisky, distilled in a column (Coffey still), is one of the more unique Japanese whiskies being produced. Typically whiskies made from 100% malted barley will be distilled in a pot still. The use of the Coffey still, as opposed to a pot, adds smoothness, softens the texture, and lightens the body. Retained are many of the core tasting characteristics of moderately kilned malt: toasted bread, biscuits, honey, and dried flowers. Ex-Bourbon cask influence is notable as well with aromas and flavors of vanilla, clove, and caramel. Dark fruit and orange notes round things out. 

Nikka Coffey Malt is a sturdier, more complex whisky than its corn-based Coffey Grain stablemate. Aromatics are more lifted, and the palate is dryer and sturdier. Both whiskies are bottled at 45% abv. 

Unlike Coffey Grain, however, Nikka Coffey Malt uses some portion of Scotch whisky in the blend.

Prices for Nikka Coffey Malt are slightly higher on average than its Coffey Grain sibling: about $75 US. 

Nikka Coffey Gin

Nikka Coffey Gin is a creamy-textured gin with depth and weight. It’s made with 11 different botanicals. Its citrus-forward nature is due to the use of six types of citrus: yuzu, kabosu, amanatsu, shequasar, lemon, and orange. The other major Japanese flavor component is sansho pepper, which has its own citrusy quality. Apple is also used— fitting for a company that started out producing fruit juice. Traditional gin ingredients round out the mix with juniper berries, angelica, and coriander. 

Nikka Coffey Gin is a direct competitor with Suntory’s Roku Gin. Prices start around $40 US.

Check out my Nikka Coffey Gin review to learn more about this excellent Japanese gin.

Nikka Coffey Vodka

Nikka Coffey Vodka is a smooth and supple neutral spirit made using Miyagikyo’s continuous ‘Coffee’ stills. It’s bottled at a standard 40% abv. It’s made with corn and barley, which are distilled separately and blended together later. 

This Nikka Vodka stands out well in cocktails where the vodka is at the forefront. Dry, extra dry, and dirty vodka martinis all come to mind. Starting around $35 per bottle, this vodka won’t break the bank, despite its Nikka label.

Nikka Whisky: Taketsuru Pure Malt

Taketsuru is a series of Japanese Pure Malt whiskies: a blend of Single Malt Whiskies from two distilleries. This term is basically the same as Blended or Vatted Malt. The Taketsuru line is named for Nikka’s legendary founder Masataka Taketsuru. Having two single malt distilleries, Miyagikyo and Yoichi, allows Nikka to produce Blended Malt whisky. These Taketsuru (竹鶴) branded Japanese whiskies are some of the finest examples of the style available anywhere.

In 2019, Jim Murray named Nikka Takesturu Pure Malt the “Japanese Whisky of the Year” award. Shortly after, Nikka announced it would be discontinuing this whisky, as well as the Taketsuru 17 Year, 21 Year, and 25 Year. That’s basically the whole lineup! Replacing them in 2020 is a new NAS Taketsuru, presumably with some older stocks being used in the blend. 

Taketsuru Pure Malt, NAS Whisky

Nikka’s Taketsuru Pure Malt is a non-age statement whisky that blends pot-distilled malts from the Yoichi and Miyagikyo Distilleries. It features a soft and fruity palate with notes of orange, lemon, bruised apple, and apricot. This is balanced by honey, toasty malt, light smoke, and brine. Other notes include roasted nuts, fig, caramel, coconut, and cinnamon. 

The new expression of Taketsuru Pure Malt replaces the old black label variation. The latter may see its prices rise now that it’s discontinued. Expect to shell out around $75 US for a bottle of either for the time being. 

Other Nikka Facilities and Products

Today, Nikka has several other plants and distilleries spread across Japan. They are used for various purposes like distilling Shochu, Brandy, Vodka, and Gin– plus fermenting cider and aging and bottling their products.

Nikka Whisky “From the Barrel”

From the Barrel is a bronze whisky of moderate aromatic intensity. The tasting profile leans dark and sweet. It has a supple, long finish that hides its 51.5% abv fairly well. Tasting notes include caramel, toffee, butterscotch, brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnut. Fruity and malt-based characteristics include bruised apple, caramelized plantain, banana, ripe peach, lemon peel, honey, and toasted sourdough. Finally, hints of smoke and tobacco add some balance. 

Nikka Whisk’s From the Barrel has long been a solid value in the Japanese whisky category. In 2018, it was awarded Whisky of the Year by Whisky Advocate. It was also launched that year in the US, bumping up from 500 ml to a more standard 750 ml volume. Prices of this blended Nikka have been inching up, but it’s still a borderline good buy for the quality. Prices start around $80.

It’s important to note that some of the whisky in From the Barrel comes from Scotland, likely the Nikka-owned Ben Nevis Distillery. Nikka’s Yoichi and Miyagikyo produce the remaining malt and grain whiskies in this blend.

Check out my Nikka from the Barrel review to learn more.

More About Nikka

EST: 1934    Official Site English / 日本語 

Yoichi Distillery Official Page   

Miyagikyo Distillery Official Page

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