WHISKY REVIEWS, NEWS, HISTORY & FOLKLORE
From Scotland to Japan – and back again
The story of Nikka begins with Masataka Taketsuru. As a young man, Masataka was sent to Scotland by his employer, the Settsu Shuzo Co Ltd. In 1918, he enrolled at Glasgow University where he would study Chemistry and supplemented his learning with work experience roles at various distilleries all over the country. During his time in Scotland, Masataka met and fell in love with Rita Cowan. The two were married and when the time came for Taketsuru to return to Japan, Rita traveled with him. Their unusual story would later inspire the TV Drama series, Massan.
Upon returning home, Taketsuru was dismayed to find his employer in no hurry to push forward with their plans to create a Japanese whisky. Frustrated, he took his newfound knowledge to the Kotobukiya Group (a forerunner of Suntory), who tasked him with creating the first whisky distillery in Japan at Yamasaki.
After several years with the company, Taketsuru’s contract was up for renewal but Rita, who believed fiercely in her husband’s abilities, persuaded him to start his own business. In 1934, he established Yoichi on the island of Hokkaido under the ownership of the newly formed Dai Nippon Kaju – The Great Japanese Juice Company. The name was later shortened to Ni-Ka.
Masataka Taketsuru passed away in 1979. He is revered to this day as the father of Japanese whisky.
Keeping it in-house
Japan’s whisky industry differs from its Scottish counterpart in several ways but perhaps the most notable change is the lack of trade between competitors. In Scotland, casks are traded from one company to the next, with stocks constantly changing hands to feed the various brands of blended Scotch. In Japan, however, a whisky producer must make all their own components in-house. If a new flavour profile is required for a blend, they have to make it themselves. In 1961, Nikka imported a Coffey still from Scotland, to allow them to produce grain whisky and 8 years later, a second malt distillery followed in Miyagikyo. The company continued to thrive and expanded further in 1989 with the acquisition of Ben Nevis distillery in Scotland.
Recent years brought some damaging revelations in the form of news that several bottles branded as Japanese Whisky, did in fact consist largely of imported spirit from Scotland and even Canada. Nikka’s popular From the Barrel blend, was one of many said to contain Scotch whisky. The company entered into talks with other prominent Japanese whisky producers and the result was the creation of the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Associaion. The group set out a series of rules that would define Japanese whisky and ensure that products labelled as produced in Japan were exactly that.
The global popularity of Japanese whisky is a relatively recent phenomenon but whilst the peak of the fever pitch seems to have passed, prices remain high and many expressions are rarer than hen’s teeth. For my own part, I’ve infrequently dabbled with Japanese whisky but must confess that all too often I’ve been left feeling underwhelmed by the experience. Perhaps that’s because the ridiculous prices inflate my expectations. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to becoming acquainted with this Travel Retail expression, a sample of which was included in an Advent Calendar sent to me by Bevvy.
*Full disclosure: the sample featured in this review was sent to me free of charge. As always, I will strive to give an honest opinion on the quality of the dram and the value for money it represents.
The Whisky
The whisky comes in an impressive looking ornamental bottle featuring a Japanese Samurai Design. I’m led to believe that the original Gold & Gold was a common sight throughout its homeland but the Samurai Edition was a travel retail exclusive. The whisky is bottled at 43% ABV.
Smell: Malty and a wee bit nutty. There’s caramel and biscuits and even a wee bready note. Toffee too. Baking spices and a wee touch of grassiness. Some light, fresh fruits including lemons and oranges, pears and green apples.
Taste: Quite a gentle arrival on the tip of the tongue. Some honey and toffee before moving into the biscuit and caramel notes similar to that found on the nose. Vanilla pods. A wee bit grassy – cereals. Some soft woody spices around the mid-palate, turning oaky towards the back. There’s a wee chocolatey note around the sides that’s quite interesting. Some pepper and a bit of dryness creeping in before a malty finish that has some ripe fruits underneath.
Thoughts: It didn’t strike me as anything particularly special unfortunately, though I certainly wouldn’t describe it as a bad whisky either. Perhaps it’s just a bit, whisky-by-numbers. A bit safe. A bit polished. It’s nicely balanced and I found the bready, baking spice aromas really inviting but the tameness of the arrival dulled that enthusiasm a bit. It picks up around the mid-palate but never really reaches the heights I’d hoped for. It’s quite light-bodied but you can feel a touch of oiliness in the liquid, which is nice. A pleasant enough everyday dram but nothing more.
Price: Apparently original retail in Japanese airports would be comparable to around £50 though if you try to buy it online in Scotland you’ll find asking prices closer to £300. It may be a beautiful bottle but it ain’t no £300 dram.
For more about Nikka visit here
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