A New Nikka Blend Contains Whisky From the 1940s (2024)

June 21, 2024 –––––– Jonny McCormick, , , ,

In celebration of its 90th anniversary, Nikka Whisky is releasing a blend comprised of whiskies distilled in each of the past 9 decades. The Nikka Nine Decades is made from more than 50 components encompassing 6 Nikka-owned distilleries, including whisky laid down in the 1940s. The company blended the oldest stocks of single malt from Yoichi and Miyagikyo Distilleries, as well as whisky from Ben Nevis Distillery in Scotland, new grain whisky from Moji and Satsuma Tsukasa, and aged grain whisky from Nishinomiya. This expression is bottled at 48% ABV and carries a suggested retail price of $3,000. It’s a 4,000-bottle release that will roll out in July, with 400 bottles hitting the U.S. in October.

A New Nikka Blend Contains Whisky From the 1940s (1)Nikka Whisky's founder Masataka Taketsuru was born in 1894 into a family that had owned a sake brewing business since the early 1700s. Taketsuru worked for Settsu Shuzo, then a leading producer of Western-style liquor in Osaka, and set out for Scotland on his own to learn how to make whisky. His studies in Scotland took him to the University of Glasgow before he worked at Longmorn, Bo’ness, and Hazelburn Distilleries from 1918 to 1920. These short apprenticeships gave him knowledge of the production of single malt scotch, continuous distillation of grain whisky on a Coffey still, and the art of blending. Taketsuru also fell in love during his time in Scotland, and returned to Japan with his Scottish wife Rita.

Taketsuru traveled home in late 1920 and discovered that Settsu Shuzo was unable to carry out its plan to make whisky. He instead went to work for Shinjiro Torii, the founder of Kotobukiya, the company that grew into today’s Suntory Global Spirits. Taketsuru designed the blueprints for Yamazaki Distillery based on his notes from Scotland and served as its first distillery manager when it opened in 1924. However, records show that as early as 1927, Taketsuru began to consider Hokkaido as a potential location for a distillery.

Taketsuru decided to go into business independently, and Yoichi became his new company’s first distillery in 1934. It was built on the northern island of Hokkaido in a mountainous region facing the Sea of Japan, a location selected by Taketsuru for its similarity to Campbeltown in Scotland. In 1969, his second distillery, Miyagikyo, opened in a forested valley in the Miyagi prefecture, on the east coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu.

Nikka started as a juice company called Dai Nippon Kaju, meaning the Great Japanese Juice Company, making use of the region’s abundant apple crop. While selling apple juice as the whisky matured, the Dai Nippon Kaju company name was shorted to Nikka. The company still makes products with apples to this day, such as Nikka Apple Wine, a fortified wine bottled at 22% that’s a popular nightcap in Japan, using apple brandy made at its Hirosaki Cidery in Aomori prefecture. To celebrate that link, in 2020, Nikka released a pair of Miyagikyo and Yoichi expressions finished in apple brandy barrels to mark the centenary of Masataka and Rita’s 1920 wedding.

Yoichi is a traditional coal-fired distillery and creates variety by using different combinations of yeast strains, barrel types, and aging conditions. It makes a heavily peated single malt that’s aged in new oak, bourbon, refill, sherry, and mizunara casks among others. The water is drawn from the Yoichi River, while sea breezes from Ishikari Bay influence the maturation of the malt whisky inside the casks. The first single malt from the distillery was called the Single Malt of Hokkaido and released in 1984, followed by Single Malt Yoichi in 1989. Nikka from the Barrel was the No.1 whisky of the year in the 2018 Whisky Advocate Top 20. It’s a complex recipe of malt and grain whiskies from their Japanese and Scottish operations, which are blended together then married in oak casks. First launched in 1985, it is always bottled at 51.4% as a nod to Taketsuru’s experiences at distilleries in Scotland as this strength is the closest ABV to 90 British proof.

In the run up to the 90th anniversary, Nikka Whisky released the Discovery Series, a collection of experimental whiskies created by Nikka’s chief blender Hiromi Ozaki. The final whisky in that series, Nikka The Grain, has particular relevance for The Nikka Nine Decades as it combined grain whiskies from Miyagikyo, Moji, Satsuma Tsukasa, and Nishinomiya.

A New Nikka Blend Contains Whisky From the 1940s (2024)

FAQs

Which Nikka was discontinued? ›

Nikka to discontinue Taketsuru Pure Malt 17-, 21- and 25-year whiskies by March 2020.

What does Nikka mean in Japanese whiskey? ›

Nikka is born

Initially operating under the name “Dai Nippon Kaju”, meaning the “great Japanese juice company”, the company name is officially changed to Nikka Whisky in 1952, a contraction of NI-ppon and KA-ju, though this name already appears on the label of the first whisky released in 1940.

What is the alcohol content of Nikka whiskey? ›

Bottling is controlled at 51.4% ABV, almost equivalent to 90 British proof, that Nikka blenders determined through repeated experiments to achieve the ideal taste profile.

What is Nikka whiskey made of? ›

Made from 100% malted barley, whisky distilled in a Coffey still is matured in old casks to enhance the rich maltiness, complexity and a silky texture.

Is Nikka whiskey closing down? ›

Nikka has announced the impending doom of their Nishinomiya Plant, the famed first home of their Coffey still. March 2024 will be the final month of operations at the site. First opened in 1959, the Nishinomiya Plant was originally a bottling facility.

What Japanese whiskey is not made anymore? ›

The beloved Nikka whisky, distilled at the Yoichi distillery in Hokkaido and brainchild of sorts of Masataka Taketsuru, the “Father of Japanese Whisky,” is being discontinued. It almost moves us to tears.

What does Nikka Whisky taste like? ›

There are notes of cut flowers and fresh fruits, spice, and a little oak. Palate Full-bodied and punchy. There is plenty of winter spice and toffee, a little caramel and vanilla, and a good mouthful of fruit. Finish Long, warming and fruity with a little oaken spice.

Why is Japanese whiskey so rare? ›

Whisky was very popular in Japan until the 1980s. Then, the rice-based shochu became the drink of choice. Because whisky fell out of favor, production slowed down, and distilleries didn't fill casks.

Is Nikka or Suntory better? ›

So who is the winner? Nikka or Suntory? As usual with these things, we can't pick a winner because they're both excellent. Nikka or Suntory – you really can't go wrong.

Is Nikka a smoky whiskey? ›

It offers a delicate balance of bright fruitiness and rich mouthfeel, along with its distinctive smokiness generated by coal-fired distillation.

How do you drink Nikka Days whiskey? ›

This whisky can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, in a simple highball or refreshing cocktail. Nikka Days will complement and elevate your day.

Why is it called Nikka? ›

The brand name of this whisky was “NIKKA WHISKY”, short for "Nippon Kaju", which later became the name of the company itself.

Who owns Nikka brand? ›

Nikka has been owned by Asahi Group Holdings since 1954.

Is Nikka a peaty whiskey? ›

Bursting with peat and oak, the depth of this expression is described on the label, as clear as can be. The traditional Yoichi character is enhanced here, bring an experience rivalling the whiskies of Islay.

Is Nikka 17 being discontinued? ›

Technically this bottle should be the last of its kind - after all, Nikka announced in 2020 that it would discontinue its age statement releases including the 17, 21 and 25 Year Old Taketsuru labels.

Is Nikka Gold and Gold being discontinued? ›

It was originally launched in 1968 but is now discontinued.

Why is Hakushu discontinued? ›

The highly regarded Suntory whisky was discontinued two years ago when the overwhelming popularity and demand for Japanese whiskies depleted stocks. However, as whisky takes time to age, this new batch has been sitting in the barrels for more than a decade and is now ready to see the light of day.

Which Yamazaki is discontinued? ›

Question: Which Yamazaki is discontinued? Answer: Suntory has discontinued the original Yamazaki 25-year-old single malt but has re-formulated and re-introduced it in the market.

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