Nikka Coffey Malt

Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky is a curiosity! Of course it is a Japanese whisky. But it is also a malted barley distilled in a Coffey still, the kind used for grain whisky, which are never used for Malt! So instead of a pot still with double distillation, a continuous distillation. I was curious so I bought a bottle. Another thing odd about this bottle is that I'm a French Canadian from Montreal who bought this bottle in Prince George British Columbia to realise that it is imported by La Maison du Whisky from France. Really?

Anyway, Time to go to business!

Nose: This one has a very evolving nose. On a fresh poor, a lot of alcool with orange liquor. Right after, first surprise, cherry and almond in a very Canadian Rye way. Then some Sherry notes with dry spices and dry cereal and the more it oxydizes, the more wood spices you get with nutmeg and musk. Freshly opened, I had a lot of floral notes in the middle but they seems to have almost vanished or to be well integrated. Wait, if I leave my glass unattended for more than half an hour, they are back. The wood and the floral notes are coming out like a Bourbon. At the end, there is caramel with a lot of brown sugar on a little of oatmeal, the way I was eating it when I was a kid.

The palate: Forget the orange, the cherry and almond, it jumps straight to the Sherry notes... and then the floral notes, in a rush, to end with the brown sugar melting on the oatmeal where it languishes. The air really enhance the brown sugar flavor.

The finish: rather short, when I gap for air the wood and floral notes swirl for a moment on top of the brown sugar and then fade away in a soothing way.

Conclusion: This whisky is very smooth if you let it breathe. The malt is almost non-existing. For me this Coffey Whisky is to Malt Whisky what Wheated Whisky is to Bourbon: another species. Sweet and smooth on the palate, it keeps some kicking spicies on the nose. It is a feel good whisky to take at home with your slippers on. For the Scotch snob who wouldn't go for a grain whisky, a Bourbon or a Rye, it could be a first step out of his comfort zone. It is interesting but base on this unique bottle, I prefer by far pot still whisky.

Find where to buy Nikka whisky