Nikka from the Barrel

One of the few Japanese Whiskys once can still obtain easily and that seems to be hitting US shores as of recently, Nikka must have caved in and had it bottled in 750ml rather than the customary 500ml bottles.

This is said to be a blend of malt & grain whisky, I won't even entertain the speculation that it's only from Japanese made spirits as the similarly packaged pure malt range contains Scottish whisky.

The whisky gets it's name from the fact the blend is put into refill casks to mellow out and marry before being bottled rather than a large stainless steel vat or tun. A practice I've heard other distillers mention Bruichladdich comes to mind. It is bottled in a distinct square blocky vessel, almost like medicine or a lab bottle, there are large 3L versions that come with a wooden stand and a glass pipette to dole out a measure of the whisky as well.

This is from a bottle circa 2017 from a sample graciously provided by @Robert99.

Nose: Caramel, Sweet oak, coconut. There's a sharp, slightly acetone like note but it's not unpleasant and doesn't mar the proceedings. Dried apricots, a prominent corn note like in bourbon. With time it develops on apple blossoms,creamed honey and apple skins.

**Palate:* Very full, old oak, a kind of rubber note, dark fruits and a touch of sulphur. Musky dried fruit like persimmons or longans, a light char/clean smoke and a mineral note.

Finish: Herbal, a touch of oregano/sage, bitter, dry and fairly boozy, honey and dry wood shavings.

The Blab: This is pretty decent and punchy I can see why some folks would love this, especially those for whom it's cask strength or bust. It loses steam because of that dry/bitter oak finish coupled with the sharpness at the tail end. I was often reminded of a Canadian whisky when drinking this. The char/smoke note is very faint when drinking the whisky but the empty glass after a few hours had a scent that reminded me of mesquite.

I'm glad I tasted this and if I could get the 500ml bottles at a good price I might consider keeping a bottle of this around.

Beautiful 50 cl bottle that looks like a perfume's. Inside it the whisky looks much darker, but once poured it is dark wheat with some greenish highlights. Aroma is very intense and sweetish: cookies, butterscotch, vanilla, caramel, toffee. Mouth is sweet as well, powerful and very oily, so as to cover the complete mouth inside. Aftertaste is mainly smoky. Very nice for a €30 bottle.

It has been almost four years since I last tasted a Nikka from the Barrel – which I found very good at the time – but that was bottled at 51,4% ABV. Today I try one from a bottle with a special label (Cask Room), bottled at 51%. The malt whisky is produced at both Yoichi and Myagikyo, while I presume that the grain whisky comes from their coffey stills at the first. The nose is surprisingly soft on flowers, apricots, eggnog and banana with a hint of citrus and a leaf of mint. Wonderful! It is mouth coating a soft, but with quite a prickle. Vanilla, caramel and a mix of peppers – it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. The fruit is less outspoken, though. A hint of coconut milk emerges. Reminds me a bit of a bourbon. Towards the end I get a light bitterness as if from tea. But truth be told: it promised a lot more on the nose. The finish can easily be called long with some woodsmoke and spices. I must say that I much preferred the other Nikka that I tasted in 2012.

It's the last night before the first seder of Passover. For those of you who do not know, grains (or their spirits - with the exception of quinoa for some reason), are not considered Kosher for Passover, and if even owned by a Jew during that time they becomes un-Kosher forever.

Some people get around this by "selling" their chometz and buying it back after passover. My solution is that, at least from a religious standpoint, my wife owns all of my spirits collection. Year round. Problem solved.

I do this only so that if I should ever wish to taste with someone form whom this is important, I can do it without worry. So around this time every year I render my entire collection "inaccessible". I will still drink whisky if the opportunity presents itself, but not in my home. After passover the barriers are removed.

So here I am in the basement, getting my last drams in. I'm in the basement because I made gefilte fish this afternoon and my main floor will need a week for me to be able to smell accurately up there. I decided to decant my bottle of Nikka from the barrel as it was getting low, and after putting the last dram in a 30 cc bottle, there were about 25 cc left for a review. The bottle has been gassed after each use, and was first opened Dec. 19, 2015.

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Nose

Neat - spirity, sweet, a light syrup. I get a hint of fish broth, but that could be my hands. Some tart fruit. Some baking spice. It smells, can I say "grainy"? More fruity as it opens up in the glass. 21.5/25

With water - slighty more syrupy, a little less spirity, some dust. Golden Delicious apple, fresh and stewed with spices. (22/25)

Taste

Neat - First sip has a big alcohol nip. Fruity. Tastes "young". Sweet and sour. Originally the taste had a slightly unpleasant vegetal quality which is not present now. 21/25

With water - Harsh. No flavours in the first sip. Just alcohol, bitter.Some spices in the second sip, but most of the flavour has been washed out. Third sip is starting to come back but more hot and less fruity than before. (20/25)

Finish: short, unremarkable. 20/25. Water lengthens it a bit. (20/25)

Balance: Nicely balanced, but underpowered flavour for this level of ABV. 20/25. Becomes quite unbalanced with water. (18/25)

Score Neat: 82.5/100 With water: 80/100

Adjusted Score based on experience: 85/100

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This is confusing. I usually like my CS drams (or close to it) with a little water, but in this case water was a disaster. Even neat, it is not the whisky I remember trying over a year ago. Despite being gassed and allowed to open in the glass, I wonder if this bottle has been open too long. Again, unusual for a high proof spirit.

The next question I have is whether it is truly at Cask Strength. It is called "from the barrel", not straight from or barrel proof. I am often skeptical of "cask strength" offerings that are the same ABV for every batch.

My suggestion for this: Open it with friends, and drink it within a few months. The 500 cc bottle makes that easier.

The reviewed sample is thanks to @Robert99. This is blended malt without an age statement

Nose: strong intensity thick sweet maple with baking spices of cassia, cloves, and nutmeg, like Danfield's 21 yo Canadian or an old bourbon. I really cannot smell malt at all, but what I do smell here I like. The massive wood spice balances the noticeable sweetness. Added water intensifies the nose and brings out high-pitched crystalline sugar. I love this nose with water. Score: 22/25 points

Taste: strong flavours...here, without water added, you do get tastable barley malt along with the intense wood flavours. This is a pretty chewy body, which I like. Licorice and hickory wood present in the mix as well. Added water diluted and bundled the flavours, without improvement. With water, the barley grain flavours disappear. Score: 21.5/25 points

Finish: long length. Stays intense and loses the sweet component. Water added mellows out and homogenises the flavours. Score: 21/25 points

Balance: this is a pleasant and robust drink. It has good balance, but not great refinement. Being a fan of intense flavours, I am defintely a fan of Nikka From the Barrel. Score: 21.5/25 points

Total Sequential Score: 86/100 points

Strength: very strong flavours, especially with a couple of drops of water added. Score: 23.5/25 points

Quality: high quality of all of the flavours, though it is hard to taste the barley-malt. Score: 21.5/25 points

Variety: very adequate variety of flavours, though the barley is nearly invisible. Score: 21/25 points

Harmony: not all smooth in the balance, but pretty good, and enjoyable hearty flavours. Score: 20.5/25 points

Total Non-Sequential Score: 86.5/100 points

Comment: such are the vicissitudes af whisky distribution that it has taken me four years to finally get a taste of Nikka From the Barrel. I like it. I like it a lot, because I am a fan of robust flavours. It would be fair to say that I like this one more than the score might indicate. Nikka From the Barrel is not extremely refined, but it is quite enjoyable. If I were to taste it blind I don't think that I would identify it as barley-malt whisky

This has to be something for the Seven Samurai. I straight shooter, but a good one. Brings old Western movies to my mind so naturally, made me think of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. What were those samurais drinking?

Probably a booze like this: heavy on the taste, characteristic and straight forward dram. Fresh whisky with powerful notes, good cask strength stuff.

Nose: Fresh with grape gin at the start. After that it's fruity sweet. Oranges in a juicy way and little bit of sherry feel.

Taste: Simple, yet good with cinnamon, dried fruits, raisins and little bit of peat.

Finish: Warming spices and fruits. Dry and oaky, some herbs and bitter green tea.

Balance: Consistent and juicy whisky.

A very cool, unusual design of the bottle and packaging sprinkled full with japanese symbols I have yet to interpret. The Nikka from the barrel is good. Impressive when taken into consideration that it's a blended whisky.

Nose Big marzipan, chocolate, a hint of banana, sweet spice, a subtle air of fresh mint, some sherry dryness, buttery, wood, leather, White pepper, cloves, vanilla. The nose is where the complexity is in this whisky. Given time to breathe it changes ongoing revealing new aromas every couple of minutes. My advice is to give it plenty of time in the glass.

Palate Sweet arrival with red berries, a very slight whiff of smoke, mint, dried figs and apricots. It is quite round and balanced in taste, even when taken neat it stays very measured. almost a bit restrained.

Finish Rather short. Red berries, citrus zest, figs vanilla, ginger, quite peppery if taken neat. It still feels very controlled not taking of in any direction but staying firmly on course. The nuances are there but you would rather have to look for them. Elegant but not bold and exciting.

One thing i Notices is that it can't handle too much water so be gentle when adding your drops.

All in all a nice dram and definitely one of my first choices among the blended whiskies I've tried.

Very rich and smooth drink. Starts very light with building sweetness - notes of grape (almost sweet grappa), apple, caramel, bourbon-corn sweetness on the nose and palate. Long finish with heat, but not as much as expected for this ABV.

Absolutely love the nose on this drink, it is like standing in a bourbon barrel warehouse - lots of oak and angel's share.

This is a Japanese whisky that's been on the local liquor store for a year now. A good whisky buddy 6 months ago picked it up and has been nagging me ever since to just buy it. Got the last bottle and after giving it a try, well, oh boy am I happy I did.

Nose: Very floral, rose water and other flower notes, good hints of spice (star anise, clove, nutmeg, hints of cinnamon), apple peel & hints of other citrus notes (Lemmon and lime peel), a note of well cooked bacon fat, some toasted malt notes and ginger. Note: At first the floral notes where overwhelming but with airing over 30 minutes it opens up to one of the most fantastic whiskies that has ever graced my nose. Give plenty of sniffing time to this one.

Nose with Water: lighter, slightly more perfume like, more notes of ginger and toasted white bread, slightly creamier.

Palate: Dry and Perfume like, a lot of floral notes, some brown sugar sweetness, a background hint of cinnamon and clove, herbal notes of quality green and white tea, some toasted bread and ginger.

Palate with Water: The same but more mellow, if you find the cask strength to intense water it down otherwise in my opinion it's best in its undulated form.

Finish: Citrus (Lemmon peel and orange), a little salty, hints of cinnamon, some oak and a little hint of vanilla sweetness.

In my opinion this is an absolute gem. To break it down for me at least it was $62(AU) for a cask strength whisky that is absolutely fantastic. Sure it's a 500ml bottle but it's still great value especially when you consider the cost of cask strength scotch. Give this bottle a go, you will not be disappointed.

Finally,its mine to taste and nose to my heart's content.

Nose: sugar cane dipped in caramel syrup, sprinkled with fresh oak shavings then kept in a jar with a vanilla pod,take it out after a day and dust it with resin powder,serve it with custard stewed ripened banana...that's how this baby smells.F-A-B! Water releases floral and spice (nutmeg) scents. It's a little bourbon-ish

Taste: an immediate intense vanilla toffee,very much like the 'wurthers' sweets, quite dominating,but quickly gives way to a fresh candied oakiness. You can taste the one dimensional grain spirit,but the malt counterpart lifts it perfectly. The mouth feel than fades in a sweet oak finish,while water liberates a faint toasted wood.

Finish: I find,ommits its candy nature,quite dry,reminds me of white wine finish. Finish is not over long,but a very enjoyable transition from vanilla to fresh wood (lightly smoky).

I am inclined to say its perfectly 'Engineered'.its has all the essential elements in plentiful,but its not quite a character on its own. Which is fine,its dangerously delicious!

Matured from grain and malt whisky, the liquids are re-casked to marry the spirits and flavours.From there its out of the casks and into the bottles. Nice to see

• Nose: marzipan, toasted cereal, banana and apricots, peanuts, fudge and cedar wood some grapefruit zing and a strong grain note, but not negative at all. With water grain note is out. More mandarin and orange peel than grapefruit, much more banana and apricots.

• Pallet: rich and smooth, a real butter caramel, maple syrup and nougat, then it crisps up a bit with cereal grains, cocoa cedar from the nose and that quirky bubble-gum, also some pears lurking around. With water raspberry and nutmeg join the smorgasbord of tastes.

• Finish: chili, some real heat then butterscotch, cedar remain till the end and vanilla ice cream. With water much more wood in the finish

It's a mystery why more whisky's aren't bottled "from the barrel" because when they are they tend to be rather good. This is no exception.

The second whisky of our evening was this award-winning blend (Best Japanese Blend, No Age Statement at the 2011 World Whiskies Awards). Whereas the bottle of Tsuru 17 was a gorgeous decanter, this one looks like it came out of a lab (they really know how to package)! This is a cask-strength blend. I am tasting this from my own bottle (rather than a sample from last night's bottle) and they have different serial numbers (my bottle is 22A56D).

The colour is dark reddish gold; the nose is very rich, with dark chocolate, dark roast coffee, brown sugar, caramel, savoury herbs and cinnamon. Water accentuates some vegetal peat notes, with more meatiness. Quite bold, complex and distinctive.

On the palate you find many of the same notes as above, plus sourdough, bandages and oak - with a heat that brings on cayenne pepper and mint. Water seems to bring it all together in an incredibly balanced harmony.

The finish is medium length but with developing smoke and bitter tea. Fascinating. While I appreciate the more gentle complexity of the Tsuru 17, this whisky is more to my tastes - bold, upfront, rich and just as complex, and I'm sure it's higher ABV has a lot to do with that. This feels like the pure essence of a Nikka blend - you get all of the elements of the Tsuru, Pure Malts, Taketsurus, Yoichis and Miyagikyos, but they all work together, not only harmoniously but at full volume. For me, this one is a benchmark.

Nikka From the Barrel is a Japanese blended whisky (grain whisky, and malts from Nikka's Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries). As a rule, I don't enjoy blends, but this expression was a pleasant surprise. The ABV is high (51.4%) and I added water more liberally than I usually would, but the dram is quite drinkable straight 'from the bottle.'

ABV: 54.1%

Appearance: Deep Amber. Viscous, lazy legs.

Nose: raisins, caramel, sherry, citrus (orange/lemon), and vanilla. After adding water: cinnamon, floral essences, and hints of smoke.

Palate: thick, viscous mouthfeel. Caramel/brown sugar sweetness, spices, vanilla, and a subtle peatiness.

Finish: Long, pleasant: fruity-oak, vanilla, and a lingering warmth (kick in the pants) from the grain whisky.

Final notes: The whisky comes in an unusual, 500 ml square bottle: I like the distinctive packaging, but the first dram was slightly difficult to pour without spillage (I rested the base of the spout on the lip of my Glencairn glass while pouring: a small drop of precious fluid escaped down the outside of the glass, which I was able to capture with a finger and enjoy). There was a strong alcohol aroma when first poured, so I let the dram sit for five minutes to open up before nosing. The grain whisky component was well married to the malts and provided an interesting 'kick' to the blend. I really enjoyed this dram; well suited for sipping on a winter’s night.

Slàinte!

The Nikka whisky is produced in two distilleries: Yoichi and Miyagikyo. Contrary to Scottish tradition, blends in Japan are composed of the whiskies produced by own distilleries, not different distilleries. Nikka Whisky from the Barrel is exactly that, a cask strength whisky. Although it is a marriage of single malt and grain whisky, bottled batch after batch after batch at the same strength. The grain whisky comes from Miyagikyo, the malt whisky from Yoichi. The marriage took place in first fill bourbon casks.

The nose is very alcoholic at first, but then develops into nice aromas from wild flowers, juicy citrus fruit, orange zest and apricots. I am inclined to think this is a sherry cask, but research contradicts that. Very spicy as well. Light hints of bourbon. Toffee, vanilla and raisins. Even a hint of smoke. Nutroma, the condensed milk for your coffee! This is quite interesting.

It is very creamy with a full body. Almost syrupy. Honeysweet and spicy. Caramel, vanilla and citrus fruit again. A mixed bag of peppers and some cinnamon. Makes me all warm inside.

The long finish gives both juicy fruit and coconut as well as a wonderful smokiness from the oak, but the mouth is left completely dry.

What a pleasant surprise indeed. A great Japanese whisky!

It's not every day you come across a cask-strength blended whisky of any sort, let alone one from Japan. I picked this up on a whim, and it turns out I'm glad I did.

Nose: at full strength, somewhat sweet and sherried. An oaky tang is present, with a touch of licorice. Water seems to emphasize the wood aromas.

Taste: at full strength, it is both strong and supple. It glides over the tongue, prickling as it goes, unfolding with malty sweetness and a touch of smoke. There is a sweetness here that is unique to the Yoichi single malt, like a mild ginger flavour embedded in the malt. Add some water and the malt flavour expands, as does the peaty flourish. Again I am reminded of Yoichi. Whatever grains were used do not make much of an impression amidst such flavourful malt. It has the slippery smoothness of a blend but the flavour impact of a good malt.

Finish: leaves echoes of peat in the mouth. This is by no means a peaty whisky but the peat is certainly there if you look for it.

Balance: I look at this as an easier-drinking and more affordable alternative to Yoichi 10 year old. It is pleasant all around, and packs a big flavour punch. Great whisky.

I chanced upon this little gem whilst dashing around London late last week.. What a great find..

Understated and refined are the first things that spring to mind.. I'm a lover of Hibiki 12 and 17yo but this Cask Strength blend surpasses these beauties..

Alluring ruby red colour with aromas of bespoke perfume, red-currants, jasmine, vanilla, nutmeg, tobacco, marzipan and hints of fresh herbs and lime.

The arrival is cinnamon, vanilla, chili-nutmeg and strawberries with a dusted cocoa punch, finishing off with a Ginger, flinty, smoked tobacco and light sulphur smoulder. Exquisite.

Try with and without water for a variety of flavours, an absolute must in any Whisky lovers cabinet.

Nikka From the Barrel is a blend of grain whisky from Miyagikyo and malt whisky from Yoichi. Three more Japanese whiskies to go in this little series.

Nikka ‘From the barrel’ (51,4%, OB 2010, 50cl)

Nose: fruity and floral, with apricot, banana and pineapple aromas, oranges and some fresh oak. Honey. Almonds. Cinnamon sticks and vanilla, a little pepper as well. A balanced sherry nose. Mouth: creamy with plenty of punch at the same time. The grains are maybe a little too sharp around the edges, but the rest is very tasty. Malt and nougat. Caramelized sugar. Fresh lemon. Fruit tea. Drier towards the end, with spices like nutmeg. Even a hint of peat? Finish: quite long, malty and spicy with a lightly bitter edge.

This is a well-made, intense whisky that’s not easy to recognize as a blend. Great value for money.

Nikka From the Barrel is a blend of grain whisky from Miyagikyo and malt whisky from Yoichi. Three more Japanese whiskies to go in this little series.

Nikka ‘From the barrel’ (51,4%, OB 2010, 50cl)

Nose: fruity and floral, with apricot, banana and pineapple aromas, oranges and some fresh oak. Honey. Almonds. Cinnamon sticks and vanilla, a little pepper as well. A balanced sherry nose. Mouth: creamy with plenty of punch at the same time. The grains are maybe a little too sharp around the edges, but the rest is very tasty. Malt and nougat. Caramelized sugar. Fresh lemon. Fruit tea. Drier towards the end, with spices like nutmeg. Even a hint of peat? Finish: quite long, malty and spicy with a lightly bitter edge.

This is a well-made, intense whisky that’s not easy to recognize as a blend. Great value for money.

What a wonderful Japanese Whisky. I must say I'm hooked on this one.

Nose: There is a bit of floral with more of a citrus peel nose. Dominant vanilla extract

Taste: There is the vanilla. Toffee and Caramel.

Finish: Rich and Creamy.

this great value whisky represents Japan in our first world whisky tasting. Its really worth trying and at £25 for a 50cl bottle is relatively cheap.

Nose: Quite shy at first, but the odd sherry note mingles with typically Japanese resin and mushroom. Traces of damp Autumn leaves. Savoury rather than sweet.

Palate: exquisite! without water it's a heady mix of soft toffee and sharp and challenging chile spice. With water there are some softer mintier and lime sherbet notes. The spices fight back late on.

Finish: warm, soft, rich and toffeed, with some spice to keep it in shape. Great whisky making.

Nose: An orgy of all things wonderful. It’s not a whisky, it’s a perfume. I swear i could be sniffing it all day long, and had i wore some on myself instead of perfume, the ladies would appreciate it . Balsamic, perfume,vanilla , spice, cloves. Some flower blossom and a good measure of perfumed and spicy wood. Dear god. this is divine!

Palate: Big bodied with amazing entry and ooomph. Starting on sweet burnt sugar, then off with a splash of wooden spiciness that makes you want to cry with joy. Then comes the vanilla and honey drops, very little smoke also which complements all. Man o man. this is a thing of beauty. no less. I am in tears of joy here.

Finish : Longggggg…. oak, fruit, and spices. and you know what else? banana.

In one word: Greatness. two words: I want! This has shot itself to the #1 spot in my wish list. and mind you, that list was rather long. Kudos to Nikka. They created a perfect dram, and what a bang for the buck. amazing. no less. ACE!

and this is a BLEND!