Taketsuru Pure Malt 12 Year Old Nikka Whisky 40% ABV $60 to $70 Website What the Distillery Says: Malt whisky is distilled exclusively from barley malt, and is considered to be the forefather of all other types of whisky. In general, it is divided into single malt whisky (several malt whiskies from a single distillery vatted together) and pure malt whisky (malt whisky from several distilleries vatted together).
What Richard Says: Nose: Green, as in vegetal with green apple peel, not young. Palate: Light, and drinkable but somewhat bland. Finish: Sharp black pepper spiciness with just a hint of the time spent in wood. Comments: The first Nikka release to hit the U.S. a couple of years ago did not blow my socks off like the whiskies Suntory entered the market with. I find this Taketsuru to be bland and uninspiring. It’s not off putting but seem to be made more for mizuwari than straight enjoyment. For upwards of $70 for this blended malt I would recommend beating down your curiosity and spending less money on a better blended malt from Compass Box. Rating: Average
Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky 45% ABV $60 to $65 Website What the Distillery Says: This Grain Whisky is distilled in a “Coffey still”, which is a very traditional and rare patent still Nikka imported from Scotland in 1963. The Coffey still produces a complex whisky with a mellow and sweet taste originating from the grain itself. Please enjoy the uniqueness of this whisky which Nikka offers to the connoisseurs.
What Richard Says: Nose: Creamy and floral with a sharpness that reminds me most of young bourbon all with an herbal back note. Palate: Deliciously creamy like a lovely vanilla custard enhanced by a light caramel sweetness. Finish: This finishes a little hotter and spicier than you would expect going through the nose and palate. Comments: I’ve called other whiskeys “ridiculously drinkable” in the past but this sets a whole new standard. This delicious little beauty from the land of the rising sun goes down like water. A whiskey for fans of scotch, Japanese whisky, and bourbon. Rating: Must Try
Ardbeg Supernova Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2015 release) 54.3% ABV $180 Website What the Distillery Says: Ardbeg Supernova is one of the peatiest whiskies on Earth. Yet it is also intensely spicy and unfathomably sweet. Truly a mystery of the universe.
This final, fleeting Committee bottling of Ardbeg Supernova heralds the culmination of Ardbeg’s experiment in space. Its release coincides with the publication of Dr Bill Lumsden’s highly anticipated White Paper on the mysteries of zero gravity maturation.
TASTING NOTES
A big bang of peat… then heavenly sweet… with a lingering trail of smoke.
Colour: Shimmering pale gold Nose: A shower of peppery, aromatic herbs shoots through the air, scattering particles of effervescent perfume. In its wake, smoked fruits, briny seaweed and fennel. The sensation comes full circle with the earthy, grounding aroma of vetiver root. Add a few drops of water and luscious linseed oil comes to the surface, sending wafts of sweet smoked toffee, brazil nuts and soot into the atmosphere. Taste: At 100ppm, the peat is firing on all cylinders, with blasts of spice, salted caramel and billowing smoke. And then it’s back to the laboratory, where antiseptic lozenges, medicinal notes and zingy aniseed intermingle with dark tar and intense chilli-spice. Finish: Prepare for a long, lingering, peppery aftertaste that goes on and on and on…
What Richard Says: Nose: You know I find it easier to distinguish between different Islay distilleries by nose than any other small clustered whisky making area. Clearly this is an Ardbeg. A richer, nutty, earthier peat. Palate: Crisp sweetness like salted caramel candies with a sooty, peppery medicinal quality that is more appealing than it sounds. Finish: Antiseptic and dry. Evaporated Chloraseptic spray. Comments: So this year’s release is to commemorate the completion of Dr. Bill Lumsden experiment on the impact of outer space on the maturation of whisky. If you’re really geeky then you can try to find his white paper (which we had previously linked to, but Ardbeg no longer hosts the file – boo!) Personally, I’m a bit more interested in the whisky. 😉 And interesting this one really is. I find Ardbeg to be a more polarizing malt than most. For those that like Ardbeg I think you will really enjoy this. For the rest of you it’s an almost $200 chance you might not want to take. Rating: Stands Out
We would like to thank The Narrative Group for sending us a sample for review.
