From time to time, travel trumps attending our monthly tasting session. However our Nov 2014 evening was too unique to miss! Four whiskies from four different countries… I simply HAD to convince our host to do a special ‘make-up’ session.

• Canada – Glen Breton 10 year
• Czech Republic – Hammer Head 23 year
• Japan – Nikka From The Barrel
• Scotland – Mortlach 15 year (Gordon & MacPhail)

Luckily it didn’t take too much arm-twisting when I could bribe him with a whiskies from a session he missed which featured Tyrconnel, Ledaig 1997 and Talisker Dark Storm.

What follows is a blend of another member’s notes with mine for your reading pleasure… 

Nikka From the Barrel NAS 51.4%, Japan, Nikka distillery

• Colour – Warm wheat
• Nose – Plum cake, fruit basket, mild citrus aroma, bold & woody yet unmistakably sweet
• Palate – Sweet on the first sip, then slightly spicy finish, mild hint of leather and cinnamon. When returning after 20 mins – pure sweet smoothness
• Finish – Comes out to say an exuberant ‘hello!’ with sassy spice
• Water – Shot up the spice, but then settled

This blend reminds that sometimes it is worth playing around – in this case blend and then re-cask to further mature.

Definitely worth trying but not a future purchasing priority. Somehow the overall impression was interesting but not spectacular ‘I’m in heaven!’ kinda reaction. And definitely not in the same league as Nikka’s Taketsuru Pure Malt 17 year...  however to be fair not in the same price point either.

So there you have it! Our humble impressions of Nikka From the Barrel.

Do check out what others have to say too…

• Whiskies R Us
• The Smoky Dram
• Tasty Dram
• The Whisky Snob

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