Company: Asahi Group Holdings
Distillery: Nikka Whisky Distillery
Region: Osaka, Japan
Aging: No Age Statement but likely 8-12 years
ABV: 51.4% ABV
Proof: 102.8 Proof
Mash Bill: Undisclosed – Blend of Malt and Grain
Non-Chill Filtered: No
MSRP Price: $75
Nikka Whisky From The Barrel Tasting Notes
Appearance: Dark Golden Honey
Nose: Lots of vanilla, rich caramel, a ton of wood (much different than American Oak)…. but not exactly sure which wood, peat, smoke, rich fruits, black cherry, plum, citrus, raisin, apple, apricot, tannic spice, sherry notes, honey sweetness, clove, rye spice
Palate: Heavy Oak (much different than a typical American Oak), smoke, light peat, rich fruits, rich caramel and honey sweetness, black pepper, oaky tannic spice, clove, tobacco, earthy
Finish: Long and full finish that coats your mouth with a nice oily mouthfeel full of rich wood flavors, lots of oak but also other woods, fruits, and a peppery spice that is quite enjoyable
Is Nikka From The Barrel an Approachable Whisky?
Nikka From The Barrel is a pretty bold whisky.
If you’re a fan of wood/oak-forward whisky, this is one you should definitely try.
While I wouldn’t recommend this whisky for beginners, it is absolutely a whisky that every expert whisky fan should try.
It has a lot going on and is packed full of flavor.
Is Nikka From The Barrel Complex?
Nikka From The Barrel is extremely complex and full of many flavors.
After a few sips, I really felt like this whisky had so many flavors that I decided to research a little more into what “From The Barrel” really means.
From the Nikka website itself:
“The complex formula is created by blending more than 100 different batches of malt and grain whiskies. After blending, the whisky is filled into used barrels and matured for another few months. This “marriage” process harmonizes all components into the formula, resulting in a mellow taste.”
This makes a lot of sense as to why there are so many different flavors that I am picking up including peat, smoke, rich fruits, oak, other woods, vanilla, caramel, honey, rye spice, earthy notes, pepper, clove, and a ton more.
Needless to say, this bottle is complex because it is pulling flavors from so many different batches of malt and grain whiskies as well as all the flavors that come from maturing them in many different used barrels.
In one sense, it’s nice because my taste buds were immediately searching for clues into all the flavors I was tasting right away with this pour.
It’s nearly impossible to follow exactly what flavors I am tasting because the whisky is defined by being a complete mix of mash bills and barrels from all across the board.
But on the other hand, as a review, my brain conflicts a little bit because I am unable to pinpoint exactly what flavors I am tasting and where they come from.
All-in-all, I’m happy for a very complex and fun experience with this whisky and this is a pour I will try to not over-critique to enjoy it to its fullest.
What are Nikka From The Barrel’s strongest attributes/flavors?
Nikka From The Barrel’s strongest attribute is that it offers such a complex blend of flavors that you will be unable to pinpoint them all.
It’s a whisky that is unlike others and is worth purchasing for that reason alone.
Is Nikka From The Barrel a go-to whisky?
Nikka From The Barrel is a delicious whisky at a reasonable price point of $75.
While it isn’t a whisky I would drink all the time, it is a whisky that I will need to buy a backup of because I could see myself drinking this one quickly.
Is Nikka From The Barrel priced accurately to its quality?
Nikka From The Barrel is priced quite well for what it delivers.
With the amount of flavor this bottle delivers, I would have thought it would be slightly more expensive than it is.
It’s rare for me to think a bottle is worth more than its price tag, but this bottle is a great value for the flavors it delivers.
Maybe it’s my local store, but all the Japanese whisky just sits around the $75 price point and I’ve had some bottles that did not deliver.
This one definitely does.
Conclusion for Nikka Whisky From The Barrel
My only experience with Nikka Whisky was for my Nikka Coffee Grain Whisky Review which I was not particularly impressed with.
So when I saw a few other Nikka Whiskies for sale in my local store, I wasn’t particularly excited to purchase them.
I’ve been considering buying this Nikka Whisky From The Barrel for quite a while now and decided to finally purchase myself a bottle and I’m quite happy that I did.
Maybe it was the corn mash bill from the Nikka Coffee Grain that I wasn’t a fan of, but whatever they are doing with this Nikka Whiskey From The Barrel is night and day different.
I try my best to encourage everyone to purchase bottles based on their own palate and preferred flavors because we each taste whiskies differently.
Nikka Whisky From The Barrel is a bottle that I feel will be enjoyed by all and unique to everyone based on their own palates.
Let Us Know What You Think
I hope you enjoyed this tasting experience with me.
If you decide to give this bottle a shot, please let me know on social media via Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Thanks for reading and cheers!
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