Two things have Japan currently at the forefront of my mind. First, Shohei Ohtani and U.S. newcomer Yoshinobu Yamamoto joining the Dodgers, who kicked off the MLB season early with two games in Korea. (Though, woof, the breaking gambling story looks like a real mess.) Second, the new FX/Hulu show called Shōgun, based on a book from the seventies about the end of feudal Japan around 1600 AD. It's the best show I've watched in a while, with high production value and a detailed look at Japanese culture from an outsider's perspective, all set against the backdrop of real events. Hopefully more on the latter, later.
In addition I have a fun Japanese whisky and it feels right to take a closer look. If you know nothing at all about Japanese whisky, I'll try to provide at least some generalization. In Japan they by-and-large mimic the processes of Scotland (hence the spelling), as it was a love of Scotch that resulted in their own national industry. You'll mostly see malt whisky that's distilled twice through pot stills. There are a plethora of single malts available as well as blends that'll taste similar to Scotch and will be displayed with or near bottles from Scotland when you see them at the liquor store. Though the Japanese have been making whiskey for more than 100 years, regulations on the industry are changing even now. It's only as of this year, 2024, that to be labeled as 'Japanese whisky' on the bottle requires the entire process (fermentation, distillation, maturation and bottling) to be done in country. The whiskey craze has hit Japan hard in recent years too, and they've seen a fair amount of shortages and higher prices akin to certain items (like anything from Buffalo Trace) here in the United States. This is why so many bottles you'll from Japan are very expensive ones.
I've not had a ton of whisky from Japan but this isn't my first either. Suntory Toki (~$30) is a perfectly cromulent whisky and I'd buy it again if looking for cheap malt. Hibiki Japanese Harmony (~$75+) was also fine but is one I consider overpriced. What we're looking at today, Nikka Whisky from the Barrel, is in that price range too and needs to clear a fairly high bar to be worth it. It came to my attention, I'm pretty sure, when it won Whiskey Advocate's 'Whisky of the Year' award in 2018. Though I didn't see it for years it now seems to be in stock at every store, and I nabbed one a few months ago.
Nikka Whisky Distilling was one of the first Japanese whisky producers and is now its second largest. Its founder, Masataka Taketsuru, traveled to Scotland in 1918, learned how to make whisky, married a Scottish woman, and returned to Japan in 1920. He worked for a while at the precursor to Suntory before starting Nikka in 1934. Today the company, headquartered in Toyko, owns two distilleries in Japan (Yoichi and Miyagikyo) and one in Scotland (Ben Nevis). They produce a variety of different whisky labels with names like Yoichi, Miyagikyo, Nikka, Taketsuru and Coffey.
Nikka Whisky from the Barrel is not a single malt, but a blend of more than 100 whiskies. From what I can tell these are all produced by Nikka, and primarily at their two Japanese distilleries, but considering it can't be labeled 'Japanese Whisky' we have to presume there's some Ben Nevis in there too. The huge number comes in part from a range of barrel types, ex-Bourbon, ex-sherry and a lot more in addition to spirits coming from different distilleries. All these whiskies are blended (mixed) and then 'married' in casks together a few months before the final product is bottled and ready for sale. The name 'From the Barrel' does not mean this is uncut, barrel strength whisky. It's supposedly that this recreates the sensation only blenders normally get to experience, of tasting and smelling whisky direct from the barrel. To be honest I don't really get it, but whatever. It does come in at a healthy 51.4% ABV. From the Barrel has been around since 1985 but wasn't available stateside until 2018. The 750ml bottle is only for the U.S. market, everywhere else it's only 500ml.
Stats:
ABV - 51.4% (102.8 proof)
Mash - Unknown, mix of a variety of malt (ed barley) and grain (corn, rye etc.) whiskies
Maturation - Unspecified, a variety of casks used
Age - Unspecified
Location - Japan
Price - ~$75
Tasting Notes:
Nose - Fruits (apples and pears at least), malt, sherry too?
Color - Pretty rich brownish-red, makes me think color is added tbh
Taste - It's malty and so much more, fruits and sweets and spices all melded together
Finish - Crazy long, that tinge of warmth almost doesn't go away
Final Thoughts:
It's basically a really deep, really interesting Scotch. This is the advantage of blends, as talented blenders can get the best of the various disparate whiskies and create something far more complex than you'll find in single malts. That talent is apparent. As happens I struggled to pick out too many specific flavors but in this case it's more than anything because there's a lot going on. Layers on layers and finely tuned. Even my wife liked it, and there's no peat to speak of.
If you don't already like malt whiskey you might not love this, malted barley is clearly the primary (but also certainly not the only!) grain used here. But if you do, and want to try something exemplary from Japan, this will do just fine. I'd say it's well worth the $75.
Cheers!
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