Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt (New Formula)

N: Sharp pineapple, fresh red apple, fresh picked cherries, Maraschino cherries, cherry cough syrup. Vanilla, fresh baked white bread, hint of cinnamon. Maybe just a bit of coconut to go with the pineapple, which stays sharp, pungent, and right on top of everything else. Just a faint hint of that smooth Mizunara - sawdust and marshmallow cream. Also faint smoke that comes across tinged with sour fruit and a pickled vegetable. P: Silky smooth vanilla cream and caramel with bready undertones. Tons of sherry red fruit. More variations on cherries from the nose. Dusting of bitter dark chocolate. Oaky, almost reminding of bourbon at times. The pineapple from the nose occasionally lingers gently on the edges of the tongue. Palate has a bit of that sour fruit/pickled vegetable character too - makes an interesting contrast to the sweetness of everything else. Finishes with baking spices, mild cinnamon-like heat, little bit of coffee bitterness. Aggressive nose that approaches being too sharp and pungent in some parts, lacking in subtlety. That seems out of character for a Japanese whisky, but this is the "new" formula, so maybe also a new direction. Aggressive as it is, it never crosses to unpleasant and, honestly, it's stupendous in some ways. On the whole, nothing wrong with the palate, but it does feel a bit pedestrian in comparison. But it is damn smooth, easy to drink. I've had this open since February, but haven't touched it probably since March or early April. I think it's oxidized some - I have earlier notes that said the nose was tame compared to the Yoichi (which I bought at the same time and have also had open but unvisited since March/April). I find that hard to believe right now. Guess I'll find out when I open the Yo again sometime in the next few days. Bigger question: would I buy this again? At $70 or so, I could see myself pulling this off the shelf again. Not more than that though. Back in March I reviewed the discontinued black label version of this. I said I thought the new white label was a bit better. I'm not sure about that now, but I do think this is less smoky, more pineapple-y, more oaky, and generally just more finished. I can't say what's better - I can see each profile being desirable under different circumstances. Regardless, as the black label disappears (I still see it around) and this replaces it, I think this will more or less scratch the same itch in the same way. Nothing is really lost. But YMMV, of course.

Sydney Whisky Show May 20th 2023. Whisky #22 Nose: Very fruity with apple, green melon, white peach and white grape immediately apparent. There is a zesty, fresh citrus note as well with a grassy, herbal quality (more lemongrass than lemon zest) and some gentle smoke. Nicely balanced and with a drop of water it becomes more fragrant. Palate: Mildly smoky floral fruit in the arrival, transitioning to deeper malt and fruit flavours (peaches poached in sauternes) and finally becoming dry and gently spicy (cinnamon, ginger) towards the finish. Light but creamy texture. Finish: Medium. Fruit flavours trailing into demure smoky tannin. A very pleasant NAS whisky. The last time I tasted this it was the old formula (in a bottle with a dark label) about 5 years ago, and while I thought it was OK I was not wowed by it. The new blend apparently has more Yoichi and that is certainly borne out by a tasting, but it seems to have more presence and depth all over. Not that it is a particularly complex whisky, but it does what it does very well and I think this new expression is an improvement over the old one. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)

This is the newest bottling of Pure Malt from Nikka. I had the old one a few years back and they utilize whiskies from their Miyagikyo and Yoichi distilleries. The new bottle has more of an emphasis on Yoichi which is the smokier brother while Miyagikyo is a Sherry driven sweeter dram. Caramel, flowery, pear and bubble bum. Smoke is definitely prevalent but it just wafts beautifully in the distance. The use of ex Sherry casks also shows more on the palate and the finish brings roasted pecans and vanilla frosting to me. Verdict: 93/100. $65 is more than fair for this dram. It’s better than the old Pure Malt and months later it’s actually gotten better with only around 20% left in the bottle (which is rare for younger drams).

Excellent! I compared this to the old one. It’s similar but differs on the finish. The nose is pretty. Bubble gum accompanied by green apples, a hint of anise somewhere in the distance and even mist follows. I also got a spray of orange juice (citrus) as if someone was freshly squeezing a few nearby. The smoke is barely there on the nose but it follows on the finish. The finish is medium short but more of the same from nose. The only difference is you notice a bit of that smoke from Yoichi on the way down. Overall very good. Similar to the original bottle, mostly Miyagikyo for sure just not as much of a Sherry influence in this release but excellent. 91/100

Nosing: Lots of pear on the nose; a sweet smell like fresh, tart fruit juice. Green apple sneaks in there as well. Slight oak. Tasting: Young, but smooth with a mild burn; sweet. Medium body; lingering flavour of oak on the back end. A tiny kiss of smoke hits the mid-palate. Finishes dry. Reduced Nosing: Cereal and malt. Some biscuit in there as well. Reduced Tasting: less burn than before. Still sweet and pleasant. A great dram for a young, blended whisky. This dram in unequivocally Japanese in the care that is taken to create it. Lacking a bit in complexity, but that's not a bad thing for this smooth whisky

Nikka's new transparency rebutted the rumor that Taketsuru Pure Malt contains Ben Nevis, so this is authentic Japanese whisky. Green apples, gooseberries and honeydew melon are first to greet the nose before lemongrass, chamomile and subtle peatiness emerge. The palate showcases the flavor profiles of Miyagikyo and Yoichi, moving from a fruity-floral arrival towards a modestly peaty and gingery-dry development. Lingering oak, green tea and whiffs of smoke remain in the medium finish. I daresay that it is even better than its predecessor. Kanpai! RATING: 3.5/5.0 stars ≙ 84 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE