Nikka Whisky — The Soul of Japanese Whisky
Nikka Whisky is one of the world's most celebrated and awarded whisky producers — a Japanese distilling house of extraordinary heritage, technical mastery, and creative ambition that has been producing whiskies of world-class quality since 1934. Founded by Masataka Taketsuru — the father of Japanese whisky — and built on a philosophy of uncompromising craftsmanship and a deep reverence for the Scottish whisky tradition, Nikka has grown from a single distillery on the rugged coast of Hokkaido into one of the most respected and collected whisky brands in the world.
History & Heritage
The story of Nikka Whisky is inseparable from the extraordinary life of its founder, Masataka Taketsuru. Born in 1894 into a family of sake brewers in Hiroshima, Taketsuru developed a passion for Western spirits and in 1918 travelled to Scotland — at the time an almost unimaginable journey for a young Japanese man — to study the art of whisky making at the University of Glasgow and to apprentice at some of Scotland's most celebrated distilleries, including Longmorn and Bo'ness. During his time in Scotland, Taketsuru not only mastered the craft of Scotch whisky production but also fell in love with and married Jessie Roberta Cowan — known as Rita — a Scottish woman whose support and partnership would prove essential to his life's work.
Returning to Japan in 1920, Taketsuru brought with him detailed notebooks of everything he had learned — the science of distillation, the art of maturation, the importance of water and climate — and a vision for producing a Japanese whisky of genuine quality and authenticity. He initially worked with Shinjiro Torii at what would become Suntory, helping to establish the Yamazaki distillery in 1923. But Taketsuru's vision was for a distillery in a climate more similar to Scotland — cool, damp, and maritime — and in 1934 he established his own company, Dainipponkaju (later renamed Nikka Whisky), and built the Yoichi distillery on the rugged coast of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island.
Yoichi's climate — cold winters, cool summers, and the maritime influence of the Sea of Japan — was as close to Scotland as Japan could offer, and the distillery's coal-fired pot stills, direct flame distillation, and traditional worm tub condensers produced a whisky of remarkable character: peaty, robust, and deeply complex. In 1969, Taketsuru established Nikka's second distillery — Miyagikyo — in the mountains of Sendai in the Miyagi Prefecture, where the confluence of two rivers and the cool, humid mountain climate created ideal conditions for producing a whisky of entirely different character: soft, fruity, and elegantly complex, with a strong Sherry cask influence.
Together, the two distilleries — Yoichi and Miyagikyo — give Nikka an extraordinary breadth of spirit character to work with, allowing the company's master blenders to create whiskies of remarkable complexity and diversity. Nikka also operates a Coffey still — a continuous column still imported from Scotland in 1963 — that produces grain whisky of exceptional smoothness and complexity, used both as a component in blends and bottled as a single grain expression.
Awards & Recognition
- Distiller of the Year — International Spirits Challenge 2015
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Trophy Winner, Best International Blend — ISC 2015 (Nikka From the Barrel)
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Gold Award — International Spirits Challenge 2013 (Nikka Coffey Grain)
- Repeatedly awarded at the World Whisky Awards, San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and all leading international spirits competitions
- Nikka From the Barrel consistently ranked among the world's greatest whiskies by Jim Murray's Whisky Bible and all leading whisky publications
Our Range
Nikka From the Barrel 500mL — 51.4% ABV — The flagship expression and one of the most celebrated and collected whiskies in the world. A carefully crafted blend of selected malt and grain whiskies, re-casked and matured for a further three to six months in used casks after blending — a process that allows the component whiskies to marry and integrate into a spirit of extraordinary depth, complexity, and intensity. Bottled at cask strength (51.4% ABV) without chill-filtration, in the distinctive short, square bottle that has become one of the most iconic designs in the whisky world. A whisky of remarkable power and nuance — best enjoyed neat or with a few drops of water to open its full aromatic complexity. Trophy Winner, Best International Blend, ISC 2015. Nikka Distiller of the Year, ISC 2015.
Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 700mL — 43% ABV — Named in honour of Nikka's founder Masataka Taketsuru, the Taketsuru Pure Malt is a blended malt whisky — a marriage of malt whiskies from Nikka's Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries — that showcases the complementary characters of the two distilleries in a single, harmonious expression. Smooth and well-balanced with a rich mouthfeel, gentle smokiness, and the elegant complexity that comes from combining the robust, peaty character of Yoichi with the soft, fruity elegance of Miyagikyo. A whisky that is both a tribute to its founder and a masterclass in the art of blending.
Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt 700mL — 45% ABV — The definitive expression of Nikka's second distillery, built in 1969 in the mountains of Sendai. Distilled in pot stills heated by indirect steam at low temperature — a gentler distillation process than Yoichi's direct flame method — and matured with a strong Sherry cask influence. Soft and fruity, with elegant fruitiness, delicate floral notes, and the refined complexity that speaks of Miyagikyo's cool, humid mountain environment. A single malt of exceptional elegance and approachability.
Nikka Coffey Grain Japanese Whisky 700mL — 45% ABV — A unique and extraordinary expression produced in Nikka's Coffey still — a continuous column still imported from Scotland in 1963 and named for its Irish inventor, Aeneas Coffey. The Coffey still produces a grain whisky of remarkable complexity and character — far more flavourful and expressive than the neutral grain spirits produced by modern column stills — with aromas of vanilla, coconut, and tropical fruits, and a rich, soft, sweet flavour with a delicate finish. A whisky that challenges and redefines what grain whisky can be. Gold Award, International Spirits Challenge 2013.
Nikka Rare Old Super Japanese Whisky 700mL — 43% ABV — A classic style of Japanese blended whisky that represents the accessible, everyday face of the Nikka range. Gentle peatiness and hints of vanilla and Sherry on the nose. Rounded and well-balanced on the palate with a smooth texture and mellow mouthfeel. A whisky of genuine character and approachability — outstanding on the rocks, with soda as a highball, or as the foundation of a classic whisky cocktail.
How to Enjoy Nikka Whisky
Nikka From the Barrel is best enjoyed neat in a Glencairn glass, or with a few drops of still water to open its extraordinary aromatic complexity — never over ice, which would mask its remarkable depth. The Taketsuru Pure Malt and Miyagikyo Single Malt are equally outstanding neat or with a small amount of water, and both make exceptional highballs — the Japanese way of serving whisky with chilled soda water in a tall glass over ice, which is one of the most refreshing and food-friendly ways to enjoy quality Japanese whisky. The Coffey Grain is outstanding neat, over ice, or in a whisky sour. The Rare Old Super is the most versatile of the range — outstanding in a highball, on the rocks, or in a classic Whisky Highball with soda and a twist of lemon.
Explore our full Nikka Whisky range below and discover why this extraordinary Japanese distilling house — founded by the father of Japanese whisky and built on a lifetime of passion, craft, and dedication — produces some of the most celebrated and collected whiskies in the world.
