The dekanta 6th Anniversary celebrations are rolling on and today we’re looking at another of our favourite Japanese whiskies. Yesterday, we delved into the Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve, and if you missed that you can catch up by clicking here. 

Today, it’s an exceptional blend from Japanese whisky giant, Nikka. The company operates two hugely successful distilleries in Japan, and this whisky brings them together in stunning fashion – it’s the Taketsuru Pure Malt 17 Year Old.

Taketsuru Pure Malt Whisky

Taketsuru Pure Malt is a brand of blended whisky from Japanese whisky giants, Nikka, named after Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of the company and father of Japanese whisky.

The range includes a number of expressions that are known for being perfect examples of how a quality blended whisky should be made. They house a certain level of depth and complexity that is hard to find in many other products in the same category and highlight the mastery and precision of those behind the creations.

From the Pure Malt NAS (non-age statement) blend, through the 17, 21, 25 and 35 Year Old, there is always a fascinating breadth of notes on display, all delivered with a certain smoothness and elegance that raises them to the next level.

As you work your way through the range, the notes on offer get deeper and richer. The sweet spot, in our humble opinion, is the 17 Year Old. 

Taketsuru Pure Malt 17 Year Old

These two distilleries are famous for the quality of liquid they produce, with Yoichi exhibiting fruity, rich and peaty notes, while Miyagikyo is altogether more floral and gentle. The two combine fantastically well in the Taketsuru range and no better than in this expression.

Bold fruit flavours and subtle spices work their way onto your nose, with honey and gentle oak lingering in the background. On the palate, fresh berries, lashings of vanilla and soft milk chocolate come and go, bouncing off of each other to create something of a taste sensation.

The real star of the show here though is the gentle and gradually building peaty notes. Only slightly detectable on the nose, they come through heavier and heavier the more you sip, really complimenting the honey, sweet bananas and candied tarts on the finish. 

It’s a fully accomplished blended malt and this has been highlighted by industry experts on several occasions, most notably when it picked up the highly thought of award of “World’s Best Blended Malt” at the World Whiskies Awards 2019.

If you’re looking to get a taste of an exceptional blended whisky, there are few we would recommend higher than the Taketsuru Pure Malt 17 Year Old.

We’ll Be Back Tomorrow

Thanks for joining us today to look at another top quality Japanese whisky. We’ll be back tomorrow with more celebrations, whiskies and more.