Nikka Taketsuru 21 Year Old

Nose

Very classy aromas of crème brûlée, sweet spice and chocolate with some top-class oak on show.

Palate

Rich and big flavoured, with a lovely combo of caramelised sugar, milk chocolate and toasty spice, along with candied orange peel.

Finish

The candied fruit blends well with the spice.

Comment

Big and bold, this whisky is unashamedly full flavoured, but everything remains in balance.

Nose

Much less varnish and more roundness although it seems to be just as oaky as the 17. Lots of plums, sauce for Pecking duck (how oriental is that?), strongly reduced wine sauce, liquorice… Really concentrated. Lots of milk chocolate as well.

Mouth

Balanced, slightly peppery at the attack – quite some salt as well. Prunes, walnut skin, soft curry, dried oranges, ginger. Gets quite drying (quite some tannins, lots of cinnamon). Very good.

“Head and shoulders above the rest in this category. A complex mix of oak, smoke and dense toffeed sweetness.”

Dave Broom

“Apple blossom, juicy pears and apples, mingled with fresh grass on the nose. Also a hint of mint. Smooth, delicate and sweet on the palate with a sweet rounded finish. Absolutely charming. Reminiscent of a walk in a Norman orchard bathed in morning dew.”

Martine Nouet

“Rich and inviting nose, with lots of sherried fruits. Rich red fruits and weighty aged malt and wood notes. The finish is lingering and delightful.”

Dominic Roskrow

“Big with lots of ripe fruit, lychees in particular. Some mint and butterscotch increase the complexity. Soft and chewy with some mango character. Very attractive.”

Keir Sword

“A big whisky with some distinct sherry notes. Japanese whisky at its best.”

Thierry Benitah.