Nikka Taketsuru 17 Year Pure Malt

Nose - is fresh apples, pears, citrus, vanilla, and just all those golden fruits and light sweetness that comes with them. A nice alcohol burn and then a light woody note just brings it all together into an incredibly nice whisky. Taste - A lot more spice and a touch of that apple sourness. A lot more vanilla and yes honey. If the opening was citrus summer, the flavor profile is late October citrus. It's no longer a hot summer where you want those fruits, but you're ready for a touch of spice and cider with your apples and pears. I've had this one open for nearly a year now, and it's just gotten better. A really light dram that is as complex as you could hope for but is incredibly light and fruity. This isn't my normal wheel house as I tend to enjoy more of the darker flavors and deeper notes, but I'm absolutely in love with this. As I ponder this more and more, I am getting a touch of smoke I originally thought was spice and oak. But no, I'm wrong...there is a light hint of ever so slight peat here to add that additional complexity. What an incredibly well thought out addition. 200 dollar price points should scare off a lot of buyers but if you're into this profile, even if 200 is out of your comfort zone, save up for a bottle if you can find it. If you spend 200 on bottles regularly, even if this isn't your wheel house get it. I know I'm giving a lot of 3+ scores but I'm so far reviewing some of my best whiskies. I have no intention of making 4's a common score.

oaky, sweet maple and vanilla, with a hint of fruitiness on the nose. very gentle on the nose. no wayward ethanol vapors. something you can breathe in and out over and over again. sweet charred oak gives way to an burst of fruitiness. I tasted cherry. finish is medium length - sweet and oak. slight peatiness. as the dram went on, I tasted more of the peat. it was sweet charred peat. it was more reminiscent of the yamazaki 18 in it's sweet woodiness than a Laphroaig with it's mineral smokiness. overall, an excellent pour. I enjoyed it a lot.

Noise is full of salted caramel with a hint of spice. Taste is cooked/charred pears. But it’s less forward than nose would suggest. Finish is a bit thin and ends with vegetal hints and a light celery spice.