Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt (New Formula)

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

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.

No