Adaminak
Nikka Whisky From the Barrel
Blended — Japan
Reviewed
February 17, 2022 (edited August 28, 2022)
I wish I'd had the sample reviewed by the pro staff, because mine is most emphatically not that! Nose is faint, primarily vegetal with just a whiff of smoke. Palate is prickly pear and lightly carameled apple, with a very pleasant novacaine numbness from start to finish. Very light, very fruity, and not much else. Finish is clean and dry, with a splash of oak and maybe if I think about it hard enough, some cedar. Altogether this is a pleasant drink, and I'm glad I bought a bottle. But, I doubt I'll buy another.
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@Adaminak Bummer. Zero burn with my previous bottle. Rough deal with the quality trending down on their whole line. I have an older bottle of this in my basement; I will wait to open!
@cascode, I've noticed a similar trend with the Coffey Grain and Coffey Malt. My first few bottles many years ago were staggering in the amount of depth and nuance, whereas the last few are just thin and bland by comparison.
@angstrom, this was the last 3oz of the bottle. I opened it in October, and 4 months of oxidation removed most of the alcohol burn that seemed to hang just below the rim of the glass, but didn't really change the flavors.
@Adaminak Have you finished the bottle? My bottle of WFTB was a total shapeshifter. Each time I had a pour, it was different. But start to finish I had a really good bottle.
@cascode Oh no! All my favorites are dropping like flies. Monkey Shoulders new bottle and recipe are also a swing and a miss.
I feel this has had significant batch-drift over the last few years. The last time I tasted it, a few months ago, it was not at all like it used to be.