Made by the Yoichi distillery, the second and smaller distillery of the Nikka Whisky Company. It was founded in 1934 by one of the two most influential men in Japanese Whisky, Masataka Taketsuru. Yoichi Distillery lies in southern Hokkaido and has three sides surrounded by mountains, a terrain much similar to the one found in Scotland, where Masataka studied the art of Whisky production and returned to Japan as a master blender - with a Scottish wife to boot. Yoichi possesses its own cooperage and is particularly careful when selecting its barrels. Known as Hogshead the barrels are made on-site using new oak. Yoichi produces big, oily spirits in the Highland style.
Nikka From The Barrel Whisky is made by maturing malt and grain Whisky, blending them and then re-casking (a process known as “marriage”) to create a rich harmony of different Whiskies. It’s bottled directly from the re-casked barrels and therefore retains almost the same alcohol percentage. The Barrel Whisky has won top prizes in its category at the World Whisky Awards in 2007 and 2010.
What does Nikka From The Barrel Whisky taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in Nikka From The Barrel Whisky and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Dog Dogson's
Smartass Corner
Whisky or Whiskey? The spelling differs geographically. In Scotland, Japan, and some other parts of the world, distilleries usually spell it Whisky; in Ireland and the USA, they spell it Whiskey.
This is one of my favorite Whisky in general. Personally, if you are a fan of bourbon, this could be a good gateway from bourbon (especially if you enjoy Four Roses Single Barrel) to Japanese Whisky.
Jonathan,
Very smooth, a little burn on the back end. A lot of ethanol on the nose, but exposed to air for about 10 minutes and it was much better. Strong sweet taste all the way through, with some oak and spice coming through on the finish. Really enjoyed the taste!
Dana,
Great review. Thank you!
Dan,
Delicious
Eyituoyo,
lovely
Clifton,
Yum
András,
Geart whiskey, very good fruity taste, but the finish is a bit too spicy for me.
Shaun,
Not my flavor profile. A lot of oak. Wouldnt get again.
John,
This is why Nikka left Suntory. They did it better.
Aaron,
Nose was very nice - slight spiced apple, orange, ginger snaps, lemon, and small note of milk chocolate and smoke after some time. Taste was decent - light smoke and iodine again, touch of bitter chocolate, oak, and some bitter orange on the finish. Where this fell quite short to me was the finish and mouthfeel. It was gone in a flash and body was way too light.
Jacopo,
This is just it. Complex blend from Japan, rich and we'll balanced...and I would swear there's some peat in there somewhere
Franck,
Great
andre,
It’s good! But I personally don’t like the sweet bitter aftertaste
Audrey,
Like it. A little sharp, but enjoyable.
Kris,
Banana cream on the nose, and a super flavorful yet smooth sip.
Orlando,
Very Oaky, good proof on it. If you travel abroad buy it there. Its not worth the $80-$100 it sells for in the US.
Nicholas,
One of my favorites, love what Nikka has done with this blend.
Elliot,
Blow your head off strong. With a touch water makes it better. A nice flavour though.
James,
Very smooth sip, smoky blend of vanilla and spice.
Todd,
This is a great whiskey! It's smokier than the Nikka Coffey Malt and Coffey Grain whiskies, but is a nice change.
Brendan,
The higher proof really gives this Japanese whiskey great mouthfeel and enhances the sweet and rich flavors. Worth every penny.
Steven,
Smooth, and a bit smokier than I am used to. Good whisky
Roy,
Very disappointing - harsh and flavorless - not recommended and if the price is now $100+ I am happy to have found out at the much cheaper price I paid some time ago.
Yordan,
Perfect mix between scotch and bourbon notes with a Japanese touch. Excellent example of what a blended whiskey should be!
Thomas,
Stunning. The Divinely rich colour is elegantly presented in the perfectly understated, minimal bottle. Inside - Caramel, maple, oak & a hint of smoke.. A subtle nod to bourbon lingers on the satisfyingly long and spicy aftertaste - no doubt a result of being aged in bourbon barrels. The best Japanese whisky I’ve had the pleasure to try to date and a constant in my drinks cabinet.
Brandon,
Wonderful Japanese whisky flavor profile. Starts with a wonderful nose full of smoke, spice, vanilla, floral notes. Taste is smokey, creamy caramel and vanilla, some oak. Finish is nice, smokey, creamy, spicy. Can't tell at all it's a high proof, very smooth. Drop in an ice cube to transform the flavor a lot. Great for the price, IMO.
Danny,
Excellent whiskey
Danny,
Excellent whiskey
Angel,
Wonderful blend and presented magnificently at 51.4%. Price is a bit much but I think worth it in the end.
Kirk,
Very light with a smoky after taste, really can't tell its a high proof. Add a few cubes to really open it up
Ivan,
Delicious. From the neck pour it was like a stronger yoichi with more malt and salt. after letting ti rest, it's sweet and has some cereal, vanilla, caramel.
Brendan,
A sweet Japanese whiskey that is able to handle the extra proof giving it a robust and enjoyable mouthfeel.
Mike,
Incredibly tasty and a solid price. It's a sweet whiskey that drinks solid on its own and mixes well.
François-Xavier,
Amazing price / quality ratio
brandon,
Very scotch-ey not in love for that reason, but outside of that it is good, you should try it if you haven’t
Jaakko,
Astounding colour, deep bright gold. Nose has hints of butter, grains? Or it’s just the pancakes I had earlier. No, definitely there.
Amazing first sip. Sweet, wood chips, maybe it’s the smoke? Fresh, yet some earthy tones too. This is brilliant. Port, sherry? Some sweet wine in there. Has a bite to it, like chili? Maybe it’s the higher than normal alcohol content? Pleasant lasting tingle.
The wood lingers for a good while in the mouth. I enjoy this to bits.
Edit: tried adding an ice cube at the end as some reciewers suggested, but that basically just ruined this one for me. Can’t taste anything but the alcohol anymore. Could be drinking vodka. Good to know.
Weiyi,
So damn fine. To tell the truth, I was looking for this bottle and found that Flaviar has the best pricing for it overall. Most places that sell the 500ml bottle is ridiculously overpriced (usually $100+ for 500ml), so I thought just to try this bottle, I shall try Flaviar membership. Both have exceeded my expectations. I understand people saying that Nikka has all the hype, but, I must say that all the hype does not take away the fact that this is a magical bottle of liquor. It is smooth and gentle to the tongue, and also a little bit stronger, more flavorful, and a bit sweeter - not sweet sweet, flavorful sweet - than the Hibiki that I used to go to as a default. Highly recommend.
Matthew,
This is one of the best. Gave it a 10 as well.
Mason,
I bought this bottle randomly sheet just getting into whisky/bourbon/scotch and fell in love. Finding it at this price on Flaviar I bought a second bottle lmao - I thought the whole point of this membership was to try new things?
Adam,
This is by far the best whiskey I have managed to try thus far. I get a little bit of smoke on the front end seems to dissipate and then blends into caramel candies, vanilla cake, citrus flavors, clove, and baking spices. There is a long finish, but it feels smooth and has a soft burn that I really enjoy. Highly recommend if you can find it. Im buying out my local shop
Thomas,
One of my favorites (this and Hibiki Harmony are the only whiskies that I have more 6 bottles of on hand). Powerful (high proof for a Japanese) and rich so great on a cube with amazing flavors.
Robert,
Caramel. Honey. Rich. Full.
Andreous,
What a great expression, this was a referral from one of the stores I love to visit in the Atlanta area. With this expression it was much more then I expected from a Japanese Whisky. This is o e you have to try it for yourself. Cheers
Edouard,
Very vert very good aromatic Japanese Whisky. A must have.
Brian,
Just wow!
Gregory,
Smells sweet, no nostril burn to speak of. The taste is caramel with apple and vanilla. A hint of smoke and spiciness (cinnamon?) in the finish - which lingers. Ice really opened up the flavor. Its complex and pretty well rounded. I can drink a strong barrel strength bourbon and it doesn't come off as strong neat as this does (which is odd because its only 102 proof). With ice, this is a ten. Without, its a 6 for me.
Matthew,
If you don't like this stuff, whisky may just not be your thing. Easily a perfect ten - incredible balance, richness, depth, complexity, smoothness in spite of the ABV. The palate is rich with caramel, oak, some light vanilla, and what tastes like a hint of heathery peat (think Highland Park, not Islay.) Finish lingers for many minutes and evolves into more vanilla and richer honey and light fruit notes. Delicious. An incredible showcase of Japanese blending expertise.
John,
Smooth.
Patrick,
Very good, though I prefer the Coffey Grain over this one despite all the hype.
JOSH,
Perfection. Reminds me of what the ideal speyside should strive to be.
Rene,
Absolutely beautiful.
Jason,
Extremely complex flavor profile
Liz,
Really hit me with the metallic smokiness at first sip then blossomed into a vanilla rich oakiness on second sip.
Silke,
Really special!
guest,
Might be the most complex, full flavored, full proof Nikka whiskey yet. Big Carmel and a long ever-changing finish - Carmel to chili to floral to smoke. Wow, what a winner!
Kevin,
What a whskey? Full of flavor, complexity and detail.
It calls out for the whiskey equivalent of the Japanese Tea Ceremony to be invented to properly honor the occasion of having a glass of this wonderful liquid.
We need a "Way of Whiskey" for this stuff!
guest,
Round
Fruity
Sweet
Sophian,
Exquisite bang-for-the-buck blend! If you like Monkey Shoulder, this is a more flavoursome pumped up version! Chewy, round, plummy sweetness with a moderately long finish. Stock up on these!
Pasi,
Got this about a month ago. The harder alcohol bites nicely but the flavor is there also to balance the drink. Only minus comes from the shape if the bottle, which is probe to leak and drip the whiskey on your hands and on the bottle, especially if the bottle is full. Good thing that the problem (fullness of the bottle) is not an issue long, because it is that good.
Jason,
Has a flat, metallic taste
guest,
Dejlig blød og kan ikke få nok
guest,
Considerable burn and more on the American whiskey scale, but interesting to say the least
Bryan,
Spicy forward flavor but very sweet on the backend, this is a very flavorful whisky.
Randi,
Not for me never again
Dat,
Lots of characters, this square block of booze from the land of the rising sun! I can definitely taste the hint of peat, a little salt, and a tinge of smoke maybe? But not too strong. It was just right, not overly overpowering like Laphroaig An Cuan Mor, which basically took control of my palette and turned it upside down. I like this Nikka bottle, as the finish is quit long lasting and warm. Truly complex.
Gert,
It’s ok
Lorenzo,
Amazing Japanese whisky, for the ABV this is very smooth, awesome caramel notes, nice finish. Definitely worth the money spent!
Daniel,
Wow this is good. I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. Tastes like a nice smooth bourbon without losing its Japanese character. The ABV is perfect for a small piece of ice. Wonderful oak, spice, and caramel, tangy sweet finish. Excellent.
Michael,
powerful. had to put it on ice.
Jon,
Nothing bad to say about this, the best qualities of blended whiskey and scotch. Dangerously drinkable!
Mathias,
good and delicious taste. Very strong chili flaver, I can easily recommend it if you are into a spicey whiskey..
Brendan,
Full bodied and smooth on the back end.
Kelvin,
Powerful stuff but cut it with 20% water or have with a massive ice cube and its absolutely delicious
Mathias,
Incredibly tasty, good long aftertaste. Lightly smoked, naughty and strong. I am happy to have it in my home bar.
Rolf,
I love this whiskey!
Seth,
Perfect caramel and smoke blended in a clean finish. I couldn’t be happier with this purchase.
Vikram,
Awesomely smooth with a terrific finish. Not easily available but thoroughly exciting to imbibe when it is...
Blaž,
Leave it in thr glass for 10min with a drop of water and you will see why is this dram is probably the best in its range.
Eduardo,
Delicious sweet vanilla and some oak, notes of caramel, sweet citrus and a bit of spices with a smooth and long finish.
Awesome whisky winner of Whisky Advocate 2018
Sean,
One of the best blends I have ever tasted.
Dustin,
Was a little strong on the nose but could have been my mood, put an ice cube in and a splash of sugar free ginger beer and wowee, the caramel and maple popped!
guest,
Not quite as smooth as Yamasaki, but a bit more complex. Delicious.
Dustin,
Reminds me of pecans and sweet salt! Great spring sipper!
Rory,
Smooth but complex... different from the coffeys
Piotr,
Fruit and fruit and some more fruit. There are fruit everywhere :) Strong but not heavy. Very nice.
guest,
Awesome whisky. It starts with a surprising kick in your nose and finishes with a non ending prickling in your whole mouth. Highly recommended!
guest,
My first Japanese whisky, perfect taste, ideal daily drink
Antti,
It is a very good, intense blended Japanese Whisky with a long & complex finish.
guest,
Very smooth and easy drinking
Zsolt,
Full of flavours and has a really serious finish - a bit too blunt for my taste
James,
As most Japanese whiskies tend to be rather sharp this certainly is no exception.
Sharp and hot on the throat that being said it is nice on a cold day sat by the fire!
Nice to have to add to the collection,
Nothing will ever compare to Irish whiskey.
Ros,
Wonderful flavour ,rich and very slightly smoky a lovely 'sting' to the lips as this is 51.4% , very satisfying drink .
guest,
Appearance: gold.
Spiced in aroma. Notes of wood and almond.
A combination of almond, toffee and coconut and a hint of milk-chocolate in flavour.
Finish: medium with fresh fruit.
Overall, strong and complex. It's worthy trying.
Simon,
Full of flavours and very pleasant to serve to others. It almost doesn't matter what your preference is, this one is a real crowd pleaser in my experience
Edward,
A little too oily for me, but worth a try and a REALLY cute bottle!
guest,
Take lots of water and enjoy :)
guest,
My first experience with Japanese whiskey, and I was pleasantly surprised. Full bodied, rich flavours and a smokey yet gentle touch. Hontou-ni arigatou gozaimasu!
guest,
1
guest,
Really nice whisky to a good price :)
guest,
Harsh but also smooth. Really rich taste, worth a try. I always keep a bottle stashed.
Ms,
Beware...this whiskey will and CAN sneak up on you...what remains in my bottle is set aside for that REALLY tough day... :)
Deja,
Smokey but smooth.
guest,
Very good!!
Matthew,
this is great!
guest,
Drinkable but slightly harsh aftertaste
Collin,
Strong and powerful taste, full of aromas kicking in at the first sip. Then the flavors all come in mouth and let your palate enjoy the smoky, oily and fruity taste.
it's a really good whisky with a lot of flavors, a bit too agressive (I prefer to soften it a bit with water) but the aromas in the end gives you a long oily finish that makes you want to take another sip !