Nikka Taketsuru 17 Year Pure Malt

Aroma - Features fresh apples, pears, citrus, vanilla, and all those golden fruits with light sweetness. A pleasant alcohol burn followed by a light woody note brings it all together into an incredibly nice whisky. Taste - Significantly more spice and a hint of apple tartness. Much more vanilla and honey. If the aroma was a citrus summer, the flavor profile is late October citrus. It's no longer a hot summer where you'd want those fruits, but you're ready for a touch of spice and cider with your apples and pears. I've had this open for nearly a year, and it has only improved. A very light dram that is as complex as one could hope for, yet incredibly light and fruity. This isn't my usual preference, as I tend to enjoy darker flavors and deeper notes more, but I am absolutely captivated by this. As I reflect on it more, I'm detecting a hint of smoke that I initially mistook for spice and oak. But no, I was mistaken... there's a subtle hint of peat here, adding further complexity. What a remarkably well-conceived addition. At a $200 price point, it might deter many buyers, but if you appreciate this profile, even if $200 is beyond your budget, save up for a bottle if you can find it. If you regularly spend $200 on bottles, even if this isn't your usual style, acquire it. I'm giving a lot of 3+ scores, but I'm reviewing some of my best whiskies so far. I don't intend to make 4s a common score.

Nose - Spices that have been toasted, baked apples/pears, oaky Chardonnay, dark honey with tropical fruit, and a whisper of dried longan. Taste - Dark tropical fruit apple/pear cider, a touch of black pepper spice, mild clean smoke, subtly medicinal dried longan, and a slight bitterness akin to over-steeped black tea. Finish - Lingering black pepper spice, black tea bitterness, dried longan, and a faint clean smoke. Score - 90/100 Final Thoughts - A pleasing dram with good complexity in the aroma, well-balanced, and a masterful subtle application of clean smoke/peat. While peat isn't usually my preference, when executed well, it can add wonderful complexity, and this spirit achieves that masterfully. The slight medicinal fruitiness combined with the smoke does produce a minor band-aid-like note, but it's not enough to significantly detract. Overall, very enjoyable, but I'm uncertain if it warrants purchasing a full bottle for myself.

A friend offered me a taste of this excellent spirit and I must say, I was impressed. It’s an elegant and well-balanced drink, and while it’s not inexpensive, the quality justifies the price. This is a blended malt, referred to as "pure malt" in Japan. Bottled at 43% ABV with an amber hue. The aroma presents brown sugar, crème brûlée, orange, caramel, cola, a touch of pepper, and carbonated water – an aroma I’ve never encountered before. The palate is remarkable, with notes of wood, allspice, pine, orange, and almond. The finish is of medium length with an ashy quality. Overall, it earns a score of 90 out of 100. A superb dram.

I always 'try' to search the shelves at bars, as sometimes you can find hidden gems at reasonable prices, especially considering the secondary market costs and what some bottles now go for on store shelves. The aroma was fruity and reminiscent of sherry. The taste followed through deliciously. The finish was enjoyable with a slight, perfectly judged 'Kentucky hug'. The pour was a very fair $35. The rating was higher than 4.25... maybe a 4.5. I might have to try this restaurant/bottle again, so by default, I'm rating it at the higher end of 4.5 because it was THAT GOOD;-) No flaws.

Woody, sugary maple and vanilla, with a whisper of fruit on the nose. Very mellow on the nose. No stray alcohol vapors. Something one can inhale repeatedly. Sweet, seared wood gives way to a fruit explosion. I detected cherry. The finish is of medium duration - sweet and woody. A touch of smokiness. As the pour progressed, I detected more of the peat. It was sweet, seared peat. It reminded me more of the Yamazaki 18's sweet woodiness than a Laphroaig's mineral smoke. Overall, an outstanding dram. I enjoyed it immensely.

Nose: Sugary and welcoming, with caramel, anise, and oak. A hint of sherry and chocolate, plus floral and herbal notes. Body: Medium. Palate: Smoky, reminiscent of burnt caramel. Sweet vanilla and caramel flavors emerge in layers. Truly excellent spirit. The sherry notes are prominent. Finish: Medium length and developing. I only wished for a longer duration, but it is exceptionally smooth. Note: Quite remarkable juice. Subtle yet distinct. Smoky and sweet with a lingering, delicious caramel flavor.