The Nikka Tailored

A beautiful bottle designed to look like a Kimono dress. It's a very drinkable whisky, though too straightforward to be exciting. Here are my notes on the Nikka Tailored, which replaced the standard Nikka 12yo in 2019. Bottled at 43%abv. On the nose, it's quite nice: raw rice, coffee, toffee, dulce de leche, tobacco, grapefruit. It feels quite young. Creme brulee. Very sweet, with a beautiful cappuccino note. On the palate, it's the easiest whisky to drink ever. Very fancy toffee with pepper, and that's it. Nothing else. A little boring. The aftertaste is more of the same: a pleasant spice bomb with toffee. Very friendly, but not overly exciting. Overall, this is a good, everyday whisky. For a NAS that should be around 10-12 years old, it works. For critics and adventurers, it feels too plain. 79 out of 100.

The aroma is subtle, with notes of malt, oak, butter, and golden delicious apples. The taste begins with mild sweetness and a faint grain burn, featuring a delicate harmony of oak, malt, vanilla, and grain. The finish is of moderate length. It resembles Dewars 15 or Chivas 18 but is a bit more peppery and vibrant. Overall, a fine blended whisky, though I might still prefer Monkey Shoulder. I can only guess what the host paid for it!

A pleasant warm and toasty sensation. Reminiscent of biting into a chocolate orange confection. On the nose, it's a superb combination of dried stone fruit (apricot), dried fig, and a somewhat toasty chocolate note. Smooth, with a subtle presence of grain that adds a bit of texture. Significant extraction of rich honey, caramel, and vanilla notes from the barrel.

The nose has vanilla malt and sweet apple with some smoky caramel. The palate nicely balances a malty apple syrup mouthfeel with grain spices. The finish is medium long with lingering spice and cocoa. It's not as mature as the Nikka 12, but it's a worthy and delicious successor in a similar style.

A whisky with a surprisingly light taste. It has notes of pears, white pepper, and old casks, but while the first sip is quite sweet and balanced, the rest of the glass is disappointing and a bit dull. It's not entirely bad, but I would not recommend this bottle to anyone.

Nose: fruity, vanilla, woody. Mouth: woody, vanilla, sweet and smooth, dried fruits. Finish: round and smooth, woody.