Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 750ML

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 750ML is a Japanese blended malt whisky bottled at 43% ABV that marries single malts from Nikka's Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. Named World's Best Blended Malt at the 2023 World Whiskies Awards and Japanese Whisky of the Year in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2020, this NAS expression stands among the most decorated Japanese whiskies available today.

Quick Facts: ABV: 43%  |  Origin: Japan (Hokkaido & Miyagi Prefecture)  |  No Age Statement (avg. 10–12 years)  |  Distilleries: Yoichi & Miyagikyo

Production & Heritage

Nikka was founded in 1934 by Masataka Taketsuru, widely regarded as the father of Japanese whisky, who studied distillation in Scotland before returning to Japan to establish the Yoichi distillery in Hokkaido. The Miyagikyo distillery followed in 1969 near Sendai, giving Taketsuru a second, contrasting palette to work with. What makes this expression distinctive is the vatting of only malt whiskies—no grain whisky is used—drawn from two distilleries with fundamentally different characters: Yoichi's powerful, lightly peated spirit is produced in coal-fired pot stills heated by direct coal fire, a traditional method abandoned in Scotland, while Miyagikyo contributes a softer, more floral and fruity malt distilled in steam-heated Coffey-style pot stills.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with honeyed malt sweetness and orchard fruit—pear and starfruit—before giving way to varied citrus notes and a delicate suggestion of peat smoke. There is an underlying malty richness that grows more complex with time in the glass.

Taste: The entry is round and smooth, led by candied fruit and a pleasant sweet spice that recalls cinnamon and clove. At mid-palate, cereal grains and grapefruit citrus emerge alongside layers of honeyed malt. The peak brings everything into balance, with soft peat and gentle oak adding structure without overpowering the fruit-forward character.

Finish: The finish is long and subtly lingering, carrying notes of dark chocolate, oak spice, and a faint salty mineral quality. The mouthfeel remains enriched throughout, tapering gently with mellow fruit and a whisper of smoke.

How to Drink Taketsuru Pure Malt

Neat or with a few drops of water is the ideal way to explore the interplay between Yoichi's smoky depth and Miyagikyo's floral delicacy; the whisky also responds beautifully served over a single large ice cube, which tempers the malt sweetness and amplifies citrus notes. A Highball is the quintessential Japanese serve—the carbonation lifts the pear and citrus aromatics into a refreshing long drink. A Whisky Sour benefits from the honeyed malt backbone, which holds its shape against fresh lemon. A Mizuwari (whisky with still water at roughly 1:2 ratio) is the traditional Japanese dinner pairing that softens the oak spice and highlights the fruit layers.

Best For

• Gifting a whisky enthusiast who appreciates Japanese craft and award-winning pedigree
• Expanding a home bar beyond single malts into world-class blended malts
• Hosting a side-by-side tasting of Japanese whisky styles against Scotch blended malts
• Pairing with a multi-course Japanese meal where versatility matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Taketsuru Pure Malt taste like? Taketsuru Pure Malt delivers a smooth, honeyed malt sweetness layered with orchard fruit, citrus, candied spice, and a subtle peat smoke character. The finish is long with dark chocolate and oak spice trailing into a gentle mineral dryness.

How does Taketsuru Pure Malt compare to Yamazaki 12? Yamazaki 12, produced by Suntory, leans toward a richer sherry-influenced sweetness and tropical fruit, while Taketsuru Pure Malt draws from two distinct distilleries to deliver a lighter peat presence, more pronounced citrus notes, and a broader malt complexity. Both are benchmark Japanese whiskies, but Taketsuru's coal-fired Yoichi component introduces a smoky dimension that Yamazaki does not emphasize.

Is Taketsuru Pure Malt good for sipping neat? Yes—at 43% ABV it is approachable and balanced enough to drink neat without water, revealing layered fruit and spice that reward slow, attentive sipping. A few drops of water can further open the nose and soften the oak tannins.

Where is Taketsuru Pure Malt made? Taketsuru Pure Malt is produced by Nikka Whisky, a Japanese distiller founded in 1934. The component malts come from two distilleries: Yoichi in Hokkaido, approximately 35 miles west of Sapporo, and Miyagikyo near Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture.

What foods pair well with Taketsuru Pure Malt? Grilled salmon or mackerel complement the whisky's light peat and citrus character. Sushi and sashimi benefit from the clean malt sweetness. Aged Gouda or Comté echo the caramel and cereal grain notes. Dark chocolate truffles mirror the finish, and lightly salted almonds highlight the mineral undertone.

What sizes does Taketsuru Pure Malt come in? Taketsuru Pure Malt is widely available in the standard 750ml bottle, which is the primary format sold in international markets.

Is Taketsuru Pure Malt worth the price? Taketsuru Pure Malt positions as a mid-premium Japanese blended malt, and its collection of major awards—including the 2023 World Whiskies Awards World's Best Blended Malt and a 93-point rating from Wine Enthusiast—suggests strong value relative to comparably decorated Japanese whiskies that often command significantly higher prices.

Why Taketsuru Pure Malt?

Few Japanese whiskies can claim the sustained critical recognition this expression has earned: World's Best Blended Malt (WWA 2023), Japanese Whisky of the Year (Jim Murray 2020), Best Japanese Blended Malt (WWA 2014, 2015, 2016), and a 94-point Gold Medal from the International Review of Spirits. The use of coal-fired pot stills at Yoichi—a practice now extinct in Scotland—gives the blend a smoky intensity that the gentler Miyagikyo malt tempers into something remarkably balanced. As a pure malt containing no grain whisky, it delivers a depth and complexity that many blended Scotch whiskies at this price tier cannot match. For drinkers seeking an entry point into serious Japanese whisky or a daily-pour bottle with genuine pedigree, Taketsuru Pure Malt remains one of the most compelling choices in the category.