Nikka Celebrates 90 Years with a Truly Unique Whisky Release

Japan’s second-largest whisky company, Nikka, is marking a major milestone this year - its 90th anniversary. To commemorate this occasion, the company has announced the release of an extremely limited-edition blended whisky that is truly one-of-a-kind. This special whisky is a blend of liquids distilled over the past nine decades, including an 80-year-old single malt that dates back to the 1940s.

Scenic atmosphere at Yoichi Distillery

I had the privilege of visiting Yoichi, one of Nikka’s two main distilleries, this spring. Located in the north of Japan on the island of Hokkaido, the distillery is surrounded by picturesque scenery, with snow still piled on the ground from a recent storm. While much has been modernized over the course of nearly a century, some things remain unchanged. The stills are still fired with coal, and the signature red pagodas still line the grounds. The restored house of founder Masataka Taketsuru, who shared it with his Scottish wife Rita, sits in the midst of the distillery, overlooking the whisky-making operations.

A Brief History of Nikka

Taketsuru founded Nikka in 1934 after studying in Scotland and working at several distilleries there. He brought his craft back to Japan to launch the whisky industry, starting with the construction of the Yamazaki distillery for Suntory. Nikka initially produced apple juice, cider, and other products under the name Dai Nippon Kaju, but the goal was always to make single malt and blended whisky. The first Nikka Whisky release arrived in 1940.

Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka

Fast forward 90 years, and Nikka is renowned for its high-quality single malts from the Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries, which produce both peated and unpeated whiskies. The company also produces several blends and world whiskies that contain juice imported from other countries, mainly Ben Nevis in Scotland, which is owned by Nikka.

Nikka Nine Decades: A World Whisky

The new Nikka Nine Decades release is a high-end world blend that qualifies as a world whisky, rather than a Japanese whisky, under the guidelines laid out by the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association. The liquid in this blend was distilled over the course of nearly a century, from the 1940s to the 2020s, at Nikka’s six distilleries, including Ben Nevis. There are more than 50 batches of whisky in the blend, including the oldest whiskies from Yoichi and Miyagikyo, new grain whiskies from Moji and Satsumasuka, and older grain whisky from Nishinomiya.

Nikka Nine Decades, a truly unique whisky release

This limited-edition release is a testament to Nikka’s commitment to quality and innovation. With its rich history and dedication to craftsmanship, Nikka continues to push the boundaries of whisky production, and the Nikka Nine Decades is a fitting tribute to the company’s 90-year legacy.