Nikka Coffey Grain Woody and Mellow

Nikka Coffey Grain Woody and Mellow

Official bottling 
Single grain - East Honshu
Copper gold
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, oak chips, apple juice, malted grains, dunnage, hints of roast chicken. With water, toffee, honey, magic marker, oak chips. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, airy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Vanilla, marshmallows, magic marker, tutti frutti, malted grains, dunnage, hints of oatcakes. With water, magic marker, toffee, malted grains, oak chips. 
Finish: Medium. Oatcakes, magic marker, malted grains, apple juice. 

Comments: 

I like this Nikka series where they simply label the bottle with what it tastes like. Simple and straightforward. Not quite so with this whisky. It’s got lots of lovely grain notes, estery and smooth, but it’s also got the woody vanilla and some dusty dunnage. Intriguing dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Nikka Coffey Grain

Nikka Coffey Grain

Official bottling
Single grain - East Honshu
Light gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, magic marker, papayas, salt caramel, butterscotch, hints of bananas. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Pears, raisins, bananas, vanilla, papayas, salt caramel, hints of lemon zest. 
Finish: Medium. Pears, raisins, bananas, lemon zest, hints of brown paper. 

Comments: 

Fragrant and salty, quite unlike other grain whiskies. Apparently this is mostly corn. Nice magic marker notes, and of course the requisite banana. Steaming heaps of papaya, tempered by slightly savoury salted caramel. Nice whisky, this. It's quite unassuming, and a brilliant decent-value daily drinking dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Nikka Coffey Malt

Nikka Coffey Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Dark gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, pears, honey, caramel, new rubber, hints of dried pineapples. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, fizzy, slightly astringent. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Cola nuts, apples, dried pineapples, honey, tobacco leaf, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, apples, dark chocolate, cola nuts. 

Comments: 

Nikka's coffey stills were initially located at Nishinomiya Distillery, and moved to Miyagikyo around 1999. This bottling was released in 2014, and I believe it's all distilled on the grounds of Miyagikyo. Coffey by name, coffee by nature - I couldn't believe my tastebuds. I first thought it was suggestibility, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't. This is deliciously sweet sour, ever so slightly astringent and bitter, suggesting those wonderful chocolatey, coffee notes.


Verdict:

I like this a lot.