Nikka - From The Barrel

Nikka From The Barrel is a blended whisky produced by Nikka Whisky, founded in 1934 by Masataka Taketsuru, the man widely credited with establishing the Japanese whisky industry. The whisky is a blend of malt and grain whiskies drawn from Nikka's two distilleries, Yoichi in Hokkaido and Miyagikyo in Miyagi Prefecture.

After blending, it is returned to casks for a period of additional maturation, a step called marriage, which integrates the components before bottling. It is bottled at 51.4% ABV, well above the industry norm, which preserves a depth and intensity that lower-proof blends often sacrifice.

The squat, distinctive 500ml bottle is iconic in Japan, though the 750ml format sold here offers more to work with. It works neat or with a single large ice cube, and it stands up in cocktails.