Nikka From The Barrel Coming To U.S.

First introduced in Japan in 1986, Nikka From The Barrel has developed a cult-like status in the world of Japanese whisky – often the most coveted expression to bring back from its homeland. Today, Nikka Japanese Whisky and U.S. importer Hotaling & Co. announce the arrival of Nikka From The Barrel in the U.S. The ultimate expression of Nikka’s skillful blending and housed in a distinctive square 750ml bottle, the 51.4% ABV whisky will be available nationwide for $65 SRP, beginning August 2018.

An extremely complex blended whisky, Nikka From The Barrel was created to deliver full flavors and richness drawn from a blend of more than 100 different batches of malt whisky and grain whisky produced at Nikka’s Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries, and aged in multiple types of ex-Bourbon barrels and puncheons, ex-sherry butts, refilled, recharred and remade hogsheads. The higher proof helps to merge the wide array of flavor compounds, while the 3-6 months of additional aging at Nikka’s aging cellar ensures a perfect marriage of flavors to harmonize the liquid. The iconic bottle is designed to reflect “a small block of whisky” – embodying the rich, strong taste of the whisky within.

“Nikka From The Barrel is the best-selling expression outside of Japan,” says Hotaling & Co. president and CEO, Dennis Carr. “We are thrilled to bring this beloved whisky to the U.S. and look forward to seeing the cocktail creativity it inspires in bartenders across the country.”

Considered the founding father of Japanese whisky, Masataka Taketsuru opened his first distillery, Yoichi, in 1934, located where the environs most closely resemble Scotland’s coastal distilleries, which offers briny flavor characteristics, and direct coal distillation with small pot stills is used to hark back to Scotland’s whisky production traditions, as studied by Taketsuru during his time there. Nikka’s second distillery, Miyagikyo, opened in 1969, is located in a river valley, thereby emulating the distilleries found in Scotland’s Speyside region; it employs indirect steam distillation and larger copper pot stills.