About Nikka & the Nine Decades Whisky
Founded in 1934 by Masataka Taketsuru, who travelled to Scotland to learn the art of whisky making. His quest brought back traditions, techniques, and a vision that laid the foundation for some of Japan’s most respected distilleries.
Nine Decades is a special, limited‐edition blend created to mark Nikka’s 90th anniversary. It draws from over 50 component whiskies, distilled in each decade from the 1940s through the 2020s.
It includes rare single malts from distilleries such as Yoichi (some of the oldest stock), Miyagikyo, as well as grain whiskies from Moji, Satsumastukasa, and the (now closed) Nishinomiya. Also featured is whisky from Ben Nevis in Scotland — part of Nikka’s wider international footprint.
ABV: 48%
Non‐chill filtered, preserving full aromatics and mouthfeel.
Aromas: rich apple pie and raisin sweetness, toasted oak from decades in cask, gentle smoke, nostalgic hints of old wood and antique furniture.
On the palate: mellow oak, spice (think cinnamon, roasted nuts, dark chocolate), balanced by sweet notes like apricot jam or maple syrup; with a subtle peat bitterness that gives edge and a long, lingering finish.
