The writing was on the wall for The Nikka 12 since early this year, with the company filing a trademark application for a whisky called “The Nikka Tailored.” I took a guess at the time that it probably meant the demise of The Nikka 12. That guess turned out to be correct, as Nikka later confirmed via email that The Nikka 12 will indeed be phased out from the end of March of this year.
We now have some additional details coming through about its NAS replacement, The Nikka Tailored. There is yet to be a formal announcement from Nikka towards the general public, let alone any info on the official brand site. But here’s what we know so far:
- Release date is April 9, 2019
- 43% abv, 700ml
- Priced around 6000 yen
- There’s a pic of the bottle now floating around — or at least a thumbnail size
- Tasting notes provided by Nikka:
- Nose: Fruity and lively, with malty notes of cookies and biscuits. Sweetness of vanilla and caramel coming from the cask
- Palate: Sweet with a firm malt base, with a long-lasting harmony of gentle sweetness from Coffey grain
- Finish: Cocoa and dried fruit, the aroma of maple syrup on hot pancakes. Lingering bitterness and spiciness
Bring it on, Nikka.
Hi there! I created and run nomunication.jp. I’ve lived in Tokyo since 2008, and I am a certified Shochu Kikisake-shi/Shochu Sommelier (焼酎唎酒師), Cocktail Professor (カクテル検定１級), and I hold Whisky Kentei Levels 3 and JW (ウイスキー検定３級・JW級). I also sit on the Executive Committees for the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition and Japanese Whisky Day. Click here for more details about me and this site. Kampai!