Nikka Nine Decades Is A Distillation Of Japanese Heritage

Nikka Nine Decades is a whisky that is, indeed, based on 90 years of heritage. It was first released in 2024 to celebrate the 90^th anniversary of Nikka, one of the pillars of Japanese spirits. A blend of more than 50 whiskies drawn from the company’s six distilleries, it is a reflection of past, present, and future.

The spirit is rooted in—where else?—Yoichi, with the oldest whisky of Nine Decades being a 1945 reserve from here. This was the distillery with which Masataka Taketsuru launched his company in 1934, the one that would become known as Nikka Whisky Distilling. It is located in Hokkaido, surrounded on three sides by mountains and by the ocean on the fourth. It has a harsh and damp climate, replete with nearby peat bogs. The location was, in fact, selected because of its resemblance to the Scottish landscape where Taketsuru learned how to make malt whisky. Tradition governs the distillery to this day—its pot stills are heated by extremely hot coal fires, a technique difficult to control and even more difficult to find anywhere in the world. The result is bold and robust, with a peaty touch and lingering smoke. Yoichi is well-represented in the final blend, being the only distillery to have been around for all nine decades.

The second anchor is Miyagikyo. Searching for a deliberate counterpoint to Yoichi in order to expand Nikka’s breadth of available styles, Taketsuru founded this distillery in 1969 near the city of Sendai in the Miyagi prefecture. Surrounded by forests and rolling hills, it sits at the confluence of two rivers—rivers with exceptionally pure water, a key factor in his decision. From this remarkable water source, Miyagikyo’s pot stills are gently heated by steam, producing something elegant, soft, and with a delicate finish. The final blend includes Miyagikyo snapshots from the year of its founding, and up to the modern era.

The rest of Nine Decades is rounded out by a variation of types and characters. It includes the classically hearty whiskies from the Ben Nevis distillery in the Scottish Highlands, which Nikka acquired in 1989; its contributing whiskies date back to the 1960s. Grain and malt whiskies from Nikka’s vaunted Coffey stills are represented by Nishinomiya spirits from the 1980s and 1990s and Miyagikyo from the 2000s onwards. Newer grain whiskies from its Moji and Satsumatsukasa plants complete the modern picture.

Bottled at 48 per cent ABV and limited to only 4,000 units worldwide, Nine Decades is a dram that promises depth and complexity in its luxurious makeup—and a glimpse into the storied world of Nikka. It is delivered in a handcrafted carved glass bottle, and a display box that includes anecdotes about each decade, as well as the names and signatures of past and current master blenders. The tasting notes reference rich layers and complexity: apple pie, toastiness, and gentle smoke on the nose; a palate of nuts, spices, oak, and warmth; and a finish with a suggestion of peat and a full body, and pleasant, slightly bitter counterpoint at the end of the long finish.

“This is an ultimate whisky that encompasses the passion, pioneer spirit, craftsmanship, delights and struggles within Nikka,” says Emiko Kaji, Nikka Whisky global marketing & sales general manager, in a statement. “We appreciate all those who have supported Nikka, including our valued customers, dependable partners, and people involved in the supply chain and distribution over the 90 years. We hope that this exquisite whisky will bring satisfactory moments to whisky lovers around the world.”