Nikka Just Released a Jaw-Dropping Blend Made With 80 Year Old Whisky

Japanese whisky is kind of a big deal these days. While it only became a global phenomenon in this century, it’s been a hit domestically since the earlier parts of the last. One of the first brands to make a splash all those years ago was Nikka. 

Back in 1934, legendary distiller Masataka Taketsuru launched the operation that would go on to become a pivotal player in the modern boom. Now the label is set to celebrate its 90th anniversary with a limited edition blend of some of its rarest—and oldest—stock ever. And we just scored an advance taste. Here’s everything you need to know about The Nikka Nine Decades.

As you might have gathered from the name, this ultra-luxury expression comprises liquids collected across nine decades. In total, Nikka’s blending team drew from over 50 batches of whisky, including single-malt that dates back to the 1940s. It was sourced from its original Hokkaido-based distillery, Yoichi. Layered atop that is ‘70s era juice from Miyagikyo—the brand’s other historic malt maker—along with several of the country’s most matured grain whiskies.

When combined, these delicate components form a cohesive whole far greater than the sum of their parts. The non-chill filtered, 96-proof bottling is mahogany in hue and spills over with spice rack aromatics; nutmeg, clove, tarragon. The palate builds a beautiful balance between herbal tea and tart fruit, with mocha making its way through the finish.

Now is a good time to point out that this isn’t a full-on Japanese whisky—not anymore, anyways. Historically, Japanese whisky could include aged spirits that weren't actually distilled in Japan. That changed with a new set of regulations which went into effect earlier this year. How does this affect Nikka? Well, the company owns a total of six distilleries, including Ben Nevis in Scotland. The artful blenders behind this release have opted to incorporate whiskies from all of these properties into this final product. This isn’t a bad thing, and they’re not shy about it: The new release is proudly presented as a “world blended whisky.”

And while you won’t see that approach adopted in the Scotch sector anytime soon, that industry also benefits from a willingness of competing brands to share and trade barrels of their respective product. That doesn't happen in Japan. 

So, if a label in Japan is hoping to release a blend, it either has to own multiple distilleries, or be willing to import “world whisky” from abroad. In the case of Nikka, they’ve happily pursued both options in the name of maximizing flavor. And they clearly benefited from having as many colors in the paintbox as possible for this release.

Sip it and see. If you can, that is. A total of just 400 bottles are headed to the U.S. in October. Each 700ml decanter costs $3,000, but will likely sell for much more. 

Related: 15 Best Japanese Whiskies of 2024 for Cocktails or Sipping