A tribute to Masataka Taketsura, the father of Japanese whisky and founder of Nikka, this pure malt whisky is a blend of casks hailing from Nikka's two distilleries in the North of Japan: Yoichi and Miyagikyo. To achieve this level of balance and complexity, Nikka's master blenders rely on a large variety of whisky styles, combining the fresh and fruity notes of youthful whiskies with the rich, evolved character of older ones, laged for a large part in ex-sherry casks. COLOUR: gold with pinkish hue NOSE: Engaging. Fresh and fruity. Freshly pressed fruit juice comes to mind, a cornucopia of white fruit, peach notes and juicy grapes. It progressively opens up on fine amadine pastry notes, frangipane and biscuits. Italian all the way, like a panetone with raisins. The malted barley grows more present and plays off the citrus aromas (clementine). A touch of oak and rustic notes (verbena, camomille) bring it all together. PALETE: coffee, licorice, toasted oak, coffee grounds, a cigar slowly burning out ! Its surprising the range is expressive to say the least. Vigorous, assertive and uncompromising. The peat is elusive and finds way to assert itself without so much as a whisper. FINISH: Licorice candy all the way. A refined bitterness quickly gives way to more integrated, medicinal aromas: camphor, eucolyptus. The finisher eventually fades out on malted barley notes.