Nikka Coffey Grain Whiskey 750ml

Masataka Taketsuru founded Nikka in 1934 after training in Scotland and helping build Japan's first whisky distillery at Yamazaki. He went on to establish Yoichi on the northern island of Hokkaido before adding a second site, Miyagikyo, near Sendai. It was at Miyagikyo that Nikka installed a pair of Coffey stills imported from Scotland in 1963, equipment the distillery still relies on today for its single grain expressions.

Nikka Coffey Grain first appeared in 2012, built from a mash bill dominated by corn with a small portion of malted barley added to support fermentation. Rather than the batch process used for malt whisky, the spirit runs continuously through the vintage Coffey column stills, a method that produces a lighter, more delicate character than pot distillation typically allows. The whisky matures in ex-American oak casks for an average of around eight years before bottling at 45% ABV.

This grain whisky opens with vanilla, orange, and a touch of chamomile, echoing the profile many associate with bourbon. The palate turns sweet and fruity, offering melon, grapefruit, and ripe stone fruit alongside crunchy biscuit notes and fresh vanilla. A long, corn-driven finish rounds things out. It makes an excellent base for an Old Fashioned or a citrus-forward highball.