Nikka Coffey Grain single-grain whisky: £47.95, House of Malt

One of the most famous brands, Nikka was founded by Masataka Taketsuru, who travelled to Scotland to study the process of distilling Scotch whisky. Today it produces a wide range of whiskies, with the Nikka Coffey Grain whisky being one of its larger releases.

Produced mainly using corn, the whisky is distilled in Nikka’s innovative Coffey still, imported from Scotland and valued for its ability to retain flavours while heating the grain with indirect steam. On the nose, it is fresh and enticing with fruit aromas of pear, cherry, blood orange and lemon, before giving way to subtle floral aromas alongside coconut and vanilla. On the palate, the single-grain whisky is juicy and pleasant, with some rum accents joining more fruit and prominent bourbon-esque vanilla, which lingers on the finish with some faint bitterness.

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