Nikka triumphs at International Spirits Challenge

Nikka whisky's Taketsuru 21 year old pure malt whisky won the overall trophy for the whisky category at the 2009 International Spirits Challenge in London on Wednesday. The Taketsuru 21 adds the honour to the "World's Best Blended Malt" prize it won at the 2009 World Whisky Awards in April.

The five gold medals earned by Japanese whiskies at the Challenge went to Hibiki 17 year old (blended whisky), Taketsuru 21 year old (pure malt whisky), Yoichi 15 year old (single malt) and Hakushu 18 year old (single malt), and, my current favourite, the Yamazaki 1984 single malt.