Nikka Single Cask Coffey Grain 1992

Review by Nonjatta contributor - Serge Valentin

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"Nikka Coffey Grain 1992/2007 (57%, OB, cask #116333, Warehouse #20)
Beginners may not know that ‘Coffey Grain’ and ‘coffee bean’ aren’t sort of the same thing. Coffey grain is grain whisky distilled in so called ‘Coffey stills’, named after Mr Aneas Coffey, an Irishman who invented this kind of continuous still around 1830. Colour: Gold.
Nose: Huuuge notes of vanilla and coconuts, then white chocolate, cut grass and nutmeg, with a faint soapiness. Needs water: less aggressive but not really more complex. Maybe a little more gingery and almondy, with also a little menthol. Mint-flavoured marzipan?
Mouth (neat): Hot and extremely fruity and vanillaed. Litres of coconut liqueur and quite some soft spices plus a little salt (straight from the oak). Good but rather one dimensional, as many grain whiskies are in my opinion. With water: the tannins come out, together with quite some pepper and kind of a grittiness.
Finish: Medium-long, sweet. Ginger, vanilla, coconut, tannins, white pepper. Comments: It is a pleasant and flawless spirit but I find most of these grain whiskies a little boring, with the oak doing all the work. Yawn… SGP:530 - 79 points." (Serge`s scoring system is explained on this page.)

Alcohol
Abv 57 per cent