Taketsuru 17 Year Old Nikka Pure Malt Whisky 700ml

Product Description

Two Distilleries, One Vision, Seventeen Years in the Making

Every bottle of Taketsuru carries a name that changed the course of Japanese whisky. Masataka Taketsuru crossed the world in 1918 to learn distilling at its source, spending time at working Scottish distilleries, including an apprenticeship at Hazelburn in Campbeltown, before bringing that knowledge home. By the end of the 1920s, he'd produced Japan's first single malt. In 1934, he went looking for the right piece of land to build something of his own, and after three years of searching, he found it where the Hirosegawa and Nikkawagawa rivers meet, in the town of Yoichi. That site became Nikka. The Pure Malt series that carries his name is the company's ongoing tribute to that founding vision, and the 17 Year expression is its most celebrated chapter.

The Craft Behind the Blend

Taketsuru 17 Year is built from single malts drawn from both of Nikka's distilleries, Yoichi on Hokkaido's coast and Miyagikyo near Sendai, each aged a minimum of 17 years before being married together. A heavier hand with sherry-cask malts in this particular vatting gives the finished whisky its round, generous texture and a subtle candied sweetness that runs through the whole glass. Bottled at 43% ABV, it took home Gold at the 2014 World Whiskies Awards, where judges named it both World's Best Blended Malt and Best Japanese Blended Malt Whisky, recognition that's helped make surviving bottles genuinely hard to find today.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Malty and inviting, with fruit salad, ripe berries, and a note of plantain.

Palate: Vanilla and blood orange unfold into whipped cream and milk chocolate.

Finish: Bittersweet oak, cocoa, and lingering fruit.

Food Pairings

Pour Taketsuru 17 Year alongside a flourless chocolate cake, a bowl of fresh raspberries, or a citrus-forward dessert. On the savory side, its oak and cocoa finish holds up well against aged Gouda or a good cigar.

Serving Suggestions

This is a whisky meant for a quiet glass, neat, in something with room to let the aromas open. Given how scarce it's become, most people treat a bottle of Taketsuru 17 Year as an occasion rather than a mixer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Masataka Taketsuru? The founder of Nikka Whisky, trained in Scotland, and widely credited as the father of Japanese whisky.

What malts go into this blend? Single malts from Nikka's Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries, each aged at least 17 years.

Why is it hard to find? It's won major international awards over the years, and as an older age-stated release, remaining stock has grown increasingly scarce.

Explore More

Looking for more from this legendary Japanese whisky house? Shop the full Nikka collection for Yoichi, Miyagikyo, and other Taketsuru expressions, or browse our complete Japanese Whiskey collection for more from Japan's top distilleries.

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At Quality Liquor Store, we guarantee the authenticity and quality of every bottle we sell. All of our products are sourced directly from authorized distributors, and every order is carefully packaged to arrive safely at your door. Shop with confidence knowing your whisky is in good hands.