Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Essentials 2026

Taketsuru Pure Malt Essentials 2026 is a blended malt from Nikka and the first of a five-year limited-edition series. Each annual release looks at a different side of Taketsuru's character, building towards the 30th anniversary of Taketsuru Pure Malt in 2030. This first edition highlights the coal-fired distillation used at Yoichi Distillery since whisky production began there in 1936. It is a blend of malts from Yoichi and Miyagikyo, including long-matured whisky distilled at both in 2000, the year Taketsuru Pure Malt was introduced. The nose is malty and gently toasty, with baked biscuits, apricot jam and soft oak. The palate is full-bodied, with malt sweetness and peat. The finish is long, with gentle peat and a little oak bitterness.