First Impressions
Nikka Coffey Malt — a whisky that shouldn't exist by conventional rules. Column stills are designed for grain whisky (corn, wheat), not malted barley. Pot stills are the norm for malt. But Nikka runs 100% malted barley through their 1963 Coffey stills from Scotland, and the result is genuinely unique.
Why It Works
Coffey stills strip less flavour than modern column stills, so the malt sweetness and creamy texture survive — but you get a distinctly different profile: lighter body, more tropical fruit, intensely sweet. Matured in old casks to preserve the malt character. Core range since 2014 after years of experimental single casks.
Tasting
Butterscotch and banana bread nose with tropical fruit. Intensely sweet palate — honey, caramel, chocolate, berries, with a silky chewy texture. The finish fades with sweet malt and chocolate. Preferred over its Coffey Grain sibling by most reviewers for its richer complexity.
The Verdict
Nikka Coffey Malt earns an 8 — a genuinely unique whisky born from Taketsuru's Scottish education and Japanese innovation. Running malt through a column still creates something no other distillery replicates. At £58, it's a fascinating addition to any collection. The whisky that proves rules are made to be broken.
