Super Nikka Japanese blend

[jinenjo]

I was in El Cerrito and went to a favorite Japanese grocery (Yao-Ya-San), was checking out their sake/sho-chu selection and noticed they had some whiskies from Nikka. I was totally shocked and delighted to see some Japanese malts here in the US other than the two single malts from Yamazaki. What I found were two blends from Nikka. One called Gold and Gold, the other Super Nikka. I took home Super Nikka because it was the last one. The photo is from an ad or something I found online.

Well I couldn't wait to open it and once I did I was delighted to taste a very smooth and extremely balanced malt.

Has anyone had this before? Also, I get the feeling it is not a true blend but rather a vatted malt (unlike the Scotch designation). Do you know if Japanese blends have neutral grain distillate added? It sure doesn't taste like it. The Scotch blends I've had distinctly taste like the GNS.

Of the Japanese malts I've tasted, mostly from Tim at DougDog's study group, I enjoyed immensely. This one has a nice malty taste and as Murray states in the Whisky Bible "honeyed notes".

Cheers,
Lear