Nikka Whisky's New Gin & Vodka
Many of us start building our booze collections with beginner-friendly clear spirits, and then work our way up to the dark holy grail of grown-up amber whiskeys. But being a vodka or gin fiend doesn't necessarily need to be associated with cranberry juice and seltzer water stereotypes. Lighter liquors are making a comeback, and now one of the world's best whisky makers is getting in on the action.
Nikka Whisky, the Japanese distiller best known for its acclaimed grain whiskies, is releasing its newest lineup this month: Nikka Coffey Gin and Nikka Coffey Vodka. And before you recheck the dictionary, the name isn't a misspelling of your other favorite beverage, but a reference to the vertical stills used in the production, which were first invented by Aeneas Coffey. The complex distillation process means it took Nikka three years to refine its final gin product, which involves individually distilling flavors like apples, sansho peppers and a variety of citrus exclusive to Japan before then blending it all together.
According to men's lifestyle site The Manual, the two bottles will retail between $40 and $50 each in extremely limited quantities, meaning serious liquor hounds might want to start making room for the next addition to their collections.