08/20/2026
What is Nikka Coffey Whisky?
First things first: Coffey Whisky has nothing to do with coffee. The name comes from the Coffey still, a continuous still patented by Aeneas Coffey in 1830.
Nikka founder Masataka Taketsuru first encountered this style of still while studying whisky making in Scotland in 1919. Decades later, Nikka imported its own Coffey stills to Japan, where they remain an important part of its whisky making today.
More difficult to operate than modern continuous stills, Nikka’s traditional Coffey stills retain more of the character of their ingredients and produce a rich, creamy texture.
The result can be experienced in two distinct expressions: Nikka Coffey Grain, made predominantly from corn, and Nikka Coffey Malt, made entirely from malted barley.
Same still. Two very different expressions of what it can do.