Distiller Notes
#13 Whisky Advocate Top 20 of 2022
This limited edition of Miyagikyo single malt was introduced in 2021 as the first of the “Nikka Discovery” series. In anticipation of Nikka Whisky’s 90th Anniversary, the series offers an inside look at the various experiments in the whisky-making process that Nikka has practiced over the years. This expression is crafted solely from batches of peated malt, offering a significant distinction from the "light and fruity" image of Miyagikyo. It showcases the exquisite combination of bold, distinctively peaty notes, while leaving its signature estery hint in the aftertaste.
Professional Ratings
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Whisky Advocate
The conventional understanding of Nikka’s two distilleries is that Yoichi whiskies are smoky while Miyagikyo expressions are light and fruity. Here Nikka disrupts that thinking in a marriage of peat smoke with all that Miyagikyo has to offer. The nose starts with lemon, apricot, and poached pear as the smoke gently emerges. The palate offers vanilla, caramel, and a layered subtle peat smoke that is positively ethereal. There is lots more to explore: If Nikka hoped to break the mold and venture into new spaces, it has succeeded admirably with this masterpiece.
Sharing a great deal with Scotch in terms of production methods and ingredients, today’s hugely successful commercial market of Japanese Whisky owes much to the research of Masataka Taketsuru. In 1918, this Japanese national travelled to Scotland with the intention of studying organic chemistry but instead became fascinated with Scotch Whisky production. Similar to Scotch Whisky, Japanese Whisky also uses malted barley as the fermentation base and long-term aging in wooden barrels. However, the often-used Mizunara oak, rather than French or American oak, imparts uniquely spicy and citrus-like characteristics to a Japanese Whisky.