Distiller Notes
This is a single malt from the Miyagikyo distillery, Nikka's second distillery built in 1969. The founder Masataka Taketsuru chose this site in the mountains of Sendai to contrast with his first distillery, Yoichi, located in the coastal area. Using less peaty malt and distilled in a pot still heated by indirect steam, Miyagikyo single malt has an elegant fruitiness and a distinctive aroma with a strong Sherry cask influence.
Proof: 90
Professional Ratings
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Whisky Advocate
This single malt bottling shows Miyagikyo’s emollient style at its best. This is all about super-soft orchard fruits; think apricot and sweet persimmon, though there’s also a touch of sweet sawdust and even a whiff of pine sap and milk chocolate. It demonstrates the classic Japanese trick of being both clear and precise in its aromas, as well as being heightened in intensity. The palate is a little slow to start with, offering a mix of spruce and pine, then those soft fruits carry you onward. In some ways the gentle charms of Miyagikyo are overshadowed by the rambunctious nature of From The Barrel and Yoichi, but soft is a worthy element in Japanese — nay, all — whisky.
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.