Nikka Miyagikyo - Apple Brandy Wood Finish

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 47% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: Yes

Special Features:

The finish in Apple Brandy casks links this Miyagikyo bottling to an early chapter in Nikka’s history. The edition was released in 2020 alongside a Yoichi counterpart to mark the centenary of Masataka Taketsuru and Rita Cowan’s wedding. While its first whiskies matured, the company, founded in 1934, sold apple juice and jam. After its initial cask maturation, this single malt spent approximately six months in casks that had previously held Nikka Apple Brandy for an extended period.

Limited to 6,450 bottles, this distillery bottling is bottled at 47% and is not chill-filtered. The 0.7-litre bottle comes in gift packaging. Alongside apple and honey, the whisky shows exotic fruit, herbs and malt, with a subtle sherry note and spices. In the glass, it is golden with greenish reflections.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Fresh and baked apples and apple compote mingle with vanilla and acacia honey on the nose. Sage and verbena add herbal accents, while ginger and cinnamon bring spice. Pear, malt and grain also emerge, along with a little leather, banana and ripe peach.
• Palate: On the palate, the whisky is creamy, silky and lively. Malt, fresh juicy apples and the apple-compote note from the nose are joined by bittersweet fruitcake, pineapple, lychee and kiwi. Acacia honey, oak and a subtle hint of sherry remain discernible, complemented by a light peat note.
• Finish: The long, slightly salty finish brings notes of white fruit, toasted bread and liquorice. Hay, malt, herbal tea and vanilla accompany a slightly bittersweet cask note, followed by cinnamon spice.

Distillery/Bottler:

Miyagikyo Distillery stands in a valley near Sendai and was founded in 1969 as Nikka’s second malt distillery. Its stills are heated indirectly by steam; together with fermentation lasting approximately 72 hours, this contributes to a light, elegant spirit. The Nikka Whisky Distilling Co., Ltd. is the company behind the distillery and the Nikka brand. It released this edition as a distillery bottling.

Facts: