Although Yoichi is the best known part of the Nikka company, their second distillery, named Miyagikyo, is actually bigger. Malt whisky is produced there using eight stills. A Coffey Still was installed in 1999 but is only used intermittently.

This 20 years old 1988 vintage is a mixture of four Miyagikyo whisky styles, with different peating levels and different cask types (recharred casks, remade casks and a sherry butt).

Nikka Miyagikyo 1988 (50%, OB 2008, 1500 btl.)

Nose: nice and sensual, with lots of apricots and vanilla. Yellow plums. Slightly exotic. Furniture polish and beeswax. Gooseberries. A little frangipane. It shows elements of 1970’s Glen Grant, or 1972 Glengoyne, or 1970 Glen Keith. Good enough, right? Plus, there’s the softest hint of peat in the background. Mouth: starts on peppery wood, with slightly more pronounced peat. Leather. Overall rather sweet, with dried fruits (plums again) and a kind of bubblegummy / synthetic fruitiness. Evolves on a cheapish lychee liqueur (not as bad as it sounds, really). Finish: quite long, on dried apricots and old furniture.

A great nose with a slightly less appealing palate. Overall very nice, with a unique all-round profile among Japanese whiskies (subtle sherry, subtle peat, exotic fruits). Around
€ 215, still a few bottles available.

Score: 88/100