Miyagikyo Apple Brandy Wood Finish

Miyagikyo Apple Brandy Wood Finish

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Bright gold
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, cream, marshmallows, apple juice, cinnamon, honey, hints of toast. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, slippery, oily. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apple juice, fresh baked bread, toast, cinnamon, smoke, honey, vanilla. 
Finish: Medium. Cinnamon, apple juice, smoke, honey, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Excellent apple brandy finish, with some toasty smoke from the distillate. I also loved the sister bottle from Yoichi, although they taste very similar. Beautiful whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast 2022

Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast 2022

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Golden 
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Photocopy paper, brass polish, lemon zest, malted grains, peaches, white grapes, jackfruit. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peaches, white grapes, gooseberries, malted grains, hoppy beer, lemon zest, hints of artificial grape flavour. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, hoppy beer, malted grains, gooseberries, hints of artificial grape flavour. 

Comments: 

This whisky starts out feinty, but quickly progresses to fruity and malty flavours. It’s quite sweet, and has an excellent level of complexity, yet each flavour note is as clear as a bell.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Miyagikyo Single Malt Peated 2021

Miyagikyo Single Malt Peated 2021

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Amber gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, caramel, milk chocolate, vanilla, leather, orange peel, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, thickens slightly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Fresh baked bread, milk chocolate, vanilla, leather, peat, sea salt, honey, raisins.  
Finish: Medium. Sea salt, honey, raisins, vanilla, milk chocolate. 

Comments: 

Smoky and chocolatey, this whisky is so smooth that for a moment one might mistake it for a mild-ish Ardbeg. But no, after that moment, the sweet milky flavours appear, this time with more than a hint of chocolate. With that clearly defined flavours that are a hallmark of Japanese whisky for me. Yum. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Miyagikyo Sherry Wood Finish (2018)

Miyagikyo Sherry Wood Finish (2018)

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, black tea, molasses, raisins, hints of white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, cool, watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Winter melons, molasses, red grapes, black tea, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Red grapes, leather, raisins, black tea. 

Comments: 

I was surprised at how few flavour notes I recorded. Don't let that fool you. The flavours in this whisky are crisp, clear, and quite intense. I liked this much better than its Yoichi sister.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Miyagikyo Bourbon Wood Finish (2018)

Miyagikyo Bourbon Wood Finish (2018)

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast ham, honey, chocolate, orange peel, soy sauce, hints of sandalwood, hints of thyme. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. White grapes, chocolate, orange peel, vanilla, honey, hints of sandalwood. 
Finish: Short. White grapes, vanilla, orange peel, hints of leather. 

Comments: 

A sweet meaty nose, but that adds to tart bitterness on the tongue. But that's 'sweet' bitterness - that which comes from coffee and burnt sugar, not the herbal bitterness that comes from, say ginseng. Also fruity sour notes, fading through to an almost-peaty leathery finish. I liked this much better than its Yoichi sister.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Miyagikyo Rum Wood Finish (2017)

Miyagikyo Rum Wood Finish (2017)

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Molasses, honey, coconut cream, sugarcane, fresh cut grass, hints of raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, watery, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Sugarcane, hay, Sichuan pepper, vanilla, brass polish, hints of leather, hints of peat. 
Finish: Long. Peat, Sichuan pepper, leather, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

The influence of the rum cask here is very obvious - it practically tastes like rum, except for the gentle smoke and peat. There's also soapy, floral notes that are reminiscent of Sichuan pepper, bright herbal grassy notes, and perhaps something metallic on the tip of the tongue.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Miyagikyo Sherry and Sweet

Miyagikyo Sherry and Sweet

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Rose
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toast, molasses, fig jam, orange blossom, honey, red grapes, hints of fried eggs. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slightly astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, toast, fig jam, red grapes, fried eggs, strawberries, hay. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, mint, strawberries, hay, hints of fried eggs. 

Comments: 

Wow. NAS, normally unavailable in the UK, but incredible. So sherry sweet, slightly suphuric, but chock full of those jammy fruity notes that characterise a great sherry bomb. This is so delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Miyagikyo Single Malt

Miyagikyo Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Amber gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, cola nuts, raisins, soy sauce, hints of driftwood smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, loose, static. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Green apples, peanuts, chocolate, honey, hints of cola nuts. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, chocolate, honey, hints of cola nuts. 

Comments: 

I miss the age statement Miyagikyos. However, this NAS expression (all there is these days) is reasonably good. Tart and fragrant, with quite a lot of savouriness on the nose, but this dissolves into a welter of sweet fruit and chocolate on the tongue. Nice.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 123.4 (Miyagikyo 17 yo 1996/2014)

SMWS 123.4 (Miyagikyo 17 yo 1996/2014)

2014, SMWS
Single malt - East Honshu
Mahogany
60% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, honey, raisins, dark chocolate, oak, sandalwood, hints of leather. With water, sweeter, more red grapes, cotton candy, more honey. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens slightly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, sandalwood, soy sauce, raisins, leather, hints of honey. With water, more bitter, more astringent, black tea, orange peel, more red grapes. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, black tea, tobacco leaf, leather. 

Comments: 

Ooh, first fill sherry cask aged Japanese whisky. This is as delicious as it sounds, and slightly unusual, in that upon adding water, it is sweet on the nose but slightly bitter and mouth-puckering ont the tongue. I really enjoyed this one.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Miyagikyo No Age Statement

Miyagikyo No Age Statement

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Dark gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, caramel, milk, lemon zest, cinnamon, hints of sandalwood.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, turns syrupy, slightly oily.
Tasting: Sour. Lemon zest, green apples, grated coconut, orange juice, white grapes, hints of sandalwood.
Finish: Medium. White grapes, green apples, cinnamon.

Comments:

Young Miyagikyo seems to hold fruity intense aromas. This is quite complex for its age, and also has a very engaging mouth feel. It's spicy as well, in the aromatic sense, laden with cinnamon and (dare I say it, Yamazaki-esque) sandalwood. This is really good whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Miyagikyo 2002 Single Cask #101127

Miyagikyo 2002 Single Cask #101127

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Pale yellow
62% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red apples, green apples, orange peel, clementines, kiwi fruit, honey. With water, sweeter, more red apples, peaches, vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, spicy, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Red apples, green apples, kiwi fruit, ginseng, chillies, honey, hints of oats. With water, sweeter, malted grains, peaches, vanilla, more red apples.
Finish: Medium. Green apples, ginseng, orange peel, kiwi fruit, hints of dark chocolate. With water, vanilla.

Comments:

Fruity and rich, with an alluring chilli heat on the tongue. But that's due to its high strength, once water is added the whisky calms down. It's sweeter and fruitier, and gentle too - much more like the Miyagikyo I know. I wouldn't describe Miyagikyo as 'feminine' (I know, some whisky writers do), but it's certainly a gentler, easier to drink single malt compared to, say, Yoichi or Yamazaki.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Miyagikyo 12 yo

Miyagikyo 12 yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Green gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oak, vanilla, butterscotch, apples, sugarcane, melon, hints of burnt sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, watery, expands in the mouth. 
Tasting: Bitter. Vanilla, butterscotch, apples, melon, hints of sugarcane, hints of burnt sugar. 
Finish: Long. Sugarcane, melon. 

Comments:

Bitter, surprisingly so, but cut with a sweet, slightly smoky undertone. A very gentle whisky, something I'd enjoy unwinding at the end of the day with.

Verdict:

I like this.

Miyagikyo 15 yo

Miyagikyo 15 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Amber gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, honey, blueberries, peaches, vanilla, lemon juice, hints of roses.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, smooth.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Vanilla, blueberries, lemon juice, peaches, roses, apples, hints of pears.
Finish: Medium. Roses, apples, vanilla, blueberries.

Comments:

Light and ethereal, remarkably rounded and tasty. Floral and spice notes predominate, but there's a lot of fruit in here. Easy drinking, scarily easy. This is one whisky where a bottle will disappear quickly among friends.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Miyagikyo 10 yo

Miyagikyo 10 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Woodsmoke, tyre rubber, butter, biscuit, caramel, orange peel, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, watery, expands, fresh.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Grass, rubber, cherries, toffee, orange peel, tobacco leaf .
Finish: Long. Salty, toffee, rubber.

Comments:

Like a good Clynelish, with that biscuity, slightly woody note. But this one has tobacco and a lot of orange peel, and some hints of Dalmore in that it's quite rubbery. Tasty, even if it is a little chemical.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 124.1 (Miyagikyo 16 yo 1988/2005)

SMWS 124.1 (Miyagikyo 16 yo 1988/2005)

2005, SMWS
Single malt - West Honshu
Bronze
59.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, cognac, rubber bands, butter, hints of peat, hints of hazelnut.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, warm, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet. Apples, peanuts, pears, magic marker, turmeric, hints of lemon juice.
Finish: Long. Spicy, cayenne pepper, salty.

Comments:

I'm beginning to get some of the differences between Japanese whiskey and Scotch. Japanese whisky, to me, has a little more saltiness, married with fruit, like ume, the Japanese salted plums. Scotch is a little more diverse. This Miyagikyo has a great dealt of fruitiness, the requisite salt, plus something quite earthy and pungent - turmeric, maybe. Very interesting.

Verdict:

I like this.