![]() Here are some of our current favourites, from powerhouses like Suntory and Nikka to new releases from up-and-coming producers. Plus, more beer and sake brewers are getting into distillation, so quirky and experimental drams are only becoming more common. But if you’re looking for a good drink rather than an investment, there’s still plenty of great – and affordable – Japanese whisky out there.Īged single malt may be in short supply, but luckily Japan makes some of the best blended whisky in the world. Unfortunately, now might not seem like the best time to get into Japanese whisky.īig brands are discontinuing major labels and distilleries are scrambling to meet demand with expensive new bottles or hard-to-find limited releases. And they age their whiskies in one of 16 dunnage-style warehouses.Japanese whisky has cemented itself as one of the world's best alongside Scotch, scooping up some of the most prestigious international awards. Miyagikyo also has a modern cooperage for cask making and maintenance. Most of the whisky distilled at Miyagikyo ends up in ex-Sherry or Bourbon casks. ![]() The hallmark of Coffey stills is the super creamy and smooth spirit they produce. And the company also uses them for malt whisky (Nikka Coffey Malt). These old-school continuous columns make grain whisky, vodka, and gin. And it’s in contrast to Nikka Yoichi’s direct fire coal pot stills that produce a robust, savory, and somewhat bitter spirit.īesides the pot stills, Miyagikyo has two Coffey stills. ![]() It’s another reason for the light, clean nature of Miyagikyo whisky. In addition, Miyagikyo’s stills are heated via indirect steam. These characteristics lead to a lighter, smoother, and fruitier spirit. And rings inside the necks of the stills create even more relux. These tall stills with tall lyne arms induce a lot of reflux. The distillery houses 22 stainless steel washbacks and eight huge copper pot stills. Its output is around three million liters of whisky per year. Miyagikyo is the bigger of Nikka’s two whisky distilleries. Moving on from the history lesson, let’s dive into more details about the Miyagikyo Distillery. And while Suntory has a little more fame and production volume, Nikka is just as good. Today, Nikka remains one of Japan’s two great whisky manufacturers. Nikka From the Barrel is a famous example of this. The company uses some of that whisky in its blends. Miyagikyo went live in 1969.Īnd just a couple of years later, Nikka purchased the Ben Nevis distillery of Scotland. This large distillery would produce malt whisky, as well as grain whisky from two old-school Coffey stills. And in 1954, Asahi (the beer company) acquired Nikka, which allowed Taketsuru to focus on making the best whisky possible.Īfter a lengthy search for the right location, Taketsuru founded the Miyagikyo Distillery outside Sendai, Miyagi. The company would eventually take on Nikka as its name. And it released its first in 1940 under the brand Nikka Whisky. This Yoichi, Hokkaido facility would soon make whisky. Taketsuru went on to found the Dai Nippon Kaju, or “Great Japanese Juice Company,” in 1934. But after Yamazaki was complete, the two icons had a falling out. This was the country’s first legit whisky distillery. Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii hired Taketsuru to build the Yamazaki Distillery in Osaka. He traveled to Scotland to learn how whisky was made and came back as Japan’s leader on the subject. It’s a very smooth Scotch and costs half as much as a bottle of Miyagikyo.Īs I mentioned earlier, Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka, is the godfather of Japanese whisky. Short stills with an extended distillation time lead to a fruity and elegant flavor profile. And this single malt is notable in its complete lack of peated malt. This whisky comes from a unique distillery that straddles the border between the Highlands and the Lowlands of Scotland. The final Glen alternative to Miyagikyo is Glengoyne 10 Year. And this Speyside malt is even more affordable than Glenmorangie! They both share a Sherry cask influence and a light, fruity profile. Glen Moray “Classic” is another excellent alternative to Miyagikyo. Because Glenmorangie Original costs about half as much as Miyagikyo. The main difference is the vanilla and caramel ex-Bourbon influence of the Highlands-distilled Glenmorangie. The flavor profiles of both are similar too. The first whisky that comes to mind is Glenmorangie “Original.” Like Miyagikyo, Glenmorangie has very tall stills which produce lighter whiskies. ![]() The qualities of these whiskies are just as good. So if you’re looking for the perfect alternative to Nikka Miyagikyo, Scotch is where I recommend you look. Furthermore, the father of Japanese whisky and Nikka’s founder, Masataka Taketsuru, designed it this way. The whole Japanese whisky industry is based on Scotch.
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