PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Nikka’s Miyagikyo Distillery was built in 1969 by Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka and the Father of Japanese Whisky, in a green river valley west of Sendai, in Miyagi Prefecture. He built it as a counterpoint to Yoichi, his original distillery in Hokkaido, which makes powerful, smoky, briny whisky. Miyagikyo was meant to be softer and more delicate: a fruit-forward, silky, elegant style.
Miyagikyo Single Malt 10 Years Old was a flagship of that style until it was discontinued in 2015 because of a shortage of mature stock. In 2026 it returns, the first age-statement Miyagikyo in more than a decade, following the 2022 return of the Yoichi 10 Year Old. It’s made by Nikka’s current blending team, using carefully reserved batches “to ensure consistency and quality for future releases.” In the words of Emiko Kaji of Nikka Whisky Education: “With the 10-year-old expression, we wanted to reveal a new dimension of Miyagikyo’s signature character.” The release is very limited: just 1,572 bottles in the US, available beginning in July 2026, at 45% ABV (90 proof), 700ml.
The whisky builds on Miyagikyo’s signature apple-like fruitiness and silky mouthfeel, with enhanced citrus notes from ester-rich batches. It’s matured in remade casks with subtle influence from sherry casks and new American oak, giving gentle wood accents and delicate vanilla. The packaging has changed, too: a smaller label on plant-fiber washi paper, in a deep forest green that honors the distillery’s natural setting, replacing the deep rose color that signaled the old version’s sherry character.
Nikka’s tasting notes describe aromas of “apples and citrus, complemented by a subtle sweet vanilla note,” a palate that is “rich and well-balanced, where the sweetness of malt harmonizes with the taste of ripe fruits,” and “a pleasant aftertaste, gently sweet and slightly bitter.” UK press notes add layered tropical notes of pineapple and mango on the nose, and on the palate sweet vanilla, baking spices, fruitcake, and clove, leading to a long, gently caramelized finish. 88 Bamboo, which tasted the new release against the discontinued one, found the new Miyagikyo “more bold, more refined and polished, with much more forward aromatics and flavours,” with “apple blossoms, vanilla and even a sweet savouriness of grilled apples.” Maxim noted its silky mouthfeel and “gentle wood accents.”
It’s an elegant, graceful, fruit-forward Japanese single malt: a counterpoint to the smokier Yoichi, and a natural introduction to the Nikka house style for customers who prefer soft, fruity whiskies over peat. It’s a collector’s piece for anyone who missed the original. Enjoy it neat, or with a few drops of water, or over a large cube.
Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt 10 Years Old is produced by Nikka Whisky at the Miyagikyo Distillery in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan (founded 1969). A single malt aged a minimum of 10 years in remade casks with subtle sherry cask and new American oak influence. Bottled at 45% ABV / 90 proof, 700ml. 2026 release; 1,572 bottles in the US.
No numerical critic scores are published yet for the 2026 release.
Nikka (official tasting notes):
“Aromas of apples and citrus, complemented by a subtle sweet vanilla note. The palate exhibits rich and well-balanced flavor, where the sweetness of malt harmonizes with the taste of ripe fruits. A pleasant aftertaste, gently sweet and slightly bitter.”
88 Bamboo (comparing the new release with the discontinued version):
“The new Miyagikyo 10 Year Old seems to me more bold, more refined and polished, with much more forward aromatics and flavours.”
Nose
Deep gold. Apple and citrus, with sweet vanilla, apple blossom, pear, and tropical notes of pineapple and mango.
Palate
Silky and balanced, with ripe fruit, malt sweetness, vanilla, baking spice, and gentle oak.
Finish
Gently sweet and slightly bitter, with a long, soft caramelized note.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | Single Malt Japanese Whisky — Age Statement |
| ABV / Proof | 45% ABV / 90 Proof |
| Age | Minimum 10 Years |
| Casks | Remade casks with sherry cask and new American oak influence |
| Distillery | Miyagikyo — Miyagi Prefecture, Japan (est. 1969) |
| Producer | Nikka Whisky |
| Release | 2026 — the first Miyagikyo age statement since 2015; 1,572 bottles in the US |
| Packaging | New forest-green washi paper label |
| Style / Identity | A silky, elegant, fruit-forward Japanese single malt, the soft counterpart to Yoichi |
| Aromas & Flavors | Apple, citrus, sweet vanilla, ripe fruit, malt sweetness, gentle oak |
| Bottle Size | 700ml |
Neat or with a few drops of water — to taste the apple and vanilla.
Over a large ice cube — for a slower pour.
Highball — with soda and a lemon twist, though most will prefer to sip it.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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