Miyagikyo Sherry Cask

Miyagikyo Sherry Cask is a no age statement single malt from Nikka's Miyagikyo distillery, set in a wooded valley near Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture and owned by Asahi. This 2015 bottling was drawn from Spanish sherry casks, filled into 700ml bottles for the Japanese domestic market at 48%.

Miyagikyo's tall copper pot stills and indirect steam heating yield a lighter, more elegant malt than its stablemate Yoichi, and the Oloroso maturation here adds a layer of dried fruit and sherried sweetness without overwhelming the distillery's natural character. The profile leans sherried and a touch sweaty, qualities that reflect extended time in well-used Spanish oak and give the expression a warm, rounded finish with the orchard-fruit base still present underneath.