🥃🥃 Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Bright golden amber with delicate straw and honey highlights.
Aroma:
Elegant and aromatic, immediately revealing fresh apple, vanilla, and honey. Pear and orchard fruit emerge alongside gentle floral notes, sage-like herbs, soft malt, and subtle spice. Additional time in the glass brings out richer apple-brandy sweetness and delicate oak.
Palate:
Creamy, lively, and beautifully fruit-driven:
Fresh green apple provides a crisp opening
Baked apple develops a richer, sweeter dimension
Pear adds delicate orchard-fruit character
Acacia honey contributes floral sweetness
Vanilla creates a soft and creamy layer
Malted barley provides the whisky's underlying structure
Cinnamon and gentle baking spice add warmth
Nutmeg and allspice contribute additional complexity
Hazelnut and marzipan introduce a subtle nutty richness
Gentle herbal notes provide contrast to the fruit
Apple brandy influence enhances the whisky without overwhelming the Miyagikyo character
94 Proof delivers excellent concentration and texture
Finish:
Smooth and lingering, with apple, honey, vanilla, gentle spice, toasted malt, and subtle oak remaining on the palate. The orchard-fruit sweetness gradually fades into delicate spice and wood, creating an elegant conclusion that remains unmistakably Miyagikyo.
With its six-month apple brandy barrel finish, 94 Proof bottling, limited 2020 release, and historical connection to Masataka and Rita Taketsuru, Nikka Miyagikyo Finished in Apple Brandy Barrels is much more than an unusual cask-finished Japanese whisky. It tells an important part of Nikka's history through flavor, connecting the apples that helped sustain the company in its earliest years with the refined Japanese single malt whisky that Nikka would eventually become famous for producing.
For collectors of Nikka, Miyagikyo, rare Japanese whisky, and discontinued limited releases, this is a particularly meaningful and distinctive bottle.
Description
Nikka Miyagikyo Finished in Apple Brandy Barrels Single Malt Japanese Whisky (750mL) — Limited Edition 2020 Anniversary Release | 94 Proof
Discover one of Nikka's most fascinating limited-edition Japanese whiskies with Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt Finished in Apple Brandy Barrels. Released in 2020, this rare expression was created to commemorate the 100th wedding anniversary of Nikka founder Masataka Taketsuru and his Scottish wife, Jessie Roberta “Rita” Cowan, whose remarkable story became inseparable from the history of Japanese whisky.
The apple brandy finish has special historical significance. Before Nikka's first whiskies were ready for sale, Masataka produced apple juice, jam, and other apple products to help sustain his young company. Apples therefore became an important part of Nikka's early history and a fitting inspiration for this centennial commemorative release.
For this special bottling, Miyagikyo Single Malt received an additional six months of maturation in apple brandy barrels, layering the distillery's naturally elegant, fruity style with fresh apple, honey, vanilla, orchard fruit, gentle herbs, and warm spice.
Bottled at a substantial 47% ABV (94 Proof), this is a beautifully expressive and highly collectible Miyagikyo that combines Japanese whisky craftsmanship with one of the most meaningful chapters in the history of Nikka.
🥃 Product Details
Type: Single Malt Japanese Whisky
Producer: Nikka Whisky
Distillery: Miyagikyo Distillery
Country: Japan
Region: Miyagi Prefecture
Bottle Size: 750mL
Release: 2020 Limited Edition
Occasion: 100th Wedding Anniversary of Masataka Taketsuru & Rita Cowan
Age Statement: No Age Statement (NAS)
Finish: Apple Brandy Barrels
Apple Brandy Finish: Approximately 6 Months
ABV: 47%
Proof: 94 Proof
Character: Apple, Pear, Honey, Vanilla, Floral Herbs, Baking Spice & Gentle Oak
Style: Fruity, Floral, Creamy & Elegant
🍽️ How to Enjoy
The combination of Miyagikyo's elegant house style and apple brandy finishing makes this a particularly rewarding whisky to explore slowly:
- Sip neat from a Glencairn or tulip-shaped whisky glass
- Allow 10–15 minutes for its orchard-fruit aromas to fully develop
- Add several drops of water to reveal additional fruit and honey
- Enjoy at room temperature to preserve its delicate floral character
- Try alongside fresh apple or pear
- Pair with roasted almonds or hazelnuts
- Excellent with apple tart, apple pie, or crème brûlée
- Pair with mild aged cheeses for a savory contrast
- Enjoy as an after-dinner Japanese whisky
- An exceptional bottle to taste alongside the companion Nikka Yoichi Apple Brandy Finish
- Ideal for collectors of discontinued and limited-edition Nikka releases
⭐ Why You'll Love It
- Highly collectible limited-edition Nikka release
- Released only in 2020
- Celebrates the 100th wedding anniversary of Masataka Taketsuru and Rita Cowan
- Apple brandy finishing directly connects to Nikka's early history
- Finished for approximately six months in apple brandy barrels
- Produced entirely at the Miyagikyo Distillery
- Bottled at an elevated 94 Proof
- Beautifully showcases Miyagikyo's elegant and fruit-forward house style
- Rich apple and orchard-fruit character
- Honey and vanilla provide luxurious sweetness
- Floral and herbal notes create additional complexity
- Apple brandy barrels give the whisky a distinctive identity
- Released alongside a companion Yoichi Apple Brandy Finish
- Increasingly difficult to find following its original release
- Excellent choice for serious Nikka and Japanese whisky collectors
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Yes, a signature is required for all alcohol deliveries to verify that the recipient is of legal drinking age.
Since alcohol deliveries require an adult signature, we recommend shipping to a business address to ensure the package is received without delays.
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