G’day, In my latest Youtube video here I review the Miyagikyo 2000’s Single Malt 57%abv. Never bought a bottle when they were released and hadn’t tasted up until now. After tasting, do I now wish I’d bought a bottle? Let’s find out!
Kampai Brian
G’day,
I’m heading to Borneo for a week of wildlife photography & videography. On Sunday the 16th July Australia time there should be a new video on my YouTube channel where I review the Yoichi Nikka Bar Restaurant Bangkok. Home page for the bar reads – Our store is a sister store of the popular long-established store “THE NIKKA BAR” in Sapporo, Hokkaido (Susukino). You can follow up on the channel here.
Kampai
Brian
G’day,
In my latest YouTube Video here, I do the wrap up video for 7 Day’s of Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whiskies and rank them from last to first place.
Kampai
Brian
Hey friends,
I’m about half way through my YouTube reviews of the Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt “standard” range, No Age Statement through to 35 Year Old. You can check them on my channel here.
Kampai
Brian
Hi friends,
In my latest YouTube video here, I review the Miyagikyo Grande Single Malt Limited Edition 2022. Are these no age statement Nikka Whiskies worth the money being asked. Lets find out!
Kampai
Brian
Nose: Noses somewhat like a Yoichi. Earthy peat(very Yoichi), blueberries(very Yoichi), ripe peaches. Worn in denim, minerals. There’s a soft perfume note that floats over the top. Some heated copper and sulphur that I found on the palate of the Yoichi Non-Peated with water added.
Palate: This is where this whisky really starts to shine. Rich and oily mouth feel. Earthy peat, milk chocolate, cafe latte, toffee, honey, vanilla sponge cake, pepper, cashews, butter. Some peach sherbet with water added. Full bodied.
Finish: Earthy, oily, oaky. Leather, cashews, toffee and some subtle smokiness. Water brings out pepper, minerality, more oak tannins and lengthens the finish.
Last Word: Like it’s counterpart the Yoichi Non-Peated, I’m not convinced this is worth the asking price. However, this is a big step up in balance and complexity of the standard Miyagikyo No Age Statement and a pleasant surprise.
Rating: 89/100
Nose: Light earthy peat. Nutmeg, wet wool, cacao powder, pears, white peaches, red apple skins, licorice root. A savoury note with water added.
Palate: Fermented pears and apples, vanilla, chilli flakes, white oak, nutmeg, salt, licorice root, butter, icing sugar. Some orange sherbet with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Nutmeg, cacao powder, almonds, licorice root, butter beans, ash. Touch of lemon and some juicy oranges with water added.
Last Word: A decent whisky that improves a month or so after opening and the fill level drops. However, not really a patch on the previous version with the dark label.
I suspect the main reason is a dearth of sherry cask mature whiskies at Nikka’s distilleries. Seems to me there is no sherry cask whisky in this newer blend, where it is an obvious influence in the previous version which was much richer and rounder. If you can still get your hands on the older version, run don’t walk to stock up!
Rating: 82/100
Nose: Cherries, vanilla, gingerbread, lemon cake, grapefruit, pineapple. Shellfish, varnish, tart green apples, hint of struck match. Youthful but mellows out somewhat with time in the glass.
Palate: Pears, green apples, lemon cake, mandarins. Shellfish, banana, pineapple, salt, grilled cheese, lemon sherbet, lime juice. The fruits become juicier with water added. Light bodied.
Finish: Dried pears, dried apples, wood shavings, mandarins, green apple peels, cream. Some late menthol and ash.
Last Word: Like the Yoichi version the influence of the Apple Brandy Wood Finish is subtle. Plenty of signature Miyagikyo notes and flavors and a decent step up in complexity from the standard no age statement single malt.
Rating: 86/100
Nose: Oranges, cherries, vanilla, toffee, marmalade, a touch of struck match.
Palate: Cola, oranges, cherries, vanilla, icing sugar, cocoa. Somewhat bourbonesque in style. Light Bodied.
Finish: Cola, caramelized oranges, creamed cherry chocolate.
Last Word: Decent single malt but my least favorite of those I’ve tasted in the series being inferior in my opinion to both the Moscatel and Port Wood finishes.
Rating: 84/100
Nose: Red berries, plum juice, wood stain, strawberry jam, grapefruit, wood shavings, raisins, white pepper, some earthiness, dusty oak.
Palate: You notice the Moscatel Wood influence but it’s not overpowering. Red apples, toffee, cranberries, raisins, fermented strawberries, salt, vanilla, cinnamon. Quite viscous and oily.
Finish: Medium length. Balsamic mixed with olive oil, charred oak and cinnamon bark.
Last Word: Approachable and nicely balanced between sweet, bitter and savory elements. The Moscatel Wood finish is very well integrated.
Rating: 87/100
Nose: Red Grapes, quince paste, marmalade, sherry, blueberries, vanilla, toffee, balsamic, Bonox(beef stock paste), a little pepper and coal. I’d class it as velvety and satisfyingly rich.
Palate: Cocoa powder, chocolate mouse, coffee beans, sherry, vanilla, Brazil nuts, blueberries, salt, cloves, raisins, oily.
Finish: Sherry, Brazil nuts, cocoa powder, minerals, raisins, coal, cigar leaf.
Last Word: I spent around 30 minutes chatting at the Nikka stand at WhiskyLive last weekend. There were 6 expressions on offer and the general consensus seemed to be this was the pick of the litter. For myself this has either a lot of excellent young malt whiskies in the mix or, and I believe this is more the case, a large chunk of older whiskies in the mix especially from sherry casks. I bought a bottle straight away so that should be enough of an endorsement. A huge improvement over the my last bottle of no age statement Taketsuru, significantly better than the last bottle of Taketsuru 12 I had and in all honesty, if this quality remains I won’t need to lament the discontinuance of the 17 year old.
Rating: 87/100
Nose: Honey, brine, chocolate, preserved pears, hint of earthy peat, seaweed, greed apples, marshmallows, coal.
Palate: Chocolate, brine, red grapes, read apples, brine, blueberries, a little oily but overall the body is thin and brittle.
Finish: Some brine, earthy peat, ash blueberries, pie crust. The oiliness is more evident on the finish:
Last Word: Can’t really hang with a good batch of the 17 or 21 year olds. Not sure if it is just the low abv but too thin and brittle for my tastes.
Rating: 80/100
Nose: Cantaloupe, honeydew melon, fresh cut timber, pears, white grapes, white peaches, honey. Water brings out a heather note.
Palate: Honey, sweet baking spices, vanilla, pears, lychee, bakers yeast, the cantaloupe and honeydew melon combo and chili powder. The chili powder hits quite hard within a few seconds so prefer this with H2O. Water also adds cashews and a buttery mouth feel.
Finish: Fades quite quickly on some trailing cantaloupe, lychee and menthol.
Last Word: Rich, not so sure, fruity…..definitely!.
Rating 84/100