Nikka Discovery Series Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast
Nikka Discovery Series Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast is the second half of Nikka's 2022 Discovery pair — the unpeated counterpoint to the Yoichi, from Nikka's second distillery in Sendai (opened 1969). Where Yoichi brought peat, Miyagikyo brings softness: aromatic yeasts selected to encourage delicate fruity aromas, bottled at 47% ABV (94 proof), no age statement, in 750mL. The official concept is "an invitation to dive quite literally into a washback in the midst of fermentation." US allocation: 2,640 bottles, on sale from October 24, 2022. It's available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 47% (94 proof)
- Size: 750mL (US format — confirm against bottle photo at audit)
- Age: no age statement — 2022 Discovery Series release
- Style: UNPEATED — the softer, unpeated half of the 2022 pair; Miyagikyo Distillery, Sendai, Japan
- Yeast story: aromatic yeasts from Nikka's culture collection, selected for delicate fruity aromas
- Rarity: 2,640 US bottles of 4,800 total
Inside the Washback: Miyagikyo's Softer Discovery
Masataka Taketsuru founded Miyagikyo in 1969 as Nikka's second distillery, in a river valley chosen for soft water and cool air — the gentle counterpart to coastal, peaty Yoichi. That gentleness is the point here: the aromatic yeast study plays out unmasked by peat, producing what official-flavored copy calls a refined, exuberant whisky — lavender and flowering meadow, white peaches and pears, brioche and acacia honey. A follow-up to 2021's Miyagikyo Peated release, and its mirror image. Explore Japanese whisky or the Nikka range at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Per official-flavored trade copy: nose — lavender, marshmallow, malted barley, flowering meadow, peach, pear, apricot, vanilla, coconut milk, lemon meringue. Palate — herbaceous barley and fern attack, rich brioche mid-palate, white peaches, pears, acacia honey. Finish — long and silky: herbal tea, sage, chamomile, verbena, cut grass, fresh ginger; the empty glass releases fermentation aromas.
How to Enjoy
Neat, slowly — the finish evolves in the glass long after the sip. Pair with nothing; this is the centerpiece.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast peated?
No — it is the unpeated bottling of the 2022 Discovery pair; the Yoichi is the peated one.
What is the ABV?
47% ABV (94 proof).
What does "Aromatic Yeast" mean?
The whisky was fermented with aromatic yeasts from Nikka's culture collection, chosen to draw out delicate fruity fermentation aromas.
How limited is it?
4,800 bottles total, with 2,640 allocated to the US.
The unpeated side of Nikka's fermentation experiment — get Nikka Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast delivered from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.