Nikka Miyagikyo 10

Thanks to.. someone for this one. Sorry, I can’t find any documentation on the swap. Yell at me if you traded this to me.

I continue on my proxy Japanese journey to Miyagikyo, proving to me that Gaelic may not be winning the pronunciation game hands down.

This range is an odd one: A 10 year old, a 12 year old, and a 15 year old. Sounds like 3 reasons to end up in jail as the scumbag that you are.

It also makes me wonder how much they will differ. Sure, they all have Sherry Casks involved, and are all made in the North of Japan, but… what can 2 years do, really?

Not that I can compare, as I currently don’t have a sample of the 12 on hand (will work on that).

So like a pedophile without a third strike, I’m missing the 12 year, however I can still try the 10 year old.

Have I alienated everyone yet? Maybe-ish.

Anyway, let’s see how this one tastes, shall we?

Price: N/A at the LCBO

Region: Japan

Abv: 45%

Colour: 10YR 5/6

Nose: Pear, caramel, vanilla, yoghurt, mandarin orange, pepper, hot sauce

Soft, floral, and other things that were spread all over the internet. That’s why you read my reviews, right? So I can parrot the same thing? No? That’s nice.

Yeah, it’s soft. And then the harshness comes, and wrecks all the paradise of the world. All is lost.

Hysteria aside, it has a soft nose on it, and that’s light, and then it’s kinda spicy. I’m not loving it too much, but I can see some of the appeal.

Taste: Apple, cinnamon, oily, hot sauce, pork

More hot sauce. And some pork. Odd. Young, and brash. Like me at 20-now. So maybe I need to grow up.

Nice mouthfeel, though the different flavours are all over the place. Elements work, and then.. the hot sauce shows up.

Finish: Lime, wood, ginger, apple, lemon rind

There’s a lot of citrus here. A LOT of citrus. Finishes off with a lot of wood and ginger. Finish is probably the best part, just because there’s no hot sauce.

And I like hot sauce. I have many hot sauces.

Conclusion: You, sir whisky, are not a good place for hot sauce.

It’s the Dan Quayle of Nikka whiskies. Not bad, but it does something really dumb and you call it out and then you’re just sitting there and wondering what your’e drinking.

Nice finish, needs more time on the taste and nose. Oh well. They tried.

72/100

World Whisky review #112, Japan review #23, Whisky Network review #562