Miyagikyo Distillery

宮城峡蒸留所 / Miyagi-kyo Kai Jōryū-sho

Opened by the Nikka Company in 1969, Miyagikyo(u) lies to the south of its sister distillery, Yoichi on the main Island in Japan, close to the city of Sendai, whose name the distillery sometimes adopts. Rather like Yamazaki, the distillery sits next to the confluence of 2 rivers, the Nikkawagawa and Hirosegawa. So it was surely no coincidence that Taketsuru Masataka was to travel to the location when looking for another ideal site to build a distillery, deciding that the pure waters and temperate humidity would be more than a perfect to compliment to the already well established and regarded Yoichi. It is said by many Japanese whisky enthusiasts that Miyagikyo has a refreshingly fruity and floral character, due to the addition of a boil ball within the pot stills. One thing we do know however is that the distillery also owns several Coffey Stills, which in the past have produced some very exciting Grain whiskies of the highest quality.