Japan, Miyagi. Distillery operational. Owner: Nikka Whisky Distilling (Asahi)The younger sister of the legendary Yoichi distillery, Miyagikyo is the second distillery of the Nikka Whisky Distilling company, which was founded in 1934 (Dai Nippon Kaju Kabushiki Kaisha) by Masataka Taketsuru. The distillery was completed in 1969 on the main island of Honshu, in the Miyagi Prefecture and distilled its first malt in the same year. Futuristic and resolutely modern, it is home to several Coffey stills for the production of grain whisky, as well as the malt whisky used in the group's blends. More niche than its older sister, the versatility of Miyagikyo's character nonetheless makes it an appealing malt. It ranges from a soft, floral and fruity register to the more woody, spicy and sometimes smoky aromas commonly found in Yoichi.

A single cask Miyagikyo (#300092) distilled in 1999 and bottled in 2013 after maturation in a recharred hosghead. This is a lightly peated version of Miyagikyo, with the distillery producing unpeated and lightly peated whiskies, in contrast to its older sister Yoichi, which specializes in lightly peated and heavily peated whisky. Up until the mid-2010s, Nikka regularly released limited editions and single casks, notably for its European distributor, La Maison du Whisky. This habit was lost over time due to the rising popularity of Japanese whisky grew and the pressure placed on stocks by this new international demand. In 2015, the range’’s aged versions where replaced with No Age Statement bottlings and special editions became drastically more rare. A limited edition of 159 bottles.