Product description
For many whisky lovers, Matsui Shuzo Distillery may be something of an enigma.
Built in 1910 in the Tottori Prefecture in southwestern Honshu, it is part of Matsui Breweries, a producer of traditional Japanese spirits, sake and shōchu. In recent years, it has also entered the whisky industry with its Kurayoshi Pure Malt series. Little is known about its formula, other than that it contains malt whisky from “all over Scotland” blended with local whisky (including single malt). Once blended, the spirit is diluted with local, ultra-pure water filtered through volcanic rock. The components of the whisky presented here have been aged for at least 12 years. In 2017, the company installed a pair of small stills and began distilling its own whisky.
Nose: sweet breakfast cereals, vanilla, cappuccino, toffee, apples, pears, orange peel, hay, mint leaf and a hint of salty breeze.
Palate: buttered toast, nectarines, apples, pink grapefruits, raisins, milk chocolate, caramel, toffee, walnuts and a light oak bitterness.
Finish : medium long, with notes of caramel, honey, roasted nuts, apples, a touch of pepper, ginger and oak.