The Matsui The Peated Japanese Single Malt / 48% / 0.7l

Matsui Shuzo Distillery, built in 1910, is located in Tottori Prefecture in southwestern Honshu at the foot of Mount Daisen.

It is part of Matsui Breweries, a producer of sake and shōchu. In 2017, the company installed stills and began distilling whisky as Kurayoshi Distillery (its production capacity is about 75,000 liters per year). Currently, three whiskies are offered under the Matsui banner: Sakura Cask, Mizunara Cask and The Peated. The latter, distilled from malted barley with peat and aged in American oak barrels, was ranked 19th in the "Whisky of the Year 2019" competition. The label features a reproduction of the famous painting "The Great Wave" by Katsushika Hokusai.

Aroma : peat smoke, sweet breakfast cereals, vanilla, white pepper, pine needles, a drop of tar and a trace of burnt grass.

Palate : fruity and smoky, apples, oranges, mango, toffee, vanilla, salted caramel, white pepper, ginger and a touch of oak.

Finish: medium long, with notes of peat smoke, tropical fruits, vanilla, a pinch of salt and oak.