This finishes with a refreshing mint taste. The label, adorned by Hokusai’s The Great Wave, portends this whisky’s rush of flavor: satisfyingly smoky, with noticeable structure and complexity. Tobacco lingers... did I just smoke? There's plenty of oak alongside a hint of orange marmalade and nutty bread. Review: The Matsui Single Malt Japanese Whisky Sakura Cask. It has less character in the mouth than I would like, but it does have a refined elegance (and a great nose). The persistent finish leaves you with an IPA-like sensation. Email to a Friend. Of the many ji-whisky companies in Japan, Eigashima in Hyogo Prefecture is my favorite. At the end of the day, what we really want to know is how it tastes. The use of the clean and fresh water from Tottori natural streams is key to the process. The Mizunara oak gives it a special character but the finish ends quickly. What I didn’t love about this whisky, the price. Japanese whisky reviews and ratings on Connosr. Review: The Matsui Mizunara Cask. Finish: Just barely flowery, then closing out with yeasty grain and a hint of mint. Maybe the Kurayoshi Distillery isn't such a phantom anymore. Next ... the only thing that caught my eye immediately was the look of the whisky when I saw it at my dealer, but at the time I could hardly find any information about it and bought the bottle on a whim. Delicious offering by Matsui Shuzo Absolutely delightful, I purchased mine for only 60 SGD at a liquor store in Japan and it was well worth the price! It’s just not enough to give it an interesting profile. Katsushika Hokusai’s “The great wave” Packing a potent peat punch, this bottling leaves a hale and hearty aftertaste, even among Matsui whiskies. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Nose: Well it's certainly a New Born. Nose: Well it's certainly a New Born. Fresh ground water from the Tottori prefecture wilderness is a blessing from the earth and is used to bring the Kurayoshi Whisky to proof. Event Report: Japanese Whisky Day, April 1, 2021, Recent Releases, April 2021: JWRC 20th Anniversary Single Casks, Ghost #15, Kyoto Whisky, and more, Suntory announces Yamazaki Limited Edition 2021, Hibiki Blossom Harmony 2021. On September 16th, the results of the "Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2021" was announced. For more info about this site and me, click here. Description. Un-chillfiltered, Natural Color. The predecessor, named Ogawa Shuzo, … It's bottled at 48% abv, so they've used water from the famous Mt. I’ve lived in Tokyo for over a decade, and I am a certified Shochu Kikisake-shi/Shochu Sommelier (焼酎唎酒師), Cocktail Professor (カクテル検定１級), and I hold Whisky Kentei Level 3 (ウイスキー検定３級). I wrote a whole lot of words about Matsui Shuzo's phantom Kurayoshi Distillery last year. This fine single malt whisky comes from one of Japan’s newest up and coming whisky producers – Matsui. Bourbon barrels help to bring out all the aromas of American oak to Matsui… But give it a few seconds and things take a much more pleasant turn, into medium vanilla with a touch of mizunara. Almost beery, with a medicinal herb bitterness and slaty minerality in the finish. Matsui Peated Single Malt Whisky Review Matsui provides a subtly peated Japanese whisky that is well-crafted but relatively average for the price. On the other hand, they haven't actually called it a New Born. Create New Wish List; Gift wrapping: Options available. Kurayoshi's great nature. Among reviewers, Jim Murray was extremely positive, followed by Jonny of Whisky Advocate. But this is Matsui Shuzo we're talking about here. Kampai! While signs abound that the company is serious about distilling their own product it appears they’ve only even begun to actively distill whisky at Kurayoshi distillery in 2017 after acquiring a license to do so in 2015. The Kurayoshi 12-year-old … It's smooth and mellow and definitely worth a look of you like Japanese whisky This gin was launched on the Japanese market in mid-2019 by the renowned whiskey manufacturer Matsui. The Matsui Sakura Cask – Review #17. Learn how your comment data is processed. Smoke writhes like a serpent on the finish, sliding off the walls dripping with sweet tropical fruits. The Matsui series is the first result of that attempt at legitimacy. This whisky is unlike many others. It's nose, palate and finish are quite unusual and I can only out it down to the sakura cask finish. Kippers on the nose, with burnt aromatic grasses, cocoa, and jellied fruits, and a smoky palate of red apple, ginger, pepper, orange, and mango. Review Subject Required. © Copyright 2021. A single malt whisky distilled in the rich, natural environment of Tottori and aged in Mizunara (Japanese oak）casks. The owner’s of the Kurayoshi distillery have burst onto the scene in 2019 with a number of exciting whiskies, but it is this non-age-statement Matsui Mizunara Cask expression that has been making waves and has been lauded by fans and critics alike. 90-94 points—Outstanding: a whisky of superior character and style 85-89 points—Very good: a whisky with special qualities 80-84 points—Good: a solid, well-made whisky Presumably they can’t lie about that. Please enjoy tasting premium whiskey we made. This is one whisky that should be NAS. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. VossnWhisky 14. Jim Murray’s 2020 World Whisky of the Year 1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Second Finest Whisky in the World William Larue Weller 125.7 Proof – 2018 Release Third Finest Whisky in the World Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye 128.8 Proof – 2018 Release Single Cask of the Year Nantou Omar Cask Strength Bourbon Cask #11140804 Feb 2021 14. 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