Matsui Whisky
About the distillery
Matsui Whisky is a Japanese whisky brand based in Tottori Prefecture, on the coast facing the Sea of Japan. The house was founded in 1910 and is today closely associated with Kurayoshi Distillery, where Japanese single malt whisky is produced. At the same time, the range also draws on blended and pure malt expressions, shaped by both its own production and whiskies from Japanese partner distilleries.
History
Matsui was founded in 1910 in Tottori Prefecture, northwest of Kyoto, in an area characterized by coastline, nature parks, and Mount Daisen. For many years, the company was known as both a sake brewery and a shochu distillery, and it was only later that whisky truly became the focus. With a whisky license in 2015, Matsui took the decisive step into its own whisky distillation. Today, Kurayoshi Distillery is the house’s most important whisky base, and the name is taken from the city where the distillery is located. At the same time, Matsui has retained its historical approach to blending and maturation, so production ranges from its own single malt to blends with malt and grain whiskies from domestic partner distilleries. It’s an evolution that links the classic Japanese craftsmanship tradition with a modern whisky universe.
Raw materials and production
Matsui’s production is based on both its own distillation and on purchased whiskies from Japanese partners for selected blends. Kurayoshi Distillery is equipped with two Japanese copper pot stills with adjustable lyne arms, which are used for whisky production, and in addition three Portuguese alembic pot stills, which primarily serve for gin and brandy distillation. Water is an important part of the house: it comes from a deep aquifer and is softened through natural filtration in the volcanic soil around Mount Daisen. This gives the distillery a local foundation that is reflected throughout the range. The house draws on more than a century of experience in brewing, distillation, and blending, and it is precisely the combination of its own production and partner whiskies that defines the style.
Whiskies
The range spans from 100% Japanese distilled single malts to pure malt and blended whiskies. Among the specific releases are the Kurayoshi series with 8, 12, and 18 year old whisky, single malts such as Mizunara, Sakura, and Peated, as well as the blend series The Tottori and The San-In. The overall picture is a house that works with multiple expressions side by side, but still brings them together under a shared Japanese signature and a clear local base in Kurayoshi.
| Whisky | Type / series | Age | Cask and style | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kurayoshi Sherry Cask | Malt Whisky | Current; Core range | ||
| The Tottori | Blended Whisky | Current; Core range | ||
| The Tottori - Ex-Bourbon Cask | Blended Whisky | Current; Core range | ||
| The Tottori - Sakura Cask | Blended Whisky | Current; Core range | ||
| Kurayoshi 8 Year | Malt Whisky | 8 years | Current; Core range | |
| Kurayoshi 12 Year | Malt Whisky | 12 years | Current; Core range | |
| Kurayoshi 18 Year | Malt Whisky | 18 years | Current; Core range | |
| Mizunara | Single Malt Whisky | Current; Core range | ||
| Sakura | Single Malt Whisky | Current; Core range | ||
| Peated | Single Malt Whisky | smoked/peaty | Current; Core range | |
| The San-In | Blended Whisky | Current; Core range | ||
| The San-In, Ex-Bourbon Barrel | Blended Whisky | Current; Core range |
Philosophy and craft
Matsui formulates its approach as whisky that should be loved by everyone. Behind that wording lies a classic Japanese focus on craftsmanship, continuity, and balance: more than a hundred years of experience with brewing, distillation, and blending is actively used in today’s whiskies. At the same time, the house is open to collaborations when it comes to blends, but maintains its own identity through Kurayoshi Distillery and the local water source at Mount Daisen.