Kurayoshi 8 Year Old Pure Malt Whisky
*please note that the ABV of this bottle may vary California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 WARNING.
  • almonds
  • malty
  • orange zest
  • green apple
  • vanilla
  • caramel
  • oak
  • fruit
  • nutty

Kurayoshi

8 Year Old Pure Malt Whisky (0.75l, 46%*) *please note that the ABV of this bottle may vary
Price $91.99

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Character Goatson
A fruit-forward dram with a highland temperament.

Matsui Shuzo Distillery was founded in 1910 northwest of Kyoto on the facing the Sea of Japan in Tottori Prefecture. Importantly, the distillery is within sight of Mount Daisen — a volcanic peak rising more than a mile above the surrounding fertile plains. This is significant because the spring water used to distill their Sake, Shōchū, and Whisky and bring it to proof has filtered through volcanic stone for eons — resulting in significant purity and a unique, soft mineral composition.

The Matsui Shuzo Distillery keeps a low profile. It’s almost enigmatic with no visitor center or direct sales. But the line Whiskies that comes out of their warehouses are very highly regarded — including ten Single Malts under the Kurayoshi brand and five grain Whiskies under their Tottori nameplate. All of them very popular with the discriminating dram-lovers across the Land of the Rising Sun.

Kurayoshi 8 Year Old Pure Malt Whisky has been aged a bit differently than it’s siblings. Obviously, it has been aged eight years, which you can tell by the name. But instead of new oak or Sherry casks, this dram has aged in ex-Bourbon, white oak casks. It’s is a 100% malted barley Whisky, sourced from distilleries around Scotland, before making their way to Japan, where it is blended with Japanese Whisky, aged, and cut to proof with the soft ground waters of the legendary volcanic stone filtered water of Tottori Prefecture. The good folks at Matui Shuzo Distillery execute very well and deliver the goods with a complex, ripe mouth feel and gentle orange notes that will remind you of a classic Highland Single Malt.

Smartass Corner: 
Mount Daisen is regarded by some ancient religious sects in Japan as a holy mountain — including the syncretic Shugendō faith of "the path of training and testing."
*please note that the ABV of this bottle may vary California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 WARNING.
Appearance / Color
Golden straw

Nose / Aroma / Smell
Almonds and malt

Flavor / Taste / Palate
Fruit-forward with green apple, more almond, orange zest, vanilla, caramel. 

Finish
Gentle and smooth
Flavor Spiral TM
About the Flavor Spiral
What does Kurayoshi 8 Year Old Pure Malt Whisky taste like?

The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in Kurayoshi 8 Year Old Pure Malt Whisky and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.

We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.

Back to flavor spiral
  • almonds
  • malty
  • orange zest
  • green apple
  • vanilla
  • caramel
  • oak
  • fruit
  • nutty
Kurayoshi 8 Year Old Pure Malt Whisky
Kurayoshi 8 Year Old Pure Malt Whisky
Dog Dogson's Smartass corner
Character Dogson
The two biggest Whisky producers in Japan are Nikka and Suntory, major rivals.
Whisky or Whiskey? The spelling differs geographically. In Scotland, Japan, and some other parts of the world, distilleries usually spell it Whisky; in Ireland and the USA, they spell it Whiskey.
In recent years, Japanese Whiskies have won several top prizes at the World Whisky Awards and have consistently scored higher than Scotch Whiskies in blind tastings. Talk about a student surpassing the master!
It's not uncommon for Japanese Whisky to be aged in mizunara (Japanese oak) casks. Suntory conducted a research on how mizunara oak influences Whisky flavor and found out it adds coconut notes to it.
Japan is the second biggest producer of Single Malt Whisky in the world.
Japanese Single Malts, like Scotch, are double-distilled in pot stills. Grain Whiskies, on the other hand, are distilled in column stills.
Similar drinks
Dog Dogson's Smartass corner
Character Dogson
The two biggest Whisky producers in Japan are Nikka and Suntory, major rivals.
Whisky or Whiskey? The spelling differs geographically. In Scotland, Japan, and some other parts of the world, distilleries usually spell it Whisky; in Ireland and the USA, they spell it Whiskey.
In recent years, Japanese Whiskies have won several top prizes at the World Whisky Awards and have consistently scored higher than Scotch Whiskies in blind tastings. Talk about a student surpassing the master!
It's not uncommon for Japanese Whisky to be aged in mizunara (Japanese oak) casks. Suntory conducted a research on how mizunara oak influences Whisky flavor and found out it adds coconut notes to it.
Japan is the second biggest producer of Single Malt Whisky in the world.
Japanese Single Malts, like Scotch, are double-distilled in pot stills. Grain Whiskies, on the other hand, are distilled in column stills.
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