Kurayoshi Pure Malt Sherry Cask (700 ml)

Matsui Shuzo, a Tottori sake and spirits house operating since 1910, acquired its whisky distillation license only in 2015 — meaning the Pure Malt tier predates any in-house distillate and is built on sourced Scotch single malt whisky blended with Japanese malt and matured in Japan, a provenance the early labelling did not make explicit. That controversy is the essential context for understanding what this bottle is and is not. The distillery sits at the foothills of Mt. Daisen (1,729 m), an extinct volcano in Tottori Prefecture whose volcanic rock filters the deep-aquifer groundwater used throughout production — a source the producer credits for the house style's characteristic softness. The San-in Coast's extreme seasonal swing — sub-zero winters to 38 °C summers — accelerates cask interaction in a way the producer explicitly compares to Islay maturation. This expression is finished in ex-sherry casks, layering dried-fruit concentration and oxidative spice over the bourbon-matured base; bottled at 43% ABV within the Pure Malt range. The special feature: unlike most sherry-finished Japanese whiskies from major houses, this is an NAS blended malt openly drawing on Scotch malt character, making the sherry cask the primary flavour architect rather than a polish on long-aged house spirit. Chill-filtration status is not disclosed by the producer.