Matsui The Kurayoshi 12 Year Old Japanese Whisky
Matsui The Kurayoshi 12 Year Old Japanese Whisky is a 43% ABV blended ("pure") malt whisky — Scottish and Japanese malt whiskies married at Matsui Shuzou in Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture, and matured 12 years in ex-bourbon white oak. Proofed with soft spring water from Mt. Daisen filtered through volcanic rock, it won its category at the 2021 World Whiskies Awards. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV/Proof: 43% ABV / 86 proof
- Size: 750mL
- Age: 12 years in ex-bourbon white oak barrels
- Origin: Matsui Shuzou, Kurayoshi Distillery, Tottori Prefecture, Japan — on the San'in coast near Mt. Daisen
- Production: blended malt (Scottish + Japanese malts); Mt. Daisen volcanic-rock-filtered water; distillery founded 1910 with sake/shochu origins
Twelve Years on the San'in Coast
Matsui Shuzou has been distilling since 1910, but the Kurayoshi whisky project is its modern chapter — blending imported Scottish malts with its own Japanese-distilled malt barley and giving the marriage a full 12 years in ex-bourbon white oak. The water is the house signature: soft spring water from Mt. Daisen, filtered through volcanic rock. The result took its category at the 2021 World Whiskies Awards. Browse more Japanese whiskies or the Matsui range.
Tasting Notes
Rounded and mature — vanilla and honeyed oak from 12 years in ex-bourbon casks, malt depth from the Scottish component, and a clean, soft-water finish.
How to Enjoy
Neat or with a splash of the softest water you have. It also makes a refined Japanese highball over a large cube with soda.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kurayoshi 12 a single malt?
No — it is a blended ("pure") malt: Scottish malt whiskies blended with Japanese-distilled malt at Matsui Shuzou.
Where is it made?
At the Kurayoshi Distillery in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, near Mt. Daisen on the San'in coast.
What is the ABV?
43% ABV standard (some markets bottle at 46%) — check the bottle label.
Has it won awards?
Yes — a category winner at the 2021 World Whiskies Awards.
Twelve years of Japanese patience in the glass — order Matsui The Kurayoshi 12 Year Old Japanese Whisky online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.