Matsui Shuzo The Kurayoshi 8 Years Old

The Kurayoshi 8 Years Old is produced by Matsui Shuzo in Tottori prefecture and represents the bourbon-wood expression of one of Japan's most widely distributed blended malt ranges. Bottled at 43% for global distribution, this NAS-adjacent 8 Years Old carries the lighter, sweeter character that Ex-Bourbon maturation typically encourages. As with other Kurayoshi releases, the malt component may draw on a combination of house-produced and sourced stock.

Ex-Bourbon cask maturation gives vanilla and coconut at the front, with ripe orchard fruit and a soft cereal sweetness building through the mid-palate. The finish is clean and moderately long, with a faint woodspice thread. At 43% it sits in an easy-drinking register that suits its broad market positioning, delivering a familiar and consistent profile that the range has become known for.