Matsui Shuzo, a whisky distillery nestled in the remote Tottori Prefecture area of Japan, has taken the whisky world by storm, coming away with more than 20 awards from four international competitions this year.
Matsui Shuzo are first-time entrants that distil as one of the oldest companies in the region using water sourced straight from mountain-fed streams to dilute the whisky from cask to bottle. Kaoru Matsui, managing director of Matsui Shuzo, said, “We were confident that we had a high-quality product, but we weren’t sure how we would in an international arena. We thought we might come away with one or two awards, so we couldn’t believe it when we heard about the number of medals we’d won.”
“We use some of the softest water in Japan, and our sub-tropical climate helps to bring out a wide range of flavours from the barrel during the maturation period. Recently, we’ve been using Mizunara (Japanese Oak) and Sakura (Cherry wood) barrels, and we’re challenging ourselves to develop entirely new production techniques,” said Kazuhito Murai, general manager at Matsui Shuzo.
Results of this nature have come from a relentless focus on innovation and quality. “Rather than relying on one or two blenders, we ask hundreds of people to sample our products and give us feedback. Based on this feedback, we then work on different blending, barrelling, and new production techniques to improve the final flavour.”
Matsui Shuzo whisky can be purchased from Whisky and More in New Zealand.
The awards that Matsui Shuzo won are as follows:
WORLD WHISKIES AWARD 2019
Pure malt whisky - Taste Category
- KURAYOSHI AGED 8 YEARS: Winner
- KURAYOSHI AGED 12 YEARS: Gold
- KURAYOSHI AGED 18 YEARS: Gold
SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION 2019
Pure malt whisky - Taste Category
- KURAYOSHI: Silver
- KURAYOSHI SHERRY CASK: Silver
- KURAYOSHI AGED 8 YEARS: Silver
- KURAYOSHI AGED 12 YEARS: Gold
Blended whisky - Taste Category
- TOTTORI BOURBON BARREL: Silver
Single malt whisky - Taste Category
- MATSUI SAKURA CASK: Bronze
- MATSUI MIZUNARA CASK: Double Gold
- MATSUI THE PEATD: Gold
Liqueur - Taste Category
- WHISKY UMESHU (Plum Liqueur): Silver
- BRANDY UMESHU (Plum Liqueur): Silver
INTERNATIONAL WHISKY COMPETITON 2019
Best Japanese Whisky
- KURAYOSHI SHERRY CASK: 1st Place (92.6 pts)
- KURAYOSHI AGED 18 YEARS: 3rd Place (91.6 pts)
Best Japanese Whisky No Age Statement
- KURAYOSHI SHERRY CASK: 1st Place (92.6 pts)
- MATSUI SAKURA CASK: 2nd Place (90.1 pts)
- MATSUI THE PEATED: 3rd Place (89.9 pts)
Best Pure Malt Japanese Whisky
- KURAYOSHI SHERRY CASK: 1st Place (92.6 pts)
- KURAYOSHI AGED 18 YEARS: 2nd Place (91.6 pts)
- KURAYOSHI AGED 8 YEARS: 3rd Place (91 pts)
WHISKIES OF THE WORLD (WOW) 2018
Pure malt whisky - Taste Category
- KURAYOSHI AGED 12 YEARS: Gold
