Details
- Price: $90
- Proof: 96 (48% ABV)
- Type: Japanese Single Malt
- Age: No Age Statement
- Distillery: Kurayoshi
- Visit the distillery page Matsui Peated Single Malt
Review
Nose: The nose has a moderate peat scent and offers moderate smokiness. The Peat Monster has a similar nose. Ardbeg and Laphroaig 10 offer much stronger peat (this is less than half the peat). The appearance is light in color.
Palate: The peat is hidden and subtly used in this Japanese expression; however, the flavors are smooth and delicious. Japanese single malts often provide exceptional craftsmanship, and this whisky is no different. I introduced a friend to Matsui who wasn’t familiar with peat, and they loved it. Unfortunately, that’s the target audience, consumers that aren’t familiar with peat. Those that commonly drink peated whiskeys will find Matsui lacking bold flavors and smoke. It’s a beautiful single malt creation with a hint of peat, but most Degenerates are trash (like me), and Ardbeg and Laphroaig 10 offer more smoke/peat at a reduced price.
Finish: The finish is similar to the palate; the flavors are delicious and incredibly smooth. Matsui drinks like an 80 proof scotch with moderate complexity, which is odd given the 96 proof distilling (no one would guess this). There is no heat and the flavors dissipate quickly and don’t linger long, but there’s something you enjoy about it.
Rating
Overall Score: 6.3 (note: score reflects taste and price)
Matsui Peated Single Malt is a well-crafted Japanese whisky that implements peat in the distilling process, which is very rare. However, this is one of the tamest peat expressions on the market. New peat drinkers and those preferring mild flavors will enjoy this offering. Whisky Advocate landed this whisky in the top 20 for new bottles in 2019, so you know it’s a solid whisky, but you need to know what to expect – incredible, smooth flavors with no heat and low smoke.
Degenerate Discussion
This whisky is straight-up dangerous. It’s too smooth with subtle and delicious flavors that can have you consuming more glasses than you bargained for. This is a fun bottle to add to your collection for a Japanese single malt combined with the usage of peat to dry the barely. With that said, this bottle belongs in collections that exceed 50 given the price and moderate flavors. A squirrely dude at the liquor store strongly recommend it to me, so I decided to grab it. I don’t regret the decision, but that guy had no idea what the fuck he was talking about, which I should have known when he confessed he never tried it. Haha, that’s why we have this site, to help you on your journey. Cheers Degenerates!
Listings
You can find Matsui Peated Single Malt on the following Degenerate listing:
- Japanese Whisky Reviews
- Peated Whisky Reviews