A high quality set of 200ml bottling from the Matsui distillery in Japan.

This set contains three different whiskies: the Sakura cask, a peated expression, and the Mizunara Cask.

The Sakura cask is a rather fascinating dram, having been matured in cherry wood casks, providing a unique flavour profile. Drinkers can expect notes of almond, orange rind, fresh grapes, honeydew melon, cinnamon, flowers, soft red cherries, subtle raspberries and fragrant wood.

Matsui Peated offers up notes of intense roasted grains, burnt malt, earthy peat, woodsmoke, vanilla, brown sugar, apples, ash, and hay. An entirely different approach to Matsui’s spirit, but no less delicious!

Mizunara is the famed and rather rare Japanese oak. Casks made of this wood are notoriously difficult to manage, with the barrels given to leaking – the name literally means “water oak”. Sustainability rules mean that Mizunara trees have to reach 200 years of age before they can be felled, meaning that the rarity and cost of the oak has risen sharply.

Mizunara is also known for providing delightful, delicate flavours to whisky, as is shown with this dram. The bottling serves up notes of intense, fresh flowers, creamy coconut (a classic Mizunara flavour), cinnamon, toffee, ginger, peppery spice, tobacco, caramel and soft oak.

A great introduction to this distillery’s range, this is an excellent opportunity to try some Japanese whiskies matured in unusual casks.