The Matsui Mizunara Cask

This is a Japanese single malt from Kurayoshi Distillery, matured in Mizunara oak casks. It was double distilled in pot stills, and the bottle is decorated with Katsushika Hokusai's Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. The nose is of cherry blossom, vanilla, coconut cream and delicate baking spices. On the palate come oak, cinnamon, ginger, caramel, toffee and a little tobacco, with the sandalwood and oriental spice notes associated with Mizunara. The finish is smooth and lingering, with gentle sweetness and oak.