DESCRIPTION

A 1980-vintage single-cask Karuizawa, bottled in 2015 and released only to attendees of The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show 2015.

Everyone that attended the show had the opportunity to enter a ballot to be offered the chance to purchase the bottle.

Karuizawa distillery was established in 1955 in the town of Miyota on the southern slopes of Mount Asama. It began production the following year, producing single malt for the Ocean blends from Daikoku Budoshu. Initially it was difficult for the distillery to obtain malt, but a lift on import restrictions in 1958 meant the distillery was able to experiment with the production of a Speyside-esque product, importing the same golden promise barely used at Macallan, and sherry casks. The subsequent quality of output saw it appearing in Japan as a single malt for the first time in the 1980s. Sadly, the Japanese whisky market was not strong at the time, and Karuizawa was closed in 2001 by owners, Mercian, and eventually dismantled. Its legacy is lives on however, with its still relocated to other distilleries in Japan, but predominantly in the hugely sought-after single cask releases that began to appear in 2007, from independent bottler, Number One Drinks. It is now one of the most prestige single malts on the planet, the reverence for which only grows as the remaining stock continues to thin.

TASTING NOTES (by Whiskyfun.com)

Picture of a mock-up bottle. It does look a bit ‘Kim Jong-il’, doesn’t it. Colour: mahogany. Nose: never has any whisky been this close to an old cognac at cask strength. Raisins, peaches, rancio. And then, rather a mineral/medicinal development, with some tiger balm, bandages, and antiseptic (touches). Which you can find in old cognac too. We all know that old spirits converge, don’t we. With water: Vicks Vaporub! Not the first time we’re finding this in Karuizawa. That means menthol and eucalyptus galore, plus lemongrass. Mouth (neat): starts clean, on oranges and flints, and gets then more mineral/medicinal again. Drinking mercurochrome and liquid clay. That’s meant to be good for your stomach, mind you. I mean, liquid clay, not whisky at 61.6% vol.! Numbs your lips a bit. With water: becomes very mentholy. Crème de menthe, salted liquorice, menthol snuff… You need to be acquainted with this style. The problem might be that it does not swim too well, while it’s really too hot when undiluted. Or maybe buy an electronic pipette? Finish: very long, salty and mentholy, really extreme. Drinking a blend of seawater and mint eau-de-vie. Or perhaps overcooked manzanilla. Comments: love it because it’s so extreme. Extreme whiskies are any taster’s joys, because they’re anything but boring. On the other hand, as far as organoleptical science is concerned, this is almost pure heresy. You’ll find in this one any compound that ends with –ol. SGP:373 - 85 points.

PRODUCT SUMMARY