A 34-year-old Karuizawa from an ex-bourbon cask, distilled in March 1980 and bottled in July 2014 at 63.0%. It belongs to the Artifices series, number 014, with a label by the artist Warren Khong.
About This Whisky
Number One Drinks and La Maison du Whisky released the Artifices series as single casks with labels designed by Warren Khong. This one came from American oak, so the fruit and pine show more clearly than in the sherry casks. The strength stayed at 63% after 34 years, a mark of the damp mountain warehouse. At first the nose is closed and hot, but with time it opens into a lighter, garden-fresh style.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Cut pine, summer berries and coffee beans once the first rush of alcohol settles.
- Palate: Floral, with dried fruit, candied orange and warm Christmas spice.
- Finish: Fresh oak at first, then sweet citrus and juicy fruit carry a long finish.
Serving & Food
Pour a small measure, cover the glass and wait before nosing. Add water gradually and keep going until the pine and citrus come forward. Pair with orange-almond cake, roast pork with apple or pecans.
How to Enjoy
Anyone fond of bright, high-strength bourbon-cask malt with plenty of age.
Product Details
Distillery: Karuizawa (closed)
Series: Artifices 014, label by Warren Khong
Distilled: March 1980
Bottled: July 2014
Age: 34 years old
Cask Type: Ex-bourbon cask
Cask Number: 6476
ABV: 63.0%
Country: Japan
Volume: 700mL
About the Distillery
For years Karuizawa single malt was a small sideline. The first bottling came in 1976, and its 12-year-old sold mostly in Japan. By the late 1990s the home market had turned towards shochu, and demand for whisky was falling.
Then, in 2001, just after production stopped, the Karuizawa 12 Year Old won gold at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London. Looking back, many writers count that medal as an early sign of the wider interest in Japanese whisky that followed.