Single Malt
1 Dec 1998
1 Oct 2018
Sherry
Behold! A single malt from Japan's Karuizawa distillery joins our own Master of Malt single cask collection. A monumental moment, we think you'll agree. The distillery closed back in 2000, and these days, it's a rare thing to find a drop of Karuizawa. Distilled in 1998, this single malt spent 19 years maturing in a sherry hogshead, and we got our hands on enough drops to fill precisely 15 bottles.
Don't miss our Karuizawa 19 Year Old 1998 (Master of Malt) Competition. Buy a ticket for our live draw now!
A quilt of pure, earthy, salty, dark and warm notes coexist in masterful harmony here, from the supple fruitiness of Medjool dates, sultanas and preserved cherries to the thick richness of ancient polished oak furniture, menthol tobacco, rancio and worn leather. Caramelised muscovado sugar, almond syrup and wood spice form in the backdrop among lighter elements of green apple and banana as well as black truffle acacia honey.
A salty manzanilla aspect, a deep resinous earthy quality and various matured game meats emerge through biting tannins and ginger root. As the palate develops there’s a litany of flavours including aged Pinot Noir, soy sauce, bitter chocolate, dried herbs, blackberry and apple crumble and Sherry-rich notes of Christmas cake, blood orange and Maraschino cherries.
The finish is superbly long, dry, meaty and spice-rich.
The expectations will be incredibly high for this one. Fortunately it’s totally, utterly brilliant. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on this remarkable whisky we suggest you savour it. Wow.
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