Nose: This dram opens with an olfactory delight of walnuts, chestnuts roasting in New York, pineapple and maple syrup. As it sits in the glass the nose develops stewed fruits in mulled wine, a slight note of autumnal bonfire and orange peel element and finishes on glacé cherries.
Palate: As with the nose, this has an up-front pepperiness that settles out quickly to bags of complexity. The initial mouth-feel is thick with an interesting cucumber freshness. The walnut and orange from the nose come to the fore here, however, on second inspection the palette delivers salt caramel, Amano chocolate, rice pudding with raisins, bamboo shoots, mild cigar leaf and edamame bean.
Finish: The finish is long, complex and rich. Very more-ish and demands further inspection- a savoury delight, which just keeps giving!
Overall: A once-in-a-lifetime kind of whisky, a slight departure from the usual Karuizawa style (slightly more peated, much more punchy). These bottlings will become super-rare in time – get ‘em while you can!