Karuizawa 31 Years Old 1981
Noh Single Cask No.155
Karuizawa 31 Years Old 1981
This lot ticks all the necessary Karuizawa boxes being well aged and from a sherry butt. When you talk about this iconic Japanese distillery then it is all things sherry influenced for the true experience. This release forms part of the incredibly collectable Noh range which is inspired by the Japanese art form.
The most striking piece of theatre during the performance are the use of masks. Number One Drinks Company took this inspiration for each entry in the range.
The most collectable name in Japanese whisky, began life as a vineyard, beneath Mount Asama, which was an active volcano. Before the then owners, Daikoku-budoshu, decided to enter the world of whisky in 1955. A brave move given the domestic market was still relatively small and whisky was seen as being of Scottish origin. They looked to Scotland and created a modest-sized distillery that brought together the best of whisky. The emphasis was on quality, using the flavoursome Golden Promise barley that is rarely used today, stills that enhanced the distillate and then predominately sherry maturation, thanks to casks sourced from Spain. A lull in whisky demand prompted the distillery to be closed in 2000, if Japanese whisky was booming as it has been in recent times, Karuizawa would still be in existence. Instead, the remaining casks were purchased by Ichiro Akuto and over the years we’ve seen these hugely collectable releases arrive at retail and vanish soon after.
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