A Pair of New Karuizawas – Bourbon and Sherry with Mirror Geisha Labels

Following yesterday’s post on the Joker, I’ll stay with Japanese whisky for a bit.

As you know from reading my post on the first day of the Show, people were dashing out as fast as they were checking into show to get into the shop to stand on a queue inside the store to buy one bottle per person of the new Karuizawa release by Speciality Drinks Ltd.

Photo Credit: scotchwhiskyauctions.com

Photo Credit: scotchwhiskyauctions.com

This release included two single cask bottlings, one is a 29 year old from an ex bourbon cask (#8897) and a 30 year old sherry cask (#5347). Happily, both were available to taste for a single dream token. As you would expect from a Karuizawa, both are rather oaky, and if you think of the oak as the canvass, a beautiful spectrum of aromas and flavors appear. At the recent auction, the bottles sold for £1500 each, and a set of both bottles (pictured above) sold for £3500 (I guess saving £40 in shipping two separately purchased bottles justifies £550 – don’t forget the 10% commission – on the price). Only yesterday, another ex bourbon bottle closed for £1700 and a sherry one for £1650.

 

Photo Credit: whiskyshow.com

Photo Credit: whiskyshow.com

Karuizawa 29 Year Old Single ex bourbon cask #8897 (53.9% ABV, NCF, NC)

Appearance: Deep Amber with very slow legs.

Nose: The oak washes over you first, then vanilla, marshmallow, honey, toasted white bread with butter and light citrus flowers. You could think you were sniffing cognac.

Palate: Gentle and mouth drying on contact. Honey and light warm spices (cinnamon, clove and cardamom) come though the oak.

Linger: Very long and dry with oak tannins and sweet honey.

 

 

 

Photo Credit: whiskyshow.com

Photo Credit: whiskyshow.com

Karuizawa 30 Year Old Single sherry cask #5347 (58.2% ABV, NCF, NC)

 

Appearance: Bronze with thin and slow legs.

Nose: Oak sets the tone as dried apricots, prunes and dried figs meet your nose with  light sultana sweetness and cherry candy coming through the oaky setting. Water, added slowly, brings out espresso coffee.

Palate: Not as mouth drying as the ex bourbon cask, nevertheless it’s very present. Delicate fruity notes of plum and not yet fully ripe apricots come through. Water brings out sweeter fruit.

Linger: Very long and dry with oak tannins and sweet honey.

 

Conclusion

Setting aside the pricing frenzy, these are two drams that require time to fully open and appreciate. I spent some time with each, but in the show setting, you can’t really spend a half an hour with each of these, which is fully merited.

I hope to have the chance to do that in the future, and hope you do too!

 

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