Karuizawa 50 yo 1965+1972/2024 ‘The Marriage’ (54.8%, The Whisky Exchange Cabinet, 50 bottles)
80% 1965 and 20% 1972, married for two years. Sold as an NFT but thank heavens it’s not a ‘mini-NFT’ we’re swirling in the tulip glass. A brief recap for newcomers: one of whisky’s greatest mysteries remains why the official Karuizawas from owners Mercian/Kirin, or the pure malts they produced in the 1980s and 1990s (8 - 10 - 12 - 15 - 17 - 21 yo), remained rather modest in both quality and reputation, despite earning international medals (which, let’s face it, everyone has). In Europe, at least, no one was particularly interested if you spotted a bottle here or there at a festival. Karui…what? Then, discerning enthusiasts unearthed far superior single casks in Japan (kudos to our friend Bert Vuik!), shared them, and soon, ‘savvy investors’ began taking notice, purchasing remaining stocks from the now-closed distillery. The larger distributors in London, Paris, and elsewhere started releasing the first ‘modern’ Karuizawas, the vast majority of exceptional quality. Prices skyrocketed, and the rest is history. More recently, a new Karuizawa distillery has been established, though their first whisky isn’t expected until the 2030s. Let’s savour this new 50-year-old... Colour: amber. Nose: from the first whiff, we encounter a fairly classic old Armagnac profile, with prunes taking the lead. But that doesn’t last long, as malt, coffee, mint, and tar soon assert themselves, followed by the scent of old books found in the attic and a basket brimming with dried fruits—dates and figs in particular. Ultimately, it begins to resemble a Springbank LB ex-sherry distilled around 1965–1966 (what a coincidence!) ... and perhaps a touch of M. from those years too. A grand vintage effect that seems to have travelled from Scotland all the way to Japan. With water: peach jam enters the fray, lending a genuine quality of a kind of blend of old ‘M’ (Golden Promise) and old folle blanche armagnac. A faintly earthy/sulphury edge, typical of Karuizawa ex-sherry, emerges next. But we’re talking good sulphur, ala M. from Dufftown. Menthol hovers in the background. Mouth (neat): immensely rich, immediately focused on dried fruits and pipe tobacco. Dates, figs, pears, raisins, and indeed prunes, alongside toffee, hints of ancient absinthe and verbena, and increasingly minty tones of all sorts intertwined with liquorice and very old pu-ehr tea. These almost lend a faintly refreshing quality. With water: a deeply honeyed, fruity tobacco (think orange marmalade) claims dominance over the aromatic landscape. Echoes of an extraordinarily old sherry V.O.R.S. reappear. Finish: wonderfully tertiary, brimming with notes of leather, exquisite pepper, and tobacco. Lingering peppered orange marmalade and ultra-dark chocolate take centre stage in the aftertaste. Though the finish is notably woody, here that’s far from a flaw, on the contrary. One’s mind drifts back to a venerable old armagnac. Comments: the only slight pity is that it was entirely as expected—utterly magical.
SGP:662 - 93 points.