Karuizawa Asama Single Malt 1999/2000

Japan's iconic equivalent to the likes of Brora, Rosebank and Port Ellen is the 2001 closed Karuizawa distillery. Bottled in 2012, Asama is a vatting of the final vintages. Heavy sherry aroma, cedarwood and hints of curcuma inebriate the nose, enriched by complex notes of dried fruits, gunpowder and strawberries. At first sipping, spicy and tangy flavors overwhelm the palate before Mon Chéri, walnuts and fruity sourness start to emerge. The finish is lingering, peppery and semidry. A great young single malt that makes your fat wallet a lot thinner! RATING: 4.0/5.0 stars ≙ 88 pts → FIRST-CLASS

Pretty special to taste a vintage closed Japanese distiller’s whiskey. Try it if ever possible, there’s nothing like Karuizawa on the market today. NOSE: Cigar smoke, heavy rich dates and plums. Rancio is gentle, more like a wet cigar. PALATE: Deep hard hitting flavor of plum jam and barbeque char, strong ginger spice, ending in a cigar fume. OVERALL: It’s really ahead of its time in 99/2000, as heavy sherry with peat is now en mode. Imagine a Japanese version of a sherry Islay, crafted into harmony while maintaining a punchy character. It’s a beautiful thing!