Karuizawa 1981 Cask #4961 Shinanoya 5th Anniversary 70cl / 60%

A 1981 vintage Karuizawa, bottled by the distillery for Tokyo wine and spirits shop Shinanoya to celebrate the fifth anniversary of their Private Cask range. Aged for 31 years in an ex-bourbon barrel, this was released in 2012.

The distillery was founded in 1955 and was Japan’s smallest whisky distillery. In 1959, they became the first distillery to export whisky overseas.

Karuizawa used the famous Golden Promise barley, which was peated, then the spirit was distilled in small batches and aged in the finest Spanish sherry casks to make some of the best whisky in the world.

Sadly, Karuizawa distillery stopped production in 2000 and closed for good in 2011.

This Karuizawa 1981 Cask #4961 sold at our online auction for £1,750