Karuizawa 30 Years Old 1982 Cask #8497 (TWE)

Karuizawa was a single malt distillery in Nagano Prefecture, running from 1956 to 2000 before closure and eventual demolition in 2016. Its small pot stills and imported Golden Promise barley gave a house character of great density, though single casks matured in Ex-Bourbon wood show a softer, more orchard-fruit-driven side. This release was distilled in 1982, aged 30 years in a Bourbon Cask and bottled in 2012 by The Whisky Exchange for the UK market at 46%.

Bottled at a gentler strength than many Karuizawa expressions, this single cask allows the Ex-Bourbon maturation to speak without dilution water, showing vanilla, ripe apple and pear, with the integrated cereal warmth that three decades in Nagano winters tends to produce. It is one of the few Karuizawa releases at a non-cask-strength ABV, making it a distinctive entry point into the distillery's bourbon-aged range.