Karuizawa 35 Years Old 1979 Cask #8187 (LMDW)

Karuizawa distillery in Nagano Prefecture was known above all for its heavy Oloroso sherry cask programme, but a smaller number of Ex-Bourbon aged releases reveal a contrasting character from the same closed site. Cask #8187, a 1979 vintage, was selected by La Maison du Whisky and bottled in 2014 at 35 Years Old for the French market.

Ex-Bourbon maturation over three and a half decades draws out vanilla, orchard fruit and a gentle honeyed sweetness from Karuizawa's small pot still spirit, with the long ageing adding depth and dried fruit notes typical of the house. Bottled at 58.8% cask strength, this sits at a more accessible strength than many Karuizawa single casks while retaining the intensity that comes from a single barrel held undiluted for 35 years.