Karuizawa Batch 1 (TBWC)

Karuizawa distillery in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, produced single malt whisky from 1956 until it closed in 2000 and was demolished in 2016. Stock from the distillery has been released over subsequent years by a range of independent bottlers. This Batch 1 release, bottled in 2018 by the UK independent That Boutique-y Whisky Company for the European market, draws on 19 Years Old spirit aged in Ex-Bourbon casks, arriving at cask strength 48.9% in a 500ml format.

Ex-Bourbon maturation brings out a different character in Karuizawa compared to the distillery's more celebrated sherry-aged releases: vanilla, orchard fruit and light malt lead, backed by the waxy, slightly herbal quality that Golden Promise barley and small Nagano pot stills typically produce. At just under 49%, the spirit is approachable without sacrificing the directness of a cask strength bottling, making this a more accessible entry point into the closed distillery's range.