輕井澤 Karuizawa Vintage Cask #6426 LMDW 58.4 abv 1967 (1 BT 70cl)

輕井澤 Karuizawa Vintage Cask #6426 LMDW 58.4 abv 1967

Cask #6426, distilled in 1967, bottled on 17.08.2009 for LMDW, one of 229 bottles, level: top shoulder, wax capsule very slightly chipped on top corner, original carton slightly worn, small sticker with cask number applied to top of original carton by consignor

“A Japanese masterpiece” - 95 Points Whisky Fun

“Dark sherry maturation doesn’t get much better than this” - 95 Points WhiskyNotes.be

One of the most legendary Karuizawa ever bottled and certainly one of the collector’s favourites, is this Vintage Cask #6426 from 1967. Bottled in 2009 at 42 years old, the oldest Karuizawa ever at that time, the cask was split between La Maison Du Whisky (229 bottles) and The Whisky Exchange (195 bottles), for their 10th Anniversary.

Those who opened their bottles immediately realised they had stumbled across one of the finest whiskies ever to come out of Japan and prices began to rapidly rise as news spread. The initial furore around these whiskies showed no signs of slowing down and as more and more bottles were opened and enjoyed, the prices rose also. Today they both sit firmly as two of the top three most highly rated Karuizawa bottlings on Whiskybase and command an almost mythical status amongst whisky enthusiasts and lovers of heavily-sherried malts.

On the nose there are no sharp edges here, just rich, round, luxuriance. stewed prunes and dried fruit, bread and butter pudding, perhaps even as decedant as sticky toffee. A touch of waxed Barbour jacket on a wet day with the minerality of petrichor, a freshly tarred road, cigars and shotgun metal before returning to black treacle and liquorice with just the slight salinity of oyster shells.

Oh my goodness. In the mouth… wowowow. It really comes to life. So expressive! So lively and vibrant. Some notes of sweet wines, perhaps a well aged Sauternes transforms into orange creams from the chocolate box handed round after a Christmas dinner. There is smoke there, and there is dried fruit and minerality, but the balance of it all is truly remarkable

Jonny Fowle, Global Head of Whisky, Sotheby's

1 bt 70cl (oc)

LYING IN GREENFORD, MIDDLESEX Offered Duty Paid

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