Karuizawa 1960 “world’s oldest and rarest Japanese whisky”

Number One Drinks Co has released 41 bottles of Karuizawa 1960 Cask #5627, the “world’s oldest and rarest Japanese whisky”, at £12,500 each.

Each bottle of Karuizawa 1960 Cask #5627 is worth £12,500 each

Aged in sherry oak hogsheads and bottled at 53.2% abv, Karuizawa 1960 is presented in a case modeled after traditional Japanese puzzle boxes that have been handcrafted by a British cabinetmaker and adorned with pieces from the original cask head.

The label’s handmade paper is embellished by multi-award winning calligrapher Soji Noshimoto, while every bottle is named after the individual netsuke – miniature wooden sculptures – that hangs from its neck, emphasising the uniquity of each bottle.

The release is described as having a mossy nose that evokes “old woods in Autumn”, and a palate of “dense black fruits”.

Karuizawa, Japan’s smallest distillery, was founded in 1955 to distill traditional whisky using imported Scottish ingredients for owners Mercian to supply the domestic Japanese market, with the 1960 edition the oldest in its inventory. However, production ceased in 2000 as Mercian was acquired by Kirin – a move fueled by Kirin’s interest in wine rather than whisky.

Since 2006, Number One Drinks has been carrying out single cask sales of Karuizawa’s 364-cask strong catalogue, finally securing the 1960 edition in August 2011.

Karuizawa 1960 Cask #5627 is available in the UK from The Whisky Exchange at £12,500 per bottle. La Maison du Whisky, Magny International and Whisk-e are responsible for distribution in France, Taiwan and Japan respectively.