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Whisky Karuizawa 1999-2000 Colours Sky Blue
48.5%
0.7L
Intensity
A series of Japanese whiskies showcasing all the know-how of a renowned distillery.
More infoKaruizawa, located at the foot of Mount Asama, north-west of Tokyo, is considered the most mythical of all Japanese distilleries. The distillery officially ceased production in 2000 after unveiling a series of 8 batches with 8 different Japan traditional colours called ‘The Masterpiece in Eight’, which established its reputation. The labels, designed by the talented calligrapher Souun Takeda, reflect the beauty of the Japanese language and philosophy, emphasising the quality and finesse of the spirits. Each whisky in the collection is produced from single casks distilled between 1999 and 2000. This means that the bottled whisky is drawn from a single cask?–?and not blended?–?offering a unique and authentic expression.
Sky Blue is specially aged in Sherry Butt casks, which are regularly used to mature whisky. The spirit is then carefully bottled at an alcohol strength of 48.5%.
Lot presentation
Whisky Karuizawa 1999-2000 Colours Sky Blue
The wine
Karuizawa, located at the foot of Mount Asama, north-west of Tokyo, is considered the most mythical of all Japanese distilleries. The distillery officially ceased production in 2000 after unveiling a series of 8 batches with 8 different Japan traditional colours called ‘The Masterpiece in Eight’, which established its reputation. The labels, designed by the talented calligrapher Souun Takeda, reflect the beauty of the Japanese language and philosophy, emphasising the quality and finesse of the spirits. Each whisky in the collection is produced from single casks distilled between 1999 and 2000. This means that the bottled whisky is drawn from a single cask?–?and not blended?–?offering a unique and authentic expression.
Sky Blue is specially aged in Sherry Butt casks, which are regularly used to mature whisky. The spirit is then carefully bottled at an alcohol strength of 48.5%.
About the Producer Karuizawa
Japan, Nagano. Distillery closed and dismantled.
Mothballed in the early 2000s, Karuizawa closed definitively in Spring 2012. Located at the foot of one of Japan's most active volcanoes, Mont Asama, Karuizawa began distilling in 1956. Equipped with small direct coal-fired stills, Karuizawa produced a robust, full-bodied malt that took perfectly to long maturation in ex-sherry casks from Spain (first fill) and Scotland (second fill, such as Mortlach). Karuizawa was a malt distilled to produce the Ocean blends of the Daikoku group. Bottlings of single malts were at the time reserved for the distillery's visitor centre and a handful of private clients. These hand-bottled versions were offered as cask strength, single cask vintages. Only what was needed for the bottling was removed from the cask, with the rest left to continue ageing in barrel. This practice explains why the same barrel can exist in various bottlings of different ages and versions. This means that the 1970 cask #6177 exists under two labels, one a 31 Year Old Distillery Edition (2002) and the other a 42 Year Old Vintage Single Cask Edition (2012). It was under the aegis of Number One Drinks, who bought the 300 or so barrels still available at the distillery in 2006, that Karuizawa joined the ranks of legend.
