"It didn't have that elegance I associated with Japanese whiskies like Hibiki, Yamazaki. It was heavy, heavy, heavy, sherry - like old-style Macallan on steroids. But that richness and spice was also very balanced. The spice had something very distinctive and oriental about it that I absolutely loved."
"But what really makes Karuizawa, Karuizawa, is the microclimate in which it was matured - it's cold in winter and hot in summer, but, importantly it's also humid. That's what gives it this warmth and richness and spicy note and strength that's just so unique."
Two full Karuizawa casks filled in 1999 and amounting to around 420 bottles each carry a £2m reserve and will be auctioned at Christie's on 10 March. Sukhinder Singh discovered Karuizawa in 2006 and later acquired just under thirty remaining casks in 2012, visiting before the distillery was demolished. Almost all Karuizawa stock was matured in sherry casks, producing a heavy, rich, spicy profile. The distillery's cold winters, hot summers and high humidity contributed to its distinctive warmth, richness and strength. The casks had a brief stay in Chichibu warehouses, then continued ageing in Scotland and were bottled as Whisky Exchange exclusives.
Read at Elite Traveler
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