Karuizawa × Kawasaki 1970s-2015, Time Slip, ex-Karuizawa Cask No. 6432, 249/282, 43% abv.

Supposedly both Karuizawa and Kawasaki 1970s distillate was blended at birth and matured in a glass container for several decades. Then in the 1980s OR 2014... Stefan at nonjatta (the bottlers) isn't exactly clear on this..., this distillate was put in an ex-Karuizawa bourbon cask that held one of the samurai labels. That bottle got 91 points from Serge V. at whiskyfun. The label is from "the ghost of taira no tomomori appears at daimotsu bay" from Taiso Yoshitoshi's ukiyo-e prints "New Forms of 36 Ghosts". You can google it or look  it up on nonjatta as the story is quite complicated.

Nose: light, sweet honey, some golden apples, nothing too complex.

Palate: generally light, light to medium bodied, mostly wood, light fruit in general, also a light sweetness that is hard to describe... damn. Seems more like a slightly wine influenced whisky than anything.

Finish: short, dry, light wood juice.

Althought not descriptive, this is actually quite nice although nothing too special. A good, light balance of wood and honey sweetness, but more on the light fruity side. Might need to revisit it one day... when I'm a millionaire.

Grade: C+

Couldn't find quantifiable, reliable reviews.

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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