Karuizawa Vintage, 1984-2003, 18 years, Cask No. 8354, 58.7% abv.

Before Karuizawa was shutdown and Number One Drinks took all the remaining casks, there were releases like this bottle. These are not as famous as the single cask releases from Number One.

Nose: initially sour, with time it improves significantly, light fruits and light smoke which is similar to a fresh batch of lit charcoal on the bbq, gets fruitier with time, mangoes? glazed doughnuts, sweet rice crackers, basically waxy,  caramelized rice.

Palate: very dry, a little sweet, initial palate is sweet, mid palate has that old wet steamed lotus leaves flavor but brief, transitions towards a slightly wood flavor, but the drying effect is interferring with everything, back palate is rough, mellowed earth, overall the flavors seem to pan out to a more seasoned spicey wooden earth type, tongue numbing effect.

Finish: short, sweet, a little dry, gets smokey.

This Karuizawa was a little strange. Relatively young, but didn't taste like it overall. The initial aspects were pretty bad to be honest, it was screaming for airtime, but after some airing out (a long time actuallty) it completely changed, more sweet, like carefully syrup marinated rice crackers on a bbq, has the sweetness but is overtaken by the burnt parts exposed to charcoals. The nose was quite enjoyable, a caramelization that brings back hood feelings. And then the abv seems to have an effect.

Grade: C+

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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