Karuizawa 1981

Name: Karuizawa 1981
Brand: Karuizawa
SKU: 45089
Rating: 91.65 (123 reviews)

Overall rating: 91.65/100
votes: 123

Whiskybase ID: 45089
Category: Single Malt
Distillery: Karuizawa
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Vintage: 1981
Bottled: 2013
Casktype: 1st Fill Sherry Cask
Casknumber: 6056
Number of bottles: 348
Strength: 60.3 % Vol.
Size: 700 ml
Label: Japanese Label
Bottled for: The Whisky Exchange
Added on: 04 Oct 2013 10:45 am

Average value

€ 11880.15

Found 2 online shops. Lowest price:

€ 13943.99

	Ashigaru Sake-Sato	￥ 1280000.00

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Whisky Reviews for Karuizawa 1981

9 users have left a review for this whisky and scored it an average of 91.65 points

dram-drinker scored this whisky 97 points
02 Sep 2019 9:31 pm
Huge complexity, perfect balance, fruitiness, sweetness, absolutely no water needed, all great. For sure one of the best if not the best Karuizawa I had so far!

Nose

97 97

Intense, all kinds of acacia honey, driest fruits ever, demerrara sugar, molasses, black sticky tobacco, hints of tar, whiffs of leather (good one), heavy sherry, spices, nutmeg, espresso, mocha, dark chocolate - incredible!

Taste

98 98

Little punchy, creamy, mellow, sticky sweet, darkest fruits, darkest honey, chocolate, mocha, heaviest sherry wood, spices, nutmeg, toffee, menthol, eucalyptus, more molasses - what should I say else - just excellent!

Finish

96 96

Long, warm, zesty, good sweetness, fine woody notes, still fruity, endless!
ASWhisky scored this whisky 95 points
14 Feb 2017 10:49 pm
Yes, I'm in Heavenno words anymore - I fall in love

Nose

der alte Sherry ist eingetrocknet
er klebt an Deinen Fingern
was für ein Geruch
Deine klebrigen Finger berühren das alte englisches Leder
die blank polierten antiken Mahagonischränke
sie blättern in alten staubigen Büchern mit dicken Ledereinbänden
ein Blatt fällt zu Boden
staubige ausgetrocknete Holzbohlen
eingetrockneter (leicht säuerlicher) Sherry, alte Rosinen, Kampher,

Deine Finger berühren Deine Lippen

Taste

Leder, alt und dunkel
poliertes Holz
eingetrockneter Sherry
dunkle Schokolade
Kampher - Rauch
am Gaumen verlockend - altes Holz mit trockener Frucht
Schwefel dazwischen
Rauch und bissige Glut im Rachen

der Rauch klebt als dunkle Schokolade in Deinem Mund
feucht und fruchtig löst sich die Schokolade von Deinem Gaumen________________________________________leicht rauchig und bissig - besonders aber: alt und schwer

verführerisch schön am Gaumen

Finish

lang

Sherry, Tabak, Frucht, Rauch, Holz, bitter und fruchtig süß
Baanaanaabob scored this whisky 94 points
26 Feb 2020 7:08 pm

Tar chocolate tobacco leather spices dark sherry molasses, thick, syrupy, such a deep karuizawa definitely one of the best out there
lincolnimp scored this whisky 93 points
28 Mar 2018 8:32 pm
If you like thick syrupy sherry, you will like this.

Good balance on display here.
- Nose
  
  93 93
- Taste
  
  94 94
- Finish
  
  93 93
lincolnimp scored this whisky 93 points
28 Mar 2018 8:30 pm
With Water:

Basically the same but more sweet burning wood smoke now.

The palate is even sweeter with water but still has a nice balance and sweetness.

Finish not quite as long but a good length remaining sweet to the end.

Nose

Smells like a syrupy sherry and it smells like its mixed with used engine oil. There are massive notes of black currant, blackberry, a little date and a few bubble gum notes.

There is also some burning wood smoke and cinnamon.

Taste

Very thick and creamy mouthfeel with a lot of power. Its a mass of stewed dark fruits mixed with blackberry syrup and hints of blueberry.

Jam, jam, jam.

Palate is a little closed neat

Finish

Vey long with a sticky sweetness.
Dram Dracula scored this whisky 94 points
13 Aug 2017 6:03 am
Is this the epitome of Karuizawa greatness? Some say a Karuizawa is like an emperor with no clothes, but I guess they haven't tried some of these true gems. TWE said this cask may be one of the best there is. I cannot disagree with that statement.

Nose

Unbelievably complex, old, thick, sherry, full of umami (yes, I am actually salivating), old leather and tobacco, and very clean (i.e. no sulfur). Flavors are balanced, doesn't have a lot of alcohol sting, and I do not detect any of the typical Karuizawa wildness.

Taste

Oh, I take that back. All the Karuizawa flavor is here, very explosive, but at the same time, quite elegant if that makes sense. A hint of expensive mushrooms (morel, porcini), a bit nutty, ever the slightest sulfur, but man, this feels nice. The Karuizawa wildness is restrained by the deep, old, complex sherry -- they work side by side. Lots and lots of raisins. Dr. Pepper cola. Soy sauce without the salt. Great syrupy mouthfeel.

Finish

Nice and long. A bit of spice now. Cherry cough syrup. Sweet cola at the end.
wheatfield scored this whisky 94 points
24 Jan 2015 6:36 am
Dark "old sherry" color, thick. Intense, dark aroma. Ranges from savory (wood ear mushrooms, rich beef stock) to fruity (blueberry puree, candied cherries) to sweet (rich sherry, dried fruits). Pungent, as with other old Zawas. The marriage between the malt and the cask here is exceptional. Mouth is rife with dark fruit compote, even so much as fig at times, steak marinade, black walnut, exotic liqueurs. Keeps changing from blueberry puree to Japanese mushroom to savory beef elements. Fantastic!

Edit: It's been open and drank from for a couple months. Still great, though much more about pipe tobacco, and sometimes mint, than it was before. Meaty, savory, umami.
- Nose
  
  95 95
- Taste
  
  93 93
- Finish
  
  94 94
ChungLin scored this whisky 98 points
15 Mar 2014 4:55 am

This is the statement from Karuizawa, an utterly stellar in ANY vintage from this distillery! I like it even better than the brilliant 6426, utterly complex and balanced, with utterly beautiful oakiness and no dryness at all. What an amazing bottle!
cavalier66 did not rate this whisky
27 Nov 2013 2:34 pm

First tranche from TWE sold out online in 1 minute! Only touch typers need apply...

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