{"product_id":"karuizawa-1971-single-malt-whisky-cask-1602-bottled-2020","title":"Karuizawa 1971 Single Malt Whisky – Cask #1602 (Bottled 2020)","description":"\u003cp\u003eKaruizawa 1971 Cask #1602 stands as a singular remnant of one of Japan’s most mythologised closed distilleries—an irreplaceable, late-surviving cask from Karuizawa, which ceased operations in 2000 and has since become a benchmark for museum-grade Japanese whisky collecting. Distilled in 1971 and bottled in 2020 by Elixir Distillers after 48 years of maturation, it embodies the long, patient arc of Japanese postwar craft, shaped by the cool, dry conditions at the foot of Mount Asama. Drawn from an ex-sherry European oak cask selected for depth and structure, it presents with a natural, dark mahogany hue and a contemplative aromatic profile: stewed plum, Japanese lacquer, smoky black tea, incense, antique wood and leather.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the palate, the whisky is dense yet finely composed, unfolding in layers of oriental spice, ripe dark fruits, bitter cocoa and tobacco, anchored by a mineral, volcanic-stone note that feels unmistakably tied to its origin. The finish is notably long and quiet, trailing into cold ash, umeboshi and damp wood—an experience that reads less like a tasting note and more like an archival document. Individually numbered and issued in a restrained wooden presentation case, this is not simply a rare single malt but a finite asset from a vanished source, with provenance defined by its cask identity, bottling vintage, and the enduring global demand for late-aged Karuizawa releases.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Collecto Archive","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53900286853460,"sku":"1550","price":38528.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0975\/9083\/7588\/files\/file-1750263384606-karuizawa.png?v=1773054634","url":"https:\/\/collectoarchive.com\/products\/karuizawa-1971-single-malt-whisky-cask-1602-bottled-2020","provider":"Collecto Archive","version":"1.0","type":"link"}