Karuizawa 1973 Single Malt Whisky – Cask #4799

Distilled in 1973 at Karuizawa—one of Japan’s most revered closed distilleries (1955–2001)—and bottled in 2020 after an extraordinary 47 years of maturation, this single cask release stands as a museum-grade document of the country’s post-war whisky ascent and the house style that made Karuizawa legendary among serious collectors. Drawn from Sherry Butt Cask #4799 and released at natural cask strength (64.9% ABV), it belongs to the “The Golden Age of Showa” series, a thematic tribute that further anchors its cultural relevance within Japanese collecting.

With only 103 bottles produced, scarcity is absolute and verifiable, aligning with the market’s sustained demand for late-era Karuizawa stock—particularly long-aged sherry-matured examples, which are regarded as benchmark expressions for intensity and complexity. The profile is classically Karuizawa in character: deep sherried concentration with notes associated with extended oxidative maturation—dried fruits, dark chocolate, and sweet spice—making it as compelling for connoisseurship as it is for long-term acquisition. As remaining Karuizawa inventory continues to diminish permanently, single cask releases of this age and condition have become cornerstone pieces in top-tier Japanese whisky portfolios.