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Karuizawa 1981 – Cocktail Series | Sherry Butt #162 | LMDW

A striking and highly collectible release from Japan’s most mythical closed distillery, this Karuizawa 1981 forms part of the evocative Cocktail Series, bottled exclusively for La Maison du Whisky. Distilled in 1981 and matured in a single sherry butt (#162), this whisky represents the uncompromising, sherry-driven style that defined Karuizawa’s global reputation and cemented its cult status among collectors.

Bottled at a formidable 55.8% ABV, this expression remains entirely faithful to Karuizawa’s philosophy of intensity and concentration, shaped by small stills, long fermentations, and active sherry wood. The Cocktail Series is celebrated not only for its bold artistic labels, but also for showcasing some of the distillery’s most characterful casks - whiskies that bridge Japanese precision with the weight and structure of classic sherried malt.

As with all mature Karuizawa releases, this bottling stands as a liquid document of a vanished era. With the distillery dismantled and no further spirit ever to be produced, each remaining cask has become increasingly precious. This 1981 vintage is not merely a whisky, but a cultural artefact - a rare intersection of Japanese craftsmanship, European maturation, and modern whisky history.

Specifications

Category: Single Malt Japanese Whisky
Distillery: Karuizawa
Bottler: La Maison du Whisky (LMDW)
Bottling Series: Cocktail Series
Vintage: 1981
Cask Type: Sherry Butt
Cask Number: 162
Strength: 55.8% ABV
Bottle Size: 700 ml

About the Distillery

Founded in 1955 at the foothills of Mount Asama, Karuizawa Distillery operated until 2000 before being permanently closed and later dismantled. Inspired by the model of Macallan, Karuizawa used small stills, 100% Scottish barley, and heavily seasoned sherry casks to produce dense, powerful whiskies built for long ageing. Its unique microclimate - marked by volcanic soils, mist, and dramatic temperature shifts - contributed to unusually concentrated spirit. Today, Karuizawa is regarded as one of the most legendary lost distilleries in the world, with its remaining bottlings commanding reverence among collectors and connoisseurs alike.