Karuizawa 31yo 1981-2012 55.8% LMDW cask#162
I've had just a small sip of Aberlour before this session, just to prepare my tastebuds for some high strength sherried whisky. Only 3 of 7 below 60%abv. in this session. brown golden color. It comes from a sherry cask. It smells honey, nougat, roasted almonds, spicy cinnamon, malt syrup, peat, thick, reminds me a bit of some Aberlour A'bunadh on the nose, but rounder and more complex. The taste is sweet, peppery, chillies, spicy, peaty, certainly not intended for hot weather. Adding some water. Now it turns even more peppery, bitter, vanilla, green grapes, cinnamon, fresh herbs, lemons. The finish is peaty, peppery, leather.
Great sherried expression: 7.5
Karuizawa 28yo 1983-2012 57.2% OB Noh cask#7576
Noh is a statement used on casks sold by current distillery owner, I don't know the whole story or principal of Noh. The color is dark brown. The nose is sweet cinnamon, orange liqueur, honey, leather, dark coffee, coal, ashes, gunpowder, a real sherry monster. The taste is strong, bitter, cinnamon, phenolic, earthy, rubbery, I guess some sherry-cask enthusiasts will love this, but I'm a bit sensitive to this much rubber. Adding water. Now it turns, sweeter, plums, red wine, strawberries, mild earthy notes, cherries. The finish is peppery and oaky.
A drop of water transforms this lion into a lamb: 8
Karuizawa 27yo 59.1% ON Noh LMDW
This one is called "Multi-Vintages #1", which means it consists of whiskies from different vintages and both bourbon and sherry-casked whisky. Just like most other OB's that are not SC. Oh yeah, and the batches are individually numbered too. The color is amber brown. It smells peppery, herbal, gunpowder, green leaves, butterscotch, melted chocolate, bonfire, tannins. The taste is bitter, wasabi, pistachio, honey, green leaves, bitter oranges, leather. Let's add some water. Now it turns richer, honey, vanilla, sage, dried herbs, dry cider, stewed onions, pretty decent sherried malt. But what I feel I have to emphasize from the three I've had so far, is that it seems to be mostly the cask talking. No real distillery character, at least that I can find. The finish is buttery, caramel, black pepper, red onions, clean and fresh.
Once again water improves a Karuizawa from good to great: 8
Karuizawa 15yo 1992-2007 60.6% Whisky magazine, Editors Choice cask#3434
This ones from an american white oak sherry butt. Does that mean its a sherry rejuvenated bourbon cask? Not that important. The color is deep amber. It smells peppery, cinnamon, dried paprika, honey, grapefruit, green apples, tea, herbal liqueur, bitters. I guess this is more the style we'd find in most Karuizawas if it was still operative. The taste is cinnamon, honey, chillies, tobacco, sweet sulphur, sweet licorice, ripe oranges, syrup. The finish is raw, ashes, cinnamon, chili. Lets add some water. Now it turns heather, ginger, grassy, hay, stewed onions, bitter, not a fav with water, but if neat, it was spectacular.
One of the best sherried palates I've had: 9
Karuizawa 22yo 1986-2008 60.7% OB cask#7387
Not a Noh. The color is amber. It smells licorice, honey, red apples, orange liqueur, wheat, sharp sherry notes, lime, ginger. The taste is peppery, hay, lime, bitter liqueur ginger, olives, sour grapes, olive oil. The finish is short and peppery. Lets add some water to this unusual (for what I'm able to reckon) Karuizawa. Now it turns sweeter, honeyed, light, gone in seconds.
My first disappointment from Karuizawa, but I haven't tried many: 4
Karuizawa 28yo 1984-2012 61.6% Number One Drinks cask#3692
From a sherry butt. With my own vintage on it, sure that must be a great sign? No, really, there aren't many 1984s around, remember, I was born on a low in the whisky market. The color is golden brown. It smells peat, honey, oaky, leather, mint, green tea, onions, coal, cherries, dark berries, plumb syrup, cinnamon, rich, creamy, tobacco, caramel, almonds, tannins, sweet red wine. The taste is dry sherry, oloroso, honey, chillies, tomato sauce, beans, vanilla, almost grainy, peaty, intense stuff. The finish is rather short and peppery. Lets add some water. Now it turns creamy, vanilla, ashes, peaty, bonfire, ginger, chillies.
The palate alone awards this: 8.5
Karuizawa 16yo 1994-2010 62.7% OB Noh cask#270
This one comes from a sherry butt. The color is golden, much lighter than the others in this session, and quite a strength. It smells vanilla, rubbery, burnt, oaky, raw onions, sulphur, really raw! The taste is banana, peppery, bitter, vanilla, onions, extremely bitter. This one calls for some water right away. Now it turns more rustic, red onions, cinnamon, red wine vinegar, sulphur, leather, waxy, drying. The finish is leather, grainy. This is a rough one.
A bit hard, concentrated and dry: 4
Next tasting: Nort Port/Brechin Distillery
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