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Karuizawa 17 Year Old 100% Malt, Sherry Cask, 40%
Karuizawa

Karuizawa 17 Year Old 100% Malt, Sherry Cask, 40%

4.1/5Expert Rating

Catalog product detail, market evidence, tasting notes, reviews, and collection actions.

TypeSingle Malt Whisky
MRI
MRI 34
Average Score
Avg 85
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Description

Karuizawa was a legendary Japanese whisky distillery, founded in 1955 and mothballed in 2000, with its original distillery dismantled in 2016. It gained cult status for its exceptional releases, often matured in sherry casks. This 17 Year Old 100% Malt is a rare expression from the closed distillery, known for its refined fruit, spice, and oak characteristics. It was bottled by the Mercian Corporation, the distillery's owner, and was primarily intended for the Japanese market. The whisky is a blend, some of which was peated, and matured in Spanish oak sherry casks.

Overall Rating
87.2/100
Great87.2 / 100

Based on 5 published Maltiply reviews.

Maltiply Tasting Profile
Nose
Elegant, fruit-forward bouquet of dried plum, fig, black cherry, almond paste, vanilla-toffee, cedar, leather, subtle smoke, clove, and nutmeg. Also smoky, oily, with notes of iodine, oak, acetone hazelnut, rapeseed oil, peanuts, and granary toast.
Palate
Silky and refined, with delicate orchard fruit, honey, subtle oak, a whisper of spice, citrus zest, and almond notes. Sweet and intense, with hints of TCP, driftwood, peat smoke, musty tool sheds, peanuts, floral hints, and baked apple.
Finish
Extraordinarily long, with warm oak, a whisper of vanilla, dried fruit sweetness, soft spice (nutmeg, clove), cocoa, and cedar notes. Sherried and dry, with black pepper, very spicy, peaty, oily, and some chili.

Reviews

Write Review
tidepoolwren avatartidepoolwren10 Oct
87 / 100

There’s a pleasing tension between the fruit and sweetness and the more assertive spice. Dried plum and fig on the nose lead into delicate orchard fruit, honey and almond on the palate; the finish brings black pepper, chili and peat alongside dried-fruit sweetness. That contrast is the part I find most compelling. The palate’s gentle touch of spice sounds quieter than the peppery, peaty finish, so this reads as layered rather than simply sweet.

Nose: Dried plum, fig and black cherry, Almond paste and vanilla-toffee, Cedar, leather and subtle smoke, Clove and nutmegPalate: Delicate orchard fruit, honey and subtle oak, Citrus zest and almond, Hints of peat smoke, peanuts and baked appleFinish: Warm oak, vanilla and dried-fruit sweetness, Nutmeg, clove, cocoa and cedar, Black pepper, peat, oil and chili
moonlit_notebook avatarmoonlit_notebook27 Sept
86 / 100

At 40%, the dried-fruit sweetness meets a dry, spicy finish.

Nose: Dried plum, fig, black cherry, almond paste, vanilla-toffee, Cedar, leather, subtle smoke, clove, nutmegPalate: Orchard fruit, honey, subtle oak, spice, citrus zest, almond, TCP, driftwood, peat smoke, musty tool sheds, peanutsFinish: Dried fruit sweetness, warm oak, vanilla, cocoa, cedar, Dry, spicy, peaty, oily, with black pepper and chili
afterglow_pebble avatarafterglow_pebble17 Sept
87 / 100

The fruit and almond notes give this a gentle, rounded feel, while the smoke and spice keep it from seeming too sweet. That balance sounds appealing, especially alongside the cedar and dried-fruit notes in the finish.

Nose: Dried plum, fig and black cherry, Vanilla-toffee, cedar and subtle smoke, Clove and nutmegPalate: Delicate orchard fruit, baked apple and almond, Honey, subtle oak and citrus zest, Peat smoke and a whisper of spiceFinish: Warm oak, vanilla and dried-fruit sweetness, Nutmeg, clove, cocoa and cedar, Dry notes of black pepper, peat and chili
Aamberkit6 Sept
88 / 100

Sweetness has a counterweight in smoke, oak, and spice.

Nose: Dried plum, fig, and black cherry, Cedar, leather, subtle smoke, and spicePalate: Delicate orchard fruit, honey, and citrus zest, Peat smoke, oak, and almondFinish: Dried fruit sweetness, warm oak, and soft spice, Dry, peaty, and oily
Ccinnamon kettle17 Aug
88 / 100

This has a pleasing contrast: delicate orchard fruit, honey, and almond on the palate sit alongside peat smoke and a distinctly spiced finish. The silky, refined description keeps it from sounding all force, while the smoky, oily notes in the nose suggest a more assertive side. That makes it appealing for someone open to a layered malt, though the peat and chili may be less approachable than the softer fruit notes.

Nose: Dried plum, fig, and black cherry, Almond paste and vanilla-toffee, Cedar, leather, subtle smoke, clove, and nutmegPalate: Delicate orchard fruit, honey, subtle oak, and citrus zest, Almond notes and a whisper of spice, Peat smoke and peanutsFinish: Warm oak, dried fruit sweetness, vanilla, cocoa, and cedar, Nutmeg, clove, black pepper, and chili
Change+0.0%
LatestSGD 1,773
HighSGD 1,773
LowSGD 1,773
SGD 1,986SGD 1,844SGD 1,702SGD 1,560Price (SGD)Observed dateSep 7Sep 7 - SGD 1,773 - Whisky Auctioneer - Sep 7, 2026

Recently Sold

Listed value is based on sold auction prices and inclusive of auction fees (not including tax and shipping).

Whisky AuctioneerAuction Sold Price - Sep 7, 2026SGD 1,773.24
Cask type
Sherry Cask
Bottling
Official Bottling
Peated
Peated
Single cask
No
Non-chill filtered
No
Cask origin
Spain
Cask no.
N.A
Batch
N.A
PPM
N.A
Barley
Golden Promise barley from Scotland
Fermentation
N.A
Master distiller (bottling)
N.A
Master distiller (distillation)
N.A
Limited edition
No
Bottle count
N.A
Has box
Yes
Closure
Glass Stopper, Cork
Presentation
Decanter, Box
Series highlights
N.A
Historical context
Distillery closed in 2000/2011, making its remaining stock highly sought after.
Special release
Bottled for Japan and not intended for the UK market.
Allocation
Japan
Nose
Elegant, fruit-forward bouquet of dried plum, fig, black cherry, almond paste, vanilla-toffee, cedar, leather, subtle smoke, clove, and nutmeg. Also smoky, oily, with notes of iodine, oak, acetone hazelnut, rapeseed oil, peanuts, and granary toast.
Palate
Silky and refined, with delicate orchard fruit, honey, subtle oak, a whisper of spice, citrus zest, and almond notes. Sweet and intense, with hints of TCP, driftwood, peat smoke, musty tool sheds, peanuts, floral hints, and baked apple.
Finish
Extraordinarily long, with warm oak, a whisper of vanilla, dried fruit sweetness, soft spice (nutmeg, clove), cocoa, and cedar notes. Sherried and dry, with black pepper, very spicy, peaty, oily, and some chili.
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