Karuizawa 1960/2013 – 52-Year-Old Single Cask #5627
A true unicorn of the whisky world, this Karuizawa 1960 52-Year-Old is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most historically important Japanese whiskies ever released. Distilled on 1 February 1960 and matured for over half a century in single Sherry Hogshead #5627, it was bottled on 1 January 2013 at 51.8% ABV - at the time becoming the oldest Japanese single malt whisky ever bottled.
Released in an astonishingly small edition of only 41 bottles, this near-mythical expression from the legendary closed Karuizawa Distillery transcends whisky itself and enters the realm of collectible art. Unveiled during the Tokyo International Bar Show and Whisky Live 2013, the release immediately achieved iconic status among collectors worldwide and remains one of the undisputed crown jewels of Karuizawa.
Each bottle was individually named rather than numbered, accompanied by a unique handcrafted katabori netsuke carved from the oak head of cask #5627. The artistic presentation was created with extraordinary attention to detail: artisan Washi paper labels hand-painted in Japan by master calligrapher Soji Nishimoto, combined with bespoke wooden packaging inspired by traditional Japanese puzzle boxes. The inner Wenge wood case was inlaid with authentic fragments of cask #5627, while the lighter ash outer case symbolized the contrast between oak, char, and spirit.
At release, the whisky was priced at £12,500 per bottle - a figure that has multiplied dramatically over the years as Karuizawa’s reputation reached legendary proportions. Critic Serge Valentin awarded the whisky 93 points, praising its “astonishing complexity.” Very few enthusiasts have ever had the opportunity to taste this masterpiece, making it one of the rarest and most desirable Japanese whiskies ever created.
Specifications
Type: Single Malt Japanese Whisky
Distillery: Karuizawa
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Series: Single Cask
Distilled: 01.02.1960
Bottled: 01.01.2013
Age: 52 years
Cask Type: Sherry Hogshead
Cask Number: #5627
Strength: 51.8% ABV
Size: 700 ml
Number of Bottles: 41
Presentation:
– Individually named bottles with unique carved netsuke
– Hand-painted Washi paper labels
– Traditional Japanese puzzle-box inspired packaging
– Inner Wenge wood case inlaid with original cask fragments
About the Distillery
Founded in 1955 at the foot of Mount Asama, Karuizawa became world-famous for producing intensely sherried single malts inspired by traditional Scottish whisky-making methods. After its closure in 2000, the remaining casks became some of the most collectible whiskies ever released. Expressions such as the 1960 #5627, alongside legendary bottlings like Karuizawa 1963 Single Cask #5132 and Karuizawa 1964/2012 Cask #3603, form the absolute pinnacle of collectible Japanese whisky.
Sale according to §25A UStG. No VAT disclosure.
The bottle will be hand delivered.
