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Karuizawa 1981/2012 31 Year Old #158 - Sakura

The Karuizawa 1981 Sakura is an exceptionally rare single-cask bottling from the legendary Japanese distillery, distinguished by its remarkable age, high natural strength, and extremely small outturn. Released as part of the Sakura series, this expression offers collectors a particularly scarce glimpse into the character of Karuizawa's finest remaining stocks.

Distilled in 1981 and matured for 31 years in a Sherry Cask (#158), the whisky was bottled in 2012 at a powerful 62.8% ABV. With only 45 bottles produced, this is an exceptionally limited release, making it a particularly rare example of an original Karuizawa single cask.

The Sakura name evokes one of Japan's most enduring cultural symbols - the cherry blossom, celebrated for its beauty, delicacy, and fleeting nature. Much like the blossoms themselves, Karuizawa's remaining whisky is finite, with each surviving cask becoming increasingly difficult to find.

With its combination of a sought-after 1981 vintage, single-cask provenance, sherry maturation, and an outturn of just 45 bottles, this expression represents a remarkable piece of Japanese whisky history.

Specifications

Type: Japanese Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Karuizawa
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Bottling Series: Sakura
Vintage: 1981
Bottled: 2012
Age: 31 Years
Cask Type: Sherry Cask
Cask Number: #158
Limited Edition: 45 Bottles
Strength: 62.8% ABV
Size: 700 ml

About the Distillery

Located at the foot of Mount Asama, Karuizawa Distillery became one of Japan's most celebrated whisky producers, renowned particularly for its distinctive single malts and maturation in sherry casks. The distillery ceased production in 2000, leaving behind a finite number of casks that have since become some of the most coveted whiskies in the world.

Today, original Karuizawa bottlings are prized by collectors for their rarity, provenance, and place in the history of Japanese whisky.