Karuizawa 1982 (46%, bourbon cask #8497)

Review by Ruben of WhiskyNotes

Nose: a totally different beast than any other Karuizawa. This is a beautiful bourbon-style, with a lot of sweetness: peach jam, tinned pineapples, lemonade… Some honey and fruit candy. Hints of vanilla cake, a few floral notes too. It’s fairly oak-driven, with some plain oak shavings and ethereal notes, but that’s alright, it’s intense, elegant and playful at the same time.
Mouth: funny how it was so punchy on the nose and on the palate I immediately expected more oumph. Only after a few seconds does it release its flavours. Fairly oaky again, with a slight tangy edge now. Sweet malty notes, a little vanilla sweetness again. Not a match for the nose though, it’s much more narrow and possibly too watered down – was the oakiness over the top at cask strength?
Finish: long, with the oak and malt lingering on, and a new sparkle of fruitiness in the end.

An excellent experience to try a bourbon version of a dram that’s almost synonymous for heavy sherry maturation. Great nose, maybe not a complete success on the palate. Around € 225. Not sure whether this has yet to be published on the TWE website. Update: now available.