Karuizawa ‘Noh’ 1980/2013 for Sweden/Norway
Post by Stefan Van Eycken, Tokyo
Today, we’re looking at one of two recent Noh Karuizawas bottled for Sweden and Norway: Karuizawa 1980 / 2013, #3565, 59.2%abv, 335btls.
Right off the bat, you can tell it’s one of those glorious, early-80s Karuizawas. Many people consider this to be the distillery’s ‘Golden Age’ and this specimen certainly makes a good case for that claim.
On the nose, you’ve got dried fruits (fig log, mincemeat, dates) but loads of other things going on, too: a massive walnut note; a lovely earthy, vegetal dimension, which you often get in Karuizawas from the early 80s (fried burdock, roasted red bell pepper soup); the sweetness of caramel popcorn and fudge; more fruit (baked apples, stewed berries); hints of rum raisin buttercream, old leather, balsamic vinegar, old armagnac, green tea powder (maccha), jamon iberico… and that’s just scratching the surface. It’s a pretty hefty slice of the world in a glass.
On the palate, it’s equally complex: dried and stewed fruits again (figs, raisins; blackberries, raspberries) but big on citrus (lemon, sudachi) and bitter elements (grapefruit peel, mulberry leaf powder). It’s got a subtle herbal dimension, as well – nothing particular jumping out, but more like a herb liqueur (think Chartreuse). The finish is long and lingering starting on pink pepper, nutmeg, dried pineapple and candied orange peel before settling on sudachi… and I really mean ‘settling’. It just stays with you, following you all the way to bed and into the morning – if you happen to be enjoying this late at night, that is. Get a bottle of this and your nights will never be the same again…
Read more about Karuizawa Distillery here.
Right off the bat, you can tell it’s one of those glorious, early-80s Karuizawas. Many people consider this to be the distillery’s ‘Golden Age’ and this specimen certainly makes a good case for that claim.
On the nose, you’ve got dried fruits (fig log, mincemeat, dates) but loads of other things going on, too: a massive walnut note; a lovely earthy, vegetal dimension, which you often get in Karuizawas from the early 80s (fried burdock, roasted red bell pepper soup); the sweetness of caramel popcorn and fudge; more fruit (baked apples, stewed berries); hints of rum raisin buttercream, old leather, balsamic vinegar, old armagnac, green tea powder (maccha), jamon iberico… and that’s just scratching the surface. It’s a pretty hefty slice of the world in a glass.
Read more about Karuizawa Distillery here.
Comments