Memories of Karuizawa 2: 1991/2013

Post by Stefan of Tokyo Whisky Hub

For their second "Memories of Karuizawa" release, the people at Whisk-e selected a cask from the 1991 vintage. The 1990s are a bit of an unknown quantity for most Karuizawa fans, so this is a welcome chance to dip into unfamiliar territory. "Memories of Karuizawa 2" was drawn from sherry cask #9106 - one of those typical bespoke casks, slightly smaller than a sherry butt - and bottled at a cask strength of 63.7% abv.

On the nose, you get stewed fruits (raspberries and blueberries), honey-glazed apple-pear tart, macadamia nuts, walnut skins and a hint of steamed beets. There's also a subtle floral dimension to it in the background. The attack on the palate is quite intense. The initial impressions are pommeau (i.e. a blend of calvados and apple must), walnut bread and allspice. It packs quite a punch, but when you recover from it, you're rewarded with orange marmalade and fresh ginger ale. Beautiful! The finish is long and spicy. As it slowly fades, you get more of the stewed fruit notes. But wait, the party isn't over yet... after a minute or so, a lovely tartness emerges with a hint of lemon cake. And then, teetering on the brink between perception and memory, you get some cafe mocha and glazed chestnuts. Water makes it a bit more approachable and sweeter on the palate, but it also brings out more citrus notes, which is nice.

It's very different from the 1st "Memories", but I guess that's the whole concept behind the series: showing different facets of the distillery output at different points in its history. This, the 2nd release in the series will go on sale in Japan today but the good news is, it will be available to Bond#1 members worldwide via this link. It'll probably sell out in no time, but don't despair! There's a sister cask, so sooner or later...