Karuizawa 14 Years Old Sweet and darkly beguiling SMWS Cask:132.5 58.6% 1999

Professional reviews

Words of Whisky (90)

BOW (90)

SMWS UK Tasting Panel:

The sweet, dark nose was satanically beguiling – Demerara dregs in espresso, molasses, honeyed figs, flapjacks, blackjacks, sweet black tea and dark chocolate, eucalyptus, and pencil shavings came later. The palate – a salty, treacly, mouth-watering assault of tarry tobacco, Garibaldis, thick orange peel, balsamic glaze and black bean sauce – squeaked the teeth and found the tannic in Satanic. The reduced nose became more savoury – jugged hare with prunes and hickory-smoked ribs. The palate had less tannic thrash but remained sweetly sinister, with hoisin duck and a well-used leather tawse sacrificed in the glowing embers of hell. The distillery was once a vineyard.