Karuizawa Distillery

Karuizawa was a small distillery that produced first-class malt whiskeys.

There is no shortage of thawing snow at Mount Asama and the chilly climate provided an excellent location for whiskey making. In 1976 the first 100 percent domestic malt whiskey saw the light of day at Karuizawa. The whiskey was stored in small barrels, and the distillery used small pots for distillation. The storehouse of Karuizawa was also covered in ivy, which is said to assist in keeping the temperature and humidity at exactly the right levels for producing good whisky. Though small, this distillery was known for producing whiskey of the finest quality.

Karuizawa whiskeys are noted for their floral scent and maturity, making them highly sought-after products. In former times the company produced pharmaceuticals and chemicals as well as alcoholic beverages before focusing solely on alcoholic beverages.

History Of Karuizawa Distillery

Suzuki Chuji, the second son of the founder of the Ajinomoto brand, started brewing sake from soya beans and founded the Showa Brewing Corp. in 1934.

Karuizawa-map

After establishing a factory in Kawasaki, the company began producing Miraku refined sake, and in 1949, the name of the company was changed to Miraku Breweries Corp. In 1955, Karuizawa distillery was built near Mount Asama, and whisky production began.

In 1961 the company acquired wine maker Nisshin Breweries based in the city of Koshu. The Nisshin owned the Mercian brand, and under this name the company added wine its production. In the following year it acquired the Ocean brand (owned by Daikoku Wineries). Following the example of Suntory, the company became a large producer of Western style alcoholic beverages under the Ocean name.

In 1970 the company marketed Chateau Mercian wine, and then during the 1980s highball boom, the company started making sour drinks and cocktails of all sorts, such as the famous peachtree fizz that’s still popular today. In 1990 the company acquired its present name of Mercian.

For a long time, the Suzuki family owned the largest shares in Ajinomoto; however, in 1997 following a power struggle, the company president published a damning account of family’s behavior. The company was then reworked and improved before being acquired as a subsidiary of Kirin Holdings in the mid-2000s. Today, Mercian forms the nucleus of the Kirin group’s wine industry. Although the main shareholder has changed, the company itself remains largely unchanged from its Ajinomoto origins.

But Kirin could not sustain the premium whisky production, so the Karuizawa distillery and its sister distillery at Kawasaki closed in 2011. When Karuizawa was completely shuttered in 2012, the pot still and other equipment were removed, and what could be sold was sold off. As Karuizawa is now a rare, world-famous whisky, its price has almost doubled in recent times. Currently it’s not easy to get one’s hands on a bottle.

How To Find Karuizawa Distillery

Unfortunately it is no longer possible to visit Karuizawa distillery as it was closed and the land on which it stood sold in 2012.

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Ocean Whisky ‘Gloria’ Marine Sense

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Karuizawa Noh 22 Year Old 2016 Cask# 7640

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Karuizawa 15 Year Old 100% Malt Final Version

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Karuizawa 12 Years Old Pure Malt 2001 Final Version

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Karuizawa 15 Year Old 100% Malt Whisky

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Karuizawa Vintage 1965 Cask #8852 (Price Upon Request)

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Due to the exclusive nature of this bottle, pricing and delivery information is available by request only. For serious inquiries, please contact concierge@dekanta.com.

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Karuizawa Golden Geisha 31 Year Old Whisky (Price Upon Request)

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Karuizawa Noh 23 Year Old Cask# 7893

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Karuizawa Hanshin Tigers 2003

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Karuizawa Golden Samurai 1980

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Karuizawa Raku-Yaki 1999-2000 – Set of 2 Bottles

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Karuizawa 35 Year Old “Fazzino” 1981 Cask #6412

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Karuizawa “Aqua of Life” 50 Year Old (Price Upon Request)

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Karuizawa 1999-2000 Geisha 2017

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Karuizawa 1999 Single Cask 18 Year Old #2410 – Taiwan Duty Free

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Karuizawa 1981 Single Cask #164 / The Great Battle Of Yashima

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Karuizawa 1981 Single Cask 35 Year Old #7427 / Snow Scene

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Karuizawa Ocean White Ice Field Whisky (No Box)

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Karuizawa 1965 Single Cask Sherry 50 Year Old

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Karuizawa Golden Geisha Whisky Set (Price Upon Request)

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Karuizawa 35 Year Old “8-Headed Dragon” Whisky

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Karuizawa 2000 “The Rising Sun” Single Cask #8123

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Karuizawa 1983 29 Year Old Noh Single Cask #8552

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Karuizawa 1974 40 Year Old #4560 & 3626 / Blue and Gold Geisha (Price Upon Request)

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Karuizawa Vintage 40 Year Old Cask #6114

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Karuizawa 1999 Geisha Label Cask# 7436

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Karuizawa Ocean White Ship Whisky

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Karuizawa Ocean Blended 12 Year Old Special Whisky Gift Set

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Karuizawa Noh 1976 32 year old #6719

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Karuizawa Honor Sumo Triple Set (1981/1982/1983) (Price Upon Request)

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Karuizawa 1963 50 Year Old (Price Upon Request)

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Karuizawa 1972 40 Year Old Gold Dragon Label (Price Upon Request)

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Karuizawa Thousand Arrows (Karuizawa Thousand Arrows) (Price Upon Request)

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Karuizawa 2000 Geisha Cask #7721

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Karuizawa Fight Club Collection 1986/1987/1988

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Karuizawa Five Decades 1960 – 2000

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