Karuizawa is the gold standard of rare Japanese whisky. The distillery closed its doors in 2011, although it had not been producing whisky for over a decade. This particular 25 Year Old, titled "The Crowning Cask", was distilled in 1993 and bottled earlier this year (2018). It is an elegant, rare and collectable release from the silent distillery that comes in a wooden box that can double as a presentation case. Like all Karuizawa releases, the whisky inside is of premium quality.