Karuizawa Whisky Club Information
The Karuizawa Whisky Club
Choosing to own a barrel instead of a bottle means
owning 10 years of time and
letting the barrel tell your own story.
The owner of Karuizawa Whisky
is not the person who holds the finished whiskey in their hands.
It is a person who owns a single barrel and takes the process of its aging over the course of 10 years
as their own personal story.
The Karuizawa Whisky Club is a place where these stories can be shared.
This isn't just a whiskey sale,
it's an invitation to own a decade.
The Legend
Reborn
Why
do we have to wait 10 years for this barrel?
This is because this barrel is one that has been designed from the very beginning to become a legend
as you journey through it over the course of 10 years .
Reborn
do we have to wait 10 years for this barrel? This is because this barrel is one that has been designed from the very beginning to become a legend
as you journey through it over the course of 10 years .
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Now , a new legend begins.
A bottle of Old Karuizawa whisky was once sold at auction for 300,000 pounds, but it wasn't rarity or coincidence that created its value.
It was a choice that was worth the time.
This was the third full-scale distillery to be built in Japan.
All raw liquor was placed in sherry casks and aged for over 10 years, a highly unusual method at the time.To create whiskey that can be savored over time, rather than whiskey that can be drunk immediately.
This philosophy is what has made Karuizawa Whisky legendary.
This cask is not meant to be drunk immediately.
It is meant to live with you for the next 10 years, and eventually mature into a "future legend." -
The legacy lives on .
The reason this barrel is worth waiting for 10 years is because of the people who have continued to protect it over that time.
Shusei Uchibori, who served as the factory manager in Kyu-Karuizawa for about 50 years, and his last apprentice, Yoshiyuki Nakazato,
have inherited not just the manufacturing method but also the determination to spare no time."Aging in sherry casks for over 10 years. Without that courage, there would be no revival."
That's what Uchibori said.
Even after Uchibori passed away in 2023, Nakazato continues to preserve that resolve and recipe to this day.And there is one other person.
Shigeru Totsuka, the president of the new distillery, is also a key figure in carrying on this philosophy of "turning waiting into value."
As the 16th generation head of a long-established distillery with 370 years of history, he decided to rebuild Karuizawa Whisky, remembering the shock he experienced in his youth.The time this barrel has been waiting is not a coincidence. It is a time that has been chosen by human will.
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The Pride of New Karuizawa.
The rebuilt Karuizawa Distillery is designed to last for 10 years.
A custom-made distiller made by Forsyth, known as the Rolls Royce of distillers.
The carefully distilled raw spirit is placed in all sherry casks according to Uchibori's recipe.
While most whiskeys are shipped after three or five years, here the clear rule is that the spirit must be aged for at least ten years before it can be shipped.What you receive is not a bottle, but a cask.
After 10 years of deciding to purchase, the whiskey matures over time and finally reaches you.
Cask
Ownership
Owning a cask.
～ Book a trip 10 years into the future and take part in the story ～
Ownership
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Owner's Cask is a system where you can purchase whiskey produced by our company in units of casks (barrels).
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The Promise of 10 Years
Cask ownership at Karuizawa Whisky is not about buying whiskey, it's about taking on the responsibility of a 10-year journey.
Karuizawa Whisky is not sold in new pot.
The whisky matured in sherry casks changes slowly over time, and it takes a long time for its aroma and depth to reach their most beautiful perfection.As a general rule, the raw liquor is carefully aged and stored at the distillery for 10 years, and the timing of bottling is decided after assessing the progress of aging.
While many whiskeys are shipped after three or five years, we continue to choose 10 years as our uncompromising standard of quality.
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Your Legacy
Purchasing an Owner's Cask is not just consumption.
It is the acquisition of "ownership" as you watch your own cask breathe through the four seasons of Karuizawa and deepen into an amber color.What we offer is the time of "10 years" itself.
The Club
Experience
Welcome to Karuizawa Whisky Club.
～ A social gathering place for adults to share stories and encounters ～
Experience
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The Sanctuary
In the spring of 2027, a special space will be created within the distillery that only owners will be allowed to enter.
Visitors will be able to check the maturation of their own barrels, and sip a glass with family and friends while being enveloped in the aroma of the barrels.
This will be a blissful moment that only owners are allowed to experience. -
The Journey
There's plenty to enjoy while you wait 10 years for the whisky to be completed.
You can enjoy the aging process at home with sampling bottles delivered periodically, or you can sample from your own barrel at the owner's bar.
Even the "time to wait" will be transformed into a rich and luxurious experience. -
The Connection
The club regularly holds special events in Tokyo and Karuizawa.
Members with similar values gather together to chat over a glass of whiskey.
Encounters that transcend borders will add new color to your life.
Membership
Structure
How to join a clubKaruizawa Whisky Club has a tiered membership system.
Structure
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Step 1
Community Member
First, register as a free community member and start subscribing to our email newsletter.
We will send you the latest information on our brand and events. -
Step 2
Ambassador
Anyone who meets any of the following conditions will be certified as an "Ambassador".
- Participate in designated events announced in the email newsletter
- Approval through individual review
- Introduction by the owner
- Referrals from Certified Agents
Ambassadors will have the right to purchase rare products such as limited edition bottles, as well as the right to purchase tickets to club member events in which ambassadors can participate.
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Step 3
Club Member (Cask Owner)
If you would like to purchase a cask, please contact us.
After passing the required screening process, you will become an official club member once you have acquired ownership.
You will be able to enjoy all the privileges, such as access to the owner's bar, private cask tastings, and club member social events.