Karuizawa distillery closed in 2000, and surviving bottles have become among the most sought-after in Japanese whisky collecting. This 30-year-old from Founder`s Cask 2084, distilled in 1981, has had the full benefit of Karuizawa`s celebrated sherry cask maturation. intense dried fruit, dark chocolate, incense and an extraordinary, lingering finish. The distillery`s location at altitude in Nagano Prefecture contributed to the distinctive microclimate that shaped its character.