Two Rare Karuizawa Casks Sell for Millions and Set Sky High Record

by Francis Moses

Friday, 13 March 2026 at 17:03TheSpirits Business

Atlas Bar's Impressive Karuizawa Whisky Collection

Japanese closed-distillery Karuizawa’s rare casks have been auctioned for the highest price ever. The casks were sold at Christie's, London, and set a new record. The casks were sold for more than 4 million pounds.

FAQ

What is the Karuizawa Distillery?
A former Japanese whisky distillery known for producing extremely rare and highly collectible single malts.
Where was the Karuizawa Distillery located?
The distillery was located in Karuizawa near the slopes of Mount Asama.
Why is Karuizawa whisky so expensive?
Because the distillery closed in 2000 and the remaining bottles are now extremely rare.

Two of the Karuizawa casks that still remained

Distilled in 1999, the casks 6195 and 888 were among the last years of Karuizawa distillation before the factory was shut down. They were an off-the-record collection belonging to Sukhinder Singh. He is a well-known collector of whiskey and the founder of Elixir Distillers.

Full casks of Karuizawa are very rare. Since the whisky will be in cask form, the new owners will be in a position to determine how the whisky will be matured, bottled, and finally released. The casks will yield between 420 and 420 bottles.

A milestone auction result

In a post-auction interview, Singh was celebrating the results of the auction. He said that owning and handling the sister casks was an experience he could never forget. The buyers themselves will also be able to collaborate with Kandoblanc.

This is a design studio whose distinctive features are bespoke items based on the traditions of Japanese craftsmanship and aesthetic. Together they can design labels for the whisky and packaging if needed.

The reputation of Karuizawa

The sale was termed a milestone by Adam Billey. He heads the wine and spirits department at Christie. He pointed out that full Karuizawa casks do not often cross the auction block. Their provenance out of the personal collection of Singh made them even more attractive to collectors.

In 2000, Karuizawa was shut down. Bottles from the distillery continue to be among the most sought-after Japanese whiskies in the world. The topic of rare whisky has continued to increase in popularity during the last ten years. Collectors and investors battle over old-fashioned casks and new releases.

This trend was emphasized at another grand whisky event last year. The third Distillers One of One charity auction raised 2.3 million pounds for good causes.