Nose: Big, bold sherry. Marmalade, cherries and wood stain. Gets more woody with water.
Palate: Neat, it’s not for the faint hearted. It is blistering stuff that needs water to tame. With water, the mouth feel is reasonably smooth, with sherry, raisins, lovely orange dark chocolate, crumpets with maple syrup, Brazil nut and mint.
Finish: Most of the flavors from the nose and then fading to a hint of grassyness/timber.
Last Word: Not as good as the best sherry-matured whiskies I’ve had from Japan.
Rating: 84/100

Nose: Some florals, apricot, sherry, golden syrup, vanilla, oak and the ubiquitous varnish. It is balanced from the get go.
Palate: Sweet. You can drink this neat, though it still has loads of punch. In no particular order, it has: florals, oak, sherry, stone fruits, raisins, currants and smoke. Again, very well balanced. With water, the cherry blossoms shine through.
Finish: Long and luscious, with mint, creamy nuts and lovely, trailing smoke and tobacco flavours.
General comment:  A truly excellent Karuizawa that lives up to the hype.

Rating: 92/100

Nose: Oak, vanilla , sherry, raisins, red grape and a hint of white chocolate.
Palate: Without water, mainly Seville oranges and vanilla. Really needs water to tame it. Not particularly complex, the water brings out some nuttiness–at first creamy, then bitter. Also orange dark chocolate, sherry and more vanilla, but you have to work hard to pick up any of it.
Finish: Is fairly hot with or without water. The spirit actually numbs the palate which makes it difficult to pick up any subtleties. There’s a little cigar smoke.

Last Word: Overall, a simple and at times brutal malt that clubs the palate into a fairly useless state of submission. The nose is the highlight.
Rating: 78/100

Nose: Sweet pipe tobacco, pureed dark summer fruits, sherry, raisins, blood oranges,
Palate: The sweet pipe tobacco dominates at first, then tangy oranges and cigar smoke dryness. Water brings some oiliness to the mouth feel, also dried mushrooms, moss and lemon pepper.
Finish: Long. Cigar smoke, oranges, pepper, vanilla. Drying. It is certainly better balanced than the 13YO for OxfAM but, like that one, lacks the complexity and wow factor of the better Japanese Malts.
Rating: 80/100

Nose: Heavy notes of baked goods such as warm pie crust and scones; sherry; bar wood, like you’d expect to smells in “Cheers”. Vanilla, varnish, and sandalwood.
Palate: A massive spice attack. sandalwood, playdough, vanilla, bubblegum, strawberry, and something like roast chicken. Sounds a little strange but it works.
Finish: Sweet, nutty, fruity, spicy and very long!
Last Word: A fantastic Karuizawa.
Rating: 91/100

Nose: Bold and clean. Sherry at first, sweet then dry. Fresh biscuits cooling on the kitchen bench. Raisins, Valencia oranges, mixed peel, cherry chocolate and mint.
Palate: Perfectly drinkable neat. Well layered flavours that basically follow the nose and with some lovely sweet spices. From one hell of a sherry butt.
Finish: Beautifully rounded, warming and long. Spicy sherried goodness.
Last Word: Power with balance, a truly great Karuizawa.
Rating: 92/100 Tasted from a sample.

Nose: Big on vanilla. Also, licorice, grated carrot, dried pear, apple skins, sawdust, yeast and brine. Slightly perfumed.
Palate: Custard on apple pie. Black pepper, licorice, nutmeg, peanut shells, yeast with a hint of marmite. A whisp of smoke.
Finish: Long and warming with a slight bitterness. Some curry powder heat on the top palate.
Rating: 85/100