BlockBar, a NFT marketplace for luxury wines and spirits, is offering a chance to purchase a bottle of one of the world’s rarest whiskies, Karuizawa, from its last 50-Year-Old cask.
‘The Last Masterpiece 1970’ is said to be the last of its kind in whisky history and marks the Japanese distiller’s final farewell.
A statement from BlockBar notes that this is the first time they’ve brought Japanese whisky to its marketplace, offering collectors the chance to own a piece of history with Karuizawa’s ‘The Last Masterpiece 1970.’
Only 211 bottles in total remain from Karuizawa’s 1970 cask and one is being made available exclusively via www.blockbar.com, as the brand’s first ever NFT. The special edition bottle is decorated with bespoke label artwork designed by Souun Takeda, one of Japan’s esteemed calligraphers.
Since closing in 2011, the remaining liquid from the Karuizawa Distillery has become highly sought after by whisky collectors.
‘The Last Masterpiece 1970’ was first distilled 52 years ago in the shadow of the active volcano, Mount Asama, in Japan. It matured in a sherry cask before being unearthed in 2020 and bottled in a limited run.
Karuizawa‘s whiskies are described as being close in style to a Scottish malt, while retaining its own individual characteristics. The water has been filtered through lava and with both the distillery and warehouse experiencing cool summers and snowy winters, the result is a maturation profile that is completely unique to the liquid.
The whisky is celebrated through the bottle’s artwork designed exclusively for BlockBar by Japanese calligrapher Souun Takeda. Written in traditional Kanji style, the lettering on the bottle combines modern innovation with traditional methods to express the Japanese language and spirit, an ode to this whisky and its story.
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“Every bottle of Karuizawa whisky is really precious because the Karuizawa Distillery is closed. Once a bottle has been purchased, the brand gets a step closer to its final conclusion and therefore we must be very careful about who we partner with,” said Eric Huang, CEO of Hua Yang International Exhibition Ltd. of Taiwan.
“The Karuizawa brand is incredibly unique and we see huge potential for dropping an NFT, which includes guaranteeing authenticity for the bottle owner. The major consideration for our partnership with BlockBar is their expertise in luxury spirits and its strict control of ensuring bottle authenticity and quality by partnering directly with a brand owner. We are looking forward to recreating the legend of Karuizawa with BlockBar’s expertise,” he added.
Dov Falic, BlockBar co-founder and CEO, said with the rare offering, “We quite literally have one of the last drops of Karuizawa, never to be recreated again, so this is a global auction not to be missed.”
The Karuizawa ‘The Last Masterpiece 1970’ is being auctioned off with a starting bid of $75,000 USD. Bids can be placed at www.blockbar.com and payment can be made via ETH, credit card or wire transfer. The auction is now open and will conclude at 5 p.m. EST on Monday, July 18th.
The Karuizawa ‘The Last Masterpiece 1970’ distiller’s notes:
- Color – Old oak.
- Nose – Rich raisins and dried apricots, delicate honey and floral.
- Taste – Sweet toffee and dark fruit. Creamy dark chocolate with a hint of spices.
- Finish – Long and delightful.
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