Tsutagura

A two-release official Karuizawa single-malt series jointly developed in 2005 by Mercian and the Nakano Institute of Life Culture. Tsutagura (蔦蔵, ivy-covered warehouse) refers to Karuizawa Distillery's ivy-covered maturation warehouses. The 16-year Spring & Summer release uses pale, lightly wood-influenced stock at 40%; Autumn & Winter uses the distillery's sherry-cask style at 46%. The line was advertised as a 2,000-bottle limited release, but the source does not allocate that total between the two expressions.