Overview: A bottle of Karuizawa 1960 was sold for US$625,000 during a Sotheby’s sale this month, said to be one of the rarest Japanese whiskies ever offered at auction. The lot included the original Guarantee Certificate issued by Uchibori and the original signed cardboard carton. It is one of only two bottles known to have been drawn and hand-bottled directly from the cask prior to its commercial release.
The Full Story
The Karuizawa bottling was sold as part of Sotheby’s Nightcap programme this month, a new global wine and spirits festival that raised a total of US$14.3 million across five auctions. Nightcap surpassed its pre-sale estimate of US$8.8m-US$12.6m. The headline sale of Nightcap was a Karuizawa 1960 Cask #5627, ‘The Prototype’, distilled on 1 February 1960, which sold for US$625,000. The bottle exceeded its expected result of US$400,000-US$600,000. Osami Uchibori, Karuizawa’s final master distiller, personally bottled the whisky on 20 December 2012. Beyond Scotch, a rare ‘one-of-a-kind’ selection of American whiskey, the Very Olde St Nick Estate Reserve Vintage Collection, was sold for US$21,250. Another highlight was The Macallan Select Reserve 52 Year Old, which achieved US$27,500. Proceeds from the sale will go towards The Big Wave Project, a non-profit organisation that provides lifelong housing, day programmes, and support to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Production & Profile
Distilled on 1 February 1960, the Karuizawa 1960 Cask #5627 was bottled by Osami Uchibori on 20 December 2012. The whisky is identified as ‘The Prototype’ and is one of only two bottles known to have been drawn and hand-bottled directly from the cask prior to its commercial release.
Brand & Industry History
Osami Uchibori served as Karuizawa’s final master distiller before bottling this specific lot on 20 December 2012. The bottle represents a historical connection to the distillery’s output during the era of his tenure, specifically distilled in 1960.
What This Means
Nightcap is designed to capture that momentum, creating a platform where seasoned collectors and new enthusiasts alike can engage, discover, and connect through exceptional experiences, world-class auctions, and the shared culture of wine and spirits. Sotheby’s generated US$49.25m in auction sales for the first six months of 2026 – an increase of 7% year on year, across 29 auctions. Nick Pegna, Sotheby’s global head of wine and spirits, stated, “We look forward to sharing this experience with the New York community and expanding Nightcap as a global celebration in the years ahead.”
Consumer Takeaway
This bottle offers access to a historically significant release bottled by the final master distiller. The lot includes the original Guarantee Certificate issued by Uchibori and the original signed cardboard carton, ensuring provenance for the acquisition.
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