Karuizawa remains the undisputed leader, and rare models are still highly sought after.
Recently, the Chichibu Paris Edition Whisky Live 2022 was released. It is a blend of nine casks of Chichibu peated whisky, primarily aged for six to seven years in bourbon casks, with an ABV of 51.5% and a volume of 700ml, limited to 1,900 bottles.
The label design features a piece from Henri Rivière's groundbreaking work "36 Views of the Eiffel Tower," a French Art Nouveau artist, which was inspired by the famous Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai's "36 Views of Mount Fuji," creating a natural and harmonious echo with this limited bottling.
Although Chichibu was established less than 20 years ago, it has become a supernova brand in the Japanese Whisky Era, thanks to its unique cask strategy and avant-garde promotion methods. For immediate information on specific buyback prices, please refer to the Karuizawa 31 Year Gold Geisha page for current quotations.
The Chichibu Malt Dream Cask series bourbon single cask released this period is almost nowhere to be found, both domestically and internationally, selling for ¥31,888, slightly outperforming other whiskies in the same series. This series represents the high standards of cask management at the Chichibu distillery, but unfortunately, only 125 bottles were produced, making them highly sought after.
As a high-value collector's item, Karuizawa is a cornerstone of Japanese whisky's global reputation. The Karuizawa 35-Year Hong Kong Harbour City Limited Edition, participating in this auction, is its first appearance this year. Looking back, the latest auction record on Whiskyauctioneer was in June 2019, where it sold for ¥56,497.14. After more than a year of absence, it reappeared on Sotheby's in November 2021, with its price soaring to ¥135,316.5. This period, it fetched ¥221,000 on WineBug, achieving a remarkable price. This small victory is also a sign of hope for market sentiment to recover!
There's no doubt about Yamazaki Owner's Cask. This Yamazaki Owner's Cask WM0027, bottled specifically for Union's 50th-anniversary celebration, has appeared in major online auctions less than ten times in recent years. Bonhams auctioned it twice in the first and second halves of 2018, with transaction prices dropping from ¥90,211 to ¥72,168.8. Then, in June 2019, it continued its "slide" on Whiskyauctioneer, selling for ¥54,075.83. This time, it closed at ¥182,000 on WineBug. Given the current market conditions, this indicates that Yamazaki's ability to resist declines while increasing in value has grown significantly. Secondly, it suggests that Yamazaki, with its strong overall competitiveness, may continue the trend of limited quantity and rising prices.
This period's discontinued Komagatake 30 Year Purple Label sold for ¥80,000. Based on past auction prices of ¥128,000 for the purple, pink, and yellow label Komagatake sets, this ¥80,000 price is truly outstanding. With only 163 bottles, its value potential is immense, and a highly competitive auction market is already foreseeable!
According to the image above, the auction price for this Hakushu Sherry Cask #3C40790 was in the range of ¥28,000-26,000 from 2018-2019, dropping to ¥18,000 in early 2020. However, it rebounded to ¥28,000 within just one year. This period, it sold for ¥61,000 on WineBug, significantly exceeding past market prices, which is a pleasant surprise. Congratulations to the owner!
In addition to the whiskies mentioned above, other Karuizawa products also performed strongly, such as Circle Label #6426 (¥190,000), the extremely rare Four-Color Sherry Cask Strength Set (¥121,888), and several "Noh Series" items, all demonstrating consistent leading strength, with prices generally meeting expectations. The Yamazaki Owner's Cask 4R70055 fetched ¥32,400 and ¥33,000 this period, neck and neck, a slight dip compared to previous auctions, but we still hope for a market recovery…
The value and potential of Japanese whisky are immeasurable. Its price growth in trading and auctions has repeatedly placed it among the world's top brands, bringing continuous surprises to owners. We welcome everyone to continue following WineBug Auction Session 132 – "Autumn's Echoes Linger, Amber Reflects the Frosty Sky," where more rare and fine wines await your discovery.
What information should I prepare before an appraisal?
Before an appraisal, please verify the front and back labels of the bottle, the seal, the liquid level, and the condition of the box. The more complete the information, the closer the quotation will be to the actual market value.
(Images and text sourced from the internet)
Contact information for buyback inquiries
WeChat: WSSJ868
Related Reading
- Learn more: More "Hardcore" than Macallan? How Karuizawa's "Artisanal Spirit" of Direct Fired Distillation Forged a Japanese Whisky Legend
- Also check out: Sleeping Gold: Unlocking the Value of Your Japanese Whisky (Hibiki/Karuizawa/Yamazaki) | WSSJ Whisky buyback
- Want to know more? WSSJ buyback Case StudyA Smooth Sailing Legacy: Karuizawa, Hanyu, Chichibu "Hong Kong Special Edition Ship Set" Professional Purchase Record
- Check buyback prices: buyback Karuizawa Samurai 30 Year 4
- View actual buyback market conditions: buyback Karuizawa 31 Year Gold Geisha
- Browse the full series: Karuizawa Series buyback Page
Before an appraisal, please verify the front and back labels of the bottle, the seal, the liquid level, and the condition of the box. The more complete the information, the closer the quotation will be to the actual market value.
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