Amsterdam, 26th May 2026 - Catawiki, the leading online marketplace for special objects, will offer one of the most sought-after bottles in Japanese whisky: a Karuizawa 1960 52-Year-Old single malt, estimated at €300,000–€375,000.
The sale follows Catawiki’s Japan Week, which celebrates the growing collector appetite for rare Japanese objects, from design and fashion to whisky. The limited edition Karuizawa 1960 52-Year-Old will be available for auction on Catawiki from 26 May to 7 June.
Drawn from cask #5627 after more than half a century of maturation, the bottle is one of only 41 ever released and is considered the oldest Karuizawa expression ever made. Each bottle features a unique hand-carved Japanese ornament, making it a rare expression of both Japanese whisky and craftsmanship.
Karuizawa has become legendary among collectors. The distillery is now closed, meaning supply is permanently finite, while demand for rare Japanese whisky continues to remain strong globally. With an estimate of €300,000–€375,000, the bottle could set a new record for spirits on Catawiki.
“This is the kind of bottle collectors may wait years to see,” said Jeroen Koetsier, whisky expert at Catawiki. “Karuizawa is one of the most mythical names in Japanese whisky: the distillery is closed, the liquid is finite and this 52-year-old release represents the very top of the category. It is unlikely to be opened. This is a bottle that will almost certainly remain in a serious collection.”
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