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The world’s most iconic and sought-after Japanese whiskies take centre stage in an exclusive auction, celebrating the very best of Japanese whisky.
Whisky Auctioneer, the world-leading online whisky auction platform, is hosting its exclusive Japanese whisky auction until 22 June 2026. Featuring over 650 lots, the auction brings together the rarest and most sought-after Japanese whiskies ever released and follows recent record-breaking results, underlining continued global demand for rare Japanese whisky.
Founded in 2013 by whisky enthusiast Iain McClune, Whisky Auctioneer has grown into a trusted destination for collectors and connoisseurs worldwide, with offices in Scotland, London and Utrecht.
Kisetsu: Seasons of Japanese Whisky is inspired by the changing of the seasons and explores the story of Japanese whisky through pioneering producers and legendary closed distilleries to the modern distillers shaping the category today.
To participate in the auction, you can use the code SQUAREMILE for complimentary registration.
[Left to right] Hanyu Jack of Diamonds 1st Edition, Karuizawa 1960 52 Year Old “The Poet”, and Yamazaki 55 Year Old
Headlining the sale is the Karuizawa 1960 52 Year Old “The Poet”, an extraordinary single cask distilled at the now-closed Karuizawa Distillery and bottled in 2013 at 52 years of age. The release has achieved near-mythical status among collectors and this specific bottle comes with exceptional provenance, having remained under direct custody of its original creator, Marcin Miller, co-founder of Number One Drinks.
Miller is a widely respected figure in the whisky industry, formerly publisher of Whisky Magazine, a Keeper of the Quaich and co-founder of The Kyoto Distillery, Japan’s first artisan gin distillery. Through Number One Drinks, he played a key role in releasing remaining stocks from Karuizawa, helping establish its global collector status.
Marcin Miller commented: “Karuizawa has been a deeply significant part of my professional life for many years, and ‘The Poet’ represents something truly special within that journey. From the early days of Number One Drinks, there was a real sense that we were engaging with something extraordinary in these remaining casks and beginning to understand just how important they would become to whisky enthusiasts around the world.
“This particular bottling remains one of the most remarkable examples from that era, from the quality of the liquid to the attention to detail in the breathtakingly beautiful design.”
Joe Wilson with Karuizawa 1960 52 Year Old “The Poet”
All 41 bottles of the Karuizawa 1960 Cask #5627 are entirely unique, each individually named and distinguished by a hand-selected netsuke, a traditional Japanese carved miniature suspended from its neck.
Whisky Auctioneer has become a leading authority in Japanese whisky, consistently bringing the category’s rarest bottles to auction. In 2021, it made history as the first online-only auction platform to sell a bottle for £1 million.
Joe Wilson, Auction Curator at Whisky Auctioneer, said: “We’re excited to bring together some of the most important Japanese whiskies ever offered at auction, reflecting both the depth and continued strength of this category as we continue to see strong global demand for genuinely rare Japanese whisky.
Headlining the auction is the Karuizawa 1960 ‘The Poet’. What makes this opportunity particularly remarkable is the direct line of custodianship through Marcin Miller. It represents exceptional direct provenance for a bottle of this significance and that level of traceability is incredibly rare in today’s market.”
Yamazaki 55 Year Old
“The Poet” will appear alongside a host of remarkable lots, including:
Yamazaki 55 Year Old
the world’s oldest Japanese whisky
Karuizawa 1998 Harland Miller
A unique collaboration featuring a hand-painted label by British artist Harland Miller, with all proceeds donated to Migrate Art.
Ichiro’s Malt Hanyu Card Bottlings
Among the most collectible Japanese whisky series, including rare 1st Edition releases.
150 lots of Chichibu
including rare single casks bottled for Sexy Fish in London, never before released publicly.
See more at whiskyauctioneer.com
