Arran whisky lovers – rejoice!
The Arran Banner weekly newspaper revealed this weekend (12 March 2016) that a new distillery site is set to be built in south Arran by Isle of Arran Distillers Ltd.
Photo Credit: Whisky Magazine Hong Kong and Macau
01-June-2016 Update: The Macallan Double Cask 12 Year Old was launched late last week in Taiwan, so it’s NOT a USA exclus ive.
I was told that it’s now coming to Hong Kong, then US/North America and eventually it will be available in Europe as well! So European Macallan fans should rejoice as the age statement is coming your way too.
There are fundamental moments when a whole industry takes a turn, and if you look at the whisky industry, you can surly peg the Macallan 1824 series release as the first large (large? huge!) harbinger of the NAS trend that has been sweeping through the whisky industry in the last few years. I remember being in shock back then in September 2012 when Macallan announced the 1824 series. Seriously? Ditching the age statement core line up and instead bring a new line up that use colors to represent taste (and to some degree, age too)?
Well, it wasn’t a full line up replacement when the 1824 series was unleashed onto the world as some markets still retained the Fine Oak and Sherry Oak line ups. But even so, the flood gates were open since then and we’ve seen many NAS releases, from Macallan (the 1824 collection in Travel Retail market) and other major players in the industry such as other members in the Edrington group (Highland Park warriors series anyone?), Diageo, Grant’s and others. Some NAS releases were merely additions to existing line ups yet far too many were replacing existing age statement whiskies entirely or in different markets.
But guess what? After over 3 years, Macallan are ready to release a new whisky with an age statement on it!
Shocking, isn’t it? So the obvious questions are: Continue reading
Update 2: I have a review up and it’s damn good. read here.
Update: As the Embargo expired last night, more details regarding Lagavulin 8 Year Old are popping up: Indeed it will be bottled at 48% and it was matured primarily in ex-Bourbon casks. It will be available starting at the distillery in late March, European retailers in April and June in USA. Estimated price: £50/€60/$65.
In addition, No further special bottles were confirmed except for the annual Feis Ile, Jazz Festival and Special releases bottles, although they will increase bottles count for Feis Ile bottling this year… 😉
Although we’re only in February, a special event in London was held earlier this month to mark the start of the 200th anniversary celebrations of Lagavulin Distillery. From what was revealed on the internet, they had a taste of a new, special but non Feis Ile bottling which was told to be very good, but no further details were revealed till now due to embargo.
However, a new Lagavulin label was revealed on the American Federal TTB site – a 8 Year Old Lagavulin, presumably bottled at 48%:
Continue reading
Seems like today is Glenmorangie Day on the blog. We have some big Glenmorangie news (With massive thanks Tom for delivering the news!) and later today we’ll have another blog post with a review and short recap (and many photos) from the distillery visit last summer. But first things first: the news!
First of all, there’s a new Glenmorangie Travel Retail bottling out there called “Glenmorangie Tayne“. Yes, it’s Tayne and not Tain (Tayne is an older form of Tain).
Glenmorangie Tayne is whisky matured in amontillado casks, without an age statement, bottled at 43% ABV and currently is priced at £54.99 for 1 Liter bottle.
The back story of Tayne is related to the Spanish Aramda during the England invasion back in 1588 as a Spanish galleon running away from the England fleet ran aground in the Dornoch Firth (at the time Firth of Tayne).
In addition, there will be another Travel Retail bottling out around March/April 2016 named Glenmorangie Talogan. Talogan will replace Glenmorangie Dornoch as both are limited editions.
The third news item of the day and I think it’s the biggest and important of them all: Glenmorangie Duthac and Tayne will become permanent additions at Travel Retail replacing the trio of Nectar Dor, Lasanta and Quinta Ruban. Yes, you read it just fine: Replacing. That trio will still be available at normal retail chains (supermarkets, shops, etc) but not at Travel Retail. Is it a new way to partially relieve the stress on older aged stock?
In addition to the big changes in the Travel Retail segment, there’s also the imminent release (this week) of the 7th Glenmorangie Private Edition expression (after all, it’s January on the calendar). We already know it’s called Glenmorangie Milsean according to the filling in the TTB Database.
Milsean, pronounced “Miel-sjoan”, is the Gaelic term for “sweet things”, and it was extra matured in casks containing formerly Portuguese red wine. The wine barrels were retoasted to strengthen the sweeter tones.
As can be seen from the picture above, we can assume it will be a whisky for the sweet tooth lovers. Expected price in Europe is €100.
It was only last week when the members of Laphroaig maling list received a letter from John Campbell, the distillery manager, with a full summary of what happened in Laphroaig during 2015, the 200th anniversary year. In addition, in the letter John wrote we can expect a new expression to hit the shelves in Spring 2016, and and a few details were already revealed.
The new expression will be called Laphroaig Lore, and will it be bottled at 48%.
Today Knockdhu Distillery announced their new core line addition – the anCnoc 18 Year Old.
When I read the announcement (full text below), I felt it was a weird decision: They have the 12yo, 16yo & 22yo expressions in the line up. Usually distilleries keeps a gap of 3 years between expressions, as most distillery stick to the winning formula of 12yo, 15yo & 18yo, so the logical addition would be 19yo between the existing 16yo and 22yo as 18yo is too close to the 16yo.
So what does this new release means for the 16yo? I asked for clarification and the answer I got back was simple and clear: The 16yo is coming to an end.
So that means that the favorite anCnoc 16yo (which is widely available for £53) will be phased out and will be replaced by the new 18yo which will retail for around £70.
So if anCnoc 16yo is a favorite of yours, hurry and stock up!
anCnoc 18 Year Old launched
anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has announced a remarkable addition to its multi-award-winning collection. The new 18 Year Old joins the family of single malts crafted at Knockdhu Distillery in true anCnoc style, offering a traditionally distilled, exquisite spirit with a modern twist. It follows a string of highly successful new releases and is expected to be just as popular. anCnoc’s Assistant Brand Manager Stephanie Bridge explains:
“2014 has been anCnoc’s most ambitious year to date. We unveiled our new Peaty Collection in April, two new expressions for Global Travel Retail and our hugely popular 2000 Vintage. We are confident that our new anCnoc 18 Year Old will be extremely popular amongst single malt aficionados with its unique taste profile and striking packaging.”
The Whisky
anCnoc 18 Year Old was matured in top quality hand-selected American oak ex-bourbon and European oak ex-sherry casks. The combination of the two types of wood gives this mature expression of anCnoc an outstanding depth, complexity and balance of flavour. It’s a single malt for the most discerning drinker.
The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, non-chill filtered and presented at its natural colour. Initially 6,000 bottles will be available in key markets worldwide. The recommended retail price is £70.
Tasting notes
Colour: Pine sap
Nose: Gentle spices and intense sweetness of dried fruits are topped with silky chocolate ganache, a squeeze of ripe orange and a mere suggestion of oiled leather. Intricate and elegant, balancing both maturity and Distillery’s signature character.
Taste: Full-bodied and bold, the palate brings aromatic spices, fruit loaf and candied lemon slices followed by a surge of vanilla custard, honey and runny caramel. European and American casks play in harmony delivering a lush and irresistibly moreish drinking experience while retaining anCnoc spirit firmly at the heart of this whisky.
Finish: Long and rewarding, the finish transforms from peppery and hot to deliciously sweet and smooth with an undertone of bitter pralines.
When it comes to industry news and events, I usually do not publish them on the blog unless it’s accompanied with new whisky release, which frankly, is the kind of news that interest me (and you too I hope).
Laphroaig is my favorite distillery and in the Laphroaig Live 2014 they will introduce A unique 12 year old triple casked Nordic special bottling so I guess it does fall under the news I should provide you.
However, today is eve of new Jewish year which means I’ll be sitting with the family to a feast and so won’t be able to watch the event. But you can can my substitute so go ahead and watch it live at Laphroaiglive.tv. Slainte!
Here is what you need to know:
LAPHROAIG LIVE 2014 comes to STOCKHOLM!
Wednesday 24th September
Sweden 8.00 PM
UK 7.00 PM
New York 2.00 PM
Los Angeles 11.00AM
Sydney 04:00AM
On Wednesday 24th September at 8pm local time ( 7pm UK,) the eighth annual Laphroaig Live will broadcast live from Sweden.
This year’s show will be streamed live from a tiny island called Fjäderholmarna which is part of the archipelago just outside Stockholm.
During the show a panel of whisky experts will be tasting 4 phenomenal Laphroaigs:
A unique 12 year old triple casked Nordic special, this year’s much acclaimed Cairdeas finished in Amontillado casks, the latest Global expression called Select and a fourth that will be decided by a Friends of Laphroaig online vote.
An expert panel of guests will explore the strong connections between smoke and depth of flavour in what is sure to be a smoke fest!
As always, we’ll be joined by Distillery Manager, John Campbell. This year he’ll be accompanied by a panel consisting of these famous Swedish personalities; Nour el Refai a comedian, TV personality, host and a well-known Swedish radio presenter, Peter Borg chairman of the Swedish Whisky Association and Håkan Dahlberg a prolific Swedish whisky blogger of I Love Whisky.
And last year’s Swedish Bartender of the Year Madeleine Solo Rapp will be making a guest appearance and creating something special using Laphroaig.
Watch the event live here: http://live.laphroaig.tv/show/laphroaig-live-2014-comes-to-stockholm
Hello there, I’m back! Did you miss me? 🙂
It’s been a long and busy summer, but now I’m back from summer holidays, recovered from the post-vacation blues (and virus) and it’s time to get in a high gear again.
Here’s a round up of the latest whisky releases, and this time I’m trying a different format for the whisky news roundup posts: We’ll start with headlines and Whisky gospel take on the release and only then we’ll provide the full PR. So, here’s take #1:
Whisky Gospel: Kudos to Tomatin to release a limited edition of 4 whiskies and keep the age statement on. Even the new Cù Bòcan is a refreshing addition (even if in a limited mode). oh, and the price is decent, very decent.
Whisky Gospel: Even more peatier! 20.5 ppm may not sound as much, but remember it’s post-distillation value so good chance it stands up to Laphroaig, Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Port Charlotte when it comes to peatiness. Should be an interesting dram.
Whisky Gospel: oh boy, I do understand the ‘need’ to release another community release (been a while since the last one, Alligator) but tie it with the space experiment? and dress Dr Bill Lumsden in Astronaut suit? I bet the supernova will be a solid dram (early review already confirm that), but the price is again ardbeg-y and the hype is there. Sigh.
Whisky Gospel: Like a clock, as expected, on the heels of the Glendronach releases, here comes the BenRiach. Not much to see here except that it’s probably good (very good) whisky, some more affordable and some less. If you can afford it, go on and buy one – it’s probably worth it.
And now for the full press releases. Enjoy! Continue reading
Another week full of whisky news: Official launch of Glendronach single casks (Batch #10), new Glenrothes expression and new vintage of Midleton Very rare. Enjoy!
GlenDronach releases Batch 10 of its single cask bottlings
AWARD-WINNING GlenDronach Distillery has today (July 14th) released Batch 10 of its renowned single cask bottlings.
Nine outstanding casks, ranging from 1990 to 2002, were selected by Master Distiller Billy Walker. Each one of these casks from the Aberdeenshire distillery is an excellent example of the typical GlenDronach character with tastes of sweet dates, raisins, dark chocolate, toasted oak spice and roasted coffee beans.
The cask details are:
Master Distiller Billy Walker said: “Our batch releases of single casks bottlings are eagerly awaited by whisky connoisseurs worldwide and Batch 10 is truly astonishing in both its quality and style.
“Each cask was selected because of its excellent GlenDronach character. For example, on the nose, 1990 cask # 2970 has generous dustings of allspice over sundried raisins and roasted coffee beans with a delicate barley background. As a contrast, the 1995 cask # 3025 shows fresh green apple developing to prunes and raisins with a vibrant spice note of ginger, black pepper and soft clove oil on the palate.
“And the youngest expression of the nine, 2002 cask # 1500, gives aromas of sweet figs and chocolate-covered raisins dusted with vanilla and spiced by subtle cigar smoke, candied peel and stem ginger. A fascinating range of expressions that will appeal to all tastes.”
The bottlings are now available in major whisky shops
Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits is delighted to announce the release of the latest expression from award-winning Speyside distillery, The Glenrothes.
The sherry casks used to mature The Glenrothes are made to specification in Jerez, southern Spain, and, despite costing approximately five times more than ex-bourbon casks (which account for over 95% of the casks used in the Scotch whisky industry), the depth of flavour derived from these casks makes the additional investment worthwhile.
Until now, however, The Glenrothes has neverreleased an all-first-fill sherry cask expression. Sherry Cask Reserve is matured predominantly in European oak which delivers a greater array of flavours than the American equivalent and, in particular, the resinous and dried fruit character underpinning the sherry top notes.
Malt Master Gordon Motion’s flavour notes appear on the front label: “Spicy ginger, orange peel, and sherry oak.”
Ronnie Cox, Brands Heritage Director, describes The Glenrothes Sherry Cask Reserve as;“The texture is deliciously creamy, a hallmark of The Glenrothes, which develops into a kaleidoscopic rainbow of soft spicy and fruity flavours on the palate, balanced in perfect harmony with lingering overtones of sherry and Spanish oak.”
The Glenrothes Sherry Cask Reserve tasting notes at 40% ABV
Appearance: Burnished gold
Nose: Orange peel, fruitcake, vanilla, gingerbread, black cherries, pear drops
Palate: Spicy, ginger, oaky notes, crème brûlée
Finish: Lingering spiciness with orange peel notes
The Glenrothes Sherry Cask Reserve will be available from Berry Bros. & Rudd and its representatives in key markets. The recommended retail price is £55 (€65 or NT$2,000) per bottle.
Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard has unveiled the 2014 edition of its prestigious Midleton Very Rare whiskey, the first to be hand selected by Master Distiller, Brian Nation, following his appointment in 2013.
For every Midleton Very Rare release, the signature of the Master Distiller is included on the label to provide the ultimate guarantee of quality. Midleton Very Rare 2014 is the first to bear Nation’s signature on its label, continuing the tradition established by former Master Distiller Barry Crockett when he created the first Midleton Very Rare whiskey in 1984.
Available from this month in specialist retailers, Midleton Very Rare 2014 is blended from only the finest Single Pot Still and grain whiskeys, which have been matured in specially-selected, ex-Bourbon American oak casks that have been lightly charred on the inside to impart a complex and elegant taste profile. The components of this exclusive blend have been aged for up to 22 years, making it a real collectors’ item.
Anna Malmhake, Chairman and CEO at Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, says: “It’s always exciting for us to release a new Midleton Very Rare expression as it really shows the outstanding quality that the Irish whiskey category has to offer, but this 2014 release is extra special as it heralds a new era for us as Brian Nation takes the reins from Barry Crockett at our Midleton Distillery.
“Midleton Very Rare is a whiskey with real provenance, produced at the distillery in Midleton using only the finest ingredients and is rightfully regarded as the pinnacle of Irish whiskeys by collectors and connoisseurs worldwide, who cherish the nuances of each release. As Brian carries on the Midleton Very Rare legacy, we look forward to more discerning drinkers around the world discovering the quality and provenance that Irish whiskeys have to offer.”
Master Distiller Brian Nation, added: “It is a real honour for me to continue the Midleton Very Rare legacy and to have my name on the label, where Barry’s signature once was. I’m very proud of the 2014 edition, as it offers real complexity with a full taste of sweet spice, vanilla, and cinnamon, which lingers before slowly giving way to notes of barley. I am confident that it will provide whiskey fans around the world with the interesting and enjoyable tasting experience that they have come to expect from Midleton Very Rare over the years – and I look forward to hearing what Barry thinks of it too!”
Another week full of new whiskies announcements. Glenmoranige release their ‘rarest’ whisky to date (and most expensive!), Old Pulteney (2nd week on the chart! ;-)) with Commemorative Bottling and Diageo releases a Kininvie 23 yo 2nd batch (FYI, first one was Taiwan only).
Soon (maybe even next week), we’ll have official release of Bowmore Devils Cask II (AKA Batch 2) and Glendronach Batch 10 single casks (already available for order from The Whisky Shop, (£66 for 2002 vintage up to £152 for 1990 vintage). Phew, quite a lot ah?
Glenmorangie has unveiled what it claims is its rarest, “most exquisite” and most expensive whisky to-date, called Glenmorangie Pride 1978.
The 34-year-old single malt, of which only 700 bottles will be available worldwide, initially started out as a 19-year-old vintage before being extra-matured in French Premier Grand Cru claret casks for an additional 15 years.
After laying down just five casks of the whisky, Dr Bill Lumsden, director of distilling and whisky creation at Glenmorangie, said this was the most the brand’s “most exquisite” edition to-date.
“The resulting liquid is a luxurious burnished copper with rich, decadent and delicious scents of chestnut, toffee and cherries,” he said.
“I believe this is my most exquisite expression yet, one that will be savoured by whisky enthusiasts across the globe.”
Artist Idris Khan has created a limited edition piece of artwork, entitled ‘Disappearing Casks’, to accompany each purchase of Glenmorangie Pride 1978.
“I am absolutely delighted to work with Glenmorangie,” said Khan. “When visiting the distillery in Tain I was immediately mesmerised.
“The vision of the casks has stayed with me and provided inspiration for ‘Disappearing Casks’. I was born the same year that the casks were laid down and it feels very fitting that I am helping to tell its story.”
Bottled at 47.4% abv Glenmorangie Pride 1978 carries an RRP of £3,400 and will be available from Glenmorangie’s online shop as well as from specialist retailers and department stores.
Kininvie is a unique single malt distillery founded on 6 copper stills nestled in the Conval hills of Dufftown, Speyside.
First opened in July 1990, it has taken three decades of quiet, patient and devoted care to get to this point . A treasured secret known until now by only a few, Kininvie is at peak perfection – and now the first house malt is ready for release in the UK.
The brand new Kininvie 23 year old has been made in small batches, every bottle will be individually numbered and housed in 35cl bottles. Each batch number and year of distillation will appear on the label. This scarce 1990 UK release contains malt whisky from the very first distillation, matured in a mix of American hogsheads (80%) and sherry casks (20%).
Official Tasting notes:
Nose: Rich and vibrant aroma with ripe, fleshy fruit notes overlaid with creamy vanilla toffee sweetness. A more subtle floral, leafy summer blossom note develops over time.
Palate: Beautifully soft and mellow with a luxurious silky texture. The rich vanilla oakiness resulting from 23 years of maturation gives an incredible depth of flavour and sweetness. Woody spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are layered with zesty citrus and candied orange peel.
Finish: Enduringly sweet.
The bottle is available for £97 at The Whisky Shop
OLD PULTENEY CELEBRATES THE HOMECOMING OF ITS CLIPPER YACHT WITH A COMMEMORATIVE BOTTLING
This week Old Pulteney – The Maritime Malt – celebrates the completion of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2014 by the crew of brave men and women on board a yacht named after the iconic Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The race started eleven months ago and saw the Old Pulteney rose of winds carried proudly to France, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Singapore, China, United States of America, Panama, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, The Netherlands and back to the starting point in London, UK. The brand’s involvement in this classic feat of sea adventuring is a natural continuation of the long and rich maritime heritage of the town of Wick on the Caithness Coast in the Northern Highlands of Scotland, where Pulteney Distillery was built in 1826 and where it produces its multi-award-winning Scotch whisky until this day.
The staff and management at Pulteney Distillery took the opportunity to thank all the crew members and the Skipper Partick van der Zijden for their tremendous effort and for representing Old Pulteney all around the world this past year. The Old Pulteney crew have shown rare determination and courage and successfully completed the race despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Margaret Mary Clarke, the Old Pulteney Global Brand Manager, said:
“As a whisky built on its maritime history and connections, it has been an enormous thrill to be part of the Clipper 2013-14 Round the World Race and to have witnessed the ‘Old Pulteney’ speed from port to port over the past year.”
Old Pulteney Clipper Commemorative Bottling
To mark the occasion Old Pulteney will release a special commemorative bottling of its whisky. Old Pulteney Clipper will be made available in July 2014 at select retailers world-wide. The limited release will feature a Clipper Round the World Yacht Race -themed packaging and the whisky itself will be a classic expression of Old Pulteney, matured in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. The whisky will be presented at its natural colour, non chill-filtered and at a premium strength of 46% ABV. Only 2,700 cases of this rare bottling will ever be released and the recommended retail price in the UK is £50.
The appearance of the whisky is that of polished gold. On the nose the sweetness of dried fruits and crispiness of green apples is accompanied by notes of fresh vanilla and white chocolate. On the palate waves of honey and orange zest, a rounded oaky structure and an unmistakable coastal note set this fresh and elegant Old Pulteney apart. The finish is smooth and long-lasting.
Maritime Malt
The heritage of Old Pulteney Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is closely interwoven with that of the port town of Wick. Once a thriving herring fishing port where as many as one thousand vessels could crowd the harbour in the fishing season, Wick was famously reported to produce ‘barrels of silver’ (salted herring) and ‘barrels of gold’ (single malt whisky). Set up to quench the thirst of a busy port, the distillery soon became recognised for producing one of the finest spirits in the world. And even though the fishing industry in Wick is well past its prime, traditional production methods, a wealth of experience and the coastal location which lends a distinctly maritime character to the whisky, keep Old Pulteney firmly in the whisky lover’s spotlight.
Whisky Gospel 