Category Archives: News

News & PR: Burn Stewart unveils two new bottlings for Deanston and Ledaig

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BurnsStewartLogoBurn Stewart unveils two new bottlings
for Deanston and Ledaig

Ledaig 18yrs_large (2)Burn Stewart Distillers has today announced the introduction of two new expressions – Deanston 18 Year Old and Ledaig 18 Year Old – both permanent additions to the range for each of the brands.

Both additions have been crafted by Master Blender, Ian MacMillan, using traditional methods. Like all of the malts in the Burn Stewart portfolio, Deanston 18 YO and Ledaig 18YO are unchill-filtered, ensuring that more of the whisky’s natural aroma, flavour and texture remain in the bottle, delivering a deeper taste.

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News & PR: Ledaig releases 1972 vintage malt to the market

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ledaig

Ledaig releases 1972 vintage malt to the market

Ledaig 42YO bottle onlyBurn Stewart Distillers has released a rare, one off malt to key international markets – Ledaig 42YO, a robust, smoky malt whisky with a rich and distinct history.

Named Dùsgadh, meaning ‘awakening’ in Scot’s Gaelic, reflecting the long, dormant period of maturation, this is the rarest and oldest Ledaig ever released and the next 40YO Ledaig single malt won’t be available until 2036.

The story of handcrafted Ledaig 42YO begins on the Isle of Mull at the Tobermory Distillery, the only distillery on the mystic island and amongst the oldest commercial distilleries in Scotland. The malt’s old world charm reflects the brand’s spirit to do things the traditional way, by hand.
In a rare feat of master blending, this Single Malt Scotch Whisky has retained all of its deep, peaty intensity, which is almost unheard of for an expression of this age. Throughout its four decade history, the Scottish landscapes and climates to which Ledaig 42YO has been exposed, have strengthened the malt’s distinctly rich and smoky flavour.

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News & PR: Glenturret Distillery releases online exclusive single cask bottling

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GLENTURRET DISTILLERY RELEASES ONLINE EXCLUSIVE SINGLE CASK BOTTLING

Exciting opportunity to purchase a bottle from the best cask of 1986

TheGlenturretSingleCaskGlenturret Distillery has released a rare 28 year old single cask malt whisky, described as the best cask that has ever been released by Scotland’s oldest working distillery. Approximately 240 bottles of The Brock Malloy Edition #Cask 328 (70cl, bottled at cask-strength) will be available to buy online.

The History behind the Cask:

On the 16th December 1986, two local stillmen, Hugh Malloy and Chic Brock delicately filled Cask 328 and skilfully warehoused the precious container to mature in the silence of the stunning hills of Perthshire, where it has remained for the past 28 years. Although stillmen came and went, the cask required no repair work in its 28 years and when Neil Cameron, the current Distillery Manager, tasted its contents he described it as the best cask laid down from that year. This attention and care from skilled hands resulted in notes of walnuts with oranges and a hint of jasmine to the nose, with spicy ginger and honeycomb to the palate.
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News & PR: Scapa Distillery opens its doors to the public

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SCAPA DISTILLERY OPENS ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME

Scapa Distillery Opens its Doors to the Public for the First TimeScapa, the artisanal Orcadian single malt Scotch whisky owned by Chivas Brothers, has today unveiled its first-ever distillery visitor centre as it seeks to educate malt connoisseurs about its unique production process, provenance and quality. The opening marks the first occasion that Scapa facilities have been accessible to the public in its 130-year history.
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Review: Six recent Wemyss Malts releases reviewed

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wemyss-malts-large

February and March saw two sets of single cask releases from Wemyss Malts, a bumper crop which includes two bottlings at cask strength.

[expand title=”Click here to see information about the bottings”]

February Release…
“Kirsch Gateau” 1988 single cask from Bunnahabhain Distilery, Islay, Cask Strength
“Cacao Geyser” 1998 single cask from Bowmore Distillery, Islay
“Snuffed Candle” 1999 singe cask from Aberfeldy Distillery, Highlands
“Dark Treacle Fondant” 2002 single cask from Craigellachie Distillery, Speyside
“Honeysuckle Bower” 1995 single cask from Linkwood Distillery, Speyside
“Caribbean Crème” 1988 single cask from Invergordon Distillery, grain

March Release…
“The Rockpool” 1995 single cask from Bowmore Distilery, Islay, Cask Strength
“Foraged Fruit Fool” 1991 single cask from Blair Athol Distillery, Highlands
“Toffee Tuile” 1999 singe cask from Aberfeldy Distillery, Highlands
“Kumquat Cluster” 1993 single cask from Glenrothes Distillery, Speyside
“Stem Ginger Preserve” 1995 single cask from Mortlach Distillery, Speyside
“Rhubarb Royale” 2001 single cask from Benrinnes Distillery, Speyside[/expand]
 

I’ve been lucky enough to able to review six of the recent releases, so without further ado, let’s take a look at my thoughts…

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News & PR: Redbreast Unveils Its First All Sherry Matured Whiskey

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Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard has announced the launch of Redbreast Mano a Lámh, the first expression in the Redbreast range to be matured solely in ex-oloroso sherry butts. This special whiskey is the latest release from the Midleton Distillery as it aims to satisfy the increasing global demand for new and original Single Pot Still Irish whiskeys.

Redbreast-Mano-a-Lamh-BottleMano a Lámh, meaning ‘hand in hand’ in Spanish and Gaelic respectively, represents the relationship and passion between the Midleton Distillery and the collective of artisans in Spain, which has crafted the distillery’s sherry butts for more than 20 years.

Specially commissioned for the Midleton Distillery, oak is felled in the forests of Galicia, north-west Spain, and then crafted and seasoned by some of the country’s most prestigious family businesses. The Antonio Páez Lobato Bodega in the South crafts the oak into casks, which are then seasoned with Oloroso sherry for two years at the prestigious Páez Morilla Bodega in the nearby sherry capital of the world, Jerez.

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News & PR: Talisker launches new whisky, Talisker Skye

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TALISKER™ LAUNCHES NEW WHISKY TO CELEBRATE
THE WILD BEAUTY OF ITS HOME, THE ISLE OF SKYE

TaliskerSkyeBottleTALISKER SKYE is the newest release from the distillery on the Isle of Skye. Crafted to reflect the rugged, wild beauty of the Isle of Skye, the new whisky pays homage to the island’s majestic landscape and coastline.

Capturing the essence of Skye in a bottle, the liquid has been made from a combination of hand selected toasted and refill American oak casks, carefully chosen by Talisker’s master blenders to accentuate the sweet, citrus notes of Talisker, whilst retaining the distillery’s unmistakable character. The result is a Talisker expression that opens with welcoming, smoky sweet notes, developing into deep maritime flavours and culminating in a powerful, spicy conclusion.

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News / PR: BenRiach Launches 10 Years Old Single Malt

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BenRiach+10+Years+Old+2New core range expression marks a significant milestone for the Elgin distillery

This release is a momentous high point for the award-winning Elgin distillery as the whisky is the first core range expression to be produced predominantly from spirit distilled under The BenRiach Distillery Company’s eleven-year ownership.

Managing Director Billy Walker and his South African partners Wayne Kieswetter and Geoff Bell acquired BenRiach from Chivas Brothers in April 2004.

Bottled at 43% vol, the BenRiach 10 Years Old is Classic Speyside in character. The cask formula focuses on ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks – exactly the types of wood we favour at BenRiach. This fresh, lively, fruit-laden single malt captures warm oak spices, green apple, dried apricots, peach and banana with subtle touches of aniseed, lemon zest and barley.

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Head to Head Review: Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve vs. Glenlivet 12yo

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The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve with CartonLet’s start with the news… Glenlivet has launched a new whisky into its core range called ‘Founder’s Reserve’ (not to be muddled up with one it had before called the same thing, but was very expensive).

It’s a no age statement whisky that (it’s suggested) is more fruity and creamy. It’s somewhat of a tinkering with the standard recipe, not really a direct head to head replacement for the 12 year old, rather something slightly different / newer. The 12yo will continue to be sold in some markets, but in the UK it’s being withdrawn from sale, so for the regular person in the street it looks like a direct replacement. It’s around the same price (if not slightly more it seems)… and with no age statement to it, it brings with it the regular debate of possibilities of dwindling stocks, whether it’s value for money when you don’t know the age, etc. I have elsewhere suggested it’s a sad move but others have described it positively as a brave step, so when I got sent an official sample I was quite pleased that my comments hadn’t put me out of the reviewing picture.

[Update: I don’t know how long it was withdrawn from the UK market, but it’s back now.]

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News & PR: The Arran Malt Comes of Age – 18 Year Old Released

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Arran18yoBottleSince its founding 20 years ago, the Isle of Arran Distillery has been laying uniquely complex malts down to mature. As the distillery reaches its twentieth birthday, the Arran Malt is coming of age with its first limited edition bottling of the Arran 18 Year Old Single Malt.

This latest edition is the final bottling in a trilogy of 16, 17 and 18 year-old Arran Malts which have been released in the count down to this landmark bottling. Bottled at 46%, it is distilled without chill-filtration or artificial colouring for a pure yet complex palate.

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