SINGLE MALT WHISKY DISTILLING RETURNS TO EDINBURGH CITY CENTRE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST 100 YEARS

Holyrood Distillery opens its doors and welcomes visitors to the first operational single malt distillery in the capital since 1925 

Tuesday 30 July is a historic date for Edinburgh and the Scotch whisky industry as Holyrood Distillery opens its doors to bring single malt whisky distilling back to the centre of the capital for the first time in almost 100 years.

This morning, founder Rob Carpenter and his team gathered to unveil their distillery and welcome the very first visitors for one of their daily guided tour experiences.

Holyrood Distillery, which cost £6.7m and has created around 30 jobs, is the first operational single malt distillery in central Edinburgh since 1925 when The Edinburgh Distillery (aka Glen Sciennes) closed.

The distillery, which also produces a range of gins and gin liqueurs, offers daily guided tours  throughout the year and is set to become a major visitor attraction in Edinburgh for both tourists and locals. Bookings for Holyrood’s range of daily guided distillery tours, all of which focus on exploring flavour, are now open via its website at https://www.holyrooddistillery.co.uk/tours/ with tickets for adults starting at £14.

Located on the edge of Holyrood Park and close to popular Edinburgh Festival Fringe venues The Pleasance and George Square, the new distillery is within easy walking distance of the city’s main attractions, including The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It is also a short walk or bus ride from Waverley Station.

Until today, the nearest malt whisky distillery has been Glenkinchie, which sits around 15 miles away from the city centre. Now visitors can, for the first time in 94 years, explore a working whisky distillery in the heart of the city.

The distillery, which has been built in a 3-storey Class B Listed former railway goods shed dating back to 1831, will focus on the creation of maximum flavour in all the spirits it produces. Using innovative production approaches, such as a complex combination of yeasts and a unique selection of different types and styles of malted barley, it will initially produce four core flavours of whisky – smoky; sweet; spicy; and fruity/floral.

Spirit production will be handled by distillery manager Jack Mayo, previously of The Glasgow Distillery, alongside distillers Ollie Salvesen and Elizabeth Machin. The whisky is distilled using two exceptionally tall stills – at 7m tall, they are the tallest stills in Scotland in proportion to their volume.

Holyrood Distillery is the notion of Canadian Rob Carpenter who, in 2013, first had the idea for a distillery and visitor experience in central Edinburgh. Rob, who founded the Canadian branch of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society together with his wife Kelly, has brought his vision to life in partnership with co-founder David Robertson, who has 25 years’ experience in the industry.

To fund the project, Carpenter and his team raised £5.8m of investment. This included a £1.5m investment from the Scottish Investment Bank, the largest single investor, and investments from about 60 private individuals from around the world.

Holyrood Distillery’s founder Rob Carpenter said: “After all the hard work of the team, it’s a really special moment to now see Holyrood Distillery open, and we’re looking forward to creating a range of delicious whiskies, gins, liqueurs and other spirits.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to this project throughout its evolution for their hard work and passion – and especially all our local neighbours for bearing with us during the construction process.

“This distillery is open to everyone, whether you’re a local resident or you’re just visiting the city for a day. We’ve worked hard to create a series of tours that are both fun and informative so they appeal to a wide range of visitors, from connoisseurs of whisky and gin to those who are simply curious to learn more about these spirits for the first time. Our guides are very excited to get started so please come by and visit us.”

Kerry Sharp, director of the Scottish Investment Bank, said: “I’m pleased that our investment has supported the development, by an outstanding team, of this new distillery and visitor experience in Scotland’s capital.

“Tourism supports more than 30,000 jobs in Edinburgh, with more than £1m per day being spent on food and drink – and Holyrood Distillery is a fantastic addition to both these sectors. We look forward to working more with the team going forward, helping them to maximise the full potential of the attraction.”

Further information:

Holyrood Distillery, 19 St Leonard’s Lane, Edinburgh EH8 9SH. 0131 285 8977

Holyrooddistillery.co.uk

Twitter @Holyroodwhisky

Facebook @Holyrooddistillery

Instagram @Holyrooddistillery

Notes:

Holyrood Distillery

• Holyrood Distillery is the first single malt whisky distillery in the heart of Edinburgh for almost 100 years. The last working distillery in the capital was Andrew Usher’s Edinburgh Distillery (aka Glen Sciennes) which closed in 1925
• The distillery project cost approximately £6.7m, backed by £5.8m fundraising
• The build took a year and the distillery is housed in a Class B listed building built in 1831 as part of one of the first railways in the UK

• Holyrood Distillery will focus on innovation and the creation of robust flavours through different production approaches, initially focusing on four flavour profiles:

• Smoky
• Fruity / Floral
• Sweet
• Spicy

• The team’s three distillers are Dr Jack Mayo, distillery manager; Ollie Salvesen, Distiller; Elizabeth Machin, Distiller
• Holyrood Distillery was founded by Canadian couple, Rob and Kelly Carpenter and Scot, David Robertson. Rob co-founded the Canadian branch of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society with wife Kelly, while David has 25 years’ experience in the industry with The Macallan and The Dalmore as well as co-founding Rare Whisky 101
• As well as distilling single malt whisky, Holyrood Distillery produces award-winning gins and liqueurs on its specially designed gin still
• The distillery, which is located in the heart of Edinburgh, features a visitor centre and shop. Tours and tasting experiences will run daily throughout the year

Scottish Investment Bank

The Scottish Investment Bank (SIB) is the investment arm of Scotland’s national economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise, operating Scotland-wide in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). SIB’s activities support Scotland’s SME funding market to ensure businesses with growth and export potential have adequate access to growth capital and loan funding.

The season of the wood

What a collection we have for this month with some very interesting drams from across Scotland and one from our friends in Sweden

This is the authentic collection release, bringing in the finest Single Cask whiskies, exclusive to our Cadenhead shops. Here in London shop, we have a wide selection of single cask authentic collection, not to forget about our versatile small batch range as well.

We have added an additional online page since the last newsletter!

The VAULT – a place with odd bottles from past collections or those running low from current releases might be sent off to the vault. You will also find a few never released bottles suddenly appear in the Vault, so keep an eye on that page for you never know what will happen.

Check out the vault here

Throughout the ages whisky has been matured in different sizes and types of casks. Historically the most prominent cask type has been used wine casks, such as sherry and port. Wine as a whole is an ancient and revered drink that comes in many forms of flavour and texture. Some wines are sweet, crips and clear, whereas some deliver a lot more dryer notes.

All these features of wine have an influence on the wood and eventually the whisky that matures inside the cask. Sherry and port casks often give delicious tones of darker stewed fruits, chocolate cake and raisins.

Then there are other lighter wines, which marry the flavours of whisky with berries and cream – sometimes reminding us of strawberry yoghurt. For some, these kind of wines serve also as dessert whiskies, due to their sweeter elements.

Despite the fact that majority of modern whisky is matured inside used Bourbon casks, as a choice of maturation, they are a newer option. Used Bourbon casks commonly bring whiskies flavours of vanilla, toffee and other sweets, leaving a thick and tasteful texture in the mouth. Partially the oiliness of the palate comes from the charring process of the casks, which opens up the wood and lets the oils flow freely inside it.

In this release, we are celebrating the diversity of the wood finishes and the great stories they bring to us in a form of a whisky. You get to explore various selection of Sherry and Wine, which are wonderful options during the summer time. Then again, the ex-Bourbon cask matured ones still remind you of why some of the best whiskies in the market like to use the American cousin’s craft of flavours and texture, bringing in some of the finest drams in this wonderful season. Distillery focus this month has to be Aultmore, as we have at the moment – an interesting range of casks, each one different to the next.

The Distillery was established in 1896 by Alexandra Edward who also had Craigallachie distillery, luckily the distillery went from strength to strength. As the years passed by the quality of the distillate was recognised as being one of the finest.

By 1923 the distillery was in the hands of John Dewar & Sons before Dewars joins the Distillers Company.

Production was doubled in the early 1970’s with a steady growth in place. The distillery was in a good position in the 1990’s and was snapped by a larger company, which extended the range of vintages on the open market.

Aultmore-Glenlivet 12yo (2006) 56.4%: Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Menthol. Very creamy, Choux pastry and banoffee Pie.

Taste: butterscotch, ground almonds, soft lime and then some autumnal forest notes and dried apple crisps.

Finish: Light and fruity with faint ginger and orange bitters.

Balmenach-Glenlivet 14yo (2004) 49.7%: Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Soft brown sugar, marshmallows, french fancies, and a little ginger ale.

Taste: Liquorice, iron – bru sweets, orange popping candy, and brown bread toast.

Finish: Hints of Calvados, chocolate orange and eucalyptus.

Benrinnes 18yo (2000) 58.7%: Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Geraniums, quite earthy with cherry cola and a faint whiff of antiseptic cream.

Taste: Rye bread, creamy with dunnage warehouse and then some peach skins and overripe pears.

Finish: Mixture of spice, earthy notes and then big juicy fruits.

Cameronbridge 30yo (1989) 57.9%: Single Grain Scotch Whisky

Nose: Mace, mustard seeds and Chinese five spice over lay – brandy snaps and golden syrup.

Taste: Full on toffee and candy floss with faint spice. Banana splits and pineapple chunks in syrup.

Finish: Softwood spice, macaroons, and caramelized onions

Dalmore 2001 18 years old 51.7% Sherry Highland Single Malt

Nose: Rich chocolate orange, touch of wood spice, then stewed fruits, pecan pie and butterscotch sauce.

Palate: Smoked almonds, orange liqueur and bramble jam. Profiteroles and Oloroso with a hint of dark rum.

Finish: Big and chewy, goes back and forth between orange peel, cream sponge, blackcurrants and pistachio nuts.

Fettercairn 11yo (2007) 57.6% Single Malt Whisky from Highlands

Nose: Milk chocolate, sponge cake and lemon curd. Green olives and pecans.

Taste: Spiced apple chutney, lemon meringue pie and hints of cranberries and greek yoghurt.

Finish: Toasted pine-nuts, marshmallows and custard creams with a touch of eucalyptus.

Girvan 9yo (2009) 61.4%: Pinot Noir (Since 2017) Single Grain Scotch Whisky

Nose: Raspberry jam mixed with spiced caramel. Slight earthy notes and then golden syrup and fruit pudding.

Taste: Rich, full bodied wine notes initially dominate before the spice and cream of the grain shines through, raspberry milkshake and digestive biscuits

Finish: Vanilla ice cream with strawberry sauce with a little spice thrown into the mix.

Glenrothes-Glenlivet 21yo (1997) 57.1%: Sherry Butt Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Thick sherry nose, raisins, figs and soft brown sugar. Some distant ash notes and then redcurrant jelly.

Taste: Big mouthfeel, soft spices with dry sherry notes. Melted chocolate, jelly sweets and freshly peeled ginger.

Finish: Growing toffee notes, mixing with raspberries and brambles along with whole cinnamon sticks and ground nutmeg.

Glen Spey-Glenlivet 17yo (2001) 54.5% Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Cinnamon buns, apple strudel and dried fruits with a hint of lemongrass and dandelions.

Taste: Creamy and nutty, nougat, salted peanuts and the some mint notes and dry white wine.

Finish: Lemony with hints of flint and basil.

Glen Scotia 27yo (1992) 45.0% Single Malt Whisky from Campbeltown.

Nose: oily and sooty. Some poached pear notes along with marzipan and new leather.

Taste: Sweet and fruity with a dirty sooty side. Wet ash with mango and lychee with a dollop of cream thrown in for good measure.

Finish: Long, olive oil and wet ash with effervescent fruity outbursts. Take your time with this one its worth it.

Glentauchers-Glenlivet 12yo (2007) 59.3%Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Vanilla cream sponge, spearmint and a hint of rosemary.

Taste: Very creamy but with satsuma notes, dried bananas, toffee sweets, and strawberry yogurt.

Finish: Long and creamy with intermingling fruits.

Mackmyra 11yo (2007) 49.5%: Small Barrel Single Malt Swedish Whisky from World whiskey range.

Nose: Lemon, creamy notes with a touch of raw spices. Sandalwood and cigar boxes. Touch of parma ham and then a slightly chalky lemon note.

Taste: Cedar-wood, gooseberry jelly, quince and then a faint trace of wood smoke.

Finish: A Long interplay between wood spice and double cream.

Ord 14yo (2005) 54.8% Single Malt Whisky from the Highlands

Nose: Salmon pate and cream cheese. Lemon bonbons and toasted almonds.

Taste: Shortbread, dried cranberries, honeycomb, and melted white chocolate.

Finish: Soft earth notes hide behind a big dollop of clotted cream and then some red berries

Tomatin 10yo (2009) 59.1%: Chilean Red Wine (Since August 2017)Single Malt Whisky from the Highlands

Nose: Dark fruits and a hint of granite. rhubarb and custard, tapenade and icing sugar.

Taste: Thick red fruits wrapped around a creamy centre. Orange marmalade with salted butter and strawberry liqueur chocolates.

Finish: Rhubarb plants, almonds, walnuts and then some apricot jam. Tomatin wine cask (2)

Springbank 24yo (1994) 50.8% Refill Bourbon cask – Campbeltown Tasting Notes

Nose: Syrupy and musty, dunnage warehouse with apricots, nectarines and pear drops.

Taste: Initially light smoke, then kiwi and lime mixed with mango, pink peppercorn, soot and olive oil. Peaches and cream with a hint of peat.

Finish: Long lingering mouth coating syrupy fruits. Becomes oiler with hints of creosote but always remaining fresh.

Hope you like the selection this month with a wide variety of woods and vintages for you to ponder over not an easy choice to make for some.

Next month we will be digging into some small batch whiskies just before the Bank holiday.

Until then have a great month.
From all at the Cadenheads London shop.

Cadenheads Whisky Shop & Tasting Room
26 Chiltern Street, London, W1U 7QFT

A Limited-Production Collectible from an Esteemed Producer
Fukano 10 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Cask Japanese Whisky (750ml) ($99.99)
“This is easily one of the most delicious Japanese Whiskies on the shelf right now.”
—David Othenin-Girard, K&L SoCal Spirits Buyer

It has been years since we’ve been able to offer an exclusive cask of Japanese whisky with this kind of age statement, and what a whisky it is! The very pinnacle of elegance and refinement, this 10 Year Old glides effortlessly across the palate, revealing a cascade of citrus, orchard fruit, vanilla, ginger, and so much more. Most often we see 7-year-old renditions and they are absolutely captivating, but this 10 Year Old takes things to an entirely new level. As the tasting notes below will attest, the Fukano is not short on personality, offering a drinking experience that’s as engaging as it is hedonistically satisfying. Perhaps what is most remarkable (apart from its scarcity) is how youthful the spirit comes across even at 10 years of aging. Lively and vivacious, it is destined to become the go-to dram for many. This barrel produced a scant 216 bottles, so there isn’t a lot to go around. Don’t miss out on this rare treat from one of the most respected and esteemed distillers in Japan.

Fukano 10 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Cask Japanese Whisky (750ml) ($99.99)

This exceptional single barrel from the premier producer of malted rice whisky in Japan reaches new levels of elegance. Aged for ten long years in toasted brandy puncheons, the oak still takes a backseat to this exceptionally smooth and fruit forward spirit. Nonetheless, we’re reaching the upper limits of what we’ve experienced in terms of aging this type of spirit and it retains plenty of texture without exhibiting any overt rice or sake flavors. Instead, expect complex aromatics with a strong citrus and subtle vanilla quality. Hints of white rose, acacia, citrus oil, and mint. On the palate, it’s very round and soft, discarding the youthfulness on the nose for some gorgeous exotic spice and marmalade notes. Definitely one of the most interesting of the rice whiskies we’ve yet come across. We’re very happy to see older age statements starting to creep their way out of this idiosyncratic distillery

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 11, 2019

We’ve had several casks of Fukano in the past. The style is usually very restrained and elegant with more subtlety than intensity. But, most of those casks were bottled around 7 years old. It’s incredible what 3 additional years in barrel does to this unusual spirit. Gone are the light floral and rice-y aromas. They’re replaced by dense orchard fruit, a sweet concentrated perfume of tropical nectars, clean green aromas of mint, sorrel, and anise. The whisky explodes onto the tongue with creamy citrus, cake frosting, brioche, and subtle oak spice. Some of the haters denigrate these products for being rice distillates. But, I contend that even the most jaded critic would be hard pressed to argue with the pure joy that is captured in the bottle. Yes, it may not be whisky in Japan but it’s whisky here and it tastes FANTASTIC. Don’t have a closed mind because this is easily one of the most delicious Japanese Whiskies on the shelf right now. One of only 216 bottles.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 26, 2019

Stunning aromatics. Sweet, floral, fruity, spicy, a splash of umami. You’d never expect rice whisky to gain so much complexity, but here it is. The real advantage the rice seems to enjoy is a silky texture after just 10 years – certainly ancient by the standards of what we’ve seen so far in the category. I feel we’ve just begun to plumb the depths of what rice distillate has to offer and with each incredible bottling I get more excited to explore further.

Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 21, 2019

What a bright and fragrant nose – this is zippy. Granny Smith apple and coconut battle it out with fresh orange, lemon zest, and yuzu peel. Sandalwood and floral elements emerge and tickle the nostrils. On the palate, the first thing that stands out is the textural experience: it seems so light and thin on the tongue, but then the whisky somehow attaches with waxy grip. Dark honey, lilac, and more apple flavors emerge with a little oak spice. Herbal notes of mint and licorice assert themselves on the mid-palate offering dark and cooling notes temporarily. The finish is warming, friendly, and creamy with more honeyed sweetness and moderate oak spice.

Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 11, 2019

Fukano once again proves that rice-based distillates can achieve flavors and concentration just as pronounced and delectable as their malted barley counterparts. The oak provides tremendous texture, but the flavors are balanced and sweet. Ample butterscotch, aromatic vanilla, candied citrus, and summer flowers all humbly but firmly vie for attention. The finish boasts honey and chamomile but with a spicy ginger element that offsets the sweetness perfectly. Whether a seasoned whisky afficionado or a casual newcomer, this bottle is sure to satisfy most anyone’s palate.

Keith Mabry | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 11, 2019

I am a huge fan of Japanese Whiskies but few are as distinct as the selection from Fukano. Sure, it’s rice based which may throw some people off. But, this has a lovely elegance on the palate that has tropical fruit notes of papaya, dried mango, and a hint of coconut. A light caramelization of said fruit gives it a long finish. This is one of the best whiskies I have tasted from this producer!

Jackson Lee | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 09, 2019

Never have I had a whiskey that reminded me so much of a candy I used to eat as a kid. Growing up, my grandmother always had pieces of Chan Pui Mui (preserved plum candy) in her purse with which to bribe me. Something about the sweet, salty, sour “candy” really did it for me and this dram reflects a lot of those flavors. On the nose there’s peach pit, sherry, and brown sugar and they all combine to create that preserved plum candy aroma and even more so on the palate. This whiskey has a light body but plenty of depth and is not too hot. Again, this tasted like my liquid childhood candy dreams. This is definitely one of the best rice whiskies I’ve encountered, tasting more like whisky and less like sake. I wanted a little more out of the finish but it did leave with a nice baking spice note that seemed to stick to my tongue like a magnet and a soft nougat-y sweetness.

NEW PRODUCTS

Since Billy Walker and his team acquired the GlenAllachie Distillery they have set about revealing this hidden gem of a whisky to single malt lovers around the world.  It’s a fruity Speysider that Master Distiller Billy has woven his magic on by selecting just the right casks to put together not only an award winning core range but also some very special limited editions, including the rather interesting new Wood Finishes that have recently arrived with us.  See below for more details and check them all out online.

GLENALLACHIE WOOD FINISH SINGLE MALT WHISKIES For GlenAllachie’s first Wood Finish releases Billy Walker has chosen an interesting selection of ages and cask types.  There is an 8 year old Koval Rye finish, a 10 year old Port finish, and a 12 year old PX sherry finish.  They are all limited releases so don’t hang about if you want to try one (or more!) of these!

Buy Online: From £52.99    

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 269: Glentauchers 10 Year Old 2006 Asta Morris

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, sips a young Glentauchers. Mark has heard people pronounce the name of this distillery in many different ways, but apparently ‘Glen-toch-ers’ is the only correct one. It was founded near Keith, in the heart of Speyside, in 1897 by James Buchanan, the man who would become world famous for his Black & White blend. Currently owned by Chivas, they use it for their own blends as well as Ballantine’s (together with Glenburgie and Miltonduff). It is obvious that Bert has a soft spot for this kind of malt, for this is already the fourth single cask that he releases from this distillery.

https://youtu.be/_plVgsxv7LY

Maclean brothers on a whisky challenge over the Atlantic

Three brothers plan to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic launch their boat in Loch Lomond. Lachlan, 21, Ewan, 27, and Jamie MacLean, 25, from Edinburgh, will take part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in December, rowing from the Canary Islands to the West Indies. First they plan to row to the distilleries of Scotland’s west coast, collecting whisky to raise money for charity. From August 3-10 they’ll be rowing around the west coast, including Arran, Islay and Jura, Talisker etc, dad’s [Charlie] contacts in the whisky industry will come in handy, they’re all donating a couple of bottles or a case or two. At the end of the row Charlie will blend all of the whiskies together and they’ll sit in a cask, then auction the whole lot off and for charity. Well you can add our name to the list who will buy bottles!

Charlie is well known to us here and we wish the boys all the very best for their challenge. Charlie; “I’m very, very proud of them and terrified in equal measure, I’m almost losing sleep about it, but I think they are so positive and it’s been an incredible learning curve.” They have raised more than £50,000 to buy their rowboat with help from sponsors including the James Dyson Foundation, Nairn’s Oatcakes and Glasgow University. In total, the brothers hope to raise £250,000 for their chosen charities through the ocean crossing; Children 1st and Feedback Madagascar. The race is expected to last for more than a month and contestants expect to face 40ft waves and the risk of capsizing.

SCOTLAND’S NATIONAL CHILDREN’S CHARITY exist to prevent abuse and neglect, to protect children and keep them safe from harm. Together we can help children in Scotland live in safe, loving families and build strong communities. We help survivors of abuse, trauma and other adversity to recover and we work tirelessly to protect the rights of children in Scotland. https://www.children1st.org.uk

https://www.feedbackmadagascar.net Feedback Madagascar contributes to sustainable development goals by exploiting the many connections between primary needs and long-term conservation.

This only makes me even more proud of my surname; Paul McLean, Perth 2019

A personal blether from Paul McLean. http://whiskytours.scot/

It’s high summer and the Far North is, as the poet Neil Gunn famously described it, “the land of exquisite light” – it’s daylight almost round the clock in fact. Wolfburn is in its annual maintenance period, when all the equipment is stripped and serviced and cleaned, which has given us a wee breather and time to put together this edition of the Laydown.

The first half of 2019 has seen our whisky – and indeed the Distillery as a whole – win a series of hugely prestigious awards from competitions all around the world. Full details of the awards can be found here and a list of forthcoming shows and exhibitions we’re attending can be found  here .

It’s over six-and-a-half years since Wolfburn went into production (time flies when you’re having fun!) and the constant production cycle has taken its toll on the equipment, so we’re sprucing up the stills and while we’re in a constructive frame of mind, we’re also installing a proper shop. Read all about the distillery’s improvements here.

Collectors of our limited releases will be happy to learn that after a relatively quiet first half of the year, there will be several new bottlings in the coming weeks. Wolfburn’s Summer edition (only available to visitors at the distillery) will be released any day now, and it will be closely followed by the long-anticipated fifth instalment in the Kylver series. Read more on Kylver#5 here.

In the meantime we’ll be doing a special release for the forthcoming Mey Games, consisting of just 200 bottles. The whisky has been matured for a shade over five years in an ex-bourbon quarter cask and is a real treat. Anyone not able to attend the Mey Games (3rd August) has a chance to win a bottle here!

Last Autumn saw Wolfburn’s first charity release, which raised almost £10,000 for PoppyScotland. After the success of the fundraising and the wonderful reception given to the whisky, we’ve decided to do another charity bottle this autumn, in aid of Help For Heroes . Full details will be announced next month.

In the meantime we will sign off with this rather lovely proverb: “What whisky will not cure, there is no cure for!”

Slàinte!
The Wolfburn Team

We can’t believe there’s only 2 weeks left until our festival on Saturday 17th August!

To mark the occasion, we’ve bottled a very special limited release – our Summer Festival Single Malt Whisky. This single malt is our first port cask release, and has rich flavours of oak spice, red fruits and dark chocolate. It will be available for purchase exclusively to festival ticket holders on the day, and we only have a small amount available.

If you’d like to get your hands on a bottle, be sure to buy tickets to our festival soon as they are selling very fast!

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

What a month it’s been for awards! In the space of just four weeks, we have received six incredible results.

The IWSC results were up next, and this time it was our Single Malt Whisky and Founder’s Choice Single Malt Whisky which struck gold!

Last but certainly not least, the Great Taste results came out this week, and we’re thrilled to announce that our cask strength Founder’s Choice was the only English whisky to receive 3 stars. Our flagship Single Malt and Dry Gin also came away with 2 stars. Well done to our passionate and talented distillers, we couldn’t be more pleased with these results!

We are very proud of our distillery’s beautiful location here in the North Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. To help you enjoy your visit even more, we’ve worked with the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens to design a series of circular walks of varying degrees of difficulty, all departing from our visitor centre. Over the next few weeks we will be producing route maps which will be available online and in our visitor centre so you can go for a ramble whenever you please!

The Taste of Islay

Ah the beautiful Isle of Islay. Whilst she’s only 239 miles squared, as of 2019 there are no less than nine distilleries on the island. And these aren’t just any old distilleries, these are known the world over for producing some of Scotland’s finest whiskies.

Have a wee nip of some of our favourites.

Kilchoman 2006
£395.00

Buy Now

Kilchoman Twin Pack
2x20cl
£54.00

Buy Now

Bunnahabhain Elements 39 Year Old
£11,995.00

Buy Now

Octomore 10 Year Old Dialogos
£160.00

Buy Now

Laphroaig 20 Year Old
Platinum Old & Rare
£415.00

Buy Now

Saturday, August 10th 11AM-6PM:

World Whiskies: Penderyn, Kilchoman, and Gouden Carolus with Sam Filmus 

Keeper of the Quaich and guiding light of JVS imports, our friend Sam Filmus returns to The Whisky Shop with a selection of world class single malts. Islay distillery Kilchoman, Penderyn Welsh Whiskey, and Belgium’s Gouden Carolus will be featured at this tasting.

Pourlist to be revealed as event approaches – RSVP to stay up to date.

Click Here to RSVP