Let Scotch whisky take you to a new world of flavour

It’s time Scotch whisky got reacquainted with its distant cousin: beer. Because despite their obvious differences, these two drinks come from the same family, and get on like a house on fire. Curious to discover more? Then join us for our next Adventure in Deliciousness when we’ll be exploring what happens when you bring these two gregarious characters together.

Ideal for Father’s Day

In June, our founder John Glaser will reveal how three of our whiskies – The Peat Monster, The Spice Tree, and The Story of the Spaniard – strike up fascinating conversations with certain styles of beer. So, whether dad is a fan of the dram or the draught, we’ve got a great gift to satisfy his curiosity. Pick up a gift pack of our Malt Whisky Collection then sign him up for the event. For those in the US, a freshly designed gift pack will be available from early June – new packaging, same award-winning whiskies.

Save the date…

It’s happening on Sunday, June 27th at 8pm BST (12pm PDT / 3pm EDT) and of course, you don’t need to be a dad to join us. Everyone’s welcome! Is there someone in your life who loves a beer and you want to bring them into the delicious world of Scotch whisky? Then be sure to invite them along on the journey.

We look forward to seeing you there!
The Compass Box Team

Welcome to this weeks episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at the newly released French Collection along with three bottlings from the archive!

https://youtu.be/lAF9GaG8YnI

OLDEST CORE RELEASE TO DATE UNVEILED BY

THE GLENALLACHIE

Batch 1 of The GlenAllachie 30-year-old Cask Strength single malt is the latest creation

from world-renowned Master Distiller, Billy Walker

Hot on the heels of winning the World’s Best Single Malt award (World Whiskies Awards, 2021), The GlenAllachie Distillery is launching its oldest and most prestigious core offering yet: The GlenAllachie 30-year-old Cask Strength Batch 1 Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

A brand-new addition to the GlenAllachie’s multi award-winning flagship range, Batch 1 of The GlenAllachie 30-year-old (UK RRSP £475) is the first in a series of annual small-batch releases at this age, with only 2,000 bottles available worldwide.

This first instalment is a marriage of vintage whiskies from nine casks handpicked by acclaimed Master Distiller, Billy Walker, from stocks spanning more than 50,000 casks maturing across 16 on-site warehouses at GlenAllachie.

To create this unique whisky, which is bottled at cask strength of 48.9% ABV, non chill filtered and natural colour, Walker personally selected a combination of 1989 and 1990 vintages matured in former Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso hogsheads and puncheons, along with a small quantity of Chinquapin Virgin Oak casks.

The result of Walker’s superlative blending and wood management expertise is an exceptional whisky that delivers bold sherry-matured sophistication; notes of indulgent mocha, ripe figs and dark chocolate, coupled with classic GlenAllachie honeyed charm.

Commenting on the historic release, Walker, who next year reaches his 50^th year in the industry, said: “When I first explored the warehouses here back in 2017, I was blown away by the quality I discovered. I immediately set out earmarking casks and planning a series of incredibly special releases.

“I always had an ambition to create a memorable 30-year-old expression, presented at natural cask strength, that would truly blow away whisky connoisseurs across the globe. It’s a small-batch single malt that undoubtedly captures everything I’ve learned along the way in my career, and thus is a bottling I’m particularly proud to release.”

The GlenAllachie 30-year-old Cask Strength Batch 1 is available from specialist retailers globally, with a UK RRSP of £475.

ABOUT GLENALLACHIE:

One of Scotland’s few independently owned and managed distilleries, The GlenAllachie is led by industry veteran, Billy Walker, who boasts an almost 50-year tenure in whisky. With an emphasis on wood policy, The GlenAllachie’s cask budget for 2021 stands at an eye-watering £1m/$1.2m. With 16 on-site warehouses holding over 50,000 casks, we have complete control of the end-to-end maturation process.

The GlenAllachie focusses on quality over quantity, which is why we chose to reduce our production capacity from 4m to 500,000 Litres of Alcohol, and increase our fermentation period to 160 hours for an ester rich, fruity spirit.

We believe age and integrity matter, which is why all our whiskies carry an age statement, and are bottled at a minimum of 46% ABV, natural colour and non-chill filtered for maximum flavour experience.

Further information on the distillery and company can be found at www.theglenallachie.com

Facebook – @TheGlenAllachie

Twitter – @TheGlenAllachie

Instagram – @theglenallachie_

TASTING NOTES

The GlenAllachie 30-year-old Cask Strength Batch 1 – 2,000 bottles, 48.9% ABV

• Colour: Rich Mahogany.
• Nose: Fruit cake, raisins and mocha, with honey, cinnamon and coconut.
• Taste: Layers of dark chocolate, fruit cake, raisins, honey and figs, with treacle, orange zest and nutmeg.

TIMOROUS BEASTIE UNLEASHES

“MEET THE BEAST” CASK STRENGTH LIMITED EDITION

Douglas Laing & Co, family firm behind the “Remarkable Regional Malts” Scotch Whisky range, today unleash Timorous Beastie “Meet the Beast”; a limited edition partner to their Highland Malt brand.

Offered at a natural cask strength of 54.9% and matured exclusively in ex-American Bourbon barrels, the spirit is said to be a “massive amplification” of the original.

Packaged in a black bottle with red capsule and premium gift tube, the striking livery features the brand’s trademark mouse character and monochromatic colourways, complemented by flashes of bold red. With tasting notes including “complex oak”, “buttery pastry” and “rich spices”, the team behind Timorous Beastie Meet the Beast say it is “bound to appeal to an adventurous whisky drinker with an appetite for big flavours”.

Cara Laing, Director of Marketing in her family business, said:

“The original Timorous Beastie may look cute and unassuming, but the spirit inside is a seriously credible Highland Malt, offered at high alcohol strength and without colouring or chill-filtration. Our new limited edition “Meet the Beast” is designed to unleash Timorous Beastie’s wild side in line with a repositioning for the core brand, which seeks to enthuse and excite consumers via premium, credible messaging with a feisty edge. It’s true what they say – beware of the quiet ones!”

Timorous Beastie Meet the Beast is expected to retail at £50 and will be available from selected specialist retailers globally from May 2021. Just 3,600 bottles are available.

Tasting notes    

On the nose, expect a burst of sweet vanilla, complex oak and orchard fruits. The beast of a palate delivers wonderful notes of candyfloss, creamy honey and buttery pastry, running to a satisfyingly long finish with spices that go on and on…

ABOUT TIMOROUS BEASTIE

Instagram: @timorousbeastiewhisky

Facebook: /dltimorousbeastie

Established in 2014 by Douglas Laing & Co, Timorous Beastie represents “ultimate distillation of the Highlands” in a small batch marriage of Single Malts distilled at Glengoyne, Glen Garioch, Blair Athol and Strathearn Distilleries, amongst others. The multi award-winning Scotch is distributed in over 50 markets globally and has amassed a loyal following

ABOUT DOUGLAS LAING & CO.

www.douglaslaing.com

Douglas Laing & Co. is a leading independent Scotch Whisky distillery, blender and bottler specialising in the selection and release of Single Cask Single and Small Batch Malt Scotch Whiskies.

The company was founded by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948 and is still owned and run by the Laing family – Fred Laing Jr and his daughter Cara Laing.

The company philosophy is to bottle the way the distiller intended – at a high strength and without chill filtration to preserve the robust and unique character of the Whisky. Douglas Laing’s industry reputation and many awards is testament to this ethos.

Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts, the Ultimate Distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions, encompasses The Epicurean Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky, Timorous Beastie (Highlands), Scallywag (Speyside), The Gauldrons (Campbeltown), Rock Island (Islands) and Big Peat (Islay).

Beyond its Blended Malts expertise, the award-winning Douglas Laing portfolio also includes Provenance, Premier Barrel, Old Particular, Xtra Old Particular and XOP Black, collectively known as the firm’s “Exceptional Single Casks”.

Want to sell your whisky in our next auction? With no sellers fees?

We’re offering a FREE personal courier collection service (UK)  

From Tuesday 8th June, the TWSA team will be on the road on a round trip from London to Glasgow (and everywhere in between!) to pick up your bottles from your doorstep. It can all be carried out contact-free, and we’ll take care of the cost.

At the moment, we’re accepting a minimum of 10 bottles or a minimum value of £1000. Please contact auctions@whiskyshop.com to discuss details.

Want to sell your whisky before June 8th?

We can organise a courier to pick up your bottle(s) free of charge and get you booked in the next available date.

To find out more or book your free collection:

✉️ Email auctions@whiskyshop.com
📞 Phone +44(0)141 427 2950

Please note that our offices are shut on weekends, but we’ll answer your query as soon as we reopen on Monday at 9am.

PRIVATE BALLOT COMING SOON

This ballot for a small number of bottles of Ardbeg 25 Year Old 2021 will run from Friday 28 May until Sunday 30 May 2021. In order to qualify for entry, prospective entrants must have purchased a full-sized bottle of Ardbeg single malt whisky from The Whisky Exchange within the 24 months prior to the ballot opening, and must be signed up to receive our emails.

The deadline for purchase and thus eligibility for entry into the ballot is 23:59 BST on Thursday 27 May 2021.

The cost of each balloted bottle of Ardbeg 25 Year Old 2021 will be £795 including VAT, plus any relevant taxes and shipping costs, and winners of the ballot will be drawn on or after Ardbeg Day, 5 June 2021.

We’re also pleased to announce that we will be selling a small quantity of the limited-edition Ardbeg Scorch (General Release) on The Whisky Exchange website on Tuesday 25 May.

BUY ARDBEG

ABOUT ARDBEG 25 YEAR OLD

Since its purchase and subsequent re-opening by Glenmorangie in 1997, Ardbeg’s stocks of maturing whisky have been growing larger and older. Snapshots of well-aged ‘modern’ Ardbeg have been available from time to time – tantalising glimpses of the heights such spirit can achieve.

The Ardbeg 25 Year Old is one such glimpse. Extremely limited in number, this truly exceptional Islay single malt shows a quality and character we can only hope will become more attainable as Ardbeg’s mature stocks grow. For now though, it remains a rare insight into one of this well-loved distillery’s possible futures.

BUY ARDBEG

Just a very quick note to let you know that our line-up of ‘exhibitors’ for our Festival in a Box 2.0 is coming together nicely! We have the list of these, so far, on the Eventbrite page…

So if you were waiting to find out the contents of the packs themselves before buying, hopefully this will go some way to satisfying your curiosity!

Read on…

This pack and event is gearing up to being our best yet, with over 20 samples included in each pack, plus, plus!

Not forgetting that the live events take place over the Father’s Day weekend and the ‘mini-masterclasses’ go live at the same time. So if you want something truly unique and worthy for your whisky-loving dad, this could be the one…

As promised, here is a list of just a few of the whiskies on ‘show’;

Spey Fumare Cask Strength
Langutan Old Deer 46%
Nikka Miyagikyo
Laphroaig 10yo Sherry Cask
Glen Moray Tokaji Cask
Port Askaig 100 Proof
Waterford Grattansbrook
Pike Creek 10yo Rum Barrel Finish

It is going to be a real smorgasbord of cracking drams from all over the world, with video tastings of all of them available by the time the weekend comes around!

So what is included and what does it cost?

Festival in a Box – Standard Edition £45 (inc. delivery)

– ALL samples of ALL of the exhibitors mini-masterclass whiskies. This will be around two dozen samples of 30ml or more.

– Glencairn tasting glass

– Can of Larkfire Wild Water for Whisky

– Access to ALL festival sessions, whether live or on-demand

BUY NOW – Festival in a Box 2021

There are other editions to accompany the live sessions, as follows. Each one includes EVERYTHING within the Standard Edition, plus…

The BBQ and Cocktail Edition £55 (inc. delivery)

Includes the cocktail ingredients and BBQ rubs you’ll need for the Friday night session. Only 50 packs originally available.

The Blending Edition £55 (inc. delivery)

Includes the blending components you’ll need for the Saturday night session. Only 50 packs originally available.

The Desert Island Drams Edition £55 (inc. delivery)

Includes the special drams you’ll need for the Sunday night session. Only 50 packs originally available. (previously the Desert Island Karaoke Edition)

The Ultimate Edition £95 (inc. delivery)

Includes everything you need to take part in ALL of the above three sessions. Only 20 packs originally available.

Whichever ‘Edition’ you prefer, just hit the button below and select your preference directly in Eventbrite.

BUY NOW – Festival in a Box 2021

Please note that the packs will NOT be sent out until just before the event itself, so please be patient and bear this in mind when ordering! For those of you with tickets for festivals that have been postponed, without a confirmed date re-arranged, you can put the value of your tickets towards one or more of the Festival in a Box packs. Please hit the button below and fill in the pre-fab’d email with your details.

Festival Ticket = Credit towards Festival pack

That’s it for now!

Best Wishes,
Eddie
The Whisky Lounge

ralfy review 877 – Edradour Ballechin single malt @ 46%vol:

THE DUBLINER IRISH WHISKEY COLLABORATES WITH RASCAL’S BREWERY

FOR LIMITED-EDITION BEER CASK SERIES

The Dubliner Irish Whiskey has launched The Dubliner Smoked Stout Whiskey, the first release from the brand’s latest limited-edition collection, The Dubliner Whiskey Beer Cask Edition Series, following a collaboration with one of Ireland’s leading craft brewers, Rascal’s Brewing Company.

The Dubliner Smoked Stout Edition is a whiskey packed with personality and flavour, bottled at 40% ABV. If freshly baked oat cookies, honeyed sweetness and fresh cinnamon spice, followed by big creamy maltiness and subtle toasty smokiness floats your boat, this is one whiskey you’re going to need in your life. 

You’ll need to be quick though -The Dubliner Irish Whiskey Smoked Stout is a limited edition with fewer than 2000 bottles on sale, available to customers in Ireland now online from www.thedld.com for €35.

This latest collaboration saw the award-winning Dubliner Irish Whiskey share their ex-bourbon whiskey casks with fellow Dublin neighbour and independent Irish craft brewer, Rascal’s, with the brewers filling the casks with their high quality, unfiltered and unpasteurised beer.

Following bottling, the casks were returned to the Dubliner team, with each cask refilled with The Dubliner Irish Whiskey, allowing the flavours of the beer, having soaked into the casks, to seep into the three-year-old whiskey, creating a delicious blend that’s set to excite whiskey and beer fans alike.

“We are excited to launch the Dubliner Smoked Stout Irish Whiskey in Ireland. This is the latest in our flavour work on the brand. Dubliner Irish Whiskey is committed to making whiskey accessible for anyone to try. Big on flavour, it is sure to appeal to whiskey and beer drinkers alike.” Bronagh Hunt, Global Brand Director, Irish Whiskeys at Quintessential Brands.

There will be more releases from The Dubliner and Rascal’s in the coming months so keep your eyes peeled for more news soon – top tip: you’ll hear of the latest releases first by following the brand on Instagram so check out The Dubliner Irish Whiskey (@dublinerwhiskey).

ABOUT THE DUBLINER

The Dubliner Irish Whiskey is part of the Dublin Liberties Distillery’s portfolio of Irish whiskeys, majority owned by Quintessential Brands. A young, dynamic distillery team located at The Dublin Liberties Distillery in the Liberties, the old whiskey district of Ireland; opened in February 2019 and considered one of the leading players in reviving Dublin’s local whiskey production. The Dubliner range is available to purchase at www.theDLD.com . 

ABOUT QUINTESSENTIAL BRANDS GROUP

Established in 2011, Quintessential Brands Group is one of the most successful spirits companies to emerge from the UK in the last decade. The company offers a complete range of services and products to its customers across the world; producing and distributing some of the world’s most-loved spirits brands, including Greenall’s, the Original London Dry Gin, Opihr Spiced Gin and BLOOM Gin, as well as developing and producing some of the most commercially successful retailer brands of recent years for trade customers, and co-packing for some of the world’s most well-known spirits brands.

Recognised by the industry as International Spirits Challenge Gin Distiller of the Year five times in the last six years, Quintessential Brands is renowned for its unrivalled gin distilling capabilities heritage dating back to 1761 and is emerging as one of the most dynamic new entrants in the Irish whiskey market with the Dublin Liberties Distillery. With world-class product development and manufacturing at four world-class production sites across Europe and an award-winning premium brand portfolio comprised of English Gins, Irish Whiskeys, Irish Creams and Liqueurs, Quintessential Brands is committed to being the indispensable spirits partner of choice to its customers across the world, with customers and insights at the heart of everything we do.

Headquartered in London, Quintessential Brands Group distributes its brands and services through regional business units and distributors internationally.

For more information, visit the Quintessential Brands website: https://quintessentialbrands.com

KENTUCKY DISTILLERS WELCOME DELAY ON DOUBLING OF E.U. WHISKEY TARIFFS

For Immediate Release – May 17, 2021

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The historic Kentucky Distillers’ Association today applauded the joint U.S. and E.U. decision to delay the doubling of tariffs on Bourbon and American whiskey that were set to automatically increase June 1.

“This is welcome news as distillers in Kentucky and across America were perilously close to a crippling blow on European exports,” KDA President Eric Gregory said. “This gives both sides some breathing room to return to free and fair trade and once again level the playing field for Kentucky’s signature spirit.

“We deeply appreciate the leadership the Biden Administration, Congressmen John Yarmuth and Andy Barr, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and all global leaders who are working to resolve this ongoing trade dispute that has slashed exports and jeopardized the certainty of our largest overseas markets.”

Tariffs imposed on U.S. spirits slashed Kentucky Bourbon exports by 35% in 2020, with shipments to the European Union plummeting by nearly 50%. Sales to the U.K., formerly Kentucky’s largest market in the EU, also have been decimated by 50%.

Distilleries in 36 states exported whiskey in 2020, with Kentucky ranking second behind Tennessee. Total American Whiskey exports reported a similar downturn, declining 29% from 2018 to 2020. U.S. whiskey exports to the EU fell sharply 37% in that time and sank 53% to the U.K.

“We are obviously thrilled that discussions have started and both sides are committed to resolving this issue by the end of the year,” Gregory said. “We look forward to getting back to zero tariffs and what we do best – crafting the finest Bourbon for all the world to enjoy.”

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is the legendary voice for Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from historic, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s landmark economic engine and its thriving, timeless craft. Member benefits include media relations, international trade development, private sampling events, technical assistance, economic development support, networking, legal defense, marketing strategies, governmental and regulatory advocacy and innovative tourism experiences through the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® adventures. A 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, the KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. Learn more at www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com 

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR™, KBT®, BOURBON TRAIL™ and KENTUCKY BOURBON HALL OF FAME® are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. Enjoy Bourbon like a true Kentuckian — Responsibly.