Hamish’s Highlights:
New Darkness range!

Here are some tasty new additions to The Darkness range of sherried drams – from PX finished Port Charlotte, to Oloroso finished Ardbeg. Sherry bomb lovers: have a gander at this spectacular line-up!

New Releases at Loch Fyne →

Cragganmore 25 Year Old Authors’ Series Description

ralfy review 933 Extras – Information on quality of casks (Part 2/3)

ralfy review 934 Extras – Information on quality of casks (Part3/3)

MORRISON SCOTCH WHISKY DISTILLERS  

EXPAND THEIR MAC-TALLA RANGE  

Mac-Talla Red Wine Barriques is the first limited edition release from the range 

Friday 1st July 2022, Aberargie, Scotland– Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers have announced the first limited edition release under their Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky brand, Mac-Talla.

Mac-Talla Red Wine Barriques has been fully matured in oak casks from the Bordeaux region of France. You can expect notes of juicy red fruits with cacao and summer berries, with its sweet and exquisite fruity smokiness bringing a new dimension to the Mac-Talla range.

Twenty-four handpicked oak casks were previously home to prestigious wines, marrying Islay’s untamed smoky nature with the refined fruitiness and opulence of Bordeaux wines.

Niel Hendriksz, Sales Director at Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers said:‘Islay is synonymous with peat and smoke, however through maturation in exceptional wood you can develop different styles and interpretations of that classic Islay smoke. Full maturation in Red Wine Barriques has resulted in an elegant, yet powerful dram with great balance of fruit and smoke.’

This new release from Mac-Talla further demonstrates the diversity of this iconic island, this is the first in a series of limited editions which will feature a range of specially selected cask types and maturation styles, all with exceptional liquid quality.

Limited to 7200 bottles Mac-Talla Red Wine Barriques is non-chill filtered with no color added to optimise flavor and will be available in key markets from early July 2022.

Tasting Notes 

Mac-Talla Red Wine Barriques – 53.8% ABV

RSP £68

Colour:Crimson

Nose:Summer berries with a herbal note and a hint of dry smoke

Taste:Juicy red fruits with cacao and a big waft of smoke

ABOUT MAC-TALLA  

Mac-Talla is a range of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies from the Scottish island of Islay. Created by one of Scotland’s oldest whisky families, it is a journey across this weather-beaten island through the eyes of the Morrison family. Mac-Talla, meaning “echo” in Scottish Gaelic, perfectly reflects the taste journey that the Morrison family take you on as they demonstrate the multiple dimensions that come from this complex, untamed environment.

ABOUT MORRISON SCOTCH WHISKY DISTILLERS 

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, is a family-owned Independent Bottling and Distilling business, with a legacy that spans 5 generations’ experience in the whisky industry. In every whisky released, they are committed to continue to impart the knowledge that has been passed down and with their years of commitment to the industry it gives them access to a wide variety of unique and exceptional casks from pedigree distilleries across Scotland. The company’s core values are run through everything they do and they proudly showcase these underneath each of their bottles reiterating their commitment to Patience, Intuition and Integrity.

For stockist enquiries go to www.mactallawhisky.com

Talisker x Parley: Rewilding the sea with Forests of the Deep

Talisker distillery is not only maritime in character but in location, with every drop of whisky distilled by the sea. It’s not surprising that when it comes to charitable endeavours, the oceans are its focus, and its most recent release dives – literally – into an unseen world that needs our help: marine forests. The whisky to back up the project revitalising them has a fitting name – Talisker 44 Year Old: Forests of the Deep.

Talisker: Made by the Sea

Talisker is very proud of its connection to the oceans. Every bottle proclaims that it is ‘made by the sea’ on the label and if you stride off through the distillery car park with a little too much vigour, then you will very quickly get wet feet – Talisker really is a distillery on the sea shore, looking over Loch Harport, a sea loch that cuts deep into Skye’s western coast.

Over the years, Talisker has worked with a variety of different groups on conservation projects, focusing on the sea, and while its latest may start close to home, it reaches far from Skye, to South Africa and The Great African Sea Forest.

The importance of Kelp

Kelp is an essential part of the ecosystem of the oceans. Vast forests grow in the shallows around the world, absorbing carbon dioxide, regulating water acidity and providing a habitat for everything from microbes to sharks. They also, thanks to their location near coasts, help us – they are a buffer against stormy water and stop coastal erosion, as well as often being a nutritious source of food. Without kelp, the sea would be a much quieter and less healthy place.

However, the forests are increasingly threatened by our actions. Overfishing, marine pollution and climate change are all chipping away at the balance of the kelp forests, and they are rapidly disappearing.

Talisker x Parley

Parley for the Oceans – Parley for short – is a group dedicated to ocean conservation. They bring together a wide range of people to come up with and work on ideas to help the sea. With everyone from artists, writers and musicians to scientists, engineers, architects and politicians on board, the group look at things differently and try to create innovative solutions to the problems facing the ocean.

Talisker is rightly proud of its collaboration with Parley, which began with the first in its current – as yet unnamed – series of whiskies: Talisker 43 Year Old Xpedition Oak.

Learn more about Talisker 43 year Old Xpedition Oak >

That project brought attention to the kelp around Skye and the achievements of those who take part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, this new project moved the focus to South Africa.

The Great African Sea Forest

Starting off the shore of Cape Town in South Africa and stretching more than 1000km north into Namibian waters, The Great African Sea Forest is a hidden wonder of the natural world. A dense kelp jungle, it provides a home for hundreds of species and protects the coast from storm surges, all while helping keep the ocean healthy.

However, not all is well in The Forest, and Parley, with support from Talisker, led a trip to Cape Town to investigate and document the current state of the kelp. The mission yacht not only contained a team of scientists and filmmakers, but also a stack of wooden cask staves that headed back to Scotland at the end of the expedition.

Talisker 44 Year Old: Forests of the Deep

Continuing the ideas of the Xpedition Oak – where staves were rowed around the route of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge – this new Parley project uses the staves that came back from Cape Town. Taking things a step further, they were toasted using sustainably farmed Scottish kelp and shavings from the staves, before being assembled into 10 ‘marine-charred’ casks that were then used to finish a very special Talisker for a few months before bottling.

The whisky in question was a 44-year-old Talisker, the oldest whisky ever released by the distillery.

FInd out more about Talisker 44 Year Old: Forests of the Deep >

Nose: Brine and brown sugar, with classic Talisker black pepper underneath. Rich shiitake mushroom, rich loam and bundled twigs are balanced by sweet mint fondant. Wood smoke rolls through followed by singed seaweed and roasted meat. Dark treacle toffee notes sit at the bottom, built on with layers of marzipan and polished oak. A touch of water brings out sweet victoria-sponge cake.

Palate: Butter and singed toast lead, with the classic salt and pepper coarsely ground over the top. Brown sugar and toffee come though, followed by wispy wood smoke. Stewed apples with a dusting of spice are joined by freshly cut oak and wax-polished boards. Stroopwaffel sweetness develops, balanced by singed pears and mulching leaves. Water doubles down on the fruit, revealing more apples and pears and a touch of red berry.

Finish: Black pepper, salted caramel, barrel char and polished oak – a classic Talisker finish.

Comment: It tastes how you would expect old Talisker to taste – still very much a maritime dram, but tempered by years in wood to give a calmed take on the distillery’s salt, pepper and crashing wave character. It might just be the power of suggestion, but the savoury edge of the whisky does bring to mind the tastes and smell of kelp, both fresh and and smoking on a fire – a dark, leathery and richly smoky character that appears here well-balanced against the whisky’s sweeter side. A worthy cause and appropriately special whisky.

There are just 1,997 bottles of Talisker 44 Year Old: Forests of the Deep available worldwide. There are more details available on The Whisky Exchange website.

You can learn more about the Talisker x Parley Rewild our Seas project on their website.

Staff Choice 001 – Craig

This is the first staff choice/pick/recommendation that we are going to run very two weeks on a Sunday. This first week, Craig has chosen the brand new release, AD/ from Ardnamurchan Distillery. He has a soft spot for this distillery, that’s for certain. The make up for this release is 65% ex bourbon barrels from Kentucky and 35% ex sherry casks, Oloroso and PX, from Jerez.

If you follow Ardnamurchan and their stories on Social Media, you’ll see they are just back from visiting Laura & Jose Antonio Zarzana Spínola, tasting wines, sherries and brandy at their Pedro Xímenez Bodega. Ardnamurchan have been using Spínola PX casks since 2017, the spirit of Ardnamurchan lends itself extremely well to all the casks they have chosen.

If you are pondering your next whisky purchase, definitely look at the AD/ Release.

Order Now >>

Brand new price drop!

Browse our sale section for the latest bargain drams – how about the latest in the Fettercairn Warehouse 2 series down to jus £48? Grab yourself a steal today, because once they’re gone, they’re gone!

🔥 Free delivery over £75 🔥

View the Price Drop →

https://youtu.be/Gdd6c5qMaLU

Where to begin…

I knew I would open this on a big occasion, and it hasn’t disappointed on any level whatsoever.

I had the joy of trying this a few years ago and, even at that time, I said to myself – ‘I’m buying this and opening it when I turn 30.’ I like being a man of my word and I stuck to it.

Wading through emails making sure it was the right bottle code and batch, and now it’s in the glass and smelling like every wonderful, exotic fruit imaginable with lashings of creme caramel, vanilla custard, malty biscuits and clensing note of menthol and blackberry.

This is a very special whisky to me and I hope that you all have a product like this, something that just makes you remember how incredible some whiskies just are. How they seem to change in aroma and flavour, minute by minute.

Whisky is a hot topic and there’s so much to choose form, but when it comes to bottles like this. Save them for those big days, because if you already know how good they are, it makes the situation even better than you could imagine.

ICONIC JAMESON 18 YEARS REVEALS LIQUID AND PACKAGING EVOLUTION 

Jameson, the world’s favourite and most awarded Irish whiskey[1], has unveiled a new liquid and packaging evolution for its iconic Jameson 18 Years.

Jameson 18 Years’ exceptionally balanced blend of distillates, matured in hand selected American and European oak barrels for a minimum of 18 years, is one of Jameson’s most awarded whiskeys. The much loved whiskey has undergone an important evolution including a sustainable packaging revamp and a higher ABV liquid.

Putting sustainability at the forefront, Jameson 18 Years will now be presented in new, lightweight packaging with the original box redesigned as fully recyclable cardboard complete with foiled accents.

The packaging redesign aligns to Irish Distillers’ and Pernod Ricard’s broader sustainability commitments by focusing on minimising waste at every step by fostering and applying a circular mindset across the business.

Alongside the new and lighter weight packaging update, Master Distiller, Kevin O’Gorman and his team have introduced a significant change to the celebrated Jameson 18 Years whiskey.

Kevin O’Gorman explains: “Made from a selection of some of our oldest and most precious distillates, which are then married and finished in first fill American bourbon barrels for a minimum of 6 months, Jameson 18 Years is already an exceptional whiskey in terms of quality.

“And to truly allow the complexity of this whiskey to shine, we have increased the ABV from 40% to 46% and removed the need for chill filtration. This modification helps to concentrate the signature flavours found in Jameson 18 Years balancing Jameson’s characteristic smoothness with the depth of the whiskey in its natural state.”

In addition, the new packaging will feature a scannable QR code which will direct Jameson fans to a virtual guided tasting hosted by the Master Distiller, Kevin O’Gorman.

Brendan Buckley, Global Marketing Director at Irish Distillers commented: “At Irish Distillers we are committed to reducing our environmental impact. We understand that our packaging plays an important role in the protection and in the delivery of the overall experience of our whiskey, but it is also one of the most carbon-intensive activities in the value chain when you take into consideration the manufacturing process, transportation, and its lifecycle.

“Over the past number of years, we as a business have been successful in devising and implementing new ways of reducing the environmental impact of our packaging through redesign and experimentation with new materials all of which is reflected in the updated Jameson 18 Years packaging. We will continue to innovate to minimise our environmental impact and preserve our natural resources by reusing, reimagining, recycling and reducing, adopting a truly circular mindset.”

The new look Jameson 18 Years will be rolled out globally in high-end, specialist off-trade and leading on-trade outlets over the coming months for an RRP of €200 (70cl).

Tasting Notes  

Nose: Aromatic oils with a touch of wood and spicy toffee.

Taste: Wonderfully mellow and smooth, with rich and complex flavours of toffee, spice and hints of wood and leather along with a gentle sherry nuttiness and vanilla.

Finish: A long lingering finish carries the theme of the wood, spice and toffee right through to the end.

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers is Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines, and producer of some of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey. Jameson is the world’s bestselling Irish whiskey, experiencing 30 years of consecutive growth up to 2019 and hitting sales of 8.6m cases in 2021. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets.

Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. Since 2012, we have invested over €400 million to double our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.

We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin.

About Pernod Ricard 

Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of €8,824 million in FY21. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard’s brands are distributed across 160+ markets and by its own salesforce in 73 markets. The Group’s decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of “Créateurs de Convivialité.” As reaffirmed by the Group’s three-year strategic plan, “Transform and Accelerate,” deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard’s strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “We bring good times from a good place.” In recognition of Pernod Ricard’s strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in the beverage sector in Vigeo Eiris. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation’s Global Compact LEAD company.

Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index

[1] Jameson is the world’s bestselling (IWSR 2020) and most awarded Irish whiskey based on the tasting results of the six most influential tasting competitions over the past ten years (2011-2021), including The Irish Whiskey Masters, IWSC, ISC, Beverage Testing Institute, San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Ultimate Spirits Challenge.