It’s that time of the month again, our 135th auction is now live with over 7000 fantastic bottles to choose from.  To save you some time we’ve picked out a few great bottles to highlight so without further ado…..

Macallan The Archival Series Folio 1-6 6 x 70cl

The Archival Folio Series from Macallan has been going from strength to strength in the secondary market of late.  This is your chance to snap up the full collection so far in one fell swoop.  With rumours abound of the Folio 7’s imminent release this is the time to get involved in this terrific set of releases.

Laphroaig 1980 27 Year Old Friends of Laphroaig Edition

A really fantastic dram this one from Islay heavyweights Laphroaig.  What better way to complement their notoriously smoky spirit than with the finest European oak Oloroso sherry casks.  One of only 94 bottles this an incredibly rare expression, bottled for the Friends of Laphroaig way back in 2007.

Linkwood 1956 60 Year Old Cask #20 Private Collection Gordon & MacPhail

If well-aged drams are your thing then look no further.  This gorgeous sherry bomb has spent 6 whole decades maturing in oak, which has imparted it with a deep dark colour.  Presented in an elegant decanter within a beautifully crafted bespoke display box this a is piece of unashamed luxury you won’t want to miss.

Macallan 1940 Rinaldi Import 75cl

Finally, we have a rather special Macallan 1940 Rinaldi Import 75cl. This truly stunning whisky was brought to the Italian market by famed Italian importers Rinaldi and is an excellent example of older style Macallan.  Only sold once previously through our auctions this is an incredibly rare expression which is sure to generate considerable interest amongst our discerning bidders.

I think we can all agree these are some fantastic expressions, but fear not if your wallet doesn’t agree because we have a marvelous range of drams to suit every pocket.  Happy bidding everyone and best of luck in the auction!

Whisky Magazine issue #186

We’re excited to announce that our latest issue is out now, so make sure you don’t miss out!

Our cover star for this issue is Lisa Truscott, senior distiller at Archie Rose distillery. She was Australia’s youngest female chief distiller during her tenure at Old Kempton, an impressive feat that signaled the start of a promising career. Named one of the three Distillers of the Year at the 2022 Australian Whisky Awards, Truscott is now an integral part of Archie Rose distillery. This issue explores Truscott’s talents in evolving Archie Rose, and helping the distillery connect to whisky enthusiasts on a global level.

Make sure you don’t miss out!

Subscribe to Whisky Magazine

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The third outrun of 2022 is here!

Our third outrun for 2022 contains 8 single casks from Lady of the Glen and a new batch of our small batch blended malt, St Bridget’s Kirk.

We’re very proud of this selection of whiskies, selected from the finest casks there is something for everyone. We’ve got an excellent Longmorn form a first fill Ex-Bourbon barrel, a distillery first for Lady of the Glen. There is also an outstanding peated Glenturret with an Ex-Amarone wine cask finish and a very limited 30 year old North British.

All releases were bottled at our site in Dalgety Bay by hand.

If the bottle you want is sold out don’t worry as we have sent orders to various independent shops and traders across the UK!

Outrun 3 2022

There are 8 casks in this outrun and a new batch of St Bridget’s Kirk,
you can check them all out on our shop here.

ralfy review 943 – Edradour 10yo @ 40%vol:

For the First Time Ever, The Glenturret Announces a 50 Years Old Release

The first decanter of this highly limited, 50 Years Old expression, will be auctioned off by Sotheby’s as part of their ‘Whisky in Lalique’ auction

Crieff, 30 Aug 2022 – The Glenturret, Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery, is proud to be releasing a spectacular 50 Years Old whisky, for the first time ever. As a distillery that is celebrated for specialising in small-batch, hand crafted whiskies, The Glenturret is known to have a genuinely scarce volume of whisky available, making this expression a greatly coveted release for any serious collector.

This historic new expression is being produced in an edition of just 150 bottles and will retail for £40,000. Housed in a striking, black crystal decanter produced by luxury French crystal house, Lalique, the exterior truly does the liquid within justice; black crystal – the rarest and most expensive crystal as it is the most difficult to produce, mirroring the craftsmanship and skill that went into producing such an extraordinary whisky. Designed by Marc Larminaux, Artistic and Creative Director at Lalique, barley is the inspiration for the decanter, represented through a tactile smooth and frosted finish on the motif, hand carved into the crystal by Lalique Craftsmen at its sole factory in Alsace which celebrates 100 years this year.

To mark this ultra-limited aged whisky being made available by The Glenturret, Sotheby’s will be auctioning off decanter number 1 of 150 during their Whisky in Lalique auction – the first whisky auction in history to exclusively offer Scotch in Lalique – running from 30th of August – 9th September. The high estimate lot price for this unparalleled bottle has been valued at £60,000 and comes in a bespoke black case with mother of pearl inlays.

This first decanter is the only one to be offered with a unique artwork, devised in collaboration with Method Studio who commissioned Scottish artist Matthew Draper for the project. Edinburgh based Draper works with his hands and his heart, responding emotionally to the landscape; instinctivelycommunicating the interplay between light, water, and land. On this occasion, the artwork titled ‘Loch Turret’ depicts the ancient freshwater Loch Turret that provides The Glenturret Distillery with the water that will become its whisky. This beautiful, one-off collector’s item has been created from pigments and inks that have been harvested by charring and burning the 50 Years Old cask staves – a variation on an ancient ink-making technique based on tannic reaction that is a nod to the values of provenance, prowess, and passion, which The Glenturret places at the heart of its whisky making.

The whisky was drawn from a singular remaining cask which was filled in 1972; it has spent the last five decades maturing in a refill Sherry cask which gives the whisky a beautiful antique oak colour.

Speaking about the release of the 50 Years Old, The Glenturret’s Managing Director, John Laurie, said, “We are so excited to be releasing a 50 Years Old expression for the first time ever. But to do it in partnership with the extraordinary creative talents, Lalique, Method and Matthew Draper, whose values both mirror our own philosophy when it comes to craftsmanship and the importance of making things by hand, is just incredible. The result is a rare and unique collector’s piece, and the work that has gone into this project really does justice to the remarkable liquid that can be found inside.”

Adding to that, Johnny Fowle, Sotheby’s Head of Whisky & Spirts North America and EMEA said, “This 50 year old whisky from The Glenturret represents so much more than just the depth of history at this distillery. It is an opportunity to be the first to collect The Glenturret’s rarest bottles and the only opportunity to acquire the accompanying art piece made from the barrel itself. Glenturret has, thanks in no small part to both Bob Dalgarno and Mark Donald, quickly become the gastronomic centre of Scotland over the last year, and it is a real pleasure for Sotheby’s to be part of this landmark moment on their journey.”

The Glenturret 50 Years Old will be available online at www.theglenturret.com from 12th September 2022.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Antique oak
Nose: Sweet aromatic candy forms an ever-present background to hints of fresh apple and warm honeycomb.
Palate: subtle green oak, syrup sponge, dates and dried prunes lightly coat the mouth, a slight touch of aniseed. Gently aging oak reflects the 5 decades maturing in cask.

40.0%vol. Cask strength. Natural colour

About The Glenturret

Crafted at Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery since 1763 entirely by hand in exclusive small batches, The Glenturret single malt is defined by its outstanding quality and exquisite taste. Located in the ‘Hosh’, Crieff, surrounded by the beautiful Perthshire countryside, The Glenturret offers daily distillery tours, whisky flights at the Lalique Bar, a dedicated retail store including an exclusive Lalique Boutique, and The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant, the distillery’s Michelin Star unique dining experience.

www.theglenturret.com / @theglenturretwhisky

About Lalique

Founded in 1888 by renowned and avant-garde artist René Lalique, Lalique is one of the crown jewels of France’s crystal glass houses. Lalique is a symbol of unique know-how and craftmanship, a lifestyle luxury brand with an immediately recognisable style. Lalique enriches our everyday lives, bringing artistic style to singular creations in six areas: decorative items, interior design, perfumes, jewellery, works of art and hospitality. The brand enters into exclusive collaborations with talented artists, designers and other luxury brands to create stunning objects and collections based on both partners’ know-how and expertise. Since 1922, all pieces are handcrafted in the house’s sole manufacturing site, located in the Alsace region in France. For more information, please visit www.lalique.com / @lalique

Let’s celebrate our shared love of whisky with this new collection of casks!

 WORM SILK

CASK NO. 48.143

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  9 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Typically full of character and textural richness. This one is also wonderfully expressive with subtle fruits, herbal notes and heady flowers.”

MEXICAN MIXED PEBBLES

CASK NO. 10.229

CASK TYPE:  2nd fill ex-bourbon hogshead

AGE:  12 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Oily & coastal

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Morning coffee listening to the waves on the pebble beach before we had granola with smoked oats, chocolate and Mexican style melon balls.”

THE SWEET KISS OF LEATHER SPLINTERS

CASK NO. 105.40

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  2nd fill heavy toast, medium char hogshead

AGE:  8 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Juicy, oak & vanilla

BOTTLE NOTE:  “A sense of caramelized barley, rich natural sweetness, breads, beers and many tertiary complexities abound in this hugely satisfying dram.”

AN ITALIAN GRAPE CAKE

CASK NO. 36.185

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  1st fill Sauternes barrique

AGE:  18 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Sweet, fruity & mellow

BOTTLE NOTE:  “We baked Torta Bertolina with a very small, very sweet and very aromatic grape variety from the Lombardy and we drank a Mirabelle plum brandy.”

DOURO CRUISE

CASK N0. N/A

CASK TYPES:  1st fill ex-port pipes and 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrels

AGE:  10 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Deep, rich & dried fruits

BOTTLE NOTE:  “This wonderfully ruby red small batch is a celebration of sweet complexity.”

THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM

CASK N0. 44.149

INITAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  2nd fill Oloroso hogshead

AGE:  14 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Deep, rich & dried fruits

BOTTLE NOTE:  “A perfectly balanced interplay of leathery, classical oloroso sherry character with bold, assertive, waxy, superbly oily worm tub distillate.”

COASTAL CONVOLUTIONS

CASK NO. 42.75

CASK TYPE:  Refill ex-bourbon hogshead

AGE:  14 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Peated

BOTTLE NOTE:  “A robust and hearty run around the shoreline and the farmyard. Many surprise aspects such as sweetness and fruit where they shouldn’t be.”

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada
Suite 160
104 – 1240 Kensington Road NW
Calgary, AB  T2N 3P7
403-969-8225
curious@smws.ca
www.smws.ca

Ballantine’s Finest Moxxi’s Bar Edition Borderlands

Blended Scotch Whisky

70cl / 40%

£22.95

A collaboration between Ballantine’s and Gearbox Entertainment’s Borderlands franchise, one of the most popular first-person shooter games in the world. This limited-edition Ballantine’s Finest champions Borderlands’ Mad Moxxi, a bold and daring non-playable character who owns a bar on Pandora – one of the planets in Borderlands. The striking label features Moxxi herself and embodies her colourful style, as well as a QR code that gives fans of the game access to exclusive gameplay skins.

Royal Brackla 18 Year Old

https://youtu.be/qj1NgYtQq9Q

I’ve never had a falling out with rye whisky, I’ve always enjoyed it, but it’s something I tend to forget about in the world of American whiskies.

Willet is a distillery that I also haven’t paid that much attention to, much to my discredit. Having gone through several ownership changes and historical speed bumps, the distillery has been producing its own bourbon and rye whiskies for a few years now.

This 4YO release blew my mind away the first time I tried it. It had all the hallmarks of a well made rye spirit with heavenly helpings of butterscotch and fresh mint alongside each other.

Is it pricey? Yes, for a young, cask strength spirit, it does have a price tag of just under £100 a bottle. But it isn’t that different in price to younger Scottish, Irish and definitely English whiskies. And it’s on the shelf, I can physically buy it without needing to chase auction houses and retailer. This is a quality spirit from a very exciting distillery.

FETTERCAIRN’S WAREHOUSE COLLECTION UNVEILS 4^TH RELEASE

The experimental series explores Fettercairn’s distinctive tropical house style born from the unique copper cooling ring distillation

Warehouse Collection has been crafted by pioneering Whisky Maker Gregg Glass

Batch No.004 born in Warehouse 2 delivers cracked pepper on the nose, and sweet Hungarian Oak on the palate

Fettercairn Distillery has announced the much anticipated fourth release of its hugely popular and sought-after Warehouse Collection, created by Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass to celebrate the hidden gems within its 14 dunnage warehouses and to showcase a commitment to truly innovative and progressive maturation.

Distilled in 2014, Fettercairn Warehouse 2 Batch No. 004 has been matured in handpicked first fill ex-Bourbon barrels, alongside re-charred Hungarian wine oak casks. This unconventional selection of casks was selected from the treasure trove of aging stock in Warehouse 2, where high humidity combined with a relatively cool and temperate environment make its mark on the maturing spirit and tropical house style.

Natural golden honey in colour, non-chill filtered and bottled at 48.8% ABV to intentionally amplify the flavours of the maturation journey, this definitive character begins on the nose with Madagascan vanilla, poached pears and cracked pepper, leading to flavours of toffee, honey and rich nuttiness.  With a vibrant yet elegant balance of honey dew melon, passion fruit, burnished citrus and sweet oak wood, this is a surprisingly tropical treat with soft spice for added depth.

Born in Warehouse 2, a personal favourite of Gregg Glass, Batch No.004 was matured in a unique environment – humid, cool and temperate – which allowed the whisky maker to enhance specific aspects of Fettercairn’s tropical character and balance the influence of each cask.

The Warehouse Collection celebrates the unconventional approach to whisky making pioneered by Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass and the whisky making community at this unique distillery:

“At Fettercairn we have had an opportunity to take a different perspective on whisky making.  The ingenuity of our unique copper cooling ring produces a brilliant and tropical new make spirit.

“Each warehouse is unique too, which allows myself – as whisky maker – to play with the influence on the whisky as it matures.

“Our Warehouse Collection offers a window into the unconventional approach that we take here at Fettercairn. In many ways we are still exploring different aspects of Fettercairn’s tropical distillery character. Each experiment we lay down plays with the balance of nature, nurture and the character of each unique warehouse. Batch No.004 is a one-off expression that showcases Fettercairn in a new, unexpected way, which we hope will delight admirers of our distillery”.

Fettercairn Warehouse 2 Batch No.004 will be available at an RSP of £60 in key global markets including  the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France from September.

Discover Fettercairn :  Rare, Pure & Enlightened

Tasting notes

Nose: Notes of Madagascan vanilla, poached pears and cracked pepper

Taste: Toffee, honey and rich nuttiness. Vibrant yet elegant balance of honey dew melon, passion fruit, burnished citrus and sweet oak wood.

www.fettercairnwhisky.com

Facebook @fettercairnwhisky

Instagram @fettercairnwhisky

Twitter @FettercairnWh

About Fettercairn

Driven by an enlightened ethos at the heart of our distilling philosophy since 1824, today Fettercairn Distillery lives by a long-standing commitment to unfettered thinking.

We’re not like other distilleries and we’ve never been afraid to tread our own path.  It’s only by defying convention, tradition and expectation, we can adopt an enlightened and progressive approach.

Take our cooling ring, our home grown Scottish oak and single estate whiskies, the special collaboration with 200 local farmers, the Warehouse 2 Collection. And not forgetting the unicorn on our bottle!

Our vision is future facing, so we don’t need to look back to move forward.  But ultimately, all of this leads to an unwavering commitment to a prosperous and sustainable future for whisky making.

We are Fettercairn; the home of enlightened whisky making. 

www.fettercairnwhisky.com

About Gregg Glass- Master Whisky Maker

Respected whisky maker Gregg Glass joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016, where he has been a leading light in the rejuvenation of Fettercairn alongside Distillery Manager Stewart Walker.

Gregg enjoyed a childhood in the heart of whisky making country, the Black Isle. With 22 years in industry notably 11 years at innovative whisky maker Compass Box, Gregg joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016 to work alongside renowned Master Distiller Mr Richard Paterson OBE.

Gregg has enjoyed 15 years career as a blender and whisky maker. At Whyte and Mackay Gregg has led whisky development for Fettercairn Single Malt Whisky, Jura Single Malt Whisky and in 2017 launched Whisky Works – an independent innovation wing of Whyte and Mackay.

Gregg is devoted to his craft and believes in flavour-led hands-on whisky making. Gregg is passionately involved in every aspect of the whisky making process from ‘acorn to glass’ and since 2020 leads whisky making across the Whyte and Mackay portfolio. 

Award-Winning Whisky Makers Whyte and Mackay

Whyte and Mackay is home to a collection of multi-award-winning Single Malt Whiskies including The Dalmore, Jura and Fettercairn. With a premium spirits portfolio that includes contemporary whisky brands Shackleton, Woodsman and John Barr, alongside popular alcohol brands Wildcat, Fundador and Harveys Bristol Cream and Aperitivo. In the UK the company produce Whyte & Mackay, an award-winning ever-popular Blended Whisky, which recently launched the market-leading ‘Whyte & Mackay Light’ – a lighter spirit drink from Scotland, bottled at a lower ABV.

In 2020 the company were publicly recognised by the First Minister of Scotland for their support of the national pandemic response. Whyte and Mackay are official partners to SAMH – Scottish Association for Mental Health, which saw Whyte and Mackay employees worldwide complete a virtual-race-around-the-world to raise awareness for the charity.

Founded in Glasgow 1844, the whisky makers celebrated their 175 year anniversary in 2019. Today Whyte and Mackay have offices from New York to Singapore. In Scotland, Whyte and Mackay operate a state-of-the-art Bottling Hall and Distribution Centre in Grangemouth and a Whisky Production and Warehousing Centre in Invergordon.

Whyte and Mackay’s whisky making is led by Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE and pioneering Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass.