THE REIMAGINATION OF TIME: GLENFIDDICH, CANADA’S FAVOURITE SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

UNVEILS THE RARE AND REMARKABLE TIME SERIES COLLECTION

Glenfiddich, the world’s most awarded single malt scotch whisky, introduces Time Re:Imagined, the ultimate expression of rare 30- and 40-year-old whiskies

TORONTO, ON: Glenfiddich, the world’s most awarded single malt scotch whisky, announces the coveted release of Time Re:Imagined, bringing the ultimate expression of time with the release of two extraordinarily rare, aged single malt scotch whiskies.

The Time Series collection consists of two exquisite aged single malts, matured over decades of 30 and 40 years, each capturing a moment in time through a rich concept, curated experience, and aspirational vessel. These remarkably rare Glenfiddich whiskies have been carefully aged, developing a richness and depth of flavour rarely encountered…

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LAST CHANCE:

Win a rare tasting with

House of Hazelwood

This Christmas, one lucky Whisky Magazine reader will have the rare opportunity to taste the full range of eight old and rare whiskies from House of Hazelwood’s Autumn Release, which is now available to order, and two further readers will be given a taste of the four new Legacy Collection bottlings.

To be in with a chance of winning one of three exclusive tasting packs, simply sign up online to become a House of Hazelwood ‘Keyholder’ using the link below. Part of the bottlers’ inner circle, Keyholders receive benefits including members-only releases, invitations to private events and preferential access to new House of Hazelwood releases.

The deadline for entries is Sunday 11 December 23:59 GMT.
Winners will be notified the following week. 

T&Cs apply.

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The history of ‘single blends’

On a handful of occasions in Scotch whisky history, malt and grain spirits have been produced on the same site. Inspired by House of Hazelwood’s recent release ‘A Singular Blend’, Editor-at-Large Christopher Coates found out more

Single malt and single grain are well known by whisky enthusiasts as the two styles of spirit that come together to make blended Scotch whiskies, which may be household names such as Grant’s or aged rarities like House of Hazelwood’s ‘The Next Chapter’ 50 Years Old. Few and far between, however, are whiskies like House of Hazelwood’s ‘A Singular Blend’ 1963 – a blend of malt and grain whiskies that were both distilled, in copper pots and column stills respectively, at the same Highland location.

During the 20^th century, an increase in demand for blended Scotch whiskies and a desire for logistic efficiency led some whisky companies to move to dual-style model and build malt distilleries within their grain facilities.

In 1966, William Grant & Sons built the Ladyburn malt whisky distillery on the site of its Girvan grain distillery, which began producing grain spirit on Christmas Day 1963. (See: House of Hazelwood’s ‘The First Drop’). By 1975, however, it was decided that Girvan needed to expand and Ladyburn was dismantled to make room, ending malt production at the Ayrshire site for 32 years. However, history has a way of repeating itself. Lowland malt spirit returned to Girvan on 24 September 2007 with the first distillation run at the new Ailsa Bay distillery, Ladyburn’s spiritual successor.

Most of these ‘Russian doll’ malts were never officially bottled as single malt, and rarer still are instances of the so-called ‘single blend’ – whiskies created solely from the malt and grain spirits of a single site. Of this tiny number, only a scant few are known to have been matured to any significant age and, thus, the style has passed by many connoisseurs and collectors without notice.

However, all is not lost. Those who wish to try the oldest known example of this rare style may seek out

House of Hazelwood’s ‘A Singular Blend’1963, a ‘single blend’ produced entirely at one Highland distillery and released as part of the Charles Gordon Collection after an impressive 58 years of ageing. But prospective buyers will have to move fast, as just 74 bottles were made available in Autumn 2022 and only a few remain.

  Read our full article about the fascinating history of single blends online at whiskymag.com

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TASTING THE AUTUMN COLLECTION

One of the latest whiskies to be made available in House of Hazelwood’s Legacy Collection, this blended grain Scotch whisky has been given the name ‘A Breath of Fresh Air’ in recognition of its heady floral character. Reviewed blind by Whisky Magazine’s tasters, it has been awarded the honour of Editor’s Choice in the December 2022 edition (issue #188).

Tasting Notes by Christopher Coates,

Whisky Magazine Editor-at-Large

A Breath of Fresh Air 37 Years Old

ABV: 46.4%

Style: Blended Grain

Country: SCOTLAND

Region: N/A
Price per bottle: £1450

Bottling: Independent

Availability: Online

Nose: Intense dried pineapple, jasmine green tea, lychee, furniture polish, dried rose petals, walnuts, mahogany, muscovado sugar, and Averna amaro. Dark chocolate, anise, tomato skins, sage and subtle menthol. Faint orange blossom water.

Palate: Medium. Dried mango and pineapple pieces, jasmine, Chinese five spice, cinder toffee, Camp Coffee (chicory), lemon meringue pie, caramel chews, apple pie with lots of brown sugar and cinnamon, super-ripe tomato, coffee cream chocolates, and umeshu plum sake.

Finish: Medium-long, on toffee, plum and coffee cream.

Comment: Everything one could want from a really, really old whisky, with not even a hint of an age-related ache or pain. Simply superb.

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A cask trader, a blender, an independent bottler, a whisky warehouseman, an experimenter and an explorer of flavours…  and whisky admirers, regular drammers and cask huggers.

Mortlach 12 Years Old

NOSE: Sultana & raisin, a hint of marzipan, Christmas pudding with sweet maltiness.

PALATE: Salted meat, espresso, dry roasted nut, and winter spices like nutmeg and clove.

FINISH: Oily finish with earthy spices and dark chocolate.

£99.00

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Aberdeen Whisky Shop
474 Union Street, Aberdeen, United Kingdom, AB10 1TS

GIRVAN DISTILLERY 32 Year Old 1989 The Golden Cask Cask #CG011

1989 vintage single bourbon barrel from the Lowland distillery, Invergordon 32 Year Old 1989 vintage LOWLAND single grain Scotch whisky. Single bourbon hogshead #CG011 bottled September 2022 by House of Macduff for the Golden Cask series. 157 numbered bottles.

£167.00

Buy Girvan 32 yo »

Girvan Distillery is a Scottish Lowland grain whisky distillery situated on the Ayrshire coast. It looks out to the island of Ailsa Craig the source of granite from which curling stones are shaped. William Grant and Sons Ltd opened this distillery in 1963 to supply grain whisky to their blends of scotch but with careful maturation in quality casks Girvan is also able to produce excellent single grain whiskies.

The last chance to pick up some Society Christmas gifts will soon be upon us. For those looking for something truly unique and exciting, we’ve just released two NEW world whisky bottlings.

Cask No. 51.22: Shillelagh eau de vie from Northern Ireland is a very rare spirit with us only releasing a small number of bottlings each year from this distillery. This cask has had an interesting journey, an Irish whiskey in a French oak cask, that had been in France maturing Jamaican rum. It’s a super tasty whiskey that is an experience not to be missed.

We’re also delighted to welcome a brand new distillery to the SMWS offering with Cask No. 154.1: Dark cherry Danish pastry this being only the second Danish distillery that we’ve ever bottled from.

It’s five-years-old and has a great maturation story, matured in seven 50 litre Pedro Ximenez casks before the whisky was combined, spending the final ten months in a full-sized PX hogshead.

Keep on scrolling to discover these diverse drams AND don’t miss our wonderful Gathering competition where members around the world can enter to win a trip to Scotland and The Vaults to select the casks we bottle for next year’s festival event.

NEW BOTTLINGS

CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

ralfy review 956 – Glenfiddich 12yo @40%vol: (2022)

Heaven Hill Distillery Announces 2022 Parker’s Heritage Collection Limited Edition Bottling

16^th edition of the annual ultra-premium release is made up of two different ages of Bourbons, one of which has been double barreled, and then masterfully blended together post aging.

BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Heaven Hill Distillery announced today the release of the 16^th edition of the Parker’s Heritage Collection, featuring a Double Barreled Blend Bourbon. The 16^th Edition of the Parker’s Heritage Collection is an allocated product and will be available nationally and internationally in limited quantities at the suggested retail price of $174.99. A portion of the proceeds will continue to support ALS research and patient care in honor of Parker Beam, Master Distiller Emeritus, with more than $1 million contributed across the Parker’s Heritage Collection since 2013.

This edition consists of 67% 13-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that has been double barreled for four weeks and then blended post aging with 33% 15-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The 13-year-old Bourbon, from barrels produced in December 2008, was aged on the 5^th-7^th floors of Rickhouse Q and then re-barreled into new American white oak barrels with a level three char for four weeks. Then, it was later blended with 15-year-old Bourbon from barrels produced in January 2007 aged on the 2^nd and 5^th floors of Rickhouse II. The unique, bold flavor profile is balanced by the double barreled 13-year-old Bourbon, bringing out even more oak and spice notes from the barrel, with the 15-year-old Bourbon rounding out the older aged mouthfeel. At bottling, the liquid was uncut and non-chill filtered to preserve the complex flavors. This edition leads with an oak forward nose and hints of butterscotch and caramel, and once tasted is followed by a balance of spice notes, sweetness and slight oak tannins. The finish is long and warm with elements of dark chocolate, baking spices and white pepper. The mashbill for this edition is comprised of Heaven Hill Distillery’s traditional Bourbon mashbill 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley and ultimately bottled at barrel proof 132.2 or 66.1% alcohol by volume.

“The Parker’s Heritage Collection is a testament to the distilling legacy at Heaven Hill Distillery and the continued thirst for innovation which has driven generations of master distillers,” said Susan Wahl, Vice President, American Whiskey at Heaven Hill. “This Double Barreled Blend Bourbon is a masterful pairing of two uniquely aged products that create the perfect balance of flavors which, we believe, honor the past and are a fitting tribute to Parker and his legacy.”

The late Heaven Hill Master Distiller Parker Beam, for whom the acclaimed series is named, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) in 2010. The past nine editions from 2013-2021, including the “Promise of Hope” Bourbon, the “Original Batch” Straight Wheat Whiskey, the Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey, the 24-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, the 11-Year-Old Single Barrel, Orange Curaçao-finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Heavy Char Rye Whiskey, Heavy Char Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and the Heavy Char Wheat Whiskey respectively, have raised more than one million dollars toward ALS research and patient care through contributions made by Heaven Hill for each bottle purchased. With the 2022 Double Barreled Blend edition, Heaven Hill will again contribute a portion of the proceeds from each bottle sold to the ALS Association.

Packaged in the same upscale 750ml bottle as the previous fifteen editions, but with an eggplant-colored label, the newest Parker’s Heritage Collection is available in a three-bottle case and will arrive at retail locations starting in early December. With previous releases having won multiple awards from Whisky Advocate magazine, Whisky Magazine and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the series stands as some of the most critically lauded American Whiskeys in recent memory. Past bottlings have won awards ranging from “Best North American Whiskey” to “American Whiskey of the Year” to “Best of Show, Brown Spirits.”

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY: Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.9 million barrels aging in more than 65 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky, Parker’s Heritage Collection, and Old Fitzgerald along with its extensive Bottled-in-Bond label collection. Heaven Hill Distillery held the title of 2020 Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year, the second Whisky of the Year for Heaven Hill Distillery in the past four years. In 2019 Heaven Hill Distillery was named San Francisco World Spirits Competition Distillery of the Year, Best in Show Whisky, and previously held the titles of 2018 San Francisco Spirits Word Spirits Competition Best Bourbon, 2016 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year. For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely.  Drink Wisely.”

FREE E-GIFT CARD WITH EVERY ORDER OVER £100

The Whisky Sleigh is back! To spread some Christmas cheer of our own we’re handing out e-gift cards to our customers all week, and the more you spend, the more you get. Until Monday 12 December every order placed on our website over £100 will receive an e-gift card as a little token of appreciation for shopping with us this Christmas. The Whisky Sleigh will be delivering the e-gift cards directly to your inbox on Sunday 1 January 2023 to keep that festive feeling flowing over into the new year.

  SHOP FOR CHRISTMAS  

Sign up to our whisky club and enjoy 10% off one of the oldest Arran single malts ever released!

There are lots of great reasons to join the W Club. Below you’ll find a highlight of some of them.

Join The W Club →

Arran 26 Year Old 1996 TWS Exclusive
10% Off For W Club Members

One of the oldest Arran single malts ever released.

Bottled exclusively for us at The Whisky Shop to celebrate our 30th anniversary, there are only 247 bottles available from this single sherry cask.

And W Club members get a 10% discount!

Retail: £450.00
W Club: £405.00

Click here to find out more

New W Club Exclusive Single Cask

Benromach Single Cask W Club Exclusive

£88.00

Available as of 2nd December

Distilled in 2012,  and bottled at 60.1% ABV. This Benromach is limited to 308 bottles and exclusively available to W Club Members.

Join Up Now

Partner Offers

In November we teamed up with Diageo to launch 11 new Partner Offers. This means from now until March 2023 W Club members can avail off 20% discounts at the following distilleries…

Join Now To Find Out More →