Whisky Magazine issue #194
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The cover star for this issue is Bill Lark, founder of Lark Distillery in Tasmania, one of the distilleries that is going above and beyond in the experiences it is offering to guests. There’s nothing like a distillery visit, but when paired with once-in-a-lifetime experiences, these remarkable places can reach new levels of excitement and excellence.

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The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum Episode 526 – Blowing Up The Shed….!

Welcome to this week’s episode of the of the show in which I’ll be singing the eulogy, so to speak about the indie bottler, The Sipping Shed. Filmed in The Study Nottingham.

The Good Dram Show – Episode 526 ‘The Sipping Shed’

Featuring

The Sipping Shed Glenshiel 2011 (10 year old) 59.4%

The Sipping Shed Linkwood 2007 (11 year old) 59%

The Sipping Shed Blair Athol 2009 (13 year old) 56.9%

The Sipping Shed Aultmore 2010 (11 year old) 61.3%

The Sipping Shed Aultmore 2010 (11 year old) 48.5%

BERRY BROS. & RUDD 2023 AUTUMN RELEASE
INCLUDES CHRISTMAS BOTTLING

Britain’s oldest spirits and wine merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd has released its third seasonal release of 2023.

The collection exhibits a well-varied range of spirit types, flavours and ages to appeal to an array of palates, including a Christmas edition bottling.

With unparalleled expertise in the vast world of spirits, the Berry Bros. & Rudd team of experts have selected eight bottlings for the Autumn Release, with a broad geographical span encompassing the northern Highlands of Scotland to the warm climes of the Indian Ocean.

The release largely centres on showcasing the most prolific distilling region in Scotland, Speyside, including an exquisite 1975 Exceptional Cask from Dufftown, offerings from Glenlossie and Balmenach and a duo of bottlings from Linkwood.

Joe Whittaker, Global Brand Ambassador for Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits, commented:

“This year’s Autumn Release celebrates the outstanding and wholly distinguishable talents of Speyside distillers. For instance, we have two bottlings from Linkwood Distillery which could not be more singular. 

One of which is a Christmas Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottling, Linkwood 2010, that has been finished in a Pedro Ximenez cask. Its flavours epitomise the festive season, making it the quintessential dram to be enjoyed and shared over Christmas.”

Completing the portfolio of Scottish whiskies is a Ledaig bottling hailing from the Isle of Mull, matured in Oloroso casks which balances peat-smoke and Sherry wood style wonderfully.

As part of its 325th anniversary year, Berry Bros. & Rudd continues its exploration into English whiskies, the Autumn Release features a cask from White Peak Distillery, offering a worthy introduction to the burgeoning English whisky scene.

The 2023 Autumn Release, featuring Linkwood 2013, Balmenach 2011, Glenlossie 2010, Linkwood 2010 Pedro Ximenez Finish, Wire Works 2018, Ledaig 2009 and Dufftown 1975, will be available from 7th September 2023 at bbrspirits.com.

TASTING NOTES

Linkwood 2013

This is an excellent example of Bourbon cask matured Speyside. Aromas of warm Victoria sponge, buttery coconut and fudge lure you into the glass. The palate follows the theme with spiced vanilla yoghurt, aniseed, and toasted oak before lighter stewed apple and pear come to the fore. Spice shows through on the finish alongside a lick of vanilla iced tea.

ABV: 46.0%

RRP: £75.00

Balmenach 2011 Cask #121

At first sniff, zesty and grassy notes rise out the glass followed by vibrant green fruits and orange. The palate is wonderfully citrusy, with tangy Granny Smith apples and a pleasing dollop of spirit sulphur. The finish brings grilled lime, barley sweets and a touch of hay. This is a thoroughly pleasing, distillate driven dram.

ABV: 54.4%

RRP £75.00

Glenlossie 2010 Cask #4884
This Glenlossie – matured in a first fill ex-Bourbon cask – sings from the glass, announcing itself with rich flavours of spiced crème brûlée, fresh apples, lime zest, vanilla pods and clove. It is a huge, muscular whisky. This theme continues on the palate, demanding your attention with waves of fresh shortbread, wood spice, fresh fruit and a touch of new leather. This style of wood-forward whisky works wonderfully at cask strength as the alcohol integrates beautifully with the rich character. Cinnamon and cloves linger on the finish, leaving one thoroughly impressed and ready for that second sip.

ABV: 50.5%

RRP: £75.00

Linkwood 2010 Christmas Edition Cask #301235 Pedro Ximenez Finish
Spice and apricot jelly aromas tease on the nose before vanilla and nutmeg develop with time. The palate is a pleasing balance of orange liqueurs, dark chocolate and marzipan all rolled in a layer of oak and cinnamon. More orange notes roll across the finish alongside apricots and clove. This is a hugely fulfilling dram, perfect after a long Christmas day to be enjoyed with friends and family.

ABV: 52.4%

RRP: £96.00

Wire Works 2018 Cask #128
Matured in a barrel which was left over smoke, after the charring process this whisky showcases the deliciously fruity distillate found at White Peak Distillery and pairs it with dense oak and complex smokes. Wood smoke and peat smoke delicately wisp around on both the nose and finish. Flavours of skin-on almonds, toasted spices and touches of nectarine make this a splendid Derbyshire dram.

ABV: 60.9%

RRP: £125.00

Ledaig 2009 Cask #700327 Oloroso Finish

Smoked bacon, grilled meats and bonfire ash draw you into this glass before it develops into peat bogs, hearths and soot. Everything deepens on the palate bringing more smoked meats, with Cullen skink and wood smoke. Lingering savoury smoke and cocoa endure on the palate. A dram to enjoy while mulling over why peat devotees always flock to Islay.

ABV: 53.5%

RRP: £130.00

Dufftown 1975 Cask #10430
Bottled at natural strength, this suave, old dram makes an entrance with beguiling aromas of buttered toast, rosewater and wildflower meadows. The palate gently builds with 45 years of character displaying fruit salad chews, sandalwood, argan oil and smoked pineapple. Warm cherries pop on the back palate. A long and contemplative finish brings subtle spice and orange zest.

ABV: 40.1%

RRP: £1,000.00

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Tracing its history back to 1698, when an enterprising woman called the Widow Bourne started an “Italian grocers” at No. 3 St James’s Street in London, selling tea, snuff, spices and the most fashionable drink of the day, coffee. In due course, the focus shifted to something a little bit stronger. As wine became important to the business, so too did spirits, and Berry Bros. & Rudd started bottling casks under its label in the early 19th century, making it Britain’s oldest independent spirits bottler.

From the creation of Cutty Sark whisky at the start of the 20th century, Berry Bros. & Rudd remains at the forefront of spirit innovation. Its team of experts search and develop unique spirits around the world. While much has changed over the years, Berry Bros. & Rudd are still owned and managed by members of the Berry and Rudd families, and continue to supply the British Royal Family, as it has done since the reign of King George III.

bbrspirits.com

Must-Have Limited Editions of Japan’s Most Iconic Whiskies

Suntory “100th Anniversary – Hakushu” 12 Year Old Japanese Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($300.00)

Suntory “100th Anniversary – Yamazaki” 12 Year Old Japanese Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($300.00)

We’ve just received an allocation of two coveted Japanese whisky collectibles. To mark its centenary as the most celebrated whisky producer in the Land of the Rising Sun, Suntory has released these special-edition bottlings of their iconic Hakushu and Yamazaki 12 Year Old Single Malts.

Of course, no avid Japanese whisky fanatic will want to miss a very special Suntory dinner hosted at République in Los Angeles on September 28th. Click here for full event and reservation details.

Suntory “100th Anniversary – Hakushu” 12 Year Old Japanese Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($300.00)

K&L Notes: While the Hakushu distillery came a bit later than Yamazaki, the House of Suntory is celebrating its centennial with these limited-edition, special releases from their two single malt distilleries. Yamazaki and Hakushu both have 100th Anniversary offerings featuring an understated label and supremely delicious 12-year-old whiskies from their respective distilleries. The unique Japanese style utilizes a wide array of barrel types, peat levels, and still shapes and sizes to produce many different malts at each distillery. The blend of all of these makes for single malt of unmatched complexity and elegance and the limited supply makes for a fanatical following and highly coveted collectability with aficionados that is envied by nearly every other producer in the world.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: September 12, 2023

For my money, Hakushu is the most elegant peated single malt on the planet. It never loses the absolute perfect balance of sweet roasted malt and crisp apple that I find to be its true hallmark, and sumptuous peat that delivers earth, smoke, and savor all at once. An uplifting pine note keeps with the feeling of forest bathing that Hakushu 12 always brings. This bottle features the elegant and understated 100th Anniversary label to celebrate Suntory’s centennial. It seems that after 100 years, their prowess as a single malt producer only continues to grow. Bravo.

Suntory “100th Anniversary – Yamazaki” 12 Year Old Japanese Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($300.00)

K&L Notes: The most famous of all Japanese whiskies turns 100 this year. The House of Suntory has been committed to producing the highest quality malt whiskey for a century, and their flagship 12-year-old is one of the world’s most sought-after and collectible single malts. It’s comprised of a blend of whiskies aged in a multitude of barrel types. From ex-sherry and ex-bourbon to refill hogsheads and first-fill mizunara with a minimum age of 12 years old, the recipe does indeed include some much older malts, which create a complexity and refinement well beyond its stated age. The result is one of the most seamless and distinctive malts on the market today. No whiskey in the world currently commands such respect and recognition as the special Yamazaki Distillery, and only a minuscule lot of limited-edition bottles were created of this special whiskey to commemorate the exceptional achievements in quality over the last century.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: September 13, 2023

Yamazaki has undeniably set the standard for Japanese whisky for the past century. While there is no shortage of contenders popping up today, it seems that Suntory and Yamazaki in particular are poised to be the standard bearer for the category for the next 100 years. Adorned in a special yet understated 100th Anniversary livery, this latest batch of the 12-year-old single malt pours a solid gold. The nose is a complex array of ripe stone fruits, warm cereals, freshly churned cream, vanilla, and tropical fruits and spices. The Mizunara oak is seamlessly integrated. Candied ginger, lemon grass, and sun-dried raisins are carved in relief against a background of sweet baking spices. On the palate, the fine balance makes it somewhat difficult to pull obvious notes at first. With a little more time in glass and several sips, the beautiful weight and texture unfold into toasted coconuts, grilled peaches drizzled in honey, lemon curd, and nutty granola. The finish reprises the complex wood profile provided from a mix of cask types and the lovely spices that brings linger on the palate for a long time. While this is surely a collectors item to most, it tastes fabulous, so if you can bring yourself to do it, open it up and drink it!

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

The Italian Collection

Located in the Scottish Highlands, not far from Inverness, the Tomatin distillery produces a range of traditionally rich, sweet and malty single malt whiskies. The Italian collection consists of three limited releases that are finished in Italian wine casks that previously held some of Italy’s most famous wines.

AMARONE CASK

70cl | 12 Year Old | 46% ABV

Aromas of poached pears and traditional rhubarb and custard sweets lead, while on the palate notes of strawberry jam are accompanied by Turkish delight and light butter pastry. The finish is rich with cinnamon spiced red apple.

£69.95

BAROLO CASK

70cl | 12 Year Old | 46% ABV

Aromas of mulled wine and dark chocolate lead, while on the palate there are notes of spiced mead with cranberry and an underlying fresh citrus in the form of grapefruit. Light tannin and sugared almonds linger on the finish.

£69.95

MARSALA CASK

70cl | 12 Year Old | 46% ABV

Aromas of panettone and candied lime lead, while flavours of white chocolate, lemon truffles and hazelnut balance perfectly on the palate. Sweet citrus returns on the finish with blood orange accompanying notes of toasted oak.

£69.95

Glenfiddich 29 Year Old Grand Yozakura 45.1% ABV

The word ‘innovative’ is often bandied about when it comes to whiskies. This is an expression that fully deserves the adjective. Glenfiddich Grand Yozukara is thought to be the first single malt Scotch to be matured in ex-Awamori casks! The Japanese spirit is made using long-grain indica rice and is typically stored in clay pots. Just a tiny proportion is oak-aged, making the casks incredibly rare. This highly collectable release started life as a travel retail exclusive – we’ve secured a small allocation.

£1,500.00

Shop now

Tasting note:

Nose: Caraelised almonds and zesty fruits give way to gentle spices and an incredibly unusual herbal influence. 

Palate: Richer than expected and gently mouth-coating, creamy vanilla toffee comes through alongside spice and boiled sweets. 

Finish: Long with a lingering softly spiced oak.

ralfy review 994 Extras – Manage your spending better.

CHIVAS BROTHERS MAKES ITS CARBON CUTTING SUCCESSES ‘OPEN SOURCE’ TO HELP THE SCOTCH WHISKY INDUSTRY REACH NET ZERO GOALS

The Scotch whisky producer has deployed highly efficient heat recovery technologies within the whisky distillation process, halving carbon emissions at its Glentauchers distillery

Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky business of Pernod Ricard and maker of global Scotch whisky brands including Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet, has today made the expertise and learnings from its successful integration of enhanced heat recovery technologies ‘open source’. The move was made after the application of the technology at its Glentauchers site showed significant benefit in carbon emissions reduction, providing insights that will benefit the industry at large if adopted at other suitable distillation sites.

The sharing of its design process and implementation insights is intended to put collaboration ahead of competition on the road to net zero, rooted in the belief that distillers must work together to create a sustainable future for Scotch, Scotland’s largest export.

The heat recovery technologies, including Mechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR) and Thermo Vapour Recompression (TVR), are designed to capture and recycle heat generated in the distillation process that would otherwise go to waste.

To date, these have reduced total energy consumption almost by half (48%) at Chivas Brothers’ Glentauchers distillery, near Keith in Speyside, Scotland, reducing the site’s total carbon emissions by 53% as a result. This represents an energy saving equivalent to powering 4,979 average UK homes¹ – more than all the houses in Keith² – for an entire year.

The business’ ambitious plans to roll out these integrations across all viable sites is part of a drive to achieve carbon neutral distillation by the end of 2026. Chivas Brothers expects these technologies to reduce its overall energy consumption and carbon emissions in distillation by one third, which is more than 30,000 tonnes of CO₂ per annum, or the equivalent of 67,226 UK homes.

While not suitable for application in every distillery, Chivas Brothers estimates that if these technologies were applied by the wider industry’s malt distilleries alone, this could equate to a saving of some 1,756Gwh per year – enough to power 605,000 average homes for a year¹, more than the number in Edinburgh and Aberdeen² combined.

Commenting on the ‘open source’ move, Jean-Etienne Gourgues, Chairman and CEO of Chivas Brothers, said:

“Heat recovery forms a critical part of our commitment to achieve carbon neutral distillation by 2026. Findings with such significant impact must be shared; this technology has the potential to transform our industry and accelerate its progress to net zero.

“That’s why today we’re making our design process and implementation learnings available to all”, he continued. “As a business with a long history of innovation, we believe this is the right thing to do. Collaboration across our industry will be fundamental if we are to meet collective ambitions around sustainability, safeguarding the long-term future of our product and our planet. Understandably, this technology won’t be right for every distillery, but we encourage our peers to explore whether it has the potential to reduce their own carbon output.”

A case study has been published by Chivas Brothers, outlining the benefits and savings achieved, plus additional detail on the basis of design used. The business will also host a series of dedicated open house events at its Glentauchers site, creating an opportunity for other distillers to see the technology, how it has been integrated and facilitate industry learning, while aiming to demystify some of the recurring hurdles around the implementation of these technologies.

The company’s recent successes in heat recovery are a continuation of its 2021 pilot programme, which achieved energy reductions of 88% on a single pot still and showcased the potential if adopted across distillery operations. The pilot programme at Glentauchers was part-funded by the Scottish Government through the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, which aims to support decarbonisation and energy efficiency in Scotland’s industries.

Scottish Government Energy Minister, Gillian Martin, said:

“Chivas Brothers has led the way with an innovative approach which has halved energy consumption at their Glentauchers distillery. Sharing this breakthrough with the wider whisky industry has the potential to advance efforts to reach net zero across the sector.

“Recycling heat from malt that would be the equivalent of powering all the homes in Edinburgh and Aberdeen could be a game changer for the industry, and a boost to Scotland’s economic growth while helping reach our climate change goals.”

The successes of this programme are shared with the company’s supplier, Piller Blowers & Compressors GmbH, manufacturers of high-performance blowers and compressors for the process industry, whose team worked alongside Chivas Brothers to adapt its technology for distillery applications. As a result, the technology achieved a Co-efficient of Performance of 12, meaning for every 1 kwh of electricity input, 12 units of heat were generated. This level of performance is essential if the technology is to make a meaningful contribution to carbon reduction, while also delivering cost-effective improvement in energy efficiency.

The case study and basis of design will be available for download via https://www.chivasbrothers.com/sustainability/open-source/

Registrations of interest to attend the Open House sessions can be lodged via https://www.chivasbrothers.com/sustainability/open-source/

Disclaimer: Each distillery requires a bespoke heat recovery solution that is fit for purpose for its size and layout. The information provided in this document has been compiled internally by Chivas Brothers Limited and reflects the successful installation at Glentauchers. This information is provided in good faith; however, it is the responsibility of the system designer to ensure that their particular installation suits their specific site and equipment layout. Results from any installation may differ from those achieved by Chivas Brothers Limited.

Our September auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from Friday 15th September until Sunday 24th September 2023 3pm.

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Springbank – 1952 (75cl)

Hibiki – 21 Year Old (Mount Fuji Limited Edition) 2014 Release

Brora – 22 Year Old (1972) Rare Malts

Balvenie – 40 Year Old

Port Ellen – 40 Year Old (1979) 9 Rogue Casks

Selling whisky? Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.com.