Kickoff the holidays by experiencing 24 different Japanese whisky expressions from the industry’s top brands. Combine the festive tradition of an advent calendar with the beautiful taste of Japanese whisky and you’re in for quite a treat.

ralfy review 1001 Extras – What next for my bottle of malt ?

STEPHANIE MACLEOD MAKES WHISKY HISTORY WITH FIFTH CONSECUTIVE MASTER BLENDER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Salutations and season’s greetings (well, almost) to our now live and full to the brim 149th auction!  With more than eight and a half thousand bottles in this month this one will take a while to scroll through.  With that in mind we’ve picked out a few interesting bottles to get you started on your monthly whisky odyssey.

Karuizawa 38 Year Old Ruby Geisha Cask #7582

Another superb release from the now-silent giant of Japanese distilling, this is the Karuizawa Ruby Geisha Cask #7582.  The Geisha releases from Number One Drinks come in pairs and have proven to be extremely popular on the secondary market.  The older of the Ruby Geisha pair  ( which is the penultimate release in the Geisha series) this 38-year-old whisky was matured in a sherry butt and shows off the classic Karuizawa character of sweet and savoury notes, run through with dark oak and spice. Due to the limited number of bottles available, this expression was sold via ballot so is as rare as they come.

Double Eagle Very Rare 20 Year Old 75cl

Next up is a supremely well-aged bourbon from the famed Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky, the Double Eagle Very Rare 20 Year Old 75cl.  Twice the age of the standard Eagle Rare this special edition contains two crystal eagles to represent the two decades of maturation. One sits inside the bottle at the base and one comes as a stopper to be used after opening. The decanter is hand blown and there is a small switch on the base of the box that turns on white lights to illuminate the bottle and stopper.  All this AND some incredibly delicious bourbon to boot.

Bruichladdich 1990 32 Year Old Single Cask #2691 The Munros

Released by the Glasgow Whisky Company in 2022 this is the Bruichladdich 1990 32 Year Old Single Cask #2691 The Munros.  The ownership of Bruichladdich distillery on Islay has changed hands multiple times in its history and this whisky is an older iteration, being produced in 1990.  Aged for over three decades in a single sherry butt this an excellent example of an older Bruichladdich.  As well as the tremendous dram it contains this independent release has a quirky label and imposing box (with a hygrometer and humidifier included) designed by Takeru Amano.

Yamazaki 1986 for the 20th Anniversary of Korinbo Yamato 60cl

An unusual one this one, the Yamazaki 1986 for the 20th Anniversary of Korinbo Yamato 60cl.  This an exquisite 1986 vintage from one of Japan’s most celebrated and successful distilleries, Yamazaki.  It’s relatively rare to get Yamazaki’s with stated vintages and equally unusual to get one at cask strength with this beauty coming in at a whopping 50% ABV.  It comes in a rather beautiful and understated ceramic decanter with traditional calligraphy and was produced to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Korinbo Yamato department store in Kanazawa.

Macallan 1950 Exceptional Cask #13 2018 Release

The undisputed jewel in the crown of the exceptional cask series, this is the Macallan 1950 Exceptional Cask #13 2018 Release.  Aged for a frankly ridiculous 67 years this is a vintage Macallan almost without peer.  For over 6 decades this fabulous liquid has slowly aged in a single 1st fill sherry butt and has taken on the deep dark tones synonymous with the best releases from the famed Speyside heavyweight.  A truly excellent expression of unparalleled quality this is one for the serious collectors amongst us.For our customers outside the UK this auction this might be your last chance to get a special bottle in time for Christmas, and as always we charge no sellers commission and only 10% buyer’s premium so now is the time to procure that perfect festive tipple.

We have a wide range of drams with something to suit everyone, so now is the time to wade in and start picking out your own personal favourites for your watchlist.  Best of luck to everyone in the auction, and as always………..don’t lose your bottle.

Christmas Updates

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY ESTABLISHES A NEW ERA OF ULTRA-AGED AMERICAN WHISKEY WITH INTRODUCTION OF EAGLE RARE 25 BOURBON 

Eagle Rare 25 is the oldest expression released from the Eagle Rare portfolio and the first-ever innovation to come from the Distillery’s experimental Warehouse P

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (OCT. 26, 2023) – Buffalo Trace Distillery today announces the release of Eagle Rare 25, an ultra-aged bourbon that exemplifies the Distillery’s relentless commitment to innovation and honoring tradition but embracing change. At 25 years old, Eagle Rare 25 marks the oldest expression released from the Eagle Rare portfolio. Defying existing perception of ultra-aged bourbon with its smooth, complex flavor profile, Eagle Rare 25 is a remarkable result from the World’s Most Award-winning Distillery’s multi-decade and $20-million-dollar-plus experimental program.

Driven by a belief that the world’s best whiskey has yet to be created and the idea that the category is bound only by the ideas that have yet to be considered, Buffalo Trace Distillery has conducted thousands of experiments over the years to test a variety of factors impacting the aging and maturation of whiskey, including barrel char levels, temperature, airflow, light, barrel placement, and more. Eagle Rare 25 is the first release from Warehouse P, one of Buffalo Trace Distillery’s two experimental warehouses. A purpose-built, state-of-the-art warehouse, Warehouse P was constructed to test if it was possible to extend favorably both the aging and maturation processes typical for American whiskey and bourbon.

“Eagle Rare 25 defies the conventional limits of typical bourbon aging,” remarked Buffalo Trace Distillery Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley. “When crafting whiskey in conditions like those we experience in Kentucky, two reactions happen over time: more liquid is lost due to evaporation – also known as angel’s share – and extraction of flavors from the barrel becomes more intense, often leading older whiskeys to taste over-oaked, astringent, and dry. The unique set of aging conditions in Warehouse P has allowed us to create a 25-year-old bourbon that smooths out the extractions and highlights the desirable flavors found in ultra-aged American whiskey products.”

While time in the barrel contributes to creating an ultra-aged bourbon, it is the marriage of age and maturity, or how factors including oak type, barrel char, temperature, humidity, and barrel placement alter the whiskey over time, that creates a truly outstanding taste experience.

“We closely monitored Eagle Rare 25 throughout the aging process and discovered that the impact over time due to controlled, extended aging was optimally mature whiskey – by that, I mean whiskey that is uniquely smooth and complex with deep, mature flavors around every corner,” Wheatley added. “Eagle Rare 25 is unlike any other extra-aged bourbon on the market today. We are quite proud of this bourbon.”

Eagle Rare 25 boasts notes of intense cherry, oak, dark chocolate, and an icing drizzle beginning on the nose; the palate is a balance of vanilla, dark fruit, and butterscotch, followed by an extremely long finish with lingering notes of rickhouse floor, baking spice, and black pepper.

Eagle Rare 25 was bottled upon reaching its silver anniversary in the barrel, symbolized by the custom sterling silver wing hand-hammered to encase each hand-blown crystal decanter perfectly. Opening the custom display box reveals an eagle’s outstretched wings framing the 101-proof bourbon, which also contains an elegant glass eagle inside the bottle. This dramatic presentation is befitting the exceptional nature of this rare, first-of-its-kind bottling.

“Around the globe, an eagle’s wings symbolize freedom and the opportunity to reach higher. It’s also a reminder for us at Buffalo Trace Distillery to never settle in our pursuit of crafting the perfect bourbon,” noted Andrew Duncan, Global Brand Director at Buffalo Trace Distillery. “In service of that relentless pursuit, Eagle Rare 25 is the pinnacle of American whiskey to date from our Distillery, and our Eagle Rare brand is the perfect portfolio to showcase this barrier-breaking expression.”

Approximately 200 750ml bottles of Eagle Rare 25 will be released to select retailers, bars, and restaurants globally beginning November 2023 at a suggested retail price of $10,000 per bottle. The expression joins the Eagle Rare lineup of Eagle Rare, Double Eagle Very Rare, and Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old, released each fall as part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.

For more information, please click HERE

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 40 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its George T. Stagg was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2022 and its Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye was named 2nd Finest Whiskey in the World for 2022. Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. Buffalo Trace Distillery also has a deep commitment to supporting charitable initiatives. Nonprofit organizations interested in learning more about the Distillery’s efforts are encouraged to register their charity here. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery, visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

Lindores Abbey Distillery | The Oct Newsletter

On the 5^th October we were delighted to celebrate the Distillery’s 6^th anniversary. With the help of renowned Tartan Noir author Ian Rankin and whisky legend Richard Paterson, the doors to the Distillery and Visitor Centre opened six years ago and the legacy of whisky making was reinstated to Lindores. Of course, in a way, we are celebrating our 529^th anniversary, and it has been a pleasure over the past years to share the incredible story of Lindores with visitors from across the globe.

It has been an amazing and eventful six years – even with the slight hiccup of a global pandemic, we have managed to achieve an awful lot. Our visitor centre team have won and maintained a five-star reputation, whilst our production team have been raking in the awards for our spirits: gold at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition and gold at the International Wine and Spirits Competition to name a few!

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the tireless work of our fantastic Lindores team and our loyal members and customers. We can’t wait to see where the next six years will take us!

Slàinte

Drew & Helen McKenzie Smith
Custodians of Lindores Abbey

Opening Day!

DISTILLERY NEWS

We are thrilled to have returned to mashing following silent season. Our break has allowed us to carry out some essential maintenance, and now we are back up and running with all guns (or mash tuns) blazing! Production has been running smoothly with October being an easier month to make spirit thanks to temperature and humidity sitting just right. The staff from the distillery and visitor centre alike are happy to be back working again amongst the delicious aromas of distillation.

We received a delivery of 60 casks from Casknolia in Spain. With three varieties of Sherry Butts on board, the team swiftly unloaded a mixture of Oloroso, Pedro Ximinez and Paulo Cortado casks. We can’t wait to see what complex flavours they impart on to our spirit – the hard part about whisky making is always the waiting!

The bottling hall has been busy bottling and labelling a variety of single casks for both export and home markets as well as producing our core products, the cask owners release and 1494 member’s release.

Slàinte

Gary Haggart
Distillery Manager at Lindores Abbey

 SQUAREMILE INTERVIEW

Have you ever wondered how we have managed to blend our desire for innovation with our respect for the 800+ years of Lindores history? Well, for those who missed it – our founder, Drew Mckenzie Smith, answers just that in a fascinating interview in Square Mile magazine.

READ NOW

ONE OF ONE AUCTION

On the 5^th October, Sotheby’s hosted the second edition of their Distillers One Of One auction at Hopeton House. We were delighted to donate a very special Thiron virgin oak cask to the auction to be included amongst some other incredible and unique lots.

The sale of the cask contributed towards the £2.25 million raised for the Youth Action Fund which helps to improve the lives of disadvantaged youth across Scotland. We hope that the successful bidder will join us in raising a dram for such a brilliant cause!

WHISKY LIVE WARSAW

Production Operative, Scott, was excited to attend his first international whisky show. He, and his girlfriend Lily (who handily speaks Polish!), jetted over to Poland for Whisky Live Warsaw as our Lindores representatives. They had a fantastic time and Scott reported that the show was great fun. He was pleased to meet so many Lindores fans (and to convert some new ones!) and he said that several visitors to the stand were “blown away” that our whisky was so young given its depth of flavour and complexity.

Judging by how much he enjoyed it, we’re sure he will be first to volunteer for the next show, so maybe some of you will meet him repping for Lindores at a stand in the future!

LINDORES INTERNATIONAL

On the export side of things, we have had a great beginning in Sweden, officially launching there on the 16th October. It was fantastic to receive a call just two days later that all of their Lindores had sold out. The second order is leaving imminently, and we have a feeling that we have a bright future with Sweden!

 DISTILLERY EXCLUSIVE

Our newest release hit the distillery shelves earlier this month and the reception has been excellent.

Available exclusively to buy at the distillery, our Old Forester Bourbon ASB has a delicious aroma and palette. On the nose you can expect, smooth buttercream and caramel, whilst the taste will give you mellow vanilla, apple and banana.

As a cask strength bottling, this dram packs a punch at 60.8% ABV, but the delicious complexity of our spirit really comes through in this dram, with a sweet compliment lent from the impressive Old Forester casks.

The chance to get your hands on a bottle definitely makes a visit to the distillery more tempting than ever!

Caol Ila 8 Years

£125 / $126* / c$175* / €119*

Oily nebular of solar barbeque chocolate and cosmic coffee. Twinkling liquorice leading to a gingerbread pulsar and a cinnamon spice meteor. Total eclipse of rich nougat in a smokey crater finish.

Caol Ila 8 Year Old 2012 vintage Islay single malt Scotch whisky. On July 20th 1969 Apollo 11 lunar lander call sign ‘Eagle’ undocked from command module Columbia and went into lunar orbit. The World held its breath and watched. Landing on the lunar surface, commander Neil Armstrong proclaimed “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed”. ”To mark this occasion we have bottled a single sherry butt distilled in 2012 bottled October 2020. 699 numbered bottles exclusive to The Whisky Barrel..2012 vintage single cask sherry butt celebrating the Apollo 11 mission.

Caol Ila Distillery is famous for the stunning view from its still house windows looking out across the Sound of Islay and for the objects which have passed by including naval battleships, submarines and whales. Caol Ila was established in 1846 by Hector Henderson on a sheltered but rocky stretch of coast on north east Islay. Now the largest malt whisky distillery on Islay it produces peated and some un-peated malt whisky with the distillery range including Caol Ila 12 year old and the Distiller’s Edition. Caol Ila participates in Feis Ile, the annual Islay Festival of Malt and Music.

WATCH: Whisky Magazine goes on tour in Kentucky

The teams from Whisky Magazine and American Whiskey have been on tour in Kentucky! A jam-packed itinerary of distillery tours, tastings, interviews, and more culminated in a visit to the world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown — and we caught the whole trip on camera.

We’ll be releasing a video per week for the next 10 weeks and we don’t want you to miss a moment. Hit subscribe, enable notifications, and follow us on our journey as we receive some real Kentucky hospitality!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel now!