New Diploma Date at the Port of Leith Distillery

We’re hoping the Chief puts sunshine on Leith this July as we’ve scheduled another Diploma in Single Malt Whisky (Thursday 11 & Friday 12 July) at the Port of Leith Distillery. An architectural triumph, the vertical distillery is a fitting venue in which to earn the SQA-certified whisky diploma – our highest award – with teacher Vic Cameron in a classroom boasting superb panoramic views.📖

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Cadenhead Glenlivet 16YO Cask Strength, 54.3%

THE VIDEO

Glenlivet is a very important distillery, not only celebrating their 200th Anniversary this year, but is one of the first single malt whiskies that we all come across at the start of our whisky journey. For some, the distillery stays a strong part of their whisky life. For others, we tend to use it as a foundation block to move into other areas of whisky.

Glenlivet had me in their accounts as soon as I tried the 16YO Nadurra bottling. My god. That liquid is one of the most important whiskies in my life, the first cask strength whisky that I ever purchased, and then they discontinued it. Now this isn’t a bitter rant at that, so many distilleries discontinued bottles at a similar time and that is a true shame, but the NAS versions were released and I wasn’t displeased by them, but they certainly weren’t the same experience.

This Cadenhead example is a fine way to retry this style of whisky that I miss so dearly, but there’s a couple of things we can be appreciative of now in the modern world. One, independent bottlers are so prevalent that you can find a style like this without any issues at all. Two, you don’t have to pay auction prices to experience this style of whisky anymore. Third, Glenlivet are respected and very important, but I don’t feel that they’re ‘loved’ anymore. I feel people buy it out of necessity because it’s a top three distillery in Scotland, and they know the name, not because they love the liquid. Let’s stop playing it safe. You’ve got enough money.

Rosebank Distillery’s miraculous revival is unveiled following 30-year closure

Rosebank Distillery, known as the ‘King of the Lowlands’ is set to open its doors to the public on Friday 7th June.

Closed three decades ago in 1993, this much-loved distillery is back in business following a meticulous four-year restoration project, and is set to welcome its first visitors later this year.

Bringing a sense of striking modern architecture blended with some of the original distillery building, the new Rosebank site beautifully honours the building’s heritage. The distillery’s Victorian red brickwork faces the Forth and Clyde canal, whilst a spectacular new glass-fronted stillroom is visible from the front of the building, where visitors will find exact copies of the original stills, painstakingly replicated in shape using blueprints salvaged from the Rosebank archives.

The original mill, thought to be around 103 years old, has been retained and continues to be used in the production of Rosebank’s award-winning whisky as it did over thirty years ago. A new dunnage style warehouse has been built from the bricks of its historic counterpart, which now showcases precious casks of the original Rosebank alongside the first casks of the new Rosebank spirit. The landmark 108ft chimney stack has also been repaired and continues to dominate Falkirk’s skyline.

After being left to lie empty for 24 years, Leonard Russell, Managing Director of Ian Macleod Distillers, which also owns Glengoyne, Tamdhu and Edinburgh Gin, was determined to save the distillery.

Leonard said: “I could see that Rosebank Distillery was held in extremely high regard and it was a huge shame that it closed when it was distilling some of the best spirit for the Scotch whisky industry.

“Being small, Rosebank was one of the more expensive whiskies to produce, but in my view that’s no reason to close a distillery. Its reopening will be a very special moment for its hometown of Falkirk, for the Scotch industry and for whisky lovers everywhere.”

Alongside the new distillery, the new home of Rosebank includes a world-class visitor experience for guests. The distillery’s impressive and spacious interior, with six stunning tasting rooms, has been designed to welcome whisky lovers from around the world.

Today also marks the first chance to book a visit to experience first-hand what makes Rosebank so special – its rich history before it closed, its remarkable renaissance, and its unique whisky-making process. Three distinct tours, Rosebank Reawakening, Rosebank Rekindled and Rosebank Revered, are on offer to guide visitors from the original mill to the three gleaming pot stills where the spirit is triple-distilled and condensed in traditional wooden worm tubs, as it always has been. Everyone visiting will get to nose the new make Rosebank spirit, while two of the tours include a bespoke tutored tasting of some extremely rare old Rosebank whisky.

Tours will end at the new distillery shop, where guests will also get the chance to purchase exclusive Rosebank expressions, such as Single Casks, Global Releases and Distillery Exclusives.

Malcolm Rennie, Distillery Manager at Rosebank, said: “The process of bringing Rosebank Distillery back to life has been meticulous, with a huge amount of detail going into each and every element. It was very important that we paid homage to Rosebank’s history and story, and we feel we’ve done it justice by incorporating so much of the former distillery into our new home.

“The whole team at Rosebank are overjoyed to finally share our beautiful new distillery with whisky admirers across the world. We’re extremely proud of what we’ve created and can’t wait to open our doors this summer.”

Tours start from £25 per person, up to £300, and are available every day of the week. Bookings can be made directly via https://www.rosebank.com/visit-rosebank

About Rosebank

Owned by Ian Macleod Distillers, one of Scotland’s leading independent family-owned distillers, ‘The King of the Lowlands’ makes a highly-anticipated return.

After being mothballed in 1993, Rosebank will re-open in 2024, with a renovation that will breathe life back into this esteemed Scottish distillery and the surrounding community in Falkirk.

Regarded as one of the lightest, most floral Scotch whiskies ever made, Rosebank whisky is a non-peated, triple distilled, Lowland Single Malt. Its fruity floral style is achieved through a combination of triple distillation and worm tub condensers – a production technique that is unique to Rosebank Distillery.

To find out more about Rosebank Distillery, please visit www.rosebank.com

Keep up to date with Rosebank Distillery on social: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Sullivans Cove has won four Icons of Whisky at the 2024 World Whiskies Awards in London.

CELEBRATING OUR PEOPLE

Congratulations to Heather Tillott and Ally Bhana for their outstanding achievements at this year’s Icons of Whisky Awards.

This remarkable success illustrates the passion and excellence they bring to their roles every day.

HEATHER TILLOTT | GLOBAL DISTILLERY MANAGER OF THE YEAR

ALLY BHANA | GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR

SECOND-FILL MATURATION

Our dedication to second-fill cask maturation has now been acknowledged on the world stage.

As pioneers of this style in Australia, we have a profound appreciation for the way second-fill casks allow our spirit to shine. This award validates our commitment to refining and perfecting this approach.

SULLIVANS COVE | GLOBAL BRAND INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

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CASK COLLECTION No.72

“Our casks are evaluated over time and are selected for inclusion only when we judge them to have reached the peak of perfection.”

A bold statement, sure, but what does it mean? Whisky enthusiasts appreciate the increased access to new make spirit, which has grown in tandem with access to the distilleries themselves. However, few if any would deny that this raw, naked spirit is enhanced by maturation in oak. But how long does it need? Is there a sweet spot for this “peak” of maturation? Over the quieter winter months, we have taken time to reflect on our purpose here at A. D. Rattray. And in selecting Collection No.72, we have considered this pursuit of perfection, and how it applies to the curation of our Cask Collection.

BROWSE THE COLLECTION

Our cask inventory can be roughly categorised into “young” (3 – 7 years old), “middle-aged” (8 – 17 years old) and “old” (18 or more years old). Just as being old doesn’t guarantee maturity, a young whisky does not necessarily mean it is immature. At just 3, 4 or 5 years old, whisky can have an arresting vibrancy that may dissipate over time. And while whisky in its 20’s, 30’s, or (if you are fortunate enough to try it) its 40’s, is certainly special, in many ways it is a different thing altogether; heavier, more viscous, and of course, more expensive.

At their best, middle-aged whiskies balance the bright freshness of youth, with the measured complexity of age. Cask Collection No.72 places the focus on this middle-aged group, considering the transition from young to old, and whether there is a “peak” time for bottling. Have we found perfection in any one of these casks? We will leave that for you to decide. In the meantime, we will keep looking for that perfect dram. After all, it’s not always the destination, but the journey that matters.

Vic Cameron, one of our whisky lecturers says: “A valinch is a copper tube that we use to take samples out of the cask. We remove the bung and then use the valinch to get the samples that we can then nose or taste to check if the whisky is OK.”

 Watch the Video | 📖 Read the Post

The Good Dram Show – Episode 548 ‘Glaschu Spirits Company’

The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum Episode 548 – I’m An Aerospace Age.Warrior..! Filmed in The Study Nottingham. Welcome to this week’s episode f the show in which I’ll be taking a look at a selection of releases from the relatively new Independant bottling company Glaschu Spirits.

Featuring

Glaschu Spirits Company ‘Havelock Series’ Ardlair 2014 (9 year old) 50%

Glaschu Spirits Company Aultmore 2013 (9 year old) 50%

Glaschu Spirits Company Glenglassaugh (Craigmills) 2011 (12 year old) 50%

Glaschu Spirits Company ‘Havelock Series’ Islay 2008 (15 year old) 50%

Glaschu Spirits Company Glenglassaugh (Peated – Auchinderrom) 2010 (13 year old) 50%

A creative collaboration brings two new limited-edition whiskies to ‘The Dalmore Luminary Series’ curated in partnership with V&A Dundee

The collaboration is the second chapter of The Dalmore Luminary Series curated in partnership with V&A Dundee, Scotland’s design museum, which brings together luminaries from the worlds of whisky and architectural design

‘The Rare’ 49 Year Old Highland Single Malt, housed in a dramatic glass sculpture by Melodie Leung of Zaha Hadid Architects, will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in May 2024 with all proceeds donated to V&A Dundee

L2R: The Dalmore’s Richard Paterson OBE, Zaha Hadid Architects Melodie Leung, and The Dalmore’s Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass at The Dalmore Distillery

The Dalmore Luminary Series, curated in partnership with V&A Dundee, is releasing new masterpieces: a remarkable glass amber sculpture and collectable presentation case housing two new, exceptionally rare Highland Single Malt whiskies. The Dalmore Luminary – The Rare – 2024 Edition will be offered at auction with all proceeds donated to Scotland’s design museum, and The Dalmore Luminary – The Collectible – 2024 Edition will be available at leading luxury and specialist retailers globally from April 2^nd, 2024.

The three-part series celebrates the relentless pursuit of excellence through compelling collaborations between luminaries in whisky mastery and architectural design. The Dalmore Luminary – The Rare – 2024 Edition sees the whisky and its sculptural housing designed by Melodie Leung, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, together with Gregg Glass, Master Whisky Maker at The Dalmore, and Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE.

Leung and The Dalmore whisky makers have worked side by side to share and examine where their intricate skills and knowledge converge. The result of the close collaboration is two, beautiful new releases that creatively stretch the signature styles of Zaha Hadid Architects and The Dalmore. Both of these promise to delight both whisky and design enthusiasts in a fascinating exploration of the interaction of flavour and form.

The Dalmore Luminary – The Collectible – 2024 Edition presentation case

The Dalmore Luminary – The Rare – 2024 Edition

• Only three decanters and two sculptures will ever be made of The Rare, a 49 Year Old Single Malt from The Dalmore housed in a dynamic, glass amber sculpture designed by Leung and her team at Zaha Hadid Architects
• With an extraordinary maturation and blending process, the 49 Year Old Highland Single Malt offers layers of intense vanilla, dark berry fruit and cacao aromas, with a palate of freshly roasted chestnuts, blackcurrant, Doyenne pears and soft patisserie spices leading to a subtle, sweet smoke finish
• The whisky was matured in American White Oak ex-Bourbon casks and finished in a blend of Port Colheita 1963, Apostoles sherry, select Bourbon and a unique 1951/Virgin Oak hybrid cask

One covetable set is expected to attract interest from collectors globally and achieve upwards of six figures when offered at auction through Sotheby’s in May 2024, with all proceeds donated to V&A Dundee.

The Dalmore Luminary – The Collectible – 2024 Edition

• Whisky enthusiasts can also discover a one-of-a-kind expression from The Dalmore through The Collectible which features a small amount of exceptionally rare peated Dalmore spirit
• This introduces a whisper of herbal wood smoke over a nose of Manuka honey, crème brûlée, antique leather and delicate tropical notes complemented by a rich palate of ripe figs, oranges, forest fruits and brioche
• The 16 Year Old was matured in Bourbon casks and finished in a blend of Graham’s Tawny Port pipes and Apostoles sherry casks, with a small portion in peated, hand-selected, ex-refill Bourbon casks
• The bottle is housed in a presentation case that echoes the glowing, swirling design of The Rare sculpture
• From April 2^nd 2024, 20,000 sets will be available at a recommended retail price of £275 at select luxury and specialist retailers worldwide as well as global travel retail

The carefully crafted elements of The Dalmore Luminary – 2024 Edition were conceived entirely collaboratively, with Glass, Paterson and Leung working symbiotically to bring the whiskies to life. Glass says: “This was a true meeting of minds, and the new releases beautifully express the shared journey we’ve all been on.

“While crafting our two new whiskies, we used the technique of time – nurtured carefully to transform through blending – to elevate The Dalmore to a new level. Flavour, colour and form meet together in a holistic sensory experience with swirls of texture, depth, complexity and nuance. We are delighted to finally be sharing these special whiskies with the world.”

Leung adds: “Experiencing The Dalmore’s outstanding craftsmanship first-hand and being initiated into the complex world of whisky making by Gregg and Richard provided extremely fertile ground for design inspiration. The sculpture we created for The Rare was inspired by our fascinating discussions around the interaction and flow of flavour notes in the whisky-making process. It mirrors the multiple layers of ageing and blending that went into creating this whisky, which is the exquisite product of nature channelled over time.”

The Rare and The Collectible are covetable additions to any serious collection and reflect the shared commitment of The Dalmore, V&A Dundee and Leung to champion exceptional design and innovation on a global scale. All proceeds from Sotheby’s sale of The Rare will be donated to V&A Dundee in support of its important mission to inspire and empower through design.

The Dalmore, Zaha Hadid Architects and V&A Dundee have combined forces and included the architectural practice in an exciting new exhibition opening at V&A Dundee on Friday 29th March, Photo City: How Images Shape the Urban World – see Editors Notes.

 https://www.thedalmore.com/en-gb/luminary-series/luminary-2024-edition/  

The Dalmore Luminary – The Rare – 2024 Edition

TASTING NOTES

• Aroma: Madagascan vanilla, rich dark berry fruits, cinnamon and dark cacao
• Palate: Freshly roasted chestnuts, blackcurrant, Doyenne pears, and soft patisserie spices
• Finishing notes: Sugared almonds, plums, roasted Colombian coffee with lifts to a subtle sweet wood smoke
• Bottled at 40.6% ABV, natural colour, and non-chill filtered

MATURATION

• The 49 Year Old was matured in American White Oak ex-Bourbon casks and finished in a blend of Port Colheita 1963, Apostoles sherry, select Bourbon and unique hybrid casks
• A final flourish in a bespoke 1951/Virgin Oak hybrid cask air-dried at The Dalmore distillery and hand-toasted by Glass himself

THE DALMORE LUMINARY – THE RARE – 2024 EDITION GLASS SCULPTURE

• The Dalmore worked closely with Fiaz Elson from The Glass Foundry – one of the few master glass artists with the necessary experience and vision to manipulate glass to the desired form – to combine modern techniques with a centuries-old craft to deliver this unique sculpture
• The sculpture was in the kiln at The Glass Foundry for 12 weeks
• The initial moulding was made at 890 degrees and held at that temperature for 15 hours to ensure all moisture and air bubbles were released. The temperature was then gradually lowered around a degree a day until it was at room temperature. After this proving period, it was lifted carefully from the kiln, weighing in at 80 kilograms
• In a process that took over 500 hours, the sculpture was then fine-polished by hand across the entire surface area to achieve the liquid texture and gloss finish

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• In addition to the set offered at auction at Sotheby’s, a second complete set will be held at the distillery’s Highland home and one further decanter will be saved for a final Luminary Series Compendium Edition No 1, 2 and 3
• Two designer proofs will also go on display at V&A Dundee and Zaha Hadid​ Architects

The Dalmore Luminary – The Collectible – 2024 Edition

TASTING NOTES

• Aroma: Manuka honey, crème brûlée, antique leather, delicate tropical notes of pomegranate, guava, and cherry blossom
• Palate: Ripe figs, Seville oranges, forest fruits, passion fruit, lightly roasted Colombian coffee, fermented black limes, and brioche
• Finishing notes: Freshly roasted chestnuts, sweet wood spices, dark cacao, and Alphonso mangoes with a delicate whisper of herbal wood smoke
• Bottled at 48.6% ABV, natural colour, and non-chill filtered

New Exhibition at V&A Dundee – co-curated with the V&A to feature ZHA – Photo City: How Images Shape the Urban World (opens 29 March 2024, free)

Photo City brings together iconic images from the V&A’s spectacular photography collections as well as works by contemporary photographers, architects, and digital artists to explore how photography and cities have influenced each other.

ZHA has works held at the V&A South Kensington and now V&A Dundee have included the architectural practice in a new exhibition opening at V&A Dundee on Friday 29th March.

Supported by The Dalmore, the exhibition will be open to the public until 27 October to celebrate Dundee’s Decade of Design, the 10th anniversary of Dundee’s designation as the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design.

The exhibition explores how photographs are powerful tools that not only document the city, but also help us to project and design future cities and new ways of living together. The exhibition also expands on the idea of what photography is by including contemporary imaging technologies such as GPS, drones, gaming technology and lidar scanning.

About The Dalmore

Founded in 1839 on the banks of the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands, The Dalmore has been making masterpieces of whisky for over 180 years.

The 12-point silver stag which proudly adorns each bottle was bestowed upon the first chieftain of Clan Mackenzie in 1263 by King Alexander III of Scotland. The stag became the whisky’s emblem when descendants of the clan took over the distillery in 1878.

The Dalmore distillery’s collection of idiosyncratic stills creates a New Make spirit of unique character and depth – robust and fruity, particularly well-suited to longer and more complex maturation. This allows renowned Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass and his team to develop spirit over longer periods, continuing a tradition of visionary whisky-making as they fully express their art using rare casks from some of the world’s finest wineries and bodegas.

About V&A Dundee

V&A Dundee is Scotland’s design museum. Designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, the museum is at the centre of Dundee’s reimagined waterfront and is part of the V&A family of museums that celebrate creativity in all its forms from across centuries, for everyone.

V&A Dundee features world-class exhibitions alongside the permanent Scottish Design Galleries, and a changing programme of commissions, events and activities.

The V&A and The Dalmore share a historic legacy of pioneering work and innovation. Founded in 1839, The Dalmore holds exclusive use of the royal 12-pointed stag emblem after the Chief of the Clan Mackenzie, the distillery’s historic owners, saved King Alexander III from a charging stag. Just over a decade later, in 1852, the V&A was founded with a mission to educate designers, manufacturers and the public in art and design. This followed the Great Exhibition of 1851 which was created and championed by Prince Albert.

From their respective homes in Scotland, both V&A Dundee and The Dalmore are integral community and cultural hubs at the heart of the region.

Today, both V&A Dundee and The Dalmore are proud champions of Scottish culture, and unite to celebrate a relentless pursuit of excellence. Their collaboration is anchored in exporting shared purpose, talent and stories, and in curating and advocating exceptional design and craftsmanship.

About Melodie Leung

Leung is Director at the internationally acclaimed design studio, Zaha Hadid Architects.

Having joined in 2005, Melodie worked alongside the late Pritzker Architecture Prize winner, Zaha Hadid for 11 years, who entrusted her to lead a team of 500+ designers and architects. Our Luminary continues Zaha Hadid’s philanthropic endeavours, including nurturing up-and-coming designers to think individually, generate creative visions and aspire to remain at the forefront of the industry.

Leung was born and raised in Chicago, now living, and working in London, and is of Hong Kong heritage. She studied architecture at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and proceeded to a Masters of Architecture from the Graduate School of Architecture, Preservation and Planning at Columbia University, New York. ​

Zaha Hadid was described by many as one of contemporary architecture’s most influential figures, Leung narrates “…working with Zaha, in the practice that she founded, it was much more about challenging the process – so challenging each other, and our preconceptions in our design ideas.”

About Zaha Hadid Architects

Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) redefined architecture for the 21st century with a repertoire of projects that have captured imaginations across the globe. Form and space are woven within the structure of buildings that engage the senses, creating unrivalled spatial experiences that are clearly organized and intuitive to navigate.

Receiving the highest honours from civic, professional, and academic institutions worldwide, ZHA is one of the world’s most consistently inventive architectural studios—and has been for four decades. These 40 years of research are inscribed within more than 70 award-winning projects built for clients with reputations for excellence and visionary communities across six continents.

With over 80 pioneering designs currently in development around the world, ZHA is a global leader in improving how the industry constructs. Marrying advancements in design technologies with ecologically sound materials and sustainable construction practices, ZHA does not look at the disparate parts but works to understand them as a whole to meet the aspirations of each new generation.

The Dalmore
www.thedalmore.com
Facebook & Instagram @thedalmore

V&A Dundee
www.vam.ac.uk/dundee
Instagram & X @VADundee

Zaha Hadid Architects
www.zaha-hadid.com
Instagram @zahahadidarchitects
X @ZHA_News

Meet the Maker: Loch Lomond’s Michael Henry

One of the most innovative and exciting distilleries of the moment, Loch Lomond is our Whisky of the Year. ⁠ Chosen in a blind tasting, this is a distillery that is on a roll experimenting with their stills, their ferments and their cooperage.

We still have tickets to our Meet the Maker masterclass this Wednesday where Michael Henry will be leading a tasting through the range and sharing some particularly special drams.

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Michel Henry

Michael grew up around the Bushmills distillery in Northern Ireland, where whiskey and distilling was at the heart of the community working there through his university days. However, his career took a turn into the world of brewing where he learned how to build up flavour. This has proved exceptionally useful in his distilling career where Micheal has pushed for longer and fruiter ferments.

Whisky of the Year

Loch Lomond 18 Year Old was chosen in a blind tasting as our Whisky of the Year. It was a particularly competitive tasting but Loch Lomond’s balance and its complexity won out. Thanks to the many variables that Loch Lomond can draw on, this is a dram that has plenty of fruit, a robust body, sweet patisserie notes, and an enticing whisper of smoke.

Casks and Coopers

One of the things that has helped the distillery raise its game is the in house cooperage. Control over their casks, the ability to adjust toast and char, size and otherwise fine turn a cask mean that Loch Lomond have been able to really push their whisky’s quality. ⁠

Down the Rabbit Hole

By using different grains, barley, malted and unmalted, peated to different levels or not at all, and then using different yeasts and lengths of fermentation, the distillery is able to start the whisky-making process off with a dazzling array of options. Then factor in the three types of still that Loch Lomond has at their disposal, traditional pot stills, straight neck stills and column stills, and you have even more options. Then add to that the possibilities of casks and you have gone fully down the whisky rabbit hole.

Whisky Magazine issue #198

Get your hands on our latest issue!

We announce the winners of the World Whiskies Awards, which celebrate the best whiskies for taste and design around the world. We also share the people and places named Icons of Whisky 2024 and honour the new inductees of the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame.

We get an exclusive first look around the newly renovated Rosebank Distillery, which is due to reopen to the public in summer 2024, more than three decades after its closure.

Make sure you don’t miss out!

Buy your copy of Whisky Magazine today.

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