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THE GLENDRONACH LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVE WHISKY LOUNGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TOP ST ANDREWS HOTEL 

The Glendronach has partnered with Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts flagship property, Rusacks St Andrews, to launch a whisky lounge offering exclusive experiences. Opening its doors last month, it will provide domestic and international visitors with the opportunity to taste premium whisky from the company’s vast archive, including rare casks from Brown-Forman’s single malts portfolio no longer available for purchase.

The members’ club-inspired space, named ‘Room 116’, boasts a bespoke bar showcasing a unique whisky collection which will offer all three of Brown-Forman’s single malts which include Benriach and Glenglassaugh. The Glendronach; one of Scotland’s oldest licensed distilleries, will be the highlight offering as part of the new experience.

Since it was founded almost 200 years ago, The Glendronach has been crafting sherried single malt whisky. The Highland spirit is slowly matured in the finest Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks sourced from Andalucia, Spain. The result is an exquisite and expressive duality of flavours, of light and dark, where robust, rich Highland spirit meets opulent Spanish flair. A true revelation in flavour.

Emily Richardson, Brown-Forman UK Marketing Director, said: 

“The Glendronach is one of Scotland’s oldest licenced distilleries and one of the world’s most exceptional, richly-sherried Single Malts, so this is a hugely fitting collaboration, combining our legacy with Rusacks St Andrews which is steeped in golfing history and prominence. The new offering will provide an opportunity for guests to discover The Glendronach in an outstanding setting, combining celebrated whisky, a world renowned golf course and the best of Scotland’s hospitality.” 

With bespoke packages and personalised tastings, Room 116 provides a highly curated experience for all the senses. The lounge will be available to private parties with an array of experiences on offer including whisky tastings paired with mezze boards.Officially trademarked ‘The Best View in Golf’, Room 116 overlooks the 18th green of the legendary Old Course and the Fife Coast, offering a stunning backdrop for whisky enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike.

Phillip Allen, President of Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts:

“Rusacks St Andrews is delighted to be the UK flagship for The Glendronach, a partnership which celebrates the best of two of Scotland’s finest institutions – whisky and golf. At Marine & Lawn we bring old-world luxury and refined Scottish heritage into a new era, so The Glendronach was a natural partnership. We’re excited to showcase the distillery’s innovative craftsmanship to our valuable guests, both in Room 116 and across the wider Marine & Lawn portfolio.”

The Glendronach recently marked a significant transformation with a visual relaunch – the final brand refresh of the three single malts since being acquired by Brown-Forman in 2016. Later this year the portfolio will welcome a number of releases including the Master’s Anthology comprising three expressions and additions to the ultra-premium core range with a 21, 30 and 40-Year-Old release.

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About Brown-Forman:

For more than 150 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Ready-to-Drinks, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Coopers’ Craft, The Glendronach, Benriach, Glenglassaugh, Slane, Herradura, el Jimador, New Mix, Korbel, Chambord, Fords Gin, Gin Mare, and Diplomático Rum. Brown-Forman’s brands are supported by approximately 5,700 employees globally and sold in more than 170 countries worldwide.

For more information about the company, please visit brown-forman.com.

About The Glendronach Distillery:

Welcome to The Glendronach, one of the world’s most exceptional, richly-sherried Single Malts.

For almost 200 years, The Glendronach distillery has stood proudly in the Scottish Highlands, nestled and protected by its namesake – the ‘Valley of Brambles’. James Allardice, our founder introduced this whisky to the world in 1826, and since then generations of artisans have remained dedicated to time-honoured methods, relying on intuition and their senses to raise expectations of what’s possible in whisky.

Our robust Highland spirit is slowly matured in the finest Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks sourced from Andalucia, Spain. This brings together a unique duality of robust Highland spirit and Spanish flair which rewards the palate with richness, flamboyance and flair – a true revelation in flavour.

MACALLAN MIZUNARA 33-YEAR-OLD 1990 KOMOREBI EDITION LEADS BONHAMS FINEST WHISKY  SALE 

World’s rarest Japanese whisky also offered

Macallan Mizunara 33-Year-Old 1990 Komorebi Edition, East Asia Whisky Company. Estimate: £6,000-9,000.

Edinburgh – A rare and highly sought after Macallan Mizunara 33-Year-Old 1990 Komorebi Edition whisky leads Bonhams Finest Whisky & Spirits online sale from 23 September-3 October. The third in the final instalment in the Macallan Mizunara project by the East Asia Whisky Company, this edition, named ‘Komorebi’ meaning ‘golden beams of light filtering through tree leaves’, was matured for 33 years (two of which were in Mizunara) and is offered with an estimate of £6,000-9,000.

Also offered in the sale is an exceptionally rare Shirakawa 1958 whisky – the earliest known single vintage Japanese whisky ever bottled. The Shirakawa Distillery operated for nearly six and half decades before being demolished in 2003. Distilled and bottled in Japan by Takara Shuzo Co Ltd, bottle 242 of 1500, and in its original presentation case, the Japanese Single Malt is offered with an estimate of £6,000-8,000.

Shirakawa 1958 whisky. Estimate: £6,000 – 8,000.

Other Japanese whiskies of note offered in the sale include:

• Karuizawa 1999 #671, bottled 1999 and distilled by Karuizawa Distillery. One of 394 bottles and in original presentation case. 1 bottle. Estimate: £1,600-2,200.

• Hanyu 2000 #63 La Maison du Whisky. Bottled in 2015. Distilled, matured and bottled by Hanyu Distillery. Specially selected and imported by La Maison du Whisky. In original carton. 1 bottle. Estimate £1,200-1,600. 

Georgia Porteous, Bonhams Whisky Specialist in Edinburgh comments, “The sale features highly sought after rare Japanese whiskies alongside stand-out lots including a bottle of Aberfeldy 30-Year-Old 1991. A bottle of Highland Park Rebus 30-Year-Old is also offered, celebrating 30 years of the whisky-loving Inspector John Rebus, immortalised in Sir Ian Rankin’s series of detective novels set in Edinburgh. There are some exceptional whiskies here.”

Left: Highland Park Rebus 30 Year. Estimate: £3,000-4,000. Right: Macallan Private Eye. Estimate: £2,250-3,000.

The 78-lot sale features some beautifully well-balanced whiskies as well as commemorative editions including:

• Aberfeldy 30-Year-Old 1991, distilled 1991, hand bottled 2021 by Burn O’ Bennie Distillery. 2^nd Fill Bourbon Cask. Bottle One of One and in hand crafted Walnut presentation case by Stevie Stuart, cabinet maker.  Label illustration is Peter Howson x Burn O’Bennnie. Included in this lot is the original artwork that was used for the label design. Estimate: £6,000 – 8,000. 

• Highland Park Rebus 30-Year-Old, distilled and bottled by Highland Park Distillery and in the original wooden presentation case. 1 bottle. Estimate: £3,000-4,000. 
• Macallan Private Eye, selected by Whisky Maker F. A. Newlands at The Macallan Distillery, bottled to commemorate the 35^th Anniversary of Private Eye. Includes cask number 1580, bonded 1961. Estimate £2,250-3,000.

Sale: Finest Whisky & Spirits Sale

Location: www.bonhams.com

Date: 23 September – 3 October 2024

About The Bonhams Network

Bonhams is a global network of auction houses, with the largest number of international salerooms, offering the widest range of collecting categories and selling at all price points. Bonhams is recognised for its bespoke service, and a dedication to local market relationships, enhanced by a global platform. With 14 salerooms, Bonhams presents over 1,000 sales annually, across more than 60 specialist categories, including fine art, collectables, luxury, wine & spirits, and collector cars.

Founded in 1793, Bonhams has representatives in more than 30 countries and operates flagship salerooms in London, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. In 2022, Bonhams added four international auction houses to its network: Bukowskis, Stockholm; Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen; Cornette de Saint Cyr, Paris and Brussels; and Skinner, Massachusetts. The success of Bonhams’ global strategy is a result of recognising the shift in growing intercontinental buying and increased digital engagement.

In 2023, Bonhams achieved 14% growth with $1.14 billion in turnover. Recent important auctions and landmark single-owner collections, include the white glove sales of Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection, Alain Delon: Sixty Years of Passion; Sir Roger Moore: The Personal Collection; Personal Property of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and The Robert & Jean-Pierre Rousset Collection of Asian Art: A Century of Collecting. Other notable single-owner sales included The Estate of Barbara Walters: American Icon; The Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; The Crown Auction: Props and Costumes and The Claude de Marteau Collection.

Top lots for 2023 include 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta, Sold at Quail Lodge, US for US$30,255,000. Tipu Sultan’s Bedchamber Sword (sold in London for £14m – a world record for both an Islamic and an Indian object); Paul Signac (1863-1935), Sisteron, 1902. Sold for US$8,580,000 (estimate US$4-6 million), and Claude Monet (1840-1926), La Seine près de Giverny, 1888. Sold for US$6,352,500 (estimate US$4-6m), both from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; A Gilt Copper Alloy figure of Virupaksha, Central Tibet, Densatil Monastery, Early 15th century. Sold for HK$37.9m (£4,060,326) in Hong Kong. Yoshitomo Nara (born 1959) Three Stars. Sold for HK$36,754,000 (£3,930,914), also in Hong Kong.

More information and highlights can be found HERE

For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com

Craigellachie 11 Year Old PX Quarter Cask Milroy’s Soho Selection 57.1% 70cl

Craigellachie 11 Year Old.

Finished in a Pedro Ximénez quarter cask, it’s BURSTING with red fruit, dark chocolate and sweet fudge notes. It’s the perfect bottle if you love big, bold sherried whiskies – and it’s just ££68.95!

An exceptional 11 year-old sherry monster from Craigellachie is the latest addition to our Soho Selection. This Speyside single malt has been aged in a refill hogshead before being re-racked into a first-fill PX sherry cask and was specially selected for its rich and fruity character. Bursting with red fruit, dark chocolate and sweet fudge, this is the perfect bottle if you love big, bold sherried whiskies.

Tasting notes:

Nose: Blackcurrant jam, strawberry tart and caramel fudge.

Palate: A delightfully waxy mouthfeel. Mince pies, more red fruits and milk chocolate.

Finish: Dried tobacco with soft lingering leather notes.

Did you know? We’re not just a purveyor of amazing whiskies – we bottle our very own, too! Our expert team works with our partners to source the most thrilling expressions to release under our own Milroy’s brands. This result? The utmost tastiness at remarkable value! We’re especially proud of our Soho Selection and Vintage Reserve Collections.There’s more where that came from. Check out our full range of Milroy’s own bottlings and savour the top-value flavour.

NEW & EXCLUSIVE:
BOWMORE SHERRY OAK
CASK COLLECTION

We’re delighted to introduce the Sherry Oak Cask Collection from Bowmore, which brings waves of richly sherried flavours to this celebrated distillery’s quintessential Islay single malt. Each whisky in the brand-new collection is exclusively available to The Whisky Exchange customers, presented in a beautiful new bottle design that pays homage to the iconic Black Bowmore.

VIEW THE COLLECTION

Bowmore has been an icon of Scotch whisky distilling since it was established on Islay nearly 250 years ago. Today, Bowmore is known for its its bold and full-flavoured whiskies, which combine coastal character, peat smoke and tropical fruit notes in its collection of single malts, as well as a back catalogue of some of the most highly prized and collectable Scotch whiskies available anywhere, including a heyday in the 1960s that culminated with its celebrated White and Black Bowmore releases.

 Scorched Sunset

We’re proud to launch Scorched Sunset, our 13-year-old single cask from North British Distillery. The North British Distillery is one of Scotland’s oldest and largest Scotch grain whisky producers, founded in 1885 and based in Edinburgh.

Scorched Sunset, curated by Isabella Wemyss, offers a nose of gingerbread, syrup-soaked oats, vanilla cake, and marshmallow sweetness. The palate bursts with butterscotch, sweet orange zest, and warming brandy butter, perfectly balanced with rich, charred oak spice. The finish is long and warming, with crystallised ginger leaving a touch of spice on the tongue.

Only 255 bottles are available – don’t miss your chance to add this fiery expression to your collection.

2024 Scottish Distillers Conference

Wednesday 30th October

The Scottish Distillers Conference brings together distilling professionals from across Scotland.

Our 2nd annual conference brings together an inspiring line-up of speakers in a one day event of learning and networking when we will tackle the most pressing issues in the sector. To ensure the most relevant delegates are present, a short ticket application is required.  Tickets are £50 +VAT per person and include welcome coffee and lunch.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

BENROMACH DISTILLERY LAUNCHES LIMITED-EDITION 50 YEARS OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY

Benromach Distillery in Forres, Scotland, has launched a rare 50 Years Old single malt nurtured by master craftsmen over the past five decades.

With an ABV of 54.6%, the whisky presents notes of lemon and subtle smoke on the nose. Stewed fruit aromas are complemented by orange zest and a hint of aged leather on the palate, before the liquid’s long, full finish ends with cracked pepper and that wisp of smoke.

The whisky is presented in unique handcrafted glass decanters created by Ross-shire-based Glasstorm, one of the UK’s most established hot glass studios.

Benromach’s handmade ethos and dedication to traditional methods has been echoed by Glasstorm who used a highly skilled ‘battuto’ technique to finish the decanters. This technique is only practiced by master glassmakers and sees the glass sculpted by hand, making each bottle a unique work of art.

Only 248 decanters of this single cask release are available worldwide, retailing at £20,000.

Keith Cruickshank, Distillery Manager at Benromach, said: “I’m proud to be distillery manager at a time when we release this exquisite single malt, the epitome of our dedication to create exceptional whiskies by hand.

“Each element of Benromach 50 Years Old has been crafted by hand using traditional techniques. This includes the decanter, which not only mirrors the spirit in terms of quality but also embodies the passion and meticulous attention to detail that has gone into crafting it.

 “It is truly a memorable experience for the team to be able to release this very special whisky; a single malt that has been made by hand and shaped by time.”

Brodie Nairn, Glasstorm owner, comments: “There is great synergy between the craftsmanship of glass blowing and whisky making.  It takes years to harness the skills, passing down from master to apprentice.   I first learned the battuto technique from a master glassblower over in Italy 25 years ago and in turn I’ve trained my team.  It has taken me a long time to find a project special enough to use it on but, at last, I found the perfect one.”

For more information on Benromach Distillery or Benromach 50 Years Old, please visit: www.benromach.com

Tasting Notes: 

Benromach 50 Years Old

• RRP: £20,000

• ABV: 54.6%

• Nose: Smooth citrus peel with hints of strawberry and a touch of smoke. Pineapple notes come to the fore, alongside fruitcake and a dash of lemon sherbet.

• Taste: Stewed fruit aromas are complemented by orange zest and a hint of aged leather. Medjool dates and flambeed banana give way to toasted almonds.

• Finish: Full and long finish with cracked black pepper and a wisp of smoke.

About Benromach Distillery

Originally built in 1898, Benromach Distillery was brought back to life by owners Gordon & MacPhail in 1993.

At Benromach, the team keep things simple: a handful of distillers relying entirely on their expertise and senses to make the finest handmade whisky.

Their processes honour the knowledge and experience used to make Speyside whiskies decades ago, because at Benromach they believe making whisky by hand delivers genuine character.

For more information, visit: www.benromach.com

About Gordon & MacPhail

Gordon & MacPhail is a family-owned premium spirits company based in Elgin, Scotland. Owner of Scotch whisky distilleries, Benromach and The Cairn, Gordon & MacPhail is also a Scotch whisky maturation expert, and the owner of Scottish Gin brand, Red Door.

Laphroaig 2024 Release – Islay Single Malt Whisky 30 Year Old 70cl · 45.8% ABV

Crafted with passion using the time-honoured production techniques that make Laphroaig unique, this expression takes on a new layer of complexity from its extended time maturing in American oak barrels, and European oak ex-sherry hogsheads and butts.

Floral and tropical fruits gifted by 30 years of aging balances the distinctive smoky notes for a truly unforgettable tasting experience. Bottled at a fixed strength of 45.8% to be enjoyed and savoured with friends.

Aroma: Fruity and sweet initially with very distinctive top notes of zesty orange and lemon peel, vanilla custard and treacle toffee.

Taste: More delicate background notes are revealed such as bergamot, sweet pastries and fresh thyme along with white pepper on the palette.

Finish: This is finally followed by a smouldering peat smoke and sooty campfire notes.

£774.95