LOCH LOMOND 18 YEAR OLD

Our Whisky of the Year 2024 is the full-bodied and fruity 18-year-old single malt from Loch Lomond. Matured in three types of American oak casks, this whisky is the perfect representation of the distillery’s signature style, with layers of rich fruit, sweet honey and subtle warming smoke.

This stunning single malt was matured in American oak casks from Loch Lomond’s on-site cooperage, adding a full-bodied and creamy texture to the spirit as well as aromas of tobacco leaf, buttered toast and vanilla. The palate is filled with notes of baked apple, grapefruit, honeysuckle and gooseberries, while the finish bring gentle wisps of smoke and hints of rich oak.

A fantastic display of what Loch Lomond is capable of and the worthy recipient of our Whisky of the Year 2024 award.

Ambassador Billy Abbott Tried Loch Lomond 18

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At 12:00 UK time today (Friday 28th June), the 13th edition of Wolfburn’s Kylver series will be released.  Available exclusively from our website there are just 636 bottles in total, which will be sold on a strictly first-come-first-served basis.

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BC Businesses Collaborate to Create World’s First Sugar Kelp Infused Peat-Smoked Whisky

Macaloney’s Island Distillery Crafts a Unique Whisky, Merging the Terroir of Vancouver Island with the Merroir of Sustainable Seaweed Cultivation

[Vancouver Island, BC] – Macaloney’s Island Distillery announces the inaugural release of the world’s first-ever sugar kelp infused peat-smoked whisky. This groundbreaking whisky, produced in limited quantities, is set to make waves in the whisky community with its unique blend of maritime and smoky flavours, while showcasing a remarkable collaboration between BC and Washington State businesses.The newmake spirit, from which this whisky was matured, has already garnered global acclaim by winning ‘World’s Best’ in blind tastings by industry-experienced judges at the prestigious World Whisky Awards in London, UK. This accolade underscores the exceptional quality and craftsmanship that Macaloney’s is known for.The limited-edition whisky can be purchased from the distillery for $109.99 per bottle.

The innovative infusion of sugar kelp, a type of brown seaweed, chosen for its fresh maritime aromas and sweet smoke has been sustainably farmed along the coast of British Columbia by Cascadia Seaweed, in partnership with coastal First Nations. Seaweed needs only the sea and sunlight to thrive, and its growth enhances local ocean ecosystems. The team at Cascadia Seaweed is dedicated to cultivating their own seaweed and harvesting solely from what they grow. They focus on transforming their crops into agricultural products and proudly support collaborations with other local businesses when opportunities arise.

Dr. Graeme Macaloney, the mastermind behind this unique whisky, revived traditional peat-smoking methods by studying under experts in his ancestral home of Islay, Scotland. The peat used in this process is sourced from Washington State, reflecting a unique Canada-USA collaboration and the spirit of innovation that defines Macaloney’s Island Distillery.

This inaugural release is matured in Dr. Jim Swan’s Portuguese red wine Shave-Toast-Rechar barriques, adding layers of red berry, caramel-toffee sweetness, and deep oak notes to the whisky’s creamy-velvety mouth-feel, juicy malted barley, and tropical fruit profile. The peat and sugar-kelp infusion introduces bonfire, burning heather, sweet smokiness, and pronounced maritime notes, finishing with a hint of salt.This unique whisky embodies both the terroir of Macaloney’s Island whisky and the Pacific Northwest, and the merroir of Cascadia Seaweed. Terroir refers to the complete natural environment in which the whisky is produced, including soil, topography, and climate, imparting a distinct taste and flavour to the whisky. Merroir, derived from the French word for sea, describes the local conditions in which seaweed is raised. This collaborative whisky marries the two, blending the distinctive elements of land and sea to create an unparalleled sensory experience.

The launch of this sugar kelp infused peated whisky also marks the second release of Macaloney’s exploration of ‘terroir’, trademarked as ‘The Peat Project’. Whisky enthusiasts will now have the opportunity to compare this innovative expression with existing Peat Project whiskies, setting the stage for future comparisons with Scottish-Islay peat and Vancouver Island peat.

MORE INFO HERE

For more information on this historic release email: Tom@MacaloneyDistillers.com

For retailers to place orders email: orders@MacaloneyDistillers.com

For consumer on-line orders with free shipping across Canada, please visit: www.MacaloneyDistillers.com/shop

About Macaloney’s Island Distillery

Guided by his love for Uisge Beatha, the water of life, Graeme Macaloney, the expat Scot founder and Master Whiskymaker at Macaloney’s Island Distillery, set out to create the finest single malt whisky in North America and the world (having now won 3 ‘World’s Best’ and 8 ‘Canadian Best’ gold medals). Driven by quality he focused his efforts on bringing together the industry’s best Scottish whisky makers, ingredients (great Canadian barley, local peat, select American & European oak, and island air!) and the best equipment (from the famed Forsyth’s copperworks, Speyside, Scotland).

Thanks to these high-quality ingredients, world-class facilities, and deep expert knowledge base, Macaloney and his team were able to produce a range exceptional gold medal whiskies, expanding their range, to more than a dozen different drams for whisky lovers of single malt, triple-distilled potstill (Irish-style) and peated single malt styles

TOP RESULTS FROM THE BONHAMS SKINNER RARE SPIRITS SALE

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Glenlivet “The Winchester Collection” 50 Years Old 1967 (1 750ml bottle, 1 50ml bottle), sold for 21,250.

Boston – Bonhams Skinner saw impressive results in its Distinguished Distilleries: Rare Spirits sale from June 4 – 18, with several bottles fetching over $10,000. Overall, the 471-lot sale totalled $708,000 with a 84% sell-through rate.

A standout of the sale was a 1967 50 Year Old Glenlivet from “The Winchester Collection,” which included a 750ml and a 50ml bottle. This highly sought-after and limited-edition single malt Scotch whisky, with only 150 bottles produced, sold for a remarkable $21,250. Equally fetching $21,250 was the Highland Park 50 Years Old, a highly prestigious and rare single malt Scotch whisky

The sale also featured a significant collection from Dr. Paul S. Hirsch, an award-winning writer and historian. Hirsch developed an effective system for discovering vintage and rare bottles of whiskey, becoming a leading authority with a robust community around collecting outstanding spirits. The 47-bottle offering, boasting labels from a number of important distilleries, exemplifies Hirsch’s dedication to seeking out the best of the best. Of note from the sale was a Willett Bourbon 25 Years Old Black Wax, which sold for $17,500. Overall, Dr. Hirsch’s collection totalled $125,960.

Another standout at the auction was the Blanton’s Frankfort, KY 200th, a special bottling of Blanton’s bourbon whiskey commemorating the bicentennial of Frankfort, Kentucky. This highly rare offering achieved an impressive price of $5,250.

Additional highlights include:

• Macallan Select Reserve 52 Years Old 1946 (1 70cl bottle), sold for $16,250.
• OFC Bottled in Bond Geo. T. Stagg Company 1917 (1 pint bottle), sold for $11,875.
• Willett Rye 24 Years Old Black Wax (1 750ml bottle), sold for $10,000.
• Colonel E.H. Taylor Old Fashioned Sour Mash (1 750ml bottle), sold for $10,000.

Bonhams US will ramp up its sale cadence in the fall, with a run of multiple Spirits auctions to close the year, the first in the series taking place in September. The forthcoming sales will be led by Sean Purce, the new Senior Specialist of Spirits based out of New York. With years of expertise running online sales at Zachys Wine Auctions and expertise in the appraisal and evaluation of rare bottlings of wine and spirits, Purce’s addition will be a valuable asset to Bonhams as it expands its Wine & Spirits department in the US. Bonhams is strategically positioned to tap into the vital US market and is bolstered by Bonhams’ coast-to-coast strength, supported by its global network of auction houses that have consistently demonstrated success in presenting Wine & Spirits auctions to a discerning international clientele.

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.
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.

JOHNNIE WALKER DELIGHTS

If there is one brand that is synonymous with the words ‘blended whisky’, then it is Johnnie Walker. Old Highland Walker as it used to be known, rose from small beginnings in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire to become the world’s best selling Scotch whisky. The expressions are made primarily using single malt from the ‘Four Corners of Scotland’: Glenkinchie (Lowland), Caol Ila (Islay), Cardhu (Speyside) and Clynelish (Highland).

Johnnie Walker’s influence cannot be denied, nor can its exemplary taste. Pick up a bottle to remind yourself just how fantastic blended whisky can be.

Johnnie Walker Red Label

The world’s best selling Scotch whisky. With its combination of light whiskies from Scotland’s east coast and dark, peaty whiskies from the west coast, Red Label holds an extraordinary depth of flavour. The taste travels right across your palate to deliver a flavour experience no ordinary whisky can match.

£23.00
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Johnnie Walker Blue Label

The rare casks used in the blending of Johnnie Walker Blue Label are drawn from the largest reserves of whisky in the world. The casks are hand-selected and set aside for their exceptional quality, character and flavour. Only 1 in 10,000 containing whisky of sufficient character to deliver its remarkably smooth taste.

£160.00
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EXPLORE JOHNNIE WALKER

A Day at the Johnnie Walker Experience

On an extremely grey June day, The Whisky Shop team headed to Edinburgh to attend the capital city’s premier whisky attraction: The Johnnie Walker Journey of Flavour Experience. Let’s see what we thought!

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Free Next Day Delivery for 12 Months For just £14.95 you can enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year! Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs. Find out more ❯

Isle of Raasay Quercus Humboldtii Columbian Oak 

An Industry first is here with the latest release from the Isle of Raasay Distillery. Fully matured in Quercus Humboltii, or Colombian Oak, this wonderful dram is the first in a new series from the Island distillery that examines different Oak Species maturation.

A combination of peated and unpeated spirit has been distilled and filled into virgin casks made from Colombian Oak. Mike was at the distillery in March 2022 and was lucky enough to try a sample of this at just 12 months old. He’s been desperate to see it in the bottle and finally it’s here! Let’s just say he wasn’t disappointed.

£90.00

50.7% ABV

Click here

Mike’s tasting notes:

Nose: Rich notes of honey and madeira wine sweetness, with blackcurrant cordial on the nose. A very soft hint of cigar ash alludes to the peaty spirit but it’s only just there and no more.

Palate: Lush and creamy, custard pie with icing sugar and blackcurrants again. A sweet brandy basket with fruit and nut milk chocolate with a note of vanilla ice cream. A spicy tang ensures there’s not too much sweetness.

Finish: Long, lasting and sweet. The blackcurrant stays, offering bitter-sweet fruitiness and again, a tiny pang of sweet peat lingers.

TIMESPIRIT DINING EXPERIENCE AT THE MACALLAN ESTATE

We are delighted to share the next chapter in our gastronomic journey, in collaboration with three Michelin starred restaurant El Celler de Can Roca.

United by an insatiable curiosity, quest for knowledge, and dedication to innovation, we have collaborated to create TimeSpirit, a new permanent dining experience at The Macallan Estate.

​Inspired by our long-standing partnership of twelve years, TimeSpirit is a culinary expression of our collective playful spirit, creativity and respect for nature. The exceptional tasting menu is a culinary exploration of our story as we celebrate 200 Years Young.​

Booking is now open for dining from 1st August.

LEARN MORE AND BOOK

Clermont Steep – Suntory Global Spirits’ first foray into the American Single Malt category, this whiskey focuses on a single grain – 100% malted barley. ABV: 47% | SRP: $60

The Single Malt Sidecar

2 oz Clermont Steep American Single Malt

1 oz Orange Liqueur

.5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Lemon peel, for garnish

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Heaven Hill Distillery Announces Launch of Heaven Hill Grain to Glass

Includes three different expressions with unique mashbills: Bourbon, Wheated Bourbon and Rye Whiskey

Bardstown, Ky. (June 19, 2024) – Heaven Hill Distillery announced today the highly-anticipated launch of Heaven Hill Grain to Glass. This latest addition to the Heaven Hill family is a collection of Kentucky Whiskeys that highlight Heaven Hill’s long-standing commitment to quality, sustainability, and craft. The initial launch features three new mashbills which include a Bourbon Whiskey, Wheated Bourbon Whiskey and Rye Whiskey expression.

The craft nature of this unique line of Whiskeys starts at the very beginning – the seed. The idea for the line began over 8 years ago as the brainchild of Heaven Hill Executive Chairman Max Shapira. Max’s passion for quality and transparency in whiskey-making lead to a partnership with seed company Beck’s Hybrids – a fellow family-owned and lead operation based in Indiana since 1937. Each year, our Master Distiller works with Beck’s Hybrids to hand select a unique corn seed varietal that has specific attributes desirable for Heaven Hill Grain to Glass, one of which is choosing seed which is best suited for growth in Central Kentucky.  The chosen corn seed varietal is then grown by Peterson Farms on one of two sites in Nelson County, one of which is directly across the street from Heaven Hill’s Bardstown facility. Peterson Farms, a multi-generational family farming company, has been entrusted to take the corn seed varietal and cultivate it into healthy grain that goes into the Heaven Hill Grain to Glass mashbills.  Since its founding in 1935, Heaven Hill has prided itself on crafting the highest quality Kentucky Whiskeys. Heaven Hill Grain to Glass honors this legacy and the cherished partnerships which were built on handshakes, not contracts.

“Over the course of the nearly 90 years, since the founding of Heaven Hill by my Dad and his brothers, we have always been cognizant of viewing our business from the long term, developing products that fit into this broad vision,” said Heaven Hill Executive Chairman Max Shapira. “Heaven Hill Grain to Glass incorporates everything our long history and heritage brings to our producing what we believe is the most unique, transparent offering that we have brought to market in our entire history. And that is saying a lot.”

The Bourbon and Wheated Bourbon Whiskeys feature mashbills with higher secondary grain content than Heaven Hill’s traditional Bourbon mashbill and Wheated Bourbon mashbill. Bottled at 107 proof, the Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey expression is comprised of 52% corn, 35% rye and 13% malted barley. Bottled at 121 proof, the Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey expression is made with 52% corn, 35% wheat and 13% malted barley. The Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey expression is bottled at 123.2, the only barrel proof expression of the series. It also features a higher rye content than Heaven Hill’s traditional Rye Whiskey mashbill consisting of 63% rye, 24% corn and 13% malted barley. The distillates have been aged over six years at Heaven Hill’s Cox’s Creek rickhouse site. Each product is non-chill filtered and bottled at the ideal proof to allow the characteristics of each unique mashbill to shine.

“Working with Beck’s and Peterson Farms to create Grain to Glass has been an incredible experience,” said Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll. “We’re proud to have crafted an innovative product – taking it from seed to aged liquid – while still remaining true to the values and legacy of Heaven Hill Distillery.”

The focus on transparency in the Heaven Hill Grain to Glass line extends beyond its local ingredients. The label on each bottle features details of the specific corn seed varietal utilized from Beck’s Hybrids, the unique mashbill, as well as the distillation and released years. The illustrations include a blueprint of Bernheim Distillery, along with custom designs depicting the importance of farming tradition and innovation. The bottles are 700ml which perfectly poises the line for international expansion in the future. More information can be found here: https://heavenhilldistillery.com/grain-to-glass/

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 two million barrels aging in more than 70 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. In back-to back years, Heaven Hill Distillery was named Magazine Icons of Whisky Global Distiller of the Year for 2024 and 2023. Heaven Hill Distillery also holds 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