Archive for July, 2025

Rare Find Unveils Investigatory Summer Releases – Scotch Whisky News

Rare Find Unveils Investigatory Summer Releases

 Gleann Mòr Spirits the well-regarded whisky maker continues its 10th anniversary year with the unveiling of its summer collection of Rare Find single malt Scotch whiskies, which consist of several investigatory cask maturations.

Established in Leith, Edinburgh, Rare Find has built its reputation on curating limited-edition bottlings sourced from Scotland’s most sought-after distilleries. With a focus on meticulous selection, guided maturation, and exceptional cask finishing, the whisky maker is known for crafting whiskies that are rare by design.

The anticipated new expressions showcase five exceptional Scotch single malt whiskies. Included in the summer releases are: Rare Find’s first release from Annandale Distillery – a preview of an ongoing experiment into sherry barrique finishing and the utilisation of a rarely seen white port cask together with single malt from Wick’s Pulteney distillery as an exploration of the balance that is possible between sweetness and salinity.

The 2025 Summer Rare Find releases consist of:

  • Craigellachie 11 year old (1st Fill Oloroso Finish): Produced as an online exclusive for www.rarefindwhisky.co.uk, Craigellachie’s weighty and characterful distillate has been amplified further with a 9-month finish in a 1st fill oloroso hogshead resulting in a substantial whisky packed full of sweet intensity.
  • Annandale Peated 6 year old (Oloroso Barrique Finish): In an ongoing exploration of cask influence, this peated Annandale single malt has been re-racked from an oloroso butt into a oloroso-seasoned barrique to examine the continued maturation effects of smaller sherry casks. This first Annandale release marks the beginning of an evolving series, with future bottlings set to showcase extended maturation within the high-impact 225 litre casks.
  • Glenglassaugh 11 year old (Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Finish): Rare Find’s second release from Glenglassaugh and a rare use of a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru wine cask. After nearly two-years in a red wine barrique, this coastal style distillate has been perfectly balanced with the addition of expressive, vibrant red fruits.
  • Pulteney 17 year old (1st Fill White Port Finish): A pioneering release, and Rare Find’s first use of rarely seen white port casks. The coastal, salinity-forward character of Pulteney’s spirit has been perfectly preserved through a measured and monitored 6-month finish that serendipitously has resulted in an age statement identical to the beloved, but departed Old Pulteney 17 year old.
  • Braeval 16 year old (1st Fill Ex-bourbon Cask Finish): Rare Find’s first release from Braeval for several years is the result of a 12-month finish in a 1st fill ex-bourbon cask. This has produced a truly expressive single malt that speaks to the distillery’s spirit character. This release was recently awarded an IWSC Gold Medal at 95 points.

“These upcoming summer releases reflect our unwavering commitment to quality and flavour,” said Greg Urquhart, Spirits Manager for Rare Find. “Each bottle captures a distinct narrative – not only of the whisky’s maturation journey but also of Rare Find’s evolution over the past ten years. We’re excited for whisky enthusiasts to explore these new expressions and uncover a new favourite.”

The Rare Find Summer 2025 releases will be available in select retailers from 7th July 2025. Further details of Rare Find stockists can be found at www.rarefindwhisky.co.uk/stockists. The five Summer Releases are joined by an online exclusive tasting pack of 2025 World Whisky Awards winning Rare Find Releases.

Rare Find 2025 Summer Releases + Award-Winning Tasting Pack

Craigellachie 11 year old

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Finish

54.1%, 145 bottles

£75.00

Exclusively available from www.rarefindwhisky.co.uk

Aromas of baking spices, raisins, cigar leaf, and toffee. A complex palate with flavours of dark chocolate, prunes, caramel, and breakfast tea. A hint of nutmeg is present in the warm and long finish.

Annandale (peated) 6 year old

Oloroso Barrique Finish
60.4%, 334 bottles

£75.00

A smoky and sweet nose with some salinity and candied ginger. The palate is filled with aniseed sweetness and ashy smoke, which leads to fruity orange flavours and a hint of lime at the end. 

Glenglassaugh 11 year old

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Finish

55.9%, 302 bottles

£79.00

A fruity nose comprising of cranberry jelly, strawberry and key lime pie. A creamy palate with more red fruit, rhubarb, wine gums, and Chinese five spice. A finish that is both long and fruity.

Pulteney 17 year old

1st Fill White Port Finish

56.7%, 164 bottles

£115.00

The nose is scented with white fruit, spices, and pear drops. Cantaloupe melon, sour sweets, sea salt, and oatcakes create a rich palate that finishes intensely with a hint of menthol.

Braeval 16 year old

1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Cask Finish

62%, 195 bottles

£139

On the nose, there is buttered popcorn, pencil shavings, and mandarin. A mouthfeel that is both juicy and oily, with flavours of toffee, vanilla, cherry, and flapjack. Orange and white pepper lend a bold finish.

Award-Winning Tasting Pack
Bunnahabhain 40 year old | Blended Scotch Whisky 34 year old | Glenlossie 30 year old | Mortlach 10 year old
£49.00

Exclusively available from www.rarefindwhisky.co.uk

About Rare Find

Each Rare Find release is an unrepeatable, limited-edition whisky sourced from sought-after distilleries. With every bottle, we celebrate liquid excellence – meticulously selecting, maturing, and finishing in the highest quality casks to deliver whisky that’s rare by design.

From the millions of casks maturing in Scotland, only a small percentage are destined for single malt bottlings, and from those, only the best become a Rare Find.

Douglas Laing Scallywag Golf Edition Whisky – Scotch Whisky News

Scallywag Golf Edition Whisky

With 3 x Lucky Scallywag Golf Balls on Us!

Attention, whisky lovers and golfers: this is the crossover you’ve been waiting for. Scallywag The Golf Edition is a premium Speyside Malt (48% ABV) that brings a dash of mischief and a whole lot of flavour to your post-game celebrations.

Exclusively at douglaslaing.com, this Scallywag isn’t just a shelf trophy – it’s made to be savoured at the 19th hole after a day on the links. And because every golfer can use a bit of luck, each bottle comes with a FREE Scallywag Golf Ball 3-Pack (worth £8) – built for performance and packed with a touch of Scallywag luck on the course.

Grab your limited edition bottle today – and toast your next round in true Scallywag style.

SECURE YOUR BOTTLE

Only 600 bottles globally

St Bridget’s Kirk Blended Scotch 1995 29 Years Old – Scotch Whisky News

St Bridget’s Kirk Blended Scotch 1995 29 Years Old

Alcohol by Volume  : 44.1% | Size of Bottle : 70 | Yield : 514 | Cask : Refill Butt
This exceptional blended scotch whisky is created in our unique and special way by blending malt and grain whiskies from different distilleries and differing spirit styles. Each batch is small, bespoke and distinctly different from the last. Bottled and hand labelled in our own warehouse where you’ll be glad to know, no artificial colouring or chill-filtration takes place.

A classic mix of malt and grain whiskies blended together in the traditional style. 3 whiskies make up this blend from 1 now closed grain distillery, one famous Speysider and an unpeated island distillery. In this case we have a selection of whiskies that have been blended when they were young and married back into a refill butt for a very long time. Thankfully we have managed to rescue a cask of this blend and present it in very limited ’single cask’ form.

Tasting notes revealed – marmalade, oak spice, ginger, vanilla and créme Brulée.

Available exclusively through our stockists

Whisky Advocate ‘Summer 2025: Ireland Elevates Its Game’ On Sale Now – Whisky Advocate News

Every issue of Whisky Advocate is committed to helping you grow your whisky appreciation and knowledge.Summer 2025: Ireland Elevates Its Game.

On Sale Now

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Whisky Wednesday Reviews Campbeltown Connections 10YO – Scotch Whisky News

Campbeltown Connections 10YO, 50.7%

THE REVIEW

It isn’t often that you can get Campbeltown bottles for a bargain, they tend disappear very quickly. Enter the folks at North Star Spirits to solve all of our problems.

Here we have a vatting of 25 year old Springbank, 25 year old Glen Scotia and a blended malt of undisclosed Campbeltown malts at 10 years old. Bottled at 50.7% ABV with no added colouring or chill filtering, the whisky world appears to have a champion of 2025 in so many ways.

The taste profile on this is layered and rather refreshing when it comes to the aroma. Loads of grapefruit, vanilla, caramelised banana, and a finish that is heavy with nutty, drying flavours. You get a little of that Campbeltown funk if you add some water to, it certainly delivers on the strength side, too.

Either way, this is a gem of the year in whisky that is 2025. I’ve left the link HERE if you want to pick one up, because it’s still in stock and is only £45 a bottle. You’d literally be mad not to.

Whisky Reviews every Wednesday | Facebook.com/whiskytube | Twitter.com/whiskytube | Youtube.com/whiskywednesday

SINGLE MALT DISTILLERY ARDGOWAN FILLS FIRST CASK – Scotch Whisky News

SINGLE MALT DISTILLERY ARDGOWAN FILLS FIRST CASK

Inverkip-based single malt producer announces first distillate to be filled to cask since its completion

Independent Scotch whisky business Ardgowan Distillery Company today announces the filling of its first cask since building concluded earlier this month.

Founded in 2017, the west coast firm is led by whisky entrepreneur Roland Grain and Distillery Manager Laura Davies who together spearhead an expert team with a combined experience spanning over seven decades in the whisky industry.

Featuring an impressive Scandinavian longhouse design and visually striking 97% recycled aluminium roof, the distillery has its sights set on producing top quality whisky and striving for carbon neutrality.

The historic milestone saw Ardgowan’s first oak cask filled with new make spirit ready for maturation and an official Opening Day held last Friday (20th June 2025).

Following eight years of development, planning and construction, it is the first new distillery to open in Inverclyde for over a century. Until now, the last distillery to operate in the region was destroyed in the Greenock Blitz on 7th May 1941.

Millions of pounds (GBP) have already been invested in the distillery’s signature ‘Infinity Casks’: oak casks which have hosted Sherry for three years prior to production commencing and are intended for maturation periods of 18 years or more.

Sustainability was a top consideration throughout construction, with green technologies, including Thermal Vapour Recompression (TVR), which recycles heat waste, being installed.

Commenting on this major landmark, Grain shares:

“After a lengthy build, the team and I are thrilled to now be in full production and filling casks with our own distillate, including private casks for our Clan Ardgowan members. Ardgowan’s ultimate goal is to revive the golden age of Scotch whisky with long Sherry cask maturation in European oak.

“Our commitment to quality is demonstrated by investing millions of pounds in our signature Infinity Casks years before the distillery was built. These bespoke oak casks were created exclusively by renowned ​Bodegas Miguel Martín and Macallan’s former Master of Wood Stuart MacPherson. Producing whisky is all about time and patience, so, as we fill our first casks and open the site to the public, we look forward to steadily perfecting our Single Malt in the years to come.”

The Ardgowan Distillery’s visitor centre is planned to open later this summer with various experiences on offer, catering for whisky novices and connoisseurs alike.

ABOUT ARDGOWAN:

Nestled in the undulating Ardgowan Estate in Inverkip, we are on a mission to revive the golden age of Scotch whisky. We are led by Roland Grain, a whisky connoisseur coming from IT who built up ties in the Scotch whisky industry over the last 15 years. His journey now culminates in the creation of Ardgowan Distillery, where every decision has been made with quality and sustainability at the forefront. From our architecturally stunning distillery to our unique wood policy, every detail is designed to deliver full, flavoursome and robust spirit. At the heart of it all are our signature Infinity Casks: symbols of our long-term commitment to producing exceptional whisky.

#CraftedWithPurpose

While we await our own Single Malt coming of age, the Clydebuilt brand provides a home for our independent bottlings. Discover more here.

Further information on the distillery and company can be found at ardgowandistillery.com

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Lady of the Glen QTR 2 Outrun Released – Scotch Whisky News

Our second outrun of 2025 is here!

The sun is out and so is our Q2 outrun! We have a very exciting 26 year old Ben Nevis with a soft, complex and classic flavour profile from a refill hogshead. For the sherry cask fans we have a Glen Elgin finished for over half its life in an ex Amontillado cask. There’s also a single cask from Pulteney distillery, which is not often seen as an independent bottling

Our new small batch of St Bridget’s Kirk is a 29 year old blend of one now closed grain distillery, one famous Speysider and an unpeated island distillery. With a natural strength of 44.1% it is a real mellow classic.

Ben Nevis 1998, 26 year old
Glen Elgin 2014 11 year old
Glenrothes 2006 14 year old
MacDuff 2008 16 year old
North British 1993 31 year old
Orkney 2013, 11 year old 
Pulteney 2012, 13 year old
St Bridget’s Kirk Blended Scotch 1995

Please note that in order to better support our retail partners this outrun and future outruns are not being sold through our website. Links to stockists can be found via the tab on our homepage. All releases were bottled at our site in Dalgety Bay by hand.

Wildmoor 30 Year Old Rugged Coast Oloroso Blended Scotch Whisky – The Whisky Shop News

Wildmoor 30 Year Old Rugged Coast Oloroso Blended Scotch Whisky

£475.00 Was  £525.00 Save 10%!

Inspired by Scotland’s rugged western coastline, this bold blended Scotch whisky has been made with peated and unpeated spirit with a minimum age of 30 years, all married within an Oloroso cask for an exciting depth of flavour. Presented at 42% abv. Experience waves of bonfire smoke, sea salt and vanilla sweetness, balanced with sherry spice. Smoke meets rich stone fruit for a satisfying and lingering finish.

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

ralfy review 1085 – ‘Ninety-Nine & One’ (Living Souls) – Scotch Whisky News

HAPPY CANADA DAY! July 1st, 2025

HAPPY CANADA DAY, eh?

 


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