Cameronbridge The Artful Dodger Collective Single Cask #27679 Whisky 35 Year Old·1984 Vintage

50cl · 52.2% ABV

Artful Dodger are a ‘collective’ of professional whisky thieves, dedicated to liberating the world’s rarest casks, freeing them from the lips of the few and releasing to the appreciative.

The Jolly Toper

April 20th, 2025 Edinburgh

2:00pm – 3:30pm: Jolly Toper Whisky Tasting

BOOK TICKETS

The tasting will feature a special selection of 3 drams hand picked and presented by Mark Davidson from Royal Mile Whiskies. Mark will take us on a journey through the different types of whisky, exploring the flavour profiles and distinctive characteristics that each possess. Includes a free pint of Bellfield beer on arrival (or a glass of wine). The whiskies will be accompanied by Isle of Mull Cheddar cheese and oatcakes.

Heaven Hill Brands Celebrates Top Honors at the 2025 World Whiskies Awards

Accolades include World’s Best Bourbon, Best Kentucky Bourbon and Best American Rye along with outstanding recognition for the Heaven Hill team.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (February 17, 2025) – The Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky Awards announced their 2025 American Icons of Whisky honorees on Thursday, February 13, and Heaven Hill Distillery, one of the largest independent family-owned distilleries in the world and two-time winner of Distiller of the Year, is proud to celebrate an extraordinary performance this year, securing multiple top awards across a range of categories. These prestigious accolades celebrate the dedication, craftsmanship, and innovation that define Heaven Hill’s legacy in American whiskey. Awards include:

• World’s Best Bourbon: Old Fitzgerald Very Very Special 2024 Edition
• Best Kentucky Bourbon: Old Fitzgerald Very Very Special 2024 Edition
• Best American Rye: Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
• Master Distiller of the Year: Conor O’Driscoll
• Sustainability Officer of the Year: Rachel Nally
• Distillery Manager of the Year: Riley Henderson (FEW Spirits)
• Visitor Attraction of the Year: Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience for the new Five Brother’s Kitchen
• Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year: Josh Hollifield
• Brand Ambassador of the Year for World Whiskey: Allison Parc (Brenne)
• Brand Ambassador of the Year for American Whiskey – Highly Commended – Benji Purslow
• Brand Innovator of the Year – Highly Commended – FEW Spirits

“I am incredibly proud of our team at Heaven Hill for our wins at the World Whiskies Awards. These accolades are a testament to the hard work, dedication, and craftsmanship that each member of our team puts into every bottle we produce,” said Co-President of Heaven Hill Brands Kate Latts. “At Heaven Hill, we’re committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation while honoring the time-honored traditions of whiskey-making. These achievements reflect not only our passion for the craft, but also our collective drive to continue elevating the whiskey experience for our consumers around the world.”

The title of World Best Bourbon and Best Kentucky Bourbon were given to the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Very Very Special 2024 Edition released in honor of the 25^th Anniversary of Heaven Hill’s acquisition of the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville.  The Bernheim Distillery became the lifeblood for Heaven Hill’s survival following the catastrophic fire which destroyed the original distillery in 1996. Heaven Hill is proud to have preserved the historic Old Fitzgerald brand which dates back to the 1880s.

Among the esteemed awards, Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll was named Master Distiller of the Year, recognizing his two-decade career of excellence in whiskey production, innovation, and sustainability efforts. Since joining Heaven Hill in 2019, he has led distillation for the company’s American Whiskey portfolio, overseeing operations at the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville and spearheading the development of the soon-to-open $200 million Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in Bardstown. Beyond production, Conor has strengthened Heaven Hill’s brand through industry advocacy, education, and community engagement. His commitment to excellence and forward-thinking approach continues to set new standards in American whiskey production.

Sustainability Officer of the Year was awarded to Heaven Hill’s Director of Environment & Sustainability, Rachel Nally, recognizing her leadership in driving the company’s environmental initiatives. Rachel has spearheaded Heaven Hill’s 2030 Environmental Sustainability Strategy, leading efforts in water conservation, emissions reduction, and waste management. Under her leadership, Heaven Hill secured two of the EPA’s first-ever ENERGY STAR certifications for its distilleries and was named 2023 Sustainable Distiller of the Year. She was also appointed to the Board of Directors for the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center, further solidifying her role as an industry leader. Through her commitment to sustainability, Rachel continues to set new standards for environmental responsibility in the whiskey industry.

The Distillery Manager of the Year award went to Riley Henderson, Head of Operations at FEW Spirits in Evanston, IL. In the almost decade he has spent at FEW, Riley has advanced from Assistant Distiller to Lead Distiller and now, as Head of Operations he leads innovation for the brand’s flavorful Bourbon and Rye lines. Riley is passionate about encouraging creativity among his team at FEW and takes great pride in producing craft spirits. FEW Spirits was also given the designation of Highly Commended in the Brand Innovator of the Year Category.

Visitor Attraction of the Year was awarded to Five Brothers Bar & Kitchen at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, for their exceptional grand opening this year paying tribute to the company’s founding heritage through delicious food and a hospitable ambiance. The bar and kitchen are named in honor of the five Shapira brothers who founded Heaven Hill in 1935.

Josh Hollifield was named Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year, recognizing his strategic leadership and vision at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience (HHBE). Over the past year, he led the opening of Five Brothers Bar & Kitchen, blending Southern hospitality with bourbon heritage. Beyond HHBE, Josh has played a vital role in Kentucky’s tourism industry, serving in leadership positions with the Kentucky Travel Industry Association, the Bardstown-Nelson County Tourism Commission, and the Kentucky Bourbon Festival.

Brand Ambassador of the Year for World Whiskey went to Allison Parc founder of Brenne French Single Malt Whisky. In 2017 and 2018, Allison was named World Whisky Brand Ambassador, USA of the Year by Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky, becoming the only woman to receive the award at that time. Additionally, Brenne received two World Whiskies awards in 2016 and 2017, furthering the global recognition of this unique taste experience within the single malt category.

Benji Purslow was named Highly Commended in the American Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year category, for his exceptional efforts in educating and promoting Heaven Hill’s whiskey portfolio across Europe.

The World Whiskies Awards are the global awards selecting the very best in all the internationally recognized styles, awarding and promoting the world’s best whiskies to consumers and trade across the globe. In 2023 and 2024, Heaven Hill has been honored to win Distiller of the Year, along with being named Sustainable Distiller of the Year in 2023. Previous wins also include National Spirits Special Lynn House and National Brand Ambassador Bernie Lubbers recognized as American Whiskey Brand Ambassadors of the Year. In 2022 the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience won Visitor Attraction of the Year along with Director of Kentucky Visitor Experiences Jeff Crowe winning Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL BRANDS: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY -based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is one of the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and led spirits producers and marketers and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon The company is a 2024 Best Managed Company as appointed by Deloitte Private and the Wall Street Journal. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Heaven Hill, Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Larceny, Old Fitzgerald, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Deep Eddy Vodka; Admiral Nelson’s Rum; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul Tequila; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur, plus the Samson & Surrey portfolio.

Peat comes in many forms. But all of it starts the same way – with decayed plant and organic matter. Admittedly, that’s not the most appealing thought. But because peat is organic, its composition changes due to different locations, history and weather conditions – not to mention the impact of each ecosystem’s particularities. And that’s before it undergoes combustion or the peated spirit goes into the cask, which brings further layers to the flavour. So peat really is quite special when you think about it!

Our Peat Stack Trio offers three different takes on our Peated flavour profile. There’s tangy umami peat smoke from Cask No. 4.357: Sphagnum and heather, sweet wood smoke and ash from Cask No. 10.252: A firefighter’s reward and smouldering bonfires with spice in Cask No. 138.17: Smoky meringue tang.

Each of these whiskies offers a cask adventure of its own with different regions, maturations, and flavours – all of them bound by their peaty roots.

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The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Girvan 27 YO 1996 Whisky Blues 55.1%

A stunning 27-year-old Girvan that has all the things we adore about long-aged grain: unctuous cream and toffee, very satisfying and stupidly good value for money. You cannot go wrong!

The Whisky Blues

55.1% abv

70cl

Hogshead

£95.83

WHAT IS CASK FINISHING?

You’ll find terms around cask finishing cropping up throughout the whisky world these days, but this approach to maturing whisky and other spirits only became commonplace in the 1990s. The practice refers to taking a whisky aged in one type of cask for the majority of its life, and putting it into another one for a final period of maturation, to add layers of flavour and complexity.

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Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 556: Caol Ila 8 Year Old Dram4Charity

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, enjoys a whisky released for charity. Dram4Charity, a collective of whisky-loving philanthropists, is launching a series of whiskies this year with all proceeds again being donated to the ALS Fund of Alain Verspecht. The series is named ‘Frames of Freedom’ and the labels are designed by Alain. The series kicks off with a release of 60 bottles of Caol Ila aged 8 years.

https://youtu.be/8xK8yjRUnEE

Johnnie Walker Vault opens the door to a new era of luxury Scotch whisky

Johnnie Walker officially unveils Johnnie Walker Vault, a new global luxury platform grounded in blending artistry – uniting bespoke blends, collaborations with cultural icons and luxurious experiences, all under one visionary banner.

GLOBAL – MARCH 10, 2025: Pioneering the next chapter in luxury spirits, Johnnie Walker, the world’s leading Scotch Whisky, announces the global launch of Johnnie Walker Vault in the brand’s most ambitious expression of blending artistry yet.

At the heart of the new platform is the artistry of Johnnie Walker Master Blender, Dr. Emma Walker, and her craft of telling personal stories from a carefully curated selection of exceptionally rare whiskies. Her mastery builds on craft passed down through centuries, working from a hidden creative ‘atelier’ deep beneath Johnnie Walker Princes Street, the award-winning visitor experience in Edinburgh. The Johnnie Walker Vault holds, at any given time, a selection of 500 whiskies from our rare, aged and ghost casks, personally curated and rotated by Dr. Walker to showcase the very best of the 10 million casks of Scotch available to her as Master Blender.

Johnnie Walker Vault will bring its unparalleled creativity and craftsmanship to life through rare products, experiences and collaborations.

Bespoke Private Blend Experience 

Under a newly launched Private Blend experience, Dr. Walker will personally create unique made-to-measure blends for a select few, hand-selecting meaningful expressions from the invite-only Johnnie Walker Vault physical space, and crafting these into deeply layered blends. Each blend is tailored to the inspirations and individual palates of her guests.

For the first time, this experience will be launched and offered to the public with packages starting from £50,000, to include a luxurious agenda deeply rooted in Scottish heritage. From Michelin Star dining to a glamorous stay at the glorious Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, the programme is tailored to individual desires – culminating in the bespoke blending session with Dr. Walker. Following the experience, guests will be presented with their Private Blend in a crystal decanter handcrafted by artisans from the renowned French luxury house Baccarat. Their unique blend will also be chronicled in the Johnnie Walker Vault archive, leaving their own legacy alongside iconic whisky creations and allowing for future commissions.

Luxury Collaborations

Later this year, Johnnie Walker Vault will also invite its first creative partner within – a visionary artist in couture fashion – to co-create a limited-edition collection with Dr. Emma Walker, with further details to be revealed in Spring 2025.

Dr. Emma Walker, Johnnie Walker Master Blender, says: “Johnnie Walker Vault is our treasure trove. It’s where I can curate and share our rarest and most exceptional Scotch whiskies, and from these create unique blends which sing to my guest and showcase the blending artistry at the heart of Johnnie Walker. It is a very special place to me, but it’s also much more than just a physical space – it’s a platform through which I can take deeply personal stories and translate them into beautiful, one-of-a-kind blends. It’s a real privilege to be a part of capturing and bottling these wonderful stories.”

Julie Bramham, Managing Director of Diageo Luxury Group, adds: “The Johnnie Walker Vault reflects our commitment to the evolving desires of the luxury consumer and to transforming luxury spirits through elevated personalisation, unique experiences and exceptional products.”

She continues: “Building on more than 200 years of pioneering craftsmanship, Johnnie Walker has redefined quality whisky blending for the modern connoisseur. Iconic blends such as Johnnie Walker Blue Label and Johnnie Walker Black Label have consistently showcased the brand’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of Scotch whisky, and Johnnie Walker Vault will now continue this legacy. This is an exciting day for luxury Scotch whisky as we officially launch Johnnie Walker Vault to a global audience.”

Further information on Johnnie Walker Vault including registration for the bespoke private blending experience can be found HERE. Registrations go live from 12^th March.

Johnnie Walker Vault comprises three pillars centred around bespoke blending, luxurious experiences, and creative collaborations.

Private Blends

Dr. Emma Walker and her team have access to over 10 million casks from over 30 distilleries, approximately half of the total number of casks currently resting in Scotland. These casks include aged stock of over 50 years, ‘ghost’ stocks from Port Ellen and Brora, appointment-only, luxury distilleries, and icons of the whisky world which have been meticulously re-envisioned and restored to their former glory. Access to this incredible archive paired with blending artistry, sets Johnnie Walker Vault apart as a marker of luxury in Scotch whisky.

Johnnie Walker Vault is the doorway to this library of rare and exceptional whiskies through which Dr. Emma Walker can create visionary, bespoke blends for private clients or commercially available storied blends for cultural collaborators. Each blend will serve as a precious ode to heritage and artistry, with the continuous ambition to create whiskies of the future.

Luxurious Experiences

Johnnie Walker Vault launches its exclusive private blending offering, inviting a select few people each year to a made-to-measure experience in Edinburgh, Scotland. Starting from £50,000 and centered around a one-on-one private blending experience with Master Blender Dr. Emma Walker in the Johnnie Walker Vault, packages can include:

• Private, VIP travel
• A glamorous stay at the glorious Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire
• A private tour of the invite-only Diageo Archive
• Michelin Star dining throughout with locally curated menus
• Unique Scottish pursuits and experiences
• Private Blend presented in a crystal decanter handcrafted in France by the highly skilled artisans of the Baccarat House
• Private Blend recipe chronicled in the Johnnie Walker Vault archive allowing for future commissions (depending on availability of rare stocks)

Further information on Johnnie Walker Vault including registration for the bespoke private blending experience can be found HERE with registrations going live from March 12^th.

Creative Collaborations

For the first time, Johnnie Walker Vault invites cultural leaders within to co-create with Dr. Emma Walker, blending the arts with whisky craftsmanship. In Spring 2025, Johnnie Walker Vault will debut its first collaboration in partnership with a globally renowned visionary artist in couture fashion.

About Johnnie Walker: Johnnie Walker is the world’s number 1 Scotch Whisky brand* (IWSR 2024 & the world’s number one International Spirits Brand* (IWSR 2024 Relative Market Share), enjoyed by people in over 180 countries around the world. Since the time of its founder, John Walker, those who blend its whiskies have pursued flavour and quality above all else.

Today’s range of award-winning whiskies includes Johnnie Walker Red Label, Blonde, Black Label, Double Black, Green Label, Gold Label Reserve, Aged 18 Years, and Blue Label. Together they account for over 22 million cases sold annually (IWSR, 2023). Johnnie Walker is also the number one best-selling Scotch and number one trending Scotch (Drinks International, 2024).
*In value 2023

About Diageo:  Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s, Smirnoff and Cîroc vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practices.

About Baccarat: Founded in 1764, Baccarat, alchemist of joy and creator of enchanting worlds, is the fruit of a group of daring artisans who have transformed the four elements of nature – earth, air, fire and water – into crystal of unparalleled purity. By crafting true masterpieces, Baccarat has never ceased to surprise the world, garnering numerous awards at World Fairs and international exhibitions. This is how the name of a small town in eastern France, Baccarat, has over time become a symbol of the art of celebration and French joie de vivre. From Paris to Moscow, New York, Tokyo, Miami or Hong Kong, the unique experience of Baccarat’s art de vivre can be found within its Houses, boutiques, restaurants, bars, and hotels. Ahead of its 260^th anniversary, Baccarat continues its international development, firmly anchored in its roots, and driven by the ambition to always fly higher. Discover the captivating world of Baccarat on www.baccarat.com and on www.instagram.com/baccarat

Discover a Legacy of Generosity

At Glengoyne, every drop of whisky tells a story, and we’re inviting you to explore them with our new storytelling series.

We begin with a tale rooted in heritage, generosity, and unwavering care. It’s a story about our founder, George Connell, who took Glengoyne through its first steps in 1833. Discover how his legacy of craftsmanship shaped not only the distillery’s future but also the lives of those closest to him – ensuring security and care at every turn.

This is the first chapter exploring Glengoyne’s remarkable past, meaningful present, and bright future.

Join us as we celebrate the moments, people, and traditions that make Glengoyne more than just whisky – it’s a legacy in every glass.

Slàinte Mhath,

The Glengoyne Team

READ THE FULL STORY

“Whisky distillery with living house and offices attached partly slated and titled in middling repair of proprietor and occupier John McClellan” 1851 Census

Inchgower Thompson Bros Single Malt Whisky 27 Year Old · 1997 Vintage

70cl · 52.3% ABV

Inchgower is often an overlooked distillery, known primarily as the backbone of many high-quality blends and rarely seen as a Single Malt. This 27 Year Old whisky bottled at 52.3% ABV by independent bottlers, Thompson Bros is one of 406 bottles produced.

Nose: Salty almond croissants, some marshmallows, pineapple, Percy Pigs, crunchy nut cornflakes, nutmeg, walnuts. Mango and ginger.

Palate: Tangerine, banana bread, osmanthus, pineapple cubes, Haribo hearts, hazelnuts lime and cashews. The Texture is super oily, with more mango.

Finish: Long and elegant with some marmalade and brine at the end.

£229.95