DR BILL LUMSDEN X AZUMA MAKOTO
23 YEARS OLD 

70cl | 46% ABV

This rich, elemental, and extraordinarily rare limited edition is born from a partnership between Glenmorangie’s Director of Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, and Japanese botanical artist, Azuma Makoto.

With such a whisky in mind, Dr Bill first tasted Glenmorangie long aging in bourbon casks where he found scents of jasmine sprigs, lemon balsam, armfuls of orchids and peaches fresh from the tree. Then imagining how he would ground those flavours in the depths of deliciousness, Dr Bill picked out his first ever malt finished in Chardonnay white wine casks from Burgundy. Before 2006, such casks had never been used at Glenmorangie. That year, fascinated to discover how their wood might shape Glenmorangie, he had filled a small handful with aged whisky. Long finished in this way, his experimental casks revealed notes of burning oak bark, moss dampened by rainfall and the earthy scents of the forest floor.

£1049.95

TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Rich, heady, pungent and fragrant. A burst of syrupy fruits (peach, pineapple, damson and plum), followed by some more savoury notes like burning oak bark, roasting chestnuts, baking sourdough and some hints of the forest floor. Water releases some herbal and floral notes with a touch of scented incense, aromatic orchids and even some grapey, vinous notes.

TASTE: Rich, sweet and fruity, with an almost waxy mouthfeel. There are flavours of lemon balsam, honeycomb, poached pears with a dusting of cocoa powder, followed by some gentle woody/balsamic notes.

FINISH: The aftertaste is lingering and mellow, with hints of eucalyptus, lemon and toasty oak.

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I generally try to avoid outturns at the height of the ‘summer’, but (as you may have surmised from the quotation marks indicating my disdain) it’s mostly been so oddly late-October-like this season that I think we can get away with it. All three of these new drams are pretty summery in their own way too.

So, without further ado…

First up we have an 18-year-old Knockdhu. There’s not a huge amount around from this distillery to start with, but this is their peated variety which is even more of a rare pleasure.

So, on the nose we start on that promised summery note with nectarine, tinned mandarin segments, bits of custard cream and trifle, and honey granola. It’s only after a second you start getting a sense of smouldering charcoal, coal tar and ointment, and an elusive savoury note (what is it? Onion bhaji? Potato rösti? Answers on a postcard please.)

The palate is sweet, creamy, and more directly peaty than you might think from the nose. I find malted vanilla shake, lemon meringue pie, and a general sense of honeyed maltiness. Balancing that are big clouds of peat smoke, touches of herbs and liquorice, and a lightly Laphroaig-y iodine-y medicinal note. The finish is really long and quite chewy.

This is fabulous stuff – squarely in that sort of Ledaig / Laphroaig space, but with its own distinct identity. A fun one to pour blind to a peat-loving friend!

This hogshead produced only 179 bottles at a cask strength of 58.9% and they are available for £115 each

Staying in Speyside, but otherwise a million miles away, we have a 14-year-old Glenburgie. One of the eternal contenders for the ‘most underrated distillery’ list I think.

Proper summer now, on the nose, with Campino strawberry and cream sweets (thanks to Matt and Beck at Hopscotch for pointing this out … now I can’t think of anything else!), some cool green foliage, a little hoppy ale, plus apple, peach and banana.

The palate is surprisingly malty and full-bodied, starting with butter candy with fruit (pineapple, citrus juices and zests, mango), and rosewater breaking through. The balance of richness and zestiness is really enjoyable, and leads into a malty and earthy finish with honey, peaches and a little peppermint in the aftertaste.

Brilliant laid-back summer drinking, this, and also a slightly sad farewell to one of the casks I’ve sat on the longest (I bought this in 2017!). The lady in blue on the label is also dispensing some epic side-eye, which I find quite endearing.

This hogshead produced only 149 bottles at a cask strength of 53.9% and they are available for £75 each.

And last up we have a 10-year-old Campbeltown Blended Malt. This is primarily Glen Scotia with a little bit of Springbank.

The nose starts with milk bottles sweets and sea air! There’s a lovely freshness, with pineapple and melon coming though, plus chalk, little medicinal touches, toffee and wintergreen. There’s a little bit of dirty Campbeltown funk deep down, if you go looking for it, and a bit of light smoke if you add water.

The palate has amazing body and texture: fat, oily, lemony, and coastal. Lemon toffee (is that a thing?), rosemary, hints of tinctures and bandages, leading into a salty finish with a wee bit of peat popping up in the background.

Super-clean, super-evocative and (if I may say) pretty great value for money.

This hogshead produced 323 bottles at a cask strength of 58.0% and they are available for £59.50 each.

And…

…that’s it for now. A diverse and entertaining little trio, I hope you’ll agree!

If you’re instead tempted by something older, I should mention that a discount code that is still in operation:  MANNOCHLESS for £5 off the 16-year-old oloroso Mannochmore from the last outturn.

Thanks as ever for your support, and do drop me a line with any questions or queries (no deep philosophical quandaries before noon though, please) or if I can be of assistance in any way. Otherwise I’ll see you back here for the autumn outturn.

Cheers!

David

The latest batches of The Hearach single malt whisky are now on sale!

You can secure your bottles of batches 13, 14, 15, and 16 through our online store and at the distillery shop here in Tarbert while stocks last.

You can also buy bottles from our network of specialist retailers and independent stores across the UK as well.

Many of our global friends can also find our island dram in their countries too.

We’re also delighted to share the tasting notes from these four new batches, each provided by our fellow islanders (including myself) who poured a preview dram and wrote their own thoughts on the found flavours and aromas earlier this week.

Le gach deagh dhùrachd,

Mike Donald, Chief Storyteller

VISIT THE HEARACH SHOP

TRIPLE PRODUCT RELEASE

We are launching Whisky Sponges Edition 96 and 97 together as a pair of bottlings that celebrate two of our favourite and most beautiful Whisky islands: Islay and Jura. We wanted to find two examples such as these which were both unpeated and – most crucially – had both spent their entire lives maturing at their respective distilleries on their islands of origin. We spent quite a long time working on this mini project and searching for casks that ticked all these boxes. We are super happy with the results and have bottled both as they arrived, at natural cask strength.

WHISKY SPONGE ED.96 BRUICHLADDICH

The Bruichladdich is a 2005 1st fill barrel, it’s a wonderfully rich, creamy and powerfully maritime example. Waxy, peppery, robust, full-bodied and hugely characterful with loads of distillery and Island character.

WHISKY SPONGE ED.97 JURA

The Jura is a 1994 refill hogshead and it is classic, long-aged refill matured Jura, very complex, elegant, waxy, oily, mineral, herbal and coastal. Evocative and beautifully detailed old Island single malt.

These two bottlings represent the start of the final run of Whisky Sponge bottlings on our way to Edition No.100 and the end of our Whisky Sponge series. All the bottlings in this final run are whiskies which represent distilleries, profiles and characteristics that we adore and sit very close to our hearts.

WHISKY SPONGE 6TH SECRET EDITION WILLIAMSON 10 YEAR OLD

This is the sixth, and final, ‘Secret Sponge’ bottling. It’s a 2014, 10 year old Williamson single malt. This one is actually a small batch whisky we’ve been watching carefully for a few years now. Over two years ago, we combined two hogsheads of this Williamson single malt and married that mix into an ex-Laphroaig refill butt. This is the first, small controlled bottling we’ve taken from this cask, the rest we will likely bottle between 15 and 18 years of age. This is a special, small bottling at 57.1% and is a deeply powerful, pure and expressive example of this Islay make.

THE MACALLAN RED COLLECTION 73 YEARS OLD

We are pleased to introduce the newest release to The Red Collection, The Macallan 73 Years Old. The Macallan Red Collection is an exquisite range of distinguished and rare single malt whiskies, shaped by the actions of our founder Alexander Reid and key characters throughout our history. This precious single malt is a testament to the incomparable craftsmanship, knowledge and skills nurtured by The Macallan’s Master Whisky Makers, past and present.

DISCOVER THE WHISKY

FROM PAST TO PRESENT

To celebrate the launch of The Macallan 73 Years Old, a new animated film and series of illustrations have been created in collaboration with renowned Spanish painter and artist, Javi Aznarez. Javi Aznarez depicts the timeless craftsmanship, knowledge, and skills that have been passed down through generations of The Macallan’s Whisky Makers.

EXPLORE MORE

2014 Ben Nevis 10 Year Old “Signatory” K&L Exclusive First Fill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Non Chillfiltered Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

(700ml) (Pre-Arrival)

$59.99 View

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

AULTMORE Launches The Cask Finish Collection – A New Travel Retail Exclusive

HAMILTON, BERMUDA July 2024, AULTMORE® Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky has launched The Cask Finish Collection – a new travel retail exclusive.

Established by Alexander Edward in 1897, AULTMORE distillery sits in the sweeping hills of Moray, on the road to Buckie. A Single Malt renowned for its ethereal character, ‘Speyside’s Best Kept Secret’ is prized for its purity and finely balanced quality of its spirit.

The AULTMORE Cask Finish Collection is a development of the existing global travel retail range, with a move to different cask finishes for each expression, as well as smaller, more giftable 50cl bottles and plastic-free packaging.

The collection presents a new flavour perspective on the nuanced spirit of AULTMORE. Intrigued by the impact of finishing such a delicate whisky, Malt Master Stephanie Macleod and the blending team have crafted a mirrored image of the distillery’s core range, choosing a different cask type and finish for each age statement to enhance and complement the much-revered light, herbal, grassy character of AULTMORE and not mask it.

The AULTMORE Cask Finish Collection is composed of a 12-, 18-, 21- and 25-year- old, the primary cask type for all four whiskies are refill hogshead and barrels. The 12-year-old is finished in second-fill Oloroso Sherry casks which impart soft, creamy toffee notes. The 18-year-old is finished in second-fill Madeira wine casks, delivering exotic fruit aromas and a hint of dry spice. The 21-year-old boasts a finish in second-fill Calvados brandy casks and is full of apple and toasted almond notes. The 25-year-old, which recently won the International Whisky Competition’s Whisky of the Year award, offers intense tropical notes, beeswax and spice, having been finished in rich first-fill Oloroso Sherry casks. As well as being interested in different finishing cask types for this collection Stephanie was also intrigued by the impact of second-fill casks versus first-fill casks, which is demonstrated in the 12- and 25-year-old expressions.

 “AULTMORE is usually all about heralding its spirits and the wood, with little intervention,” says Malt Master Stephanie Macleod. “This collection takes a different approach and shows AULTMORE in a contrasting light, while still allowing the distillery’s character to shine through.”

All four whiskies in The AULTMORE Cask Finish Collection are bottled at 46% ABV, are non-chill-filtered and have natural colour. The move to a smaller 50cl bottle size makes for a more collectable, giftable set and easy-to-carry size, while allowing for wider travel retail distribution.

The new collection has fully recyclable secondary packaging and a new tin seal on the bottle, making the packaging entirely plastic free, in keeping with Bacardi’s global sustainability commitments.

Launching from June in the UK and IMEA, and then later in the year in APAC, the RRP for each respective whisky is: 12 Years Old: $58; 18 Years Old: $170; 21 Years Old: $250; 25 Years Old: $500.

www.Aultmore.com

TASTING NOTES:

AULTMORE® Cask Finish Collection 12 Year Old 2nd Fill Oloroso Finish:

“Elegant and floral with summer fruits and soft creamy toffee notes with hints of cinnamon.”

 AULTMORE® Cask Finish Collection 18 Year Old 2nd Fill Madeira Finish:

“Freshly mown grass, accompanied by sun-ripened red cherries with a twist of orange peel and dry spice on the finish.”

 AULTMORE® Cask Finish Collection 21 Year Old 2nd Fill Calvados Finish:

“Fragrant, flowering apple orchards alongside almonds and delicate oaky notes.”

AULTMORE® Cask Finish Collection 21 Year Old 1st Fill Oloroso Finish:

“Balanced and complex with fresh figs, sultanas and dried tropical fruits mingling with hints of beeswax and cinnamon spice.”

About AULTMORE Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Founded in 1896 by one of Scotland’s oldest and best-known distillers, Alexander Edward, the distillery lies in the hills of Moray, on the road to Buckie.

Aultmore draws its water from the damp atmospheric area known as the Foggie Moss, famed for its purifying qualities; it provides the gorse and heather filtered waters that give a refined character to the spirit.

The brand’s core portfolio is comprised of AULTMORE 12 Years Old, AULTMORE 18 Years and AULTMORE 21 Years Old.

The Single Malt brand of AULTMORE is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

Red Spot 1991 31 Year Old Marsala Cask Exclusive to The Whisky Exchange

Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

70cl / 57.6%

£945

The first single cask Red Spot ever created is available exclusively at The Whisky Exchange. Aged entirely at Midleton distillery in County Cork and finished in Sicilian Marsala casks, this is a generous dram reminiscent of tobacco leaves, raw cocoa, prunes and raisins. The vivid fresh fruit notes we love to see in old Irish whiskies are especially noticeable on the palate with apricots and peaches mingling with darker hints of plum and blackcurrant. Soft tannins and a fresh, herbal side maintain balance over a long and elegant finish.

Glenmorangie reimagines its signature whisky for even more deliciousness 

— The Original reaches a luscious new flavour pinnacle as a 12-year-old whisky —

Glenmorangie Highland single malt Scotch whisky has reimagined its smooth, luscious flagship Glenmorangie Original to make it more delicious than ever. The Distillery’s whisky creators are always exploring ways to bring new flavours and possibilities to their single malt. And in the course of their experiments, they concluded that their signature whisky’s tastes were even more luscious at 12 years old than at 10. Shared worldwide to delight whisky fans old and new, Glenmorangie’s silkier, creamier The Original 12 Years Old catapults this single malt’s much-loved notes of orange, honey, vanilla and peach to a new pinnacle of flavour. What is more, its wondrous tastes and aromas have already been recognised with a prized industry award.

For 180 years, Glenmorangie’s whisky makers have been endlessly imaginative on their quest for deliciousness. They craft their more delicate, fruity spirit in stills as tall as a giraffe to allow more space for taste and aroma. Then they age it in the finest casks. The epitome of Glenmorangie’s house style, The Original has long been the Distillery’s flagship expression. But some time ago, the Whisky Creation Team began to wonder whether they could make that award-winning classic even more of a joy to drink.

As part of this mission, Glenmorangie’s expert tasting panel began a series of experiments with The Original. They revealed that this smooth single malt gains extra silkiness, sweetness and complexity when aged for 12 years instead of 10. And so, Glenmorangie decided to share a reimagined Original, to bring more joy to whisky drinkers around the world. Swirling with creamy vanilla and a rush of citrus, layered with honey and peach, this single malt takes The Original’s kaleidoscope of flavours to new heights of deliciousness. The whisky has been met with delight by the critics, who gave it a coveted gold medal at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards 2024.

Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Director of Whisky Creation, said: “In 1984 when I was studying in Edinburgh for my PhD, I tasted single malt scotch whisky for the very first time. That whisky was Glenmorangie. I’ll never forget my first magical sip and how I became beguiled by its complex range of flavours. During my many years at Glenmorangie, I have always aimed to keep the whisky true to my memory of that first taste. However, recently my team and I started to wonder whether we could reimagine our flagship expression, The Original, for even more deliciousness. The result is The Original 12 Years Old! Smoother, creamier and even more complex, I like to think it “turns up the volume” on our signature whisky’s classic notes of orange, vanilla, peach and honey.”

Glenmorangie Original 12 Years Old will be available from Glenmorangie.com and the Distillery Visitor Centre from 9^th July, then available elsewhere in the UK from August onwards, RRP: £40.

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THE ORIGINAL

Creamy with vanilla and a rush of citrus, The Original is where all our whisky-making adventures begin. First released by our founders more than 175 years ago, the original Glenmorangie was known for its mellow tones and delicacy of flavour. All these years later, The Original remains at the heart of everything we do. Like home, we carry it with us, no matter how far we travel.

To give The Original a delicious, go-anywhere finesse, we craft its spirit in our giraffe-high stills. Then we age it 12 years in bourbon casks where it absorbs all manner of delectable flavours. The result is a whisky which welcomes you with luscious layers of orange and honey, vanilla and bursts of peach. A smooth single malt, swirling with a kaleidoscope of taste.

TASTING NOTES

Glenmorangie Original is bottled at 40% ABV

Colour: Bright gold.

Aroma: Citrus and ripening peaches are balanced by vanilla softness.

Taste: Vanilla emerges, then gives way to a burst of flowery fruitiness.

Glenmorangie The Original 12 Years Old has already been rewarded with a prestigious gold medal at the World Whiskies Awards 2024.

RRP: £40 

About Glenmorangie:

Glenmorangie’s whisky makers use endless imagination and five key ingredients – wood, water, barley, yeast and time – to dream up delicious single malt whiskies. They’ve been honing their craft for more than 175 years. They create a delicate and fruity spirit in stills as tall as a giraffe to allow for more taste and aroma. Led by Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, this crackerjack crew are on a mission to bring new flavours and possibilities to the world of single malt.

Glenmorangie celebrates the joy of delicious single malt in every part of its universe, from its boutique hotel Glenmorangie House to its colourful brand campaign, shot by famed photographer Miles Aldridge. With its tagline “It’s kind of delicious and wonderful”, Glenmorangie invites whisky lovers old and new to see themselves in Glenmorangie’s world.

About Glenmorangie’s Whisky Creators:

Our Whisky Creation Team’s favourite phrase is “What if?”. And they are constantly challenging themselves to take whatever captures their imaginations and turn it into whisky – be that the magic of a walk in the woods (A Tale of the Forest) the joy of a cake moment (Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake), a cup of coffee (Glenmorangie Signet), a beautiful barley field near the Distillery (Glenmorangie Allta) and more.

At the helm of the team is Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Whisky Creation. With a PhD in biochemistry and decades of experience, Dr Bill has all the skills needed to bring these ideas to life. Already, he has earned the admiration of his peers many times over. For instance, he has taken his place in the Icons of Whisky Hall of Fame. He has won the International Whisky Competition’s award for Master Distiller of the Year more times than anyone else. And he has been named Master Blender/Distiller of the Year by the International Spirits Challenge twice.

We know the weather’s been unpredictable, but your whisky experience doesn’t have to be. Whether there’s blazing sun or pouring rain, we have the perfect dram to match any mood and moment this summer…exceptional single malt expressions from only £59!

SHOP ALL WHISKY

If you’re feeling a bit of wind-chill factor, go for something fresh and invigorating from our Light & Delicate flavour profile, with lots of bourbon cask impact.

ALL LIGHT AND DELICATE

Stormy weather calls for strong, robust flavours, so try something from one of our Peated profiles. You’ll find them smokier on the nose with meatier notes on the palate.

ALL PEATED

Often with sweeter, lighter and fruity notes, our Sweet, Fruity & Mellow whiskies are ones to enjoy while the sun is shining, perfect to quench your thirst.

ALL SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW

Today’s rain is tomorrow’s whisky! Find peaceful serenity in our Old & Dignified flavour profile for complex and delicately forged characteristics.

ALL OLD AND DIGNIFIED

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