The House of Suntory Announces the Launch of Its Groundbreaking 2024 Tsukuriwake Series

The unique and exclusive four-expression series further explores diversity, innovation, and craftsmanship at the Yamazaki and Hakushu Distilleries.

NEW YORK, US, JUNE, 2024 — Today, The House of Suntory announces the launch of the 2024 Tsukuriwake Series – showcasing the exceptional blending and diversity of Japanese whisky. The series is comprised of Yamazaki Golden Promise, Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt, Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt, and Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara.

Tsukuriwake (pronounced soo-koo-ree-wah-keh) means ‘artisanship through a diversity of making,’ and the limited-edition 2024 Tsukuriwake Series is a true reflection of this. Suntory’s 5th Generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo has pushed the boundaries of whisky making with this series by using ingredients like wood, and processes that expand the previous Tsukuriwake range to showcase the diversity of whisky making.

Following last year’s milestone 100th Anniversary of pioneering Japanese whisky, The House of Suntory continues to innovate the category with the 2024 Tsukuriwake Series. The previous selection was released in 2022.

“Tsukuriwake translates to ‘artisanship through a diversity of making’, which is truly what the 2024 Series represents with each of the four liquids included,” says Chief Blender of Suntory Shinji Fukuyo. “While past releases from the collection focused mainly on the details of the casks, The 2024 Tsukuriwake Series emphasizes the elements of whisky making, such as ingredient selection, peat, and cask. This series is the ultimate showcase of the incredible diversity of choices that goes into the making of Yamazaki and Hakushu whiskies.”

In previous years, the Tsukuriwake Series has mainly focused on the casks matured in the lands of Yamazaki. The 2024 Series reveals that the Tsukuriwake approach goes beyond diversifying the whiskies in multiple casks to  incorporate elements of whisky-making, such as ingredient selection, peat and cask. See below:

Yamazaki Golden Promise
Yamazaki Golden Promise is made from golden promise barley, a standout grain cultivated in Scotland in the 1960s. Distilled in Japan since 2009 and aged in American Oak casks, it delivers a maltier, richer Yamazaki profile. It is perfect for more mature whiskies and has been added to Yamazaki 12 Year Old, imparting its deep and rounded flavor. Yamazaki Golden Promise offers a rich and full palate featuring notes of orange marmalade, custard and a sweet, lasting finish.

Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt
Islay Peat is often recognized as a distinctive character amongst scotch, with a softer and sweeter mouthfeel than Scotland’s mainland peat. The water and maturation process used to create Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt yields a balanced sweetness that complements the smoke, that adds complexity to the long enduring finish of Yamazaki. On the palate, it has a smooth sweetness of brown sugar with hints of bitter orange citrus and a warm, smokey finish.

Both Yamazaki Golden Promise and Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt, enhance the intricate, multi-layered flavor profile of the Yamazaki core brand.

Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara (Tsukuriwake 2024 Edition)
Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara (2024 Tsukuriwake Edition) introduces a limited-edition label for Suntory’s flagship Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara, celebrating The House of Suntory’s legacy of mastering Mizunara oak: a Japanese oak notoriously difficult to work with, but now known as a signature enhancer of Suntory whiskies. The complex, deep flavor of Mizunara gives depth to the multi-layered profile of Yamazaki. A long maturation period reveals its signature spiciness and incense-like sandalwood and aloe wood flavors that comprise this 100% Mizunara whisky. It offers subtly spiced orange notes and a long, lingering finish with hints of clove and dried coconut.

Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt (2024 Tsukuriwake Edition)
Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt (2024 Tsukuriwake Edition) introduces a limited-edition label for Suntory’s celebrated Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt. To honor the art of diverse blending at the Hakushu distillery, it enables The House of Suntory to produce more than 100 different malt whiskies and constant refinement of the Japanese peated malt whisky. The refined and elegant smokiness of Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt lends a refreshing quality to the liquid, evoking the essence of a serene forest. A lengthy maturation process in Hakushu’s pristine and pure water reveals a distinct smokiness with spicy, peppery notes, deepening to unveil herbaceous minerals and ripe apple undertones.

The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara and Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt, launched last year for the House of Suntory’s 100th anniversary and were continued due to their popularity among consumers.

For more information on the limited-edition whiskies, please visit us online here. All four are available in select markets around the world.

About The House of Suntory
Since 1923, Suntory has been renowned as a pioneer of Japanese Whisky for its House of Master Blenders and for their Art of Blending. Founder Shinjiro Torii built Japan’s first malt whisky distillery in Yamazaki, and the Suntory legacy continued with Torii’s son and Suntory’s second Master Blender, Keizo Saji, who continued to establish distilleries including the Hakushu Distillery. As the generations of Suntory’s master blenders carry on, Suntory Whisky remains committed to heritage and innovation. The House of Suntory has been named four-time Distiller of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge in London, UK (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014). Suntory Whiskies are subtle, refined and complex. The portfolio includes Yamazaki, Hakushu, Chita, Kakubin, Hibiki, Suntory Whisky Toki and Ao. The House of Suntory portfolio also offers Roku Japanese Gin and Haku Japanese Vodka. Created from Japanese ingredients by the master artisans at The House of Suntory, Roku Gin and Haku Vodka represent the nature and spirit of Japan. Last year, Suntory Whisky celebrated one hundred years of whisky innovation—a major milestone not only for the brand’s history, but for Japanese spirits culture as a whole. To mark this anniversary, The House of Suntory rolled out its centennial campaign throughout 2023.

About Suntory Global Spirits
As a world leader in premium spirits, Suntory Global Spirits inspires the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature. Known for its craftsmanship of premium whiskies, including Jim Beam® and Maker’s Mark®; Japanese whiskies, including Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and Toki™; and leading Scotch brands including Laphroaig® and Bowmore®, Suntory Global Spirits also produces leading brands such as Tres Generaciones® and El Tesoro® tequila, Roku™ and Sipsmith® gin, and is a world leader in Ready-To-Drink cocktails, with brands like -196 and On The Rocks™ Premium Cocktails.

A global company with approximately 6,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, Suntory Global Spirits is driven by its core values of Growing for Good, Yatte Minahare and Giving Back to Society. The company’s Proof Positive sustainability strategy includes ambitious goals and investments to drive sustainable change and have a positive impact on the planet, consumers and communities. Headquartered in New York City, Suntory Global Spirits is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information, visit www.suntoryglobalspirits.com

2012 GlenAllachie 11/12 Year Old “Signatory” K&L Exclusive First Fill Oloroso Sherry Cask

Cask Strength Non Chillfiltered Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

(700ml & Pre-Arrival)

$79.99

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Email: wine@klwines.com
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Big Bad John’s Northern Promise Single Malt Batch 1 

The Unbottling

Adam and Andrew hang out in the legendary BBJ’s to show off the brand new collaboration between The Strath and Fermentorium Distillery. Discover the unique story behind this historic new release that’s been 70 years in the making.  Order your bottle right now!

PREORDER Big Bad John’s Northern Promise – Single Malt Batch 1

We have launched a brand new rewards scheme, which will grant all of our customers the ability to collect points with every purchase to trade for money-off vouchers. There will be three tiers of The W Club Rewards: Points, Delivered and Premium.

It is super easy and free to join and can be used online and across our 20 stores in the UK.  We look forward to welcoming you!

EXPLORE NOW ❯

W Club rewards tiers

The free Points tier gives those with an account the ability to earn two points per pound and, also, a sweet birthday treat. Delivered expands upon our previous Unlimited offering which gives members free unlimited next day delivery. This tier is £15 per year, and now grants members three points per pound.

The Premium tier is the place to be for those looking to expand their whisky world. Building upon the W Club, and absorbing all current members, the top tier brings an almost endless array of benefits, including a subscription to Whiskeria (our industry-leading magazine), ballots, discounts, in-store tasting invites and many more treats throughout the year. A bargain for £30 per year.

EXPLORE W CLUB REWARDS ❯

JOIN TODAY & CLAIM 10% OFF!

As a special sign up treat, everyone who signs up to our W Club Rewards scheme will receive a massive 10% off their next purchase!  Once you follow our super simple sign up process, you will receive your sign up offer via email.  Take the QR Voucher into store or copy the code at checkout to enjoy this offer!

If you already have a Whisky Shop account with us, you are now in our Points tier. Check your Account here, as we have added a bundle of points to spend for every member. If not, it’s super easy to join and we’ll give you 10% off your first purchase just for being a member. We look forward to welcoming you!

JOIN NOW ❯

CASK TRADE CELEBRATES 5^TH ANNIVERSARY WITH CHARITY BOTTLING IN SUPPORT OF THE DRINKS TRUST

To commemorate its 5^th anniversary, Cask Trade hope to raise £10,000 for The Drinks Trust by selling bottles of cask-strength whisky in aid of the charity.

The cask whisky company has bottled 200 bottles from 2 barrels of 2015 single malt Scotch whisky from The Speyside Distillery.

Cask Trade has celebrated many milestones since its inception five years ago including the opening of an office in Asia, and the launch of Auction Your Cask and Regent Street Cask Bottlers.

CEO and Founder of Cask Trade Simon Aron says a lot has happened in what has been an extraordinary time for cask whisky. “The cask trading sector has changed immeasurably from when I started Cask Trade five years ago,” says Simon, who adds: “There are now ten times more cask traders, a thousand more independent bottlers and cask whisky has become truly global in this relatively short space of time. 

“The variety and choice of casks available has risen dramatically and people’s tastes have changed as they become exposed to different distilleries and styles of whisky available to them in bottles bought from specialist shops and drunk in bars around the world,” he explains. 

Simon says he is delighted to support The Drinks Trust. “I think it’s important to support our industry and the people who work within it. The financial help, training and wellbeing programmes offered by The Drinks Trust are a much-needed lifeline to the drinks industry.”

The special charity bottling will be unveiled at Cask Trade’s anniversary party at Watches of Switzerland later this month (June). It is also available to purchase via website priced at £85 per bottle.

Chief Executive for The Drinks Trust, Ross Carter, says: “Our work with donors, Cask Trade amongst them, is rapidly evolving and helping to deliver vital funds and services for our beneficiaries, whilst also helping businesses achieve CSR goals. These partnerships help the industry as a whole and elevate the profile of the charity so that it can continue to expand its reach and impact.”

To read more about Cask Trade’s success, challenges and thoughts for the future click HERE

ABOUT CASK TRADE:

Cask Trade was set up by Simon Aron in 2018, born from his personal experiences of buying casks as a passionate whisky collector for more than 20 years.

Having found cask ownership difficult to navigate with few reputable companies operating, he envisioned creating a marketplace that made buying and selling casks transparent, open, and honest.

Cask Trade has grown from strength to strength, building its success off several core values:

• Stockists, not brokers – Cask Trade own all its stock, giving buyers a 100% transactional guarantee and the peace of mind that all casks have been through stringent quality checks.
• Market leading stocklist – since 2018, Cask Trade has represented over 170 distilleries across the world of whisky, rum, Cognac and Armagnac.
• End-to-end support – Cask Trade nurtures client relationships beyond the point of sale and offers full cask management, sampling, re-gauges, and multiple exit options when customers come to sell on their cask.
• Trust and transparency – The company’s casks are held in the best HMRC bonded warehouses, regularly visited and approved by Cask Trade whisky masters. All stock holdings have a complete paper trail.
• Expert team – above all, the Cask Trade team are passionate about cask ownership and strives to help clients achieve their goals, whether they are looking to buy, sell or bottle their casks.

Alongside cask sale and ownership, Cask Trade has two unique services which help clients sell and bottle their liquid when the time is right:

Auction Your Cask

Auction Your Cask is the world’s first dedicated online cask auction site. With four auctions a year, clients as well as the public can either submit a cask to sell or bid on other casks with 0% seller fees and an agreed reserve.

Regent Street Cask Bottlers

For clients looking to bottle their cask, Cask Trade offers a unique bottling service – Regent Street Cask Bottlers. The expert team take the hard work out of bottling, helping customers bottle for trade purposes, to celebrate a special occasion, or even buy pre-bottled casks.

Recognition

Acknowledgement for the achievements of Cask Trade has been recognised by the FT1000 when the business was ranked as one of the fastest-growing companies in Europe; listed in The Sunday Times Hundred fastest-growing private companies in Britain and named among the UK’s most innovative new businesses’ by StartUps 100 Index.

Whisky Makers of Exception

Our whisky-making relies on the knowledge, wisdom and skill of a small team of craftsmen, often passed down through generations.  Built in 1879, our founders had a bold vision to distil a lighter spirit that would be a harmonious counter to the norm.

Realising this vision led our founders to three defining decisions that continue to shape The Glenrothes to this day.  They designed the distillery with tall stills, chose to distil the spirit at a slow rate and introduced a balanced distillation system.  All of these decisions increased copper contact, removing heavy flavour compounds, thereby creating a lighter spirit.

But it wasn’t just these decisions that led to the creation of the visionary spirit.

Built in the ancient Glen of Rothes, exceptionally soft and pure spring water rises naturally in springs across the Estate.  Delivering a clean, light mouth feel – the foundation to our elegant spirit – the water was a gift to our founders.  But it was their understanding of the benefits that meant they had the foresight to buy the land and protect it for generations.>

Over time, our whisky makers have developed great wisdom, understanding the unique spirit evolution and the value of quality casks, enabling them to manage aging with a precision that harnesses both spirit and cask.

Explore our whiskies and where you can find them on our website.

Where to Buy

DISTILLERY’S LEGENDARY FAVOURITE IS REBORN IN ARDBEG THE ABYSS 

Rare 34-year-old Ardbeg is celebrated in fantastical graphic novel by acclaimed comic-book artist, Tradd Moore 

Wednesday 5^th June 2024: Ardbeg Islay single malt today shares an Ardbeggian icon reborn, in Ardbeg The Abyss. This richly powerful whisky emerges from the rare heart of a fan favourite – the original, limited-edition Ardbeg Corryvreckan released in 2008. Uniquely transfigured by time, extraordinary new flavours surface in this 34-year-old whisky, which is destined to become a legend in its own right. To bring The Abyss’s mysterious depths to life, acclaimed American comic-book artist Tradd Moore reimagines the legend of the Corryvreckan whirlpool in a fantastical graphic novel. Set on ‘Planet Ardbeg’, it is available in print exclusively with The Abyss’s 400 numbered bottles.

Deep at the heart of the original Ardbeg Corryvreckan was mature 1989 spirit aged first in bourbon casks, then finished in unique, ‘ultra-active’ French oak casks. These unusual casks, which were heavily toasted to an exact specification, gave that legendary limited-edition its hair-raising depths. While most of these unrepeatable casks were consumed in the 2008 limited bottling, a small handful were stowed away. Now, from those last surviving barrels, comes Ardbeg The Abyss – its raw power transformed. Encased in a sleek, silver capsule, which looks set for travel to other realms, this rich and unusually dark Ardbeg draws drinkers deep into swirls of toasted marshmallows and tea leaves, while notes of dark chocolate, pecan, leather and creosote circle nearby.

To celebrate the revival of a legend in The Abyss, acclaimed comic book author and artist Tradd Moore draws his reader into a parallel world inspired by Ardbeg Corryvreckan’s namesake. The whisky is named after the fathomless whirlpool that lies to the north of Ardbeg’s Scottish island home. There, the Viking prince Breacan is said to have anchored his ship for three days and nights to win the hand of the Lord of the Isles’ daughter – yet was lost to its watery depths. Emulating the whisky’s journey into new flavour dimensions, Tradd gives new life to Breacan in the pages of his graphic novel. The prince travels through space and time to emerge reborn on Planet Ardbeg.

Dr Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg’s Director of Whisky Creation, said: “Ardbeg The Abyss is the stuff of Ardbeggian legend. Formed from the rare heart of that original, sought-after 2008 limited release of Corryvreckan, this 34-year-old whisky has been transported by time into a new world of flavour. Held in a tiny handful of those rare, heavily toasted French oak casks, its 400 bottles contain mysterious depths of toasted marshmallows, dark chocolate, pecan nuts and leather – a rare taste of an Ardbeg icon revived, and reimagined.

Tradd said: “When I visited Islay, everything felt holistic: the island itself, the people, the stories. From visiting the whirlpool to trying to swirl whisky in the glass, it all felt interconnected. I’m a big fan of mythology and as soon as I heard the legend of Corryvreckan, I just knew I wanted to reflect The Abyss’s mysterious depths through the story of Prince Breacan. On his own journey into mystery, he sees the abyss, enters the unknown and is swept up and surprised by what he finds…”

Ardbeg The Abyss will be available to buy via Ardbeg.com, at the Distillery Visitor Centre on Islay, and through the Moët Hennessy Private Client channel, across the world.

In celebration of the Ardbeg Corryvreckan’s role in the distillery’s liquid history, 1000 limited edition bottles of core range Ardbeg Corryvreckan are also to be released, featuring a label design by Tradd Moore. Four individual designs will be available, each taken from a frame featured in The Abyss’ graphic novel. These unique bottles will be available exclusively from the Distillery Visitor Centre on Islay from June.

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RSP: Domestic retail RSP: 25,000 Euro (£21,250) 

Ardbeg The Abyss Tasting Notes:

ABV:  Cask Strength 48%

Colour: Deep autumn sunset

Aroma: Rich, pungent and aromatic but mellow, deep and gentle at the same time. There are aromas of toasting marshmallows, aromatic tea leaves, roasted chestnut, baking sourdough bread and something altogether zestier, like lemon balsam. A lingering, background sweetness, like demerara sugar, and then a hint of antique leather. A splash of water opens up the bouquet, to revel more herbal top notes, with a whisper of lemon sherbet and some pine resin.

Taste:  A wonderfully mellow mouthfeel with a hint of spiciness, is followed by bold flavours of dark chocolate, pecan nut toffee, old leather, clove, ginger and a touch of treacle and creosote.

Finish: The smoke is always there, but beautifully integrated with the oak tannins, hints of baked apple and aniseed.

Ardbeg

Ardbeg prides itself on being The Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts. Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’. During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future, and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction. Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well-established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following. Today, Ardbeg is one of the world’s most highly awarded smoky single malt whiskies.

Ardbeg The Abyss

The original Corryvreckan was released in 2008 as a limited edition, created especially for Ardbeg’s loyal following, the Ardbeg Committee. It was crafted from a batch of 1989 spirit aged in bourbon casks for ten years, then partly finished in ‘ultra-active’ heavily toasted French oak barrels. While most of those French oak casks went on to play their part in forming that 2008 release, a few were set aside at the Distillery, to explore the intense new flavours which would emerge with extra ageing. Named to evoke the heart of the fathomless whirlpool, reflecting its origins in the heart of Ardbeg Corryvreckan, Ardbeg The Abyss is the deep and mysterious result.

Inspired by traditional diving and space suits, the bottle’s capsule fittingly hints at the other worlds of space and sea – reminiscent of past campaigns for Ardbeg Corryvreckan, which featured a diver setting off from the Distillery to take on the mighty whirlpool. A porthole-style window in the front of the capsule showcases the bottle and the graphic novel’s cover. On one side, a gauge measures the depth of flavours such as dark chocolate, toasted marshmallow and clove. On the other, the needle of another gauge points to the ABV. The capsule is opened through a hatch at the top, reminiscent of a space vehicle or submarine, to reveal bottle and graphic novel. The bottle is adorned with the image of a whirlpool and is topped by a silver cap etched with line drawings by Tradd. So dark is the liquid, that, when contained in Ardbeg’s trademark green bottle, it appears almost black.

Ardbeg Corryvreckan (2008 Committee release)

The original 2008 release was a Committee Reserve limited edition, finished in a one-off batch of ‘ultra-active’ heavily toasted French oak casks. It proved so popular that the decision was made to add Ardbeg Corryvreckan to the core range the following year. After various experiments, the Whisky Creation Team settled upon the whisky’s current recipe, which is formed of a marriage of Ardbeg fully matured in virgin French oak casks and bourbon casks. 

What is an ‘ultra-active’ cask?

The ‘ultra-active’ casks used in the maturation of Ardbeg The Abyss and original Corryvreckan had undergone a unique rejuvenation process – enhancing their ability to impart flavour and colour. This patented cask treatment process used a deep toasting regime that rendered the oak far more powerful than a standard French oak barrique.

The Legend of Prince Breacan:

The original legend of tells how the Norse prince travelled to win over a princess of the Isles. Her father agreed, as long as Breacan could anchor his ship in the Corryvreckan whirlpool for three days. Breacan was confident that his three ropes would hold fast. But on the first day, his hemp rope snapped, followed by a cord made of wool on the second day. On the third day, the tether braided from women’s hair finally gave way and Breacan was swallowed up by the whirlpool.

Tradd Moore’s graphic novel:

Tradd’s comic reimagines the tale of Breacan being swept into the whirlpool. It shows Breacan travelling through space, into a whirling Abyss – being engulfed by the sea witch who is said to control the whirlpool – and emerging transformed on Planet Ardbeg, which is in fact, Islay. In this way, the story reflects the whisky’s transformation over time, emerging reborn as Ardbeg The Abyss.

Tradd Moore:

Tradd Moore is an American comic book artist, whose work has appeared in series published by Marvel Comics, Image Comics and DC Comics. His hyper-stylised illustrations, which combine sci-fi elements with psychedelia and original compositional style, have earned him the reputation as “the best artist in action comics today” from comicbook.com. His work on titles like Silver Surfer in Black and Venom for Marvel and The New World for Image comics has made him a fan favourite. The latter will be made into a major Hollywood movie by Warner Bros. written by playwright Jeremy O. Harris, whose credits include Zola and Euphoria.

Planet Ardbeg:

Released in 2022, Planet Ardbeg was a 40-page sci-fi anthology created by three cutting-edge artists. This limited edition publication was inspired by the unique flavours and ‘origin stories’ of three Ardbeg expressions – Ardbeg Ten Years Old, Ardbeg An Oa, and Ardbeg Wee Beastie – and features cameos from some of the Distillery’s best-known characters.

This initial graphic novel from Ardbeg was conceived by award-winning New York cartoonist Ronald Wimberly in collaboration with fellow artists Emma Ríos and Sanford Greene, each bringing their own distinctive voice and style to the project. Using Ardbeg’s Core Range as their creative launchpad, together they produced an anthology of otherworldly tales as bold and unique as Ardbeg itself.

Since 2022, Ardbeg has continued to explore this fantasy world, which inspired the theme for Ardbeg Day 2023. It has now been brought to life in another dimension in Tradd Moore’s work.

The Ardbeg Committee  The legacy of the whisky was safeguarded in 2000 by the formation of the Ardbeg Committee.  The Committee is made up of thousands of Ardbeg followers worldwide who are keen to ensure that “the doors of Ardbeg never close again”. Today there are more than 180,000 members of the Ardbeg Committee in over 130 countries.  Committee Members are regularly consulted on new bottlings and expressions and are offered exclusive Committee bottlings.  Members also receive invitations to special gatherings, tastings and events.  The Committee, chaired by Jackie Thomson, is free to join at ardbeg.com.

Awards

Ardbeg is one of the world’s most highly awarded smoky single malt whiskies.  Since 2008, Ardbeg has won more than 50 gold and double gold medals in key whisky competitions.  Ardbeg has twice been awarded ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ at the World Whiskies Awards (2010, 2013).  At the 2014 Global Icons of Whisky Awards, then Distillery Manager Mickey Heads was voted ‘Distillery Manager of the Year’.  The following year, Ardbeg’s expressions took the top three spots in Whisky Advocate magazine’s review of the best single malt Scotch whiskies under US$100.  Meanwhile, both Ardbeg Corryvreckan and Ardbeg Uigeadail have been awarded gold medals at the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Ardbeg Ten Years Old also won the Best Single Malt Scotch 10 Year Old at the International Whisky Competition 2019, while the Ardbeg Distillery won the Distillery of the Year 2019. In 2020, the International Whisky Competition awarded Ardbeg Corryvreckan first place for Best Single Malt Scotch, Best Single Malt Scotch (No Age Statement), Best cask Strength (Over 57% ABV), Best Peated Scotch and Best Islay Single Malt. Ardbeg Wee Beastie also earned first place for Best Single Malt Scotch Under 10 Year Old and The Ardbeg Distillery achieved another Distillery of the Year award. In 2021, Dr Bill Lumsden was awarded Master Distiller of the Year for the fifth time, and Ardbeg Uigeadail won World Whisky of the Year in the International Whisky Competition. In 2022, at the International Whisky Competition, Ardbeg was awarded The Distillery of the Year Award, while Ardbeg Ardcore won first place in Best New Scotch Release, Best Peated Single Malt and Best Islay Single Malt. In 2023 to date, Ardbeg has been awarded four Gold and eight silver medals at the International Spirits Competition, Silver in the International Wine & Spirits Competition and Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

The Glenmorangie Company:

The Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Company produces Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay Malt.

Responsible Drinking:

Ardbeg and The Glenmorangie Company advocate responsible drinking and suggest that drinkers savour Ardbeg whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.

‘Gone Grant’ 31 Year Old Whisky Sponge Edition No.89

£395.00

Whisky Sponge is back with another tremendous independent bottling, this time from an undisclosed Speyside distillery coined ‘Gone Grant’. Apparently the single malt is from a maker that sounds like ‘cap her sporran itch’. But who can say. The whisky itself was distilled back in 1993 and filled into a second-fill barrel where it aged for 31 years. Presented at natural cask strength, it offers an easy-drinking, full-bodied sipping experience.

Whisky Sponge | Distilled at Caperdonich Distillery | 45% abv | 70cl

Coveted Single-Malt Rye Collectibles from an American Original

This pair of incredible rarities from craft whiskey pioneer Hotaling’s brings the full force of cask-strength, new oak-aged, mature rye at pricing that we almost never see for other bottlings with comparable specs. Any way you look at it, there’s simply nothing else like them in the market.

Hotalings 16 Year Old “Old Potrero” Bottled In Bond Single Malt Rye Whiskey (700ml) $229.99 View

92 points Wine Enthusiast.  This 100% rye American single malt offers fresh apple and pear aromas underpinned by oak. The palate flips that, leading with drying, resiny oak, with just a hint of fruity freshness wafting into the spicy black pepper finish. (KN)  (7/2017)

K&L Notes. Fritz Maytag, the visionary who ushered in the craft beer movement, is also responsible for a resurrection of pot distilled whiskey in America. Not satisfied with merely rescuing Anchor Brewing in 1965 and resuscitating its iconic steam beer, he expanded to spirits in 1993. Fritz established Anchor Distilling Company in the back of the beer brewery and propelled the return of pot-distilled whiskey to the United States. Inspired by the rye whiskeys being made at America’s founding and Scotland’s finest single malts the San Francisco distillery on Potrero Hill dedicated itself to a mash of 100% rye malt. Since the first barrels were laid down in 1994, Bruce Joseph has been manning the stills and producing the finest pot distilled whiskey in the country. While they lost the use of the Anchor name in the ill-fated brewery sale, Hotaling, as it’s now known, is still producing the same whiskey under Bruce’s watchful eye. This long history makes Hotaling one of the few small distilleries in the country capable of releasing a 16 year bottled-in-bond rye. It’s a true rarity and one of the most complete whiskies we’ve ever tasted. Only 432 bottles produced. Aged 16 years in once used, charred, fine-grain, American oak barrels. 50% ABV and non-chill filtered.

Hotalings 17 Year Old “Old Potrero” 115.8 Proof Single Barrel Reserve Single Malt Rye Whiskey (700ml) $249.99 View

Old Potrero is a true pioneer of modern whiskey. 100% malted rye pot distilled single malt – being made in San Francisco starting in 1993. Bruce Joseph has been making the whiskies (and their other fun products) since day one and is still the master distiller today. This 17 year old cask strength bottling was aged for 24 month air dried fine grain new American oak – and it is a beast.

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LOST LANTERN’S SUMMER OF BOURBON RETURNS

Award-Winning Independent Bottler of American Whiskey Doubles Down on Bourbon for Summer 

VERGENNES, VT (JUNE 4, 2024)—For the second summer in a row, Lost Lantern, the award-winning independent bottler of American whiskey, is introducing a collection of carefully curated bottles from the some of the most exciting bourbon distilleries in the country.

This release includes nine whiskies from twelve states across all three of its product lines: the second edition of Lost Lantern’s multi-distillery blend, Far-Flung Bourbon II (Starlight Distillery from Indiana, Kings County Distillery from New York, Rich Grain Distilling Co. from Mississippi, Smooth Ambler from West Virginia, and Wollersheim Distillery from Wisconsin); their Single Distillery Series, Mississippi Memory (a blend of multiple barrels from ghost distillery Rich Grain Distilling Co., a closed Mississippi distillery); and seven single cask releases. Two of these come from returning Lost Lantern partners: Corbin Cash in California and Boulder Spirits in Colorado. The other five are all first-time Lost Lantern partners: Woodinville Whiskey Co. in Washington, Union Horse Distilling Co. in Kansas, High Wire Distilling Co. in South Carolina, Leiper’s Fork Distillery in Tennessee, and Rock Town Distillery in Arkansas.

In 2023, Lost Lantern launched the “Summer of Bourbon” as their first collection focused solely on a single style of whiskey. The message then, and now, is simple: great bourbon now comes from all over the United States. Though the initial release of eight bottlings spanned several states and distilleries, it only scratched the surface of the sheer breadth of bourbon being made across the country. Lost Lantern Co-Founders Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski recognized that the subject warranted further exploration. “This year, we want to encourage whiskey lovers to keep exploring the increasingly wide world of bourbon, in all the forms that it takes from coast to coast,” says Ganley-Roper.

This year’s collection is Lost Lantern’s largest. Because of that, Summer of Bourbon II will be released in two tranches:

1. On Thursday, June 20, Lost Lantern blends Far Flung Bourbon II and Mississippi Memory will go on sale.
2. On Thursday July 11, Lost Lantern Summer of Bourbon II Single Casks will be available for sale.

Whiskies in the collection will be available for purchase online at LostLanternWhiskey.com and Seelbachs.com, at select retailers in New York and California, and in the Lost Lantern tasting room in Vergennes, VT. As always, the collection is presented at cask strength, non-chill-filtered, and with no color added.

“Summer of Bourbon II shines a light on the true variety and depth that great bourbon can have,” explains Polonski. “This Collection contains several firsts for us: our first Tennessee whiskey, our first finished bourbon, our first bourbon from a closed distillery, and our first bourbons from several new partners and states. We are delighted to once again celebrate summer with America’s iconic spirit.”

… Let the Summer of Bourbon (II) begin!

Far-Flung Bourbon II: 126.6 Proof (697 bottles) SRP, $100

The second edition of Lost Lantern’s flagship bourbon brings together bourbons from states and distilleries that have never been blended before. Far-Flung Bourbon II highlights distilleries from the eastern half of the country, ranging from cooler northern climates to the hot, humid Deep South. Age: 5 years

Component Distilleries: Starlight Distillery (Indiana), Kings County Distillery (New York), Rich Grain Distilling Co. (Mississippi), Smooth Ambler (West Virginia), and Wollersheim Distillery (Wisconsin).

Mississippi Memory Rich Grain Distilling Straight Bourbon: 140 Proof (500 bottles) SRP, $90

This is Lost Lantern’s first release from a ghost distillery partner and will be one of the only opportunities ever for whiskey lovers to try Rich Grain’s whiskey. Rich Grain Distilling was founded to create a whiskey that truly reflected Mississippi’s hot, humid climate. Although the distillery closed in 2020, the whiskey continued to age in Mississippi, and this marriage of the distillery’s 5- and 7-year-old bourbons celebrates Rich Grain founder David Rich’s original vision for a true Mississippi bourbon, born of the Deep South. Age: 5 years (components range from 5 to 7 years)

Corbin Cash California Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 146.2 Proof (200 bottles) SRP, $130

Corbin Cash is best known for its grain-to-glass rye whiskies which reflect the bounty and warmth of California’s Central Valley. Their bourbon, though rarer, is just as spectacular. Hazmat. Age: 7 years

Woodinville Washington Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 116.9 Proof (200 bottles) SRP, $100

Woodinville Whiskey Co., the premiere bourbon and rye distillery of the Pacific Northwest, makes exceptional whiskies with a marriage of traditional and modern techniques and locally grown grain Age: 6 years

Union Horse Kansas Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 119.9 Proof (200 bottles) SRP, $90

The family-owned Union Horse Distilling Co., located just outside of Kansas City, uses locally grown grain to make whiskies that reflect the intersection of the Midwest and the Great Plains. This is Lost Lantern’s first whiskey from Kansas and Union Horse. Age: 5 years

High Wire South Carolina Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 117.4 Proof (200 bottles) SRP, $120

High Wire Distilling Co., the most acclaimed distillery of the coastal Southeast, makes unique spirits that are deeply rooted in the agricultural traditions, climate, and foodways of the South. Lost Lantern’s first High Wire release is made from 100% Jimmy Red corn, a rare heirloom varietal that High Wire helped save from extinction. Age: 3 years

Leiper’s Fork Tennessee Whiskey Single Cask: 115.8 Proof (123 bottles) SRP, $100

Lost Lantern’s first-ever Tennessee Whiskey comes from Leiper’s Fork Distillery, which has brought the art of small-scale distillation back to Middle Tennessee. And yes, Lost Lantern counts Tennessee whiskey as a subset of bourbon! Age: 5 years

Rock Town Arkansas Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 117.6 Proof (200 bottles) SRP, $90

Rock Town Distillery, the first legal distillery in Arkansas since Prohibition, creates world-class spirits from Arkansas grain and celebrates the farmers who grow it. This is Lost Lantern’s first whiskey from Rock Town and from Arkansas. Age: 4 years

Boulder Spirits Armagnac Finished Colorado Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 125.5 Proof (300 bottles) SRP, $120

Lost Lantern’s first finished bourbon comes from longtime Lost Lantern partner Boulder Spirits, which has brought Scottish whiskymaking traditions to the world of bourbon and the unique climate of the Colorado Rockies. Made from Boulder’s distinctive high-malt mashbill, this bourbon was aged for 4.5 years in new oak and finished for 2.5 years in an Armagnac cask. Age: 7 years

ABOUT LOST LANTERN

Founded by Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski, Lost Lantern is an award-winning independent bottler of American whiskey based in Vergennes, VT. In 2023, they were named Independent Bottler of the Year at the Global Icons of Whisky Awards in London and named one of SevenFifty Daily’s 2023 Drinks Innovators. The company seeks out the most unique and exciting whiskies being made across the U.S. and releases them as single casks and blends, always with a deep commitment to transparency.  Lost Lantern has now released whiskey from more than 30 distilleries in over 20 states. For more information about Lost Lantern, to learn about upcoming, available, and retired whiskies, to visit the tasting room, or to subscribe to Lost Lantern’s newsletter, please visit LostLanternWhiskey.com. Engage with Lost Lantern Whiskey on Instagram and Facebook: @lostlanternwhiskey.