March has arrived, and with it comes an exquisite symphony of flavours as we dive into the world of captivating casks. In this month’s selection, we invite you to join us on a delightful journey of exploration and celebration alongside our very own cask custodians, the Whisky Team. Learn more about what the Whisky Team do to bring you the flavour-led experience enjoyed all over the world. Discover more by viewing our March Outturn now!

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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

LOST LANTERN CELEBRATES THE MIDWEST

Award-Winning Independent Bottler Introduces its First Regional Collection

VERGENNES, VT (February 22, 2024)—Lost Lantern has traditionally curated and released its collections around specific themes, but the Spring 2024 collection marks the independent bottler’s inaugural regional collection. With a focus on the Midwest, Lost Lantern aims to spotlight a whiskey region it believes deserves more attention.

If you’re not yet talking about whiskey from the Midwest, Lost Lantern plans to change that. “The Midwest is one of the most exciting and dynamic whiskey regions in the United States, yet it’s one that whiskey drinkers often overlook,” says Lost Lantern Co-Founder Nora Ganley-Roper. “Other regions like the Pacific Northwest and Texas may have a higher profile, but distilleries across the Midwest are making truly wonderful, world-class whiskies. This is especially true for bourbon and rye, and we’ve found that many of the best whiskies of the Midwest exhibit a complex yet soft and creamy character. Lost Lantern’s Midwest Collection is designed to showcase some of these whiskies and help whiskey lovers explore a region that has truly come into its own.”

Midwestern whiskies stand out in the American whiskey landscape through a unique combination of the region’s rich agricultural legacy, distinctive climate conditions, and a culture that marries tradition with innovation. With unparalleled access to diverse, high-quality local grains (the region is often known as the breadbasket of the U.S.), Midwestern distillers make spirits that deeply reflect their local terroir, drawing on a farming heritage that can be savored in every bottle.

Lost Lantern’s new Spring Collection celebrates these regional attributes. The release features seven distinct bottlings, each highlighting what makes whiskey from the Midwest so compelling: Far-Flung Rye (a multi-distillery blend of rye whiskies from across the Midwest) and six single casks from distilleries across the region. The Collection features the return of three previous Lost Lantern partners—Starlight Distillery (IN), Cedar Ridge (IA), and Tom’s Foolery (OH), as well as three new distillery partners: Wollersheim Distillery (WI), FEW Spirits (IL), and Middle West Spirits (OH). This release includes Lost Lantern’s first-ever whiskies from Wisconsin and Illinois, as well as its first multi-state rye blend.

The Midwest collection will be available for purchase at the new Lost Lantern Tasting Room in Vergennes, VT, and online at LostLanternWhiskey.com and Seelbachs.com beginning March 27th. It will also be available at select retailers in New York and California. As always, the new collection is presented at cask strength, non-chill-filtered, and with no color added. In addition, Lost Lantern is launching an educational series focused on Midwestern whiskies through its website, which will highlight other great Midwestern distilleries beyond the Collection and will include guest posts from distillers across the region.

Far-Flung Rye: 121.6 Proof (486 bottles) SRP, $100

Lost Lantern’s first blend of straight rye whiskey proves that some of the country’s best rye whiskey comes from the Midwest. This special release brings together a blend of straight ryes, ranging from four to nine years old, from five of the finest distilleries in the region: Cedar Ridge (IA), Middle West Spirits (OH), Starlight Distillery (IN), Tom’s Foolery Distillery (OH), and Wollersheim Distillery (WI). It has bright rye spice and fresh-cut grass on the nose. The palate is spicy, with rich oak and hints of dark chocolate and warm bread. Age: 4 years

Starlight Distillery Indiana Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 118.7 Proof (132 bottles) SRP, $90

Starlight Distillery is part of Huber’s Orchard & Winery, an Indiana institution since 1843. Ted Huber started Starlight in 2001 to capture the flavors of Indiana grain and fruit from the place his family has farmed for seven generations. This straight bourbon whiskey was aged in a 53-gallon barrel for 6 years, including two years in Vermont. It was made with 60% corn, 20% malted barley, 10% rye, and 10% wheat. It has a rich and creamy nose, with notes of cherry, nutmeg, fresh oak, and chocolate on the palate. Very spicy and full, with a long finish. Age: 6 years

Wollersheim Distillery Wisconsin Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 131.2 Proof (200 bottles) SRP, $90

Established in the 19th century, Wollersheim is a family-owned winery and distillery. Its grain-to-glass whiskies truly reflect Wisconsin’s climate and agricultural heritage. This 5-year-old straight bourbon whiskey was made from 66% corn, 22% rye, and 12% malted barley, all locally grown. An intense and powerful cool-climate northern bourbon with notes of leather, chocolate oranges, and pipe tobacco on the nose, and hints of chocolate mousse, dry grain, and spice-blackened meat on the palate. Age: 5 years

FEW Spirits Illinois Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 124.6 Proof (200 bottles) SRP, $90

A pioneer of American craft spirits, FEW has distilled award-winning grain-to-glass whiskies since 2011 in a unique urban setting outside Chicago. This straight bourbon whiskey, Lost Lantern’s first from FEW Spirits and Illinois, was distilled from 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley and aged for 5 years in a 53-gallon new American oak barrel. It has warm, sweet notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and French vanilla on the nose. The palate has a rich and rounded spice, a soft, creamy texture, and notes of milk chocolate and cinnamon rolls. The finish is long and warming. Age: 5 years

Tom’s Foolery 9-Year-Old Ohio Straight Rye Single Cask: 116.5 Proof (170 bottles) SRP, $120

This family-owned distillery uses traditional, labor-intensive methods to make whiskey, including wooden fermenters and pot still distillation. Their whiskies embody the cold, snowy climate of Ohio’s snowbelt. Aged for 9 years in a 53-gallon barrel, making it the oldest whiskey Lost Lantern has released, this straight rye whiskey was made from 70% winter rye and 30% malted rye. It is fresh and elegant, with hints of fresh-cut grass and lemon on the nose and rich rye spice, lemon custard, and balanced oak on the palate. It has an extremely long, warm finish. Age: 9 years

Middle West Ohio Straight Rye Single Cask: 126 Proof (197 bottles) SRP, $90

Based in Columbus, Ohio, Middle West Spirits is one of the Midwest’s largest and most ambitious independent distilleries. This four-grain straight rye whiskey is made with dark pumpernickel rye grain, giving it a full, toasty, chocolatey, and earthy flavor. It was aged for 4 years in a 53-gallon new oak barrel from Speyside Cooperage. It has notes of rich chocolate mousse and warm rye spice on the nose, with cocoa nibs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and leatherbound books on the palate. It is Lost Lantern’s first release from Middle West. Age: 4 years

Cedar Ridge Iowa Straight Wheat Single Cask: 123.1 Proof (203 bottles) SRP, $90

Cedar Ridge has been farming and distilling spirits in Swisher, Iowa, owned by the Quint family, for decades. The area’s dramatic seasonal temperature swings help create whiskies with a soft, clean, yet spicy character. An exceptional cask, this is an elegant and powerful wheat whiskey made from 100% malted white winter wheat that was aged for 6 years in a 53-gallon barrel. It has a very spicy nose, with notes of black cherry and vanilla shortbread on the nose. The palate is bold and warm, with hints of baking spice and cinnamon coffee cake. Age: 6 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. 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.

THE WHISKY THAT STARTED IT ALL

In 2000, John Glaser released the first ever blended grain Scotch whisky to the market, and Compass Box was born. It was called Hedonism.

It was the first ever whisky to feature a female form on the label, taking a powerful female face from a late 19th century English painting, and putting it proudly on the bottle.

To us, Hedonism is more than a whisky. It’s an idea that transcends time and tradition in Scotch whisky. It’s an invitation to share in the pleasures of whisky and the creative imagination. It’s the embodiment of the Compass Box ethos.

THE NEW ERA OF HEDONISM

Over the years, the demand for high-quality grain whisky has increased throughout Scotland, making the calibre of whisky we require for Hedonism ever harder to find.

So, from 2024, Hedonism will appear in limited quantities, released just once a year – each an annual interpretation of the classic Hedonism style.

For each release, we will be asking a different female artist to bring to life – in their own, individual way – the grace and strength of the original Hedonism woman.

This inaugural release features a piece by the celebrated Edinburgh-based artist Stephanie Rew, who combines traditional Early Renaissance gilding techniques with a contemporary painterly lexicon.

FROM GRAIN TO GOLD

To mark the occasion, we’ve charted the progression of a whisky, and an idea, that transcends time and tradition with our documentary, From Grain to Gold.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

UNMISTAKABLY HEDONISM

For this, the first Limited Annual Release, we have turned to whiskies aged almost entirely in first-fill Bourbon barrels. This delivers a complex array of patisserie aromas, with exotic vanilla and clove-infused caramel.

We’ve also utilised the last of our stocks of grain whiskies distilled in the 1990s, a period when some of the distilleries featured still used maize in their mashes. This brings an enhanced buttery weight, with layers of creamy custard on the palate, and accents of honey and mascarpone.

Join us in indulging in a new era of Hedonism.

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DOUBLE PRODUCT RELEASE

NOTABLE AGE STATEMENTS NO.8 :

50-year-old Vatted Grain

For the eighth bottling in our Notable Age Statements series we’ve selected this 50 year old vatted grain whisky.Distilled in 1972, aged for 50 years in a refill barrel and bottled at natural cask strength.  This has all the hallmarks of a great aged grain whisky, lots of coconut, subtle wood spice, citrus fruit notes and complex flavours of fruit and herbal teas. All presented at a perfect natural strength that balances finesse with power.

£285.00 incVAT

 ImpEx Beverages Announces the Arrival of Meikle Tòir Peated Expressions from The GlenAllachie

Independent Scotch whisky distillery The GlenAllachie revealed its new peated Single Malt Scotch whisky brand: Meikle Tòir (pronounced mee-kuhl tor) in the UK late last year.  ImpEx Beverages is proud to announce that this very special line of 5 year old expressions has arrived to the US and is making its way to specialty retailers across the Nation.

Spearheaded by celebrated Master Distiller Billy Walker, the launch introduces Walker’s first core releases to have been fully overseen by him since he took ownership of the distillery in 2017.

Meikle Tòir, which means ‘big pursuit’, represents Walker and his expert team’s relentless seasonal peated campaign at The GlenAllachie, which began in 2018.

Using mainland peat from St. Fergus, the peated production runs for around six weeks per year, producing approximately 100,000 Liters of Alcohol annually.

The peated label’s core range consists of The Original (50% ABV), The Sherry One (48% ABV) and The Chinquapin One (48% ABV), as well as annual small-batch release, The Turbo 2023 Edition (50% ABV). Each whisky carries a five-year age statement.

All Meikle Tòir expressions were subjected to a lengthy fermentation time of 160 hours – nearly triple the industry average – which adds a fruity, ester-rich character to the subsequent whisky.

Commenting on the new brand, Walker remarks “This incredibly exciting launch is a key milestone for us all at The GlenAllachie. Five years in the making, it represents the culmination of our endeavors since we took over the reins at the distillery. Our intention has always been to release a peated Single Malt, and this is no surprise to those who have followed our journey from the start.

Every element of the production process was carefully considered to ensure our vision was met. It’s not about accelerating the journey; it’s about expanding the experience. One of the key decisions was to significantly extend the fermentation period to 160 hours, creating thick, ester-rich distillate. Another was to use mainland peat, which delivers a more oaky style of smoke. These choices, along with the use of quality Oak casks, are all factors steering us in our pursuit of peated perfection”.

The Original 5-year-old was aged in expertly sourced first-fill Bourbon barrels, American Virgin Oak casks and Rye barrels, imparting “waves of stem ginger, sweet spice, and Oak-smoked sugar”.

After an initial period in American Oak, The Sherry One underwent additional maturation in quality Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso Sherry puncheons. The result is a Single Malt with “impeccable balance between dark fruits, mocha, treacle, and puffs of earthy peat smoke”.

The Chinquapin One was first aged in American Oak before being transferred into superior Chinquapin Virgin Oak barrels from the Northern Ozark region of Missouri, USA. Drinkers can anticipate “smoked spices, roasted nuts, campfire smoke, and crème brûlée”.

The Original, The Sherry One and The Chinquapin One all have a spirit PPM level of 35, with the mainland peat delivering a more sweet and oaky smoke style in comparison to the flavor contribution of a coastal peat.

The Turbo, a super limited annual bottling, captures ‘the heart of the heart’ of the peated distillate: the spirit cut with the highest phenol content.  The 2023 Edition, a run of just 2,500 bottles (600 for the US), was left to slumber in three American Virgin Oak casks and five Oloroso Sherry hogsheads for five years. The resulting whisky is said to offer “a powerful punch of peat, amounting to a spirit PPM of 71, alongside notes of toasted honeycomb, burnt orange peel, and worn leather”.

All Meikle Tòir expressions are proudly bottled without added coloring and non-chill filtered for optimum drinking experience.

The eye-catching packaging features a hand-drawn illustration by prominent Scottish artist Iain McIntosh that depicts the rugged terrain surrounding the distillery, including the iconic peak of Ben Rinnes. The complementary “earthy” color palette was chosen to hint at the smoky flavor profile.

For more information on where to find these incredible Meikle Tòir offerings, please email the office at Office@ImpExBev.com

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Redbreast 19 Year Old Oloroso Sherry Cask

A style unique to Ireland, and which Redbreast is a textbook example of, the single pot still is defined by two characteristics. Firstly, the mashbill and secondly, triple distillation. The first sees malted barley combined with plain barley and potentially other grains, which gives the distillate a fruity spicy note. The second is described as polishing the spirit and letting those flavours shine out.

£213

Buy now 

This elegantly sherried Redbreast was aged entirely in second-fill oloroso casks, making for a complex dram that balances notes of dried fruit and nuts with the distinctive spiciness of Irish pot still whiskey. After almost two decades in the Midleton distillery warehouses in County Cork, it shows excellent maturity with fine tannins and hints of dark chocolate. Outside of the celebrated core range, there are precious few Redbreast whiskies in the wild, so we are particularly proud to offer this limited-edition bottling exclusively to customers of The Whisky Exchange.

ralfy review 1016 Extras – On-liner meets Indi-bottler.

Sipping Success: Talnua Distillery Celebrates 5 Years of Crafting Unforgettable Whiskey

– And 2024 Olde Saint’s Keep Bottle Release Information –

Talnua Distillery, winner of best American Pot Still Whiskey at the World Whiskies Awards for the third year in a row, will celebrate its 5th anniversary this St. Patrick’s Day. Over the last half decade Talnua has experienced significant growth and is garnering attention both nationally and abroad.

Growing from just two gins and two core whiskeys at launch, the distillery now offers four core whiskeys, rotating special release whiskeys, and the popular distillery-only products Coffee Liqueur and Eggnog. The true stars of the show, Talnua’s Pot Still style whiskeys, have earned gold medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the International Wine and Spirits Competition, the American Distilling Institute, and the World Whiskies Awards.

Currently, these offerings are only available regionally in Colorado, where the distillery is based. After hiring a Sales Director in 2022, the amount of on and off premise accounts has doubled in the state, making the spirits more available to Colorado whiskey enthusiasts. Lucky for whiskey drinkers outside of Colorado, Talnua is hoping to partner with a distributor to expand to other states late this summer.

This distribution expansion is possible due to the production space growth that has occurred over the past 5 years. The most visible example of the distillery’s growth can be spotted outside the facility in the two 60,000 lb grain silos storing the barley that is the heart of the Talnua mashbill. Production over time has grown by 8x. Talnua has traded in the humble beginnings of a single hand-made pot still making two barrels per week, for three custom designed copper pot stills with a production capacity of 17 barrels per week. This upgrade has increased production from 100 barrels per year to nearly 900 barrels per year, with a 2025 expansion plan for over 2500 barrels per year. All of this growth has also enabled the distillery to start doing contract distillation while maintaining a steady amount of Talnua spirits production.

The growth occurring at the distillery is not limited to its production capacity. Talnua’s footprint has tripled from 5,000 to 15,000 sq ft with a new tasting room and patio in the plans for later this year. To support the production and hospitality needs of the distillery, the Talnua team members have doubled as well. The tasting room proudly boasts awards for Best of Denver’s “Best Distillery Taproom”, Top of the Town’s “Best Cocktail Menu”, and Best of the Best Arvada’s “Best Distillery” as well as a 4.9 star review on Google Reviews and 5 stars on Yelp and Trip Advisor.

Talnua’s events programming continues to evolve with a rise in philanthropic events featuring special releases that benefit local organizations dear to its team members. Recent beneficiaries include Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital.

The future looks bright for Talnua as they continue to build out both their production space and a new Tasting Room to expand private event space and visitor capacity.

Whiskey lovers should not miss this year’s Olde Saint’s Keep special release whiskey unveiling at Talnua’s annual St. Patrick’s Day event. This year’s celebration will be held March 15th and 16th and marks the distillery’s 5 year anniversary. The 2023 expression of Olde Saint’s Keep Whiskey won Talnua “Best American Pot Still Whiskey” at this year’s World Whiskies Awards and this year’s expression featuring sherry, port, amburana, and virgin American white oak promises not to disappoint! At the event visitors can acquire their bottle of Olde Saint’s Keep whiskey while enjoying live music, food truck fare, pipe and drum bands, and specialty cocktails. Visit talnua.com for more information.

2024 Olde Saint’s Keep Special Release Whiskey

Talnua Distillery’s 2024 Olde Saint’s Keep Special Release Whiskey is American Single Pot Still whiskey featuring sherry, port, amburana, and virgin American white oak.

100 Proof / 50% Alc/Vol

Fewer than 1000 bottles available

After last September’s historic launch of our first island dram, we’re pleased and proud to announce the date of our next release of The Hearach single malt whisky.

Batch No.s 09 / 10 / 11 / 12
TUESDAY 26TH OF MARCH 2024
10.00 GMT

All batches will be on sale through our online store and at the distillery shop here in Tarbert that morning while stocks last.

You can also buy bottles from our network of specialist retailers and independent stores across the UK from that date as well. Our global friends will be also be able find the new release of batches appearing in their countries soon after.

Lots more information to come soon, meantime here are some wonderful words from whisky writer, expert, and friend Charles Maclean MBE about The Hearach…

“I can’t tell you how impressed I am…the flavour profile is truly unique. I have never tasted a whisky like it, and have rarely been so impressed by a first release.

What’s more, it really does seem to embody the island of its birth – sea-spray, kelp and smouldering peat smoke; elemental, but also gentle, faintly floral and with a texture as soft as a Gaelic song – very more-ish!

Layers of complexity, a fine balance of flavours, and distinctive character. I raise what little remains in my glass to The Hearach’s success.”

– Charlie MacLean

We’ll drink to that…

Le gach deagh dhùrachd,

Mike Donald, Chief Storyteller

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HEARACH