Booker’s Bourbon Unveils Batch #2 The “Milkshake Batch”

The second release from Booker’s Bourbon this year – The Milkshake Batch – inspired by one of Booker Noe’s favorite indulgences: a homemade chocolate malted milkshake spiked with a generous pour of bourbon.

Named after a cherished Beam family tradition, the “Milkshake Batch” pays tribute to the late Booker Noe’s inventive spirit. The story traces back to Fred Noe’s childhood fishing trips with his father, where chocolate malted milkshakes became a well-earned reward after a day on the water. Booker eventually began adding bourbon to the mix, creating a family ritual that lives on today between Fred and Freddie.

The “Milkshake Batch” delivers everything bourbon enthusiasts expect from Booker’s: uncut, unfiltered Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey bottled at a robust 124.4 proof and aged 7 years, 6 months, and 12 days. The batch showcases rich aromas of vanilla and oak, a bold, full-bodied palate, and the long, lingering finish that Booker’s is known for.

The breakdown is as follows:

•  26% was stored on the fifth floor of warehouse 3, a seven-story house.
•  23% was stored on the third floor of warehouse L, a seven-story house.
•  19% was stored on the third floor of warehouse M, a seven-story house.
•  32% was stored on the fifth floor of warehouse G at waterfall, a seven-story house.

New Wolfe & Wilson Straight Rye Is A True 250th Anniversary Representation of American Whiskey History

Drawn directly from a colonial-era booklet, this unique expression by two craft distillers with a love for the past showcases a genuine attempt to recreate early American distilling practices using documented historical recipes, heritage grains, and period-appropriate techniques. It is a true representation of a 250th anniversary whiskey.

LITITZ, Pa. – Stoll & Wolfe, a storied craft distillery at the forefront of high-quality Pennsylvania rye whiskeys, is proud to announce Wolfe & Wilson Straight Rye Whiskey, a unique collaboration between two masters of the distilling arts, Stoll & Wolfe head distiller Erik Wolfe and southern Indiana farmer distiller Alan Bishop (formerly of Spirits of French Lick). This whiskey is based upon an old colonial-era recipe and serves as a true testament to the journey of this noble spirit through America’s 250 years.

Wolfe & Wilson Straight Rye Whiskey draws its inspiration from a pamphlet written by Frederick Heinrich Gelwicks, an important piece of early American distilling lore from the late 1700s to early 1800s, documenting actual working recipes used by Pennsylvania distillers during that era. A recipe from that publication resulted in a whiskey with a unique grain combination of rye malt, wheat, rye, and oats, fermented with wild yeast and cheese culture, and aged in new American oak barrels at 105 proof.

“Collaborating on translating a nearly 300 century old recipe is a unique opportunity to explore the roots of our local distilling traditions by bringing this whiskey to life and allowing modern consumers to experience a spirit nearly lost to history,” said Erik Wolfe.

Wolfe and Bishop, sharing a fundamental distilling philosophy and ethos that values flavor over efficiency and also honors traditional production methods balanced against modern concerns, began collaboration on this whiskey back in 2023. The challenge for them was how to adapt for today’s distilling world a recipe of 1 bushel rye malt, 1 bushel wheat, 1 bushel rye, and 3 pecks of oats.

Sourcing heritage grains from Pennsylvania family farms, including the Kline farm that’s tied to Stoll & Wolfe, the two set out on an epic undertaking to recreate something few in the modern era would even consider. A testament to their combined creativity and fine attention to historical details, the expression is designed to give today’s whiskey drinker a glance at what was being enjoyed at the birth of a nation.

“Bringing the knowledge brought to Indiana by early PA Germans back East to PA is one of the highlights of my career,” said Alan Bishop. “That we stuck to the ideals of the colonial distillers while implementing modern technological advantages speaks to just how well versed in the art of distillation our forefathers were. To do such great work alongside Erik and Aviana is a rare opportunity!”

Besides these nods to the past, other elements of historical consideration were factored in as well, such as the addition of dried fruits during the distillation process and aging in a colonial-era tobacco farm. The Wolfe & Wilson straight rye, given all of this, presents itself as an authentic representation of a bygone era with legitimate colonial ties, explicitly differentiating it from more generic 250th anniversary products.

Wolfe & Wilson Straight Rye Whiskey, Batch 1, was aged a minimum of two years in new charred American oak before being bottled at 100 proof. The product name Wolfe & Wilson carries layered personal and historical significance, as “Wolfe” represents Erik’s surname (Wolfe), while “Wilson” is Alan’s mother’s maiden name.

Available at a price point of $80, only 1000 750 ml bottles of Batch 1 will be available starting July 4th through Stoll & Wolfe’s tasting room in Lititz, Pennsylvania, and online in the contiguous United States.

About Stoll & Wolfe

Founded in 2016 in Lititz, Pennsylvania, Stoll & Wolfe revives the core flavors of Pennsylvania rye with a modern toolkit and a historian’s respect. The team employs open cypress tank fermentation, runs a column still with a thumper/doubler (with pot-still spirit runs when the profile calls for it), and matures whiskey in varied warehouse conditions to shape structure and depth. The Kline family farm supplies—and increasingly anchors—the grain: Rosen Rye, Lancaster County corn, and rye are all grown there. The result: grain-forward whiskeys that honor Dick Stoll’s legacy while pushing the category ahead.

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Caskd Founder Publishes The Whisky Collector’s Handbook

Whisky collector and entrepreneur Jonathan Yates has announced the publication of The Whisky Collector’s Handbook: A Field Guide to Bottles, Stories and Discovery, a practical guide designed to help enthusiasts better understand the art, culture and craft of whisky collecting.

Harrogate, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom – June 2026

As interest in collectible whisky continues to grow, new enthusiasts are increasingly entering a market often shaped by specialist knowledge, auction experience and collector networks. The Whisky Collector’s Handbook was written to bridge that gap, bringing together the principles, insights and lessons that experienced collectors have accumulated over many years.

Rather than focusing solely on tasting notes or investment returns, the book explores the broader journey of collecting. It examines why people collect whisky, how collections evolve over time and how bottles can become repositories of history, craftsmanship and personal memory.

The handbook covers topics including distillery heritage, cask influence, provenance, authenticity, rarity, bottle condition, collection strategy and navigating the secondary market. It also explores the psychology of collecting and encourages readers to develop a collecting philosophy based on personal passion, curiosity and appreciation for the stories behind the bottle.

“Whisky collecting is about far more than acquiring bottles,” said Jonathan Yates, author of The Whisky Collector’s Handbook and founder of Caskd.

“Every bottle represents a moment in time. It carries the influence of the distillery, the cask, the people who created it and the years that shaped it. The goal of this book is to help collectors better understand those stories and build collections that hold genuine meaning, not simply financial value.”

The publication reflects many of the same principles that underpin Caskd, the dedicated marketplace for whisky collectors. Built specifically for enthusiasts, collectors and investors, Caskd was created to provide a trusted platform for discovering, buying and selling collectible whisky while helping strengthen the wider collector community.

The Whisky Collector’s Handbook is intended for both newcomers and experienced collectors. Whether readers are purchasing their first bottle, exploring rare distilleries or managing a collection built over decades, the book provides practical guidance designed to help them collect with greater confidence and deeper understanding.

Available Now

The Whisky Collector’s Handbook: A Field Guide to Bottles, Stories and Discovery is available now on Amazon.

Buy the Book on Amazon

About the Author

Jonathan Yates is a whisky collector, entrepreneur and founder of Caskd. Through his writing, events and marketplace platform, he aims to make whisky collecting more accessible while celebrating the history, craftsmanship and stories that make the whisky world unique.

About Caskd

Caskd is the UK’s dedicated peer-to-peer marketplace for whisky collectors, providing a trusted environment to discover, buy and sell collectible whisky. The platform connects enthusiasts through a shared passion for whisky, provenance and collecting culture.

Indri single malt Indian whisky enters UK premium market with Harrods listing for Founder’s Reserve

India’s most-awarded single malt whisky has arrived at one of the world’s most prestigious retail addresses. Indri secured its first Harrods listing with the UK launch of Indri Founder’s Reserve 11 Year Old, a limited-edition expression which is said to be comparable to a 30 to 35-year-old Scotch thanks to its distinctive tropical maturation.

Limited to just 1,100 bottles globally and priced at £350, the expression sold out at the luxury Knightsbridge retailer within weeks of its debut. It is now available from selected specialist retailers including Moonshine and Fuggles and Whisky Brokers Associates.

Produced near the foothills of the Himalayas in Indri, Haryana, Founder’s Reserve is shaped by the distinctive terroir of northern India. The distillery’s extreme climate, where summers reach 50°C and winters drop to freezing, accelerates maturation at a rate that sets Indian single malt apart from any other whisky-making region in the world. Around 10-12% of the spirit laid down in cask evaporates each year compared with 2% annually in Scotland’s cooler and more temperate conditions. And what remains after 11 years is extraordinarily precious.

Expertly crafted by master blender Surrinder Kumar, regarded as the architect of India’s premium spirits revolution, Indri Founder’s Reserve is aged for 11 years in ex-Bordeaux red wine casks. The result is a cask strength single malt bottled at 58.5% ABV, deep amber in colour, with a character that reflects both Surrinder’s craft and the conditions of northern India.

Surrinder Kumar, Master Blender for Indri, said: “India’s terroir doesn’t lend itself to prolonged ageing, as around 10% of the spirit laid down in cask evaporates each year. Left for a decade or more, and the remaining whisky is extremely precious and complex. Indri’s tropical ageing means that spirit matured for a year in India is equivalent to three to four years of ageing in Scotland’s cool climate, placing our Founder’s Reserve 11 Year Old in the same category as a Scotch whisky between 30 and 35-years-old.”

On the nose, the expression opens with dark fruits and warm spices, giving way to cherries and red plums alongside vanilla, oak and subtle wood spice. The palate is full-bodied and predominantly fruity, with nutmeg, ginger, citrus and vanilla emerging alongside toffee and milk chocolate. The finish is long and indulgent, with stewed orange, jammy sweetness and a long dry close.

Madhu Kanna, Head – International Business for Indri, added: “Indri’s Founder’s Reserve 11 Year Old is a symbol of India’s ascension in the world of fine single malt whisky. Aged to perfection and crafted with care, this expression embodies Indri’s ethos of creating a world-class Indian single malt whisky with soul, structure and enduring quality.

“Indri Founder’s Reserve sits at the pinnacle of our portfolio and makes a clear statement about the Indian single malt category. With only 1,100 bottles available worldwide, this rare release is both a collector’s treasure and a whisky connoisseur’s delight.”

Indri Founder’s Reserve 11 Year Old scored 95.09 points at the 2024 International Whisky Competition, ranking 8th globally and securing a place among the Top 15 Whiskies of the Year. Building on this international recognition, it went on to earn a Gold Award at the 2025 World Whisky Awards and a Gold Medal at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition.

The UK release is the latest chapter in Indri’s remarkable rise. Since launching in 2022, the brand has accumulated more than 100 international accolades and become the number one malt whisky in India by volume (IWSR 2024). One of the world’s fastest growing single malts, Indri is reshaping perceptions of Indian premium spirits on the global stage.

Indri Founder’s Reserve 11 Year Old is available now in selected specialist whisky retailers. For more information, visit https://www.indri.in/

Tasting Notes

Nose: Full-bodied, sweet and fruity with cherries and red plums, with a balance of vanilla, oak and wood spices, followed by subtle zesty hints accompanied leathery and earthy notes.

Palate: Predominantly fruity, with the right balance of oak, tannins and spice. Nutmeg, ginger, citrus and vanilla do not shy away. Milk chocolate and toffee exhibit at the hind side of the palate, lending a perfect texture to this full-bodied whisky.

Finish: Stewed orange, jammy sweetness with sober tannins offering slight dryness and a pleasing, long finish.

– About Indri

Indri single malt Indian whisky was launched in 2022 by Piccadily Agro Industries Limited (PAIL) aimed at catering to discerning consumers who appreciate quality and craftsmanship in spirits and became the ‘fastest growing single malt whisky brand’ in 2024.

PAIL is a publicly listed company operating primarily in two strategic business segments: Distillery and Sugar and has a manufacturing facility located in Indri, Haryana. PAIL has established itself as a key player in the alcoholic beverages industry, particularly renowned for its expertise in malt spirits.

The company boasts a robust portfolio that includes premium expressions of Indri single malt whisky, blended malt whisky brands and Camikara, premium sugarcane juice aged rum. www.indri.in / www.piccadily.com

Morrison Distillers

Old Perth Pedro Ximenez 2.0 Limited Edition

ABV: 54.3% 70 cL

A CELEBRATION OF THE MACALLAN 1926

THE MACALLAN ROMANTICA COLLECTION

Introducing The Macallan Romantica Collection, a 1986 vintage whisky, unveiled in 2026 to mark the 100th anniversary of The Macallan 1926. In 1986, The Macallan 1926 reached the apogee of maturity with a complex and alluring character. It would become the world’s most valuable wine or spirit sold at auction.*

As maturation of The Macallan 1926 came to an end in 1986, another journey was just beginning. A single sherry seasoned oak cask, cask no. 9925, was filled and laid down to mature in a cool, secluded corner of The Macallan Estate.

A trinity of globally acclaimed artists, Sir Peter Blake, Valerio Adami and Michael Dillon created label art for The Macallan 1926. They have reunited with The Macallan to pay homage to its legacy.

As a highly exclusive release, The Macallan Romantica Collection will consist of only 86 bottles of each artist’s edition.

DISCOVER THE COLLECTION

Matured in a single sherry seasoned European oak cask from Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, The Macallan Romantica Collection exemplifies mastery of wood and spirit, bringing together generations of whisky mastery, creativity and craftsmanship for which The Macallan is globally renowned.

“From the moment this cask was laid down in 1986, it became part of a legacy – a story that began with The Macallan 1926 and continues today. Over forty years of slumber, the whisky has evolved with extraordinary grace, developing a luminous character of fruits, spice and rich oak.”

KIRSTEEN CAMPBELL
Master Whisky Maker

THE ARTISTS

Sir Peter Blake, Valerio Adami and Michael Dillon each contemplated the journey of The Macallan during cask no. 9925’s years of slumber, from 1986 to 2026, and interpreted this in their own unique style, connecting 1986 to 2026 and each artist to The Macallan.

Batch 40: Fruit bomb is a small batch blended malt whisky best described as an opulent and generous fruit basket. That description makes sense when you consider the fact that the whiskies in this recipe come from distilleries producing highly fruity whiskies that deliver fruity, exotic and orchard-inspired flavours.

You’ll find flavours of peaches, red apples, pineapple cubes, peach yogurt, ripe banana porridge and dried apricots on the menu.  On the spicy cask side of things expect vanilla, coconut, coriander seeds and white pepper.

Though we have reduced the strength to 50% abv, don’t feel you need to be shy with water, as this dram takes it really well. So try it neat, dilute it, make a highball with it and toast the summer ahead.

READ ABOUT BATCH 40

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

Chivas Regal – Charles Leclerc Limited Edition Blended Scotch 16 year old Whisky

70cl · 40% ABV

£64.95

Chivas 16 Year Old is a bold and sophisticated Scotch whisky inspired by Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc and his iconic racing number, 16. This limited edition release is elegant yet powerful, delivering velvety layers of honey, dark toffee and warming spice.“Going to Scotland, seeing the distilleries, understanding the obsession behind every cask inspired me to create my own blend. Chivas Regal and I share the same belief that the standard you set today is just the starting point. I pushed Sandy to go further. He pushed me to think differently” Charles Leclerc.

Taking both Charles Leclerc’s relentless pursuit of mastery and his iconic number as starting points, Chivas Regal 16 brings together 16 whiskies, all aged at least 16 years, into a bold expression of true mastery.

This limited edition blend pushes boundaries to create something one of a kind.

With Chivas Regal’s signature Longmorn malt at its heart, and guided by Charles Leclerc’s personal tastes, Chivas Regal 16 is the brand’s first ever 16-year-old product.

Rich, velvety and spiced, the blend is an expression of what it means to continuously master one’s craft. Always building, always striving, always looking to challenge itself to go further.

“Going to Scotland, seeing the distilleries, understanding the obsession behind every cask inspired me to create my own blend. Chivas Regal and I share the same belief that the standard you set today is just the starting point. I pushed Sandy to go further. He pushed me to think differently” Charles Leclerc

“Charles didn’t just put his name to this. He was in the room, making decisions, pushing back. He gravitated toward the character that defines Chivas Regal: rich, layered, built with real depth. What we’ve created together is a blend that’s unmistakably his and unmistakably ours.” Master Blender for Chivas Regal, Sandy Hyslop.

SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

Inspired by timeless Speyside folklore, YULA brings together rich flavour and a smooth, modern style in a Single Malt Scotch Whisky crafted to be enjoyed.

Tasting Notes:

Expect a rich, sherried sweetness that unfolds into layers of cocoa, dried fruits & allspice – culminating in a charred oak finish with hints of apricot & vanilla.

LEARN MORE

Jack Daniel’s 10 Year Old: Batch 5

This Jack Daniel’s whiskey has seen 10 Tennessee summers – a rare thing indeed. It was aged and constantly moved to different locations in the distillery barrelhouses to extend the aging process. The result is a hugely concentrated whiskey with notes of butterscotch, soft fruit, tobacco, baking spices, and an incredibly long finish.

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