KAZE Founder’s Reserve LEGACY – Official Launch Announcement

Tenkyo Distillery honours the legacy of late founder Shunsuke Koike with the launch of KAZE Founder’s Reserve LEGACY – a unique blend matured and bottled in Aizu, uniting Scottish spirit with Japanese craftsmanship.

A wind that never fades — a memory that lives on in every drop.

Tenkyo Co., Ltd. (Tenkyo Distillery), located in Bandai Town, Aizu, Japan, is delighted to announce the release of KAZE Founder’s Reserve LEGACY, available from 6th July 2025.

This product originates from maturation trials undertaken by the late founder, Shunsuke Koike, in Aizu prior to the construction of the distillery. By bringing new make spirit from Scotland together with the natural environment of Aizu, and after repeated experimentation with 189 carefully selected casks, this unique blended whisky was born.

The result is a whisky born from the meeting of “winds” – the wind of Scotland, the wind of Aizu, and the spirit of Shunsuke Koike – united to create a profile unlike anything imagined. This character is carried forward through a unique solera system, allowing the whisky to continue evolving, much like an ever-blowing wind.

Thank you very much for your kind attention and support.

Notes

• “KAZE” (風), pronounced kah-zeh [ˈka̠.ze̞], means “wind” in Japanese.
• KAZE Founder’s Reserve LEGACY is currently available exclusively in Japan at this time.
• Additional photography will be available soon.

KAZE Founder’s Reserve LEGACY 700ml

KAZE Founder’s Reserve LEGACY is a blended whisky matured, blended, and bottled at the foot of Mt. Bandai in Aizu, Japan. Crafted using a bespoke solera system*, each release will carry forward the legacy of 189 casks – filled with Scottish new make spirit (both malt and grain) personally selected by the late founder, Shunsuke Koike.Neither Scotch whisky nor Japanese whisky. Born in Scotland, raised in Aizu, Japan. A fusion of culture and terroir, connected by EN (縁).

The 189 casks were laid down as part of a bold maturation project while Tenkyo Distillery was still under construction. With 58 different cask types, it was a visionary exploration of oak, spirit, and future possibility.

The KAZE Founder’s Reserve solera system draws directly from these original casks, ensuring his memory lives on in every drop. The first expression is named LEGACY – a quiet tribute to his enduring vision.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Amber

Nose: Raisins, figs, white chocolate, brown sugar, wrapped in gentle spices and a touch of smokiness

Palate: Toffee, nuts, almonds, meet juicy apricots, combined with a gentle smokiness to create depth and complexity

Finish: Subtle bitterness and cigar-like notes balance with a warming sweetness, leaving a pleasant and long lasting finish

Volume: 700ml

ABV**: 46.9%

Suggested retail price: ¥8,250 (tax included)

Fettercairn Distillery 17 Year Old

To celebrate Inverurie Whisky Shop’s 10th Year we have released a Limited Edition Single Cask, Gordon & Macphail bottling of a 17 year old Fettercairn. This is a big, powerful sherry matured whisky with lots of classic notes of red apple, milk chocolate and nuts, followed up with orange peel and cocoa before lingering notes of liquorice and plums.

It’s the oldest whisky we’ve released as a shop exclusive, bottled to celebrate our 10th year.

Gordon & MacPhail were our first supplier, helping us set up our business back in 2015. This meant that when it came to picking the first exclusive to celebrate, we weren’t really going anywhere else!

Known for producing stunning whisky throughout their range, we wanted something truly eye-catching. Their Connoisseur’s Choice range is truly that – a range of whisky for people who want to experience the finer things in life. It’s a monster of a sherry cask dram from Fettercairn.

Cask Type: First fill Sherry Hogshead
Distilled: 2007

Bottled: 6th May 2025

Tasting Notes: 

Nose Sweet red apple, milk chocolate and hazelnut aromas
Palate Creamy with zesty Seville orange, cocoa and stewed plum flavours
Finish Medium bodied finish with underlying liquorice

58.8% ABV

Fettercairn Distillery has crafted exceptional Highland whisky since 1824, using a unique copper ring cooling system that gives their spirit a remarkably tropical, waxy character. This limited-edition single cask offers a rare insight into the distillery’s elegant style – expect ripe orchard fruits, soft oak, hints of banana and spice, all wrapped in that signature Fettercairn purity. Unfiltered, cask strength and fully natural in colour, this is whisky in its rawest, most beautiful form.

Fettercairn 17 Year Old
First Fill Sherry Hogshead

Inverurie Whisky Shop Exclusive

£145.00

View Product

Celebrate Lowland grain elegance amplified by rye-cask spice with Invergordon 37 Year Old – 1988 Vintage, Alistair Walker “Infrequent Flyers” (Cask #804139). Distilled at Scotland’s oldest single-grain distillery and laid down in a rare ex-Rye whiskey barrel, this whisky spent nearly four decades mellowing into silky vanilla sweetness before bottling at natural cask strength in March 2025. Non-chill-filtered and natural in colour, only 270 bottles reveal a satin-smooth tapestry of honeyed cereal, tropical fruit and lively rye spice—another high-flying rarity from the Infrequent Flyers hangar.

Why We Think You’ll Love It

• Ex-Rye barrel maturation infuses creamy grain sweetness with vibrant baking-spice and toasted-oak character.

• 37 years of Lowland slumber transform Invergordon’s silky spirit into a luxurious medley of vanilla, tropical fruit and refined oak.

• Bottled at natural cask strength, non-chill-filtered and natural colour—preserving full texture, aroma and authenticity.

• Part of Alistair Walker’s sought-after “Infrequent Flyers” series—strictly 270 bottles, perfect for collectors and grain-whisky enthusiasts seeking a unique, rye-accented dram.

Raise a glass to this distinguished Invergordon and savour a seamless fusion of satin grain elegance, exotic fruit and rye-driven spice—an unforgettable whisky that soars long after the final sip.

I think I have to accept that no matter what I try I always seem to be running a solid month behind schedule. I’m trying to think of it now as a form of whisky jetlag; a dislocation in time that inescapably occurs when casks are to be bottled…

Greetings, then, to these late-May/early-June releases! They may be suffering the malt equivalent of stepping off a redeye to Tokyo, but they’re tasting damnably delicious.

In alphabetical order then:

First up we have a 14-year-old Ben Nevis. Due to the aforementioned temporal vortex this ended up being bottled only days shy of 15.

On the nose then – waxy lemons, chalk, buttercups and white blossom, warm bales of hay, orange boiled sweets, roast pineapple jelly, olive oil … it’s Ben Nevis in other words, freshly collected from the mountain peaks by old Hector McDram himself.

On the palate – a lovely textural arrival with olive oil and a soft butteriness, cut through with splendid lemons. Hints then appear of tropical fruits and soft spearmint, developing on chalky minerals, barley and camphor. The finish is all about sweet citrus oils and juices, with just a lick of salt.

It’s Ben Nevis and it’s wonderful. No other malt is quite like this, and there’s even an echo of some of those revered 1996 vintages in this one. You can’t go wrong.

This second-fill barrel produced 277 bottles at a cask strength of 53.1% and they are available for £85 each.

Next up we have an 18-year-old Caol Ila. I’ve done a bunch of Caol Ilas over the years, and there’s a very good reason.

On the nose: light and lively with fabulous lime leaves, ointments, smoked butter and almonds, tinned mussels and coal tar. We’re on Islay then, but less typically I also find some sweet apricots in the background, as well as frangipane, old emulsion pots (a note I always associate with older Bowmore) and honeysuckle.

The palate immediately feels elegant, with a lithe and soft limey and honeyed smoke. I get smoked sweet oranges and apricots, tiger balm, oyster brine, and cough mixture, before a lingering finish with coal smoke, lime, a single liquorice drop, and jasmine tea.

This is insanely drinkable stuff (my tasting glass somehow magically emptied itself several times writing these notes…), with some of the little nuances you usually find in much older Caol Ila. The citrussy and floral notes make it feel quite summery in its own way, too. Much recommended.

This refill hogshead produced 276 bottles at a cask strength of 50.7% and they are available for £120 each.

After returning to two old favourite distilleries it’s time for something brand new! This is a 7-year-old Nc’nean, and I’m delighted to have it. This is a carbon-neutral single malt, made from 100% organic Scottish barley, but just as importantly it tastes blooming great.

The nose has cherry drops, macadamia nuts, membrillo, grape must and baked apple – it’s a fascinatingly uncommon sort of fruitiness, backed with a nice Highlandsy minerality, and keeps opening up with time in the glass. A little water makes everything cleaner and greener – with lemon peel, green melon, apple, plus a little buttercream and honey.

The palate is full-bodied – almost viscous – with golden apples, quinces, yellow sultanas, honey and a pinch each of salt and white pepper. Again there’s a Highlands (maybe even coastal) feel in the background. I also get some coconut cream and lemon, with Juicy Fruit gum and black tea in the aftertaste.

Lovely Highlands spirit, this, with loads of both fruit and personality. I love how much it develops with time in the glass – a nice reminder to slow down and enjoy the scenery.

This first-fill barrel produced 243 bottles at a cask strength of 57.9% and they are available for £69.50 each.

And…

…that’s it for now. Thanks for bearing with me through my usual meanderings, and I remain – as always – available at the end of an email or DM if I can be of service.

Cheers!

David

Glen Scotia Strath Exclusive Cask 2016

Pre-orders Now Open – Save 15%

Aged For 8 Years
Finished In 1st Fill Oloroso
Bottled At Cask Strength

Only At The Strath

This exciting release marks The Strath’s first-ever single cask exclusive from the highly sought-after Campbeltown region. We’re incredibly proud to partner directly with Glen Scotia to bring you this bespoke official bottling of some of their finest unpeated single malt, which gains extra complexity from spending time in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry. Bottled at full cask strength, with no added colour and no chill-filtration. Just the way our whisky folk like it.

Regularly $174.70
Pre-order for only $148.50

The Strath · Strathcona Hotel · Victoria, BC v8w2c2 · Canada

History in a Bottle:

Discover The Elizabeth Tower Whisky

On this day (July 11th) in 1859, Big Ben’s iconic chimes first rang out across Westminster.

166 years later, we’re raising a glass with a whisky as remarkable as the landmark that inspired it.

At Murray McDavid, we believe every bottle should tell a story. Today, we’re proud to share with you one that brings together history, heritage and craftsmanship… all wrapped up in a beautifully aged  35-year-old single grain Scotch whisky.

This isn’t just a bottle of whisky. It’s a collectible, a conversation starter, and a tribute to a legacy — both structural and spirited.

Read the full story behind The Elizabeth Tower Whisky

READ MORE

Decadent Drams Blended Grain 52 years old

This Decadent Drams bottling is a 1972, 52 year old single refill barrel of blended grain whisky. No, we don’t have a scooby which grain distillates went into this potion back in 1972. All we know is that it tastes old, mechanical, medicinal, sweet, fruity and luscious. It’s like drinking a coconut full of rum inside the mind of a sentient pineapple that’s learned how to operate heavy machinery and has since unionised with the other tropical fruits and is now causing headaches for the Labour government.

£295.00 incVAT

(£245.83 exVAT)

The Perfect Fifth Releases Two Whiskies for the Summer, Including Rare 50-Year-Old Scotch and 15-Year-Old American Whiskey

North of Scotland Release Destined to be a Collector’s Item Due to Provenance

NEW YORK (July 9, 2025) – The Perfect Fifth, an American independent Scotch Whisky bottler known for its rare, ultra-premium single cask Scotch Whiskies, is adding two more gems to its collection with the release of a 50-Year-Old Scotch called North of Scotland and a 15 Year-Old Single Barrel American Whiskey under its Cannongate line.

North of Scotland
Scotch connoisseurs will be excited about these two releases, given the provenance of each.  The North of Scotland 50 Year-Old Scotch comes from its eponymous distillery, which was shuttered in 1980.  The North of Scotland Distillery was known for its innovation and produced what is widely considered one of the most flavorsome grain whiskies, due to its higher number of congeners in the spirit cut, as directed by its then-owners to retain its character with age.

North of Scotland is a single-grain Scotch Whisky from the lowland region, distilled in 1973.  The Perfect Fifth purchased a barrel from the original owner some years ago and bottled it in 2025.  The whisky is light, floral, and sweet, like tropical fruits. Today, any whiskies produced at North of Scotland are considered collector’s items, and The Perfect Fifth’s release is sure to be added to that list.

“The North of Scotland Distillery has a special place in Scotland’s whisky history. Even though it was only in place for 20 years, their whiskies were known to be flavorful and innovative for their time,” said Karl Schoen, founder and chief executive officer, The Perfect Fifth.  “When we ran across the opportunity to purchase a barrel from North of Scotland, we were eager to do so, due to its lineage and its elegant and refreshing palate.  It truly is a testament to the distillation craftsmanship that has allowed this barrel to stand the test of time after more than half a century of aging.”

With only 90 bottles available, The Perfect Fifth’s North of Scotland 50-Year-Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky will be highly sought after.  Like all whiskies produced under The Perfect Fifth’s premium line, this bottle comes in a custom, hand-made miniature barrel inscribed with The Perfect Fifth logo, which makes a show-stopping display piece on any bar. The suggested retail price of North of Scotland is $915, and ABV is 45.6%.

 Canongate 15-Year-Old Single Barrel American Whiskey   
The second release, Canongate 15-Year-Old Single Barrel American Whiskey, is part of the brand’s “Born and Bottled” series, which pays tribute to the spirited relationship between Kentucky and Scotland. This whiskey was distilled in Bardstown, Kentucky, in 2009, spent three years aging in Kentucky, and was then sent to Scotland to age another 12 years before being bottled. The unique blend of Kentucky’s tempestuous weather, combined with Scotland’s more temperate climate, has resulted in a whiskey with multiple layers of vanilla and hints of cocoa and light spice.

The Canongate 15-Year-Old Single Barrel American Whiskey is a limited edition with only 236  bottles available in the United States.  The alcohol by volume (ABV) is 63.53. Suggested retail pricing is $185 per 750 mL.

“We’re excited to bring these two expressions out for the summer,” said Schoen, “The Canongate 15-Year-Old is a unique bottling due to the transatlantic journey the barrel took by first spending time in Kentucky, then in Scotland, and now back in the United States.  This bottling celebrates the symbiotic relationship between our two countries in regards to cask sharing.”

Both the North of Scotland and Canongate 15-Year-Old Whiskies are available at retail in New York, New Jersey, California, and online at www.theperfectfifth.com.

About The Perfect Fifth

The Perfect Fifth was created in 2019 by Karl Schoen, who was inspired by watching his family members toast milestones with Scotch Whisky as he grew up. As Karl began his own exploration into the world of Scotch Whisky, he enjoyed finding stellar single cask bottlings and sharing them with others.  This led to the formation of The Perfect Fifth, where Karl and his brother Ben source the best quality whisky from all over Scotland.  Together they travel throughout Scotland, sampling cask after cask until they find those worthy to be selected for The Perfect Fifth. Few casks make the cut, which is why The Perfect Fifth releases are limited editions.  Like the musical interval, The Perfect Fifth releases consist of multiple layers, each one broad and deep, which when combined, make a beautiful assembly meant to be shared with family and friends.

Whiskyland Chapter Seventeen Glen Moray 31 years old

Whiskyland Chapter Seventeen is a bit of an experiment. A mixing together of Glen Moray single malt from three different cask types and vintages. Small amounts of whisky from one refill sherry and two refill bourbon hogsheads, were all married together in that most romantic of vessels, an IBC, to create a small-batch 31 year old Glen Moray that’s richly fruity, waxy and honeyed with abundant old school Speyside character. There are certainly parts of Whiskyland which are goverened by chaos, but this bottling comes from one of Whiskyland’s more serene places, where balance and harmony are very much the rule. We hope this wee Glen Moray demonstrates those same qualities…

£385.00 incVAT

(£320.83 exVAT)

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY REVIVES AN ORIGINAL

19^TH-CENTURY RECIPE WITH THE RELEASE OF COLONEL E.H. TAYLOR’S DISTILLER’S COUNCIL

Conceived by a team of long-time distillery veterans at a historic Distiller’s Council meeting in 1996 at Buffalo Trace Distillery, this rare release is the most faithful recreation to date of the 19th-century bourbons once crafted at the O.F.C. Distillery.

FRANKFORT, Ky (July 9, 2025) – Buffalo Trace Distillery proudly introduces Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Distiller’s Council: a limited-edition, ultra-premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon born from the very spirit of the pioneer who helped define American whiskey. Crafted using equipment and based on techniques originally invented by Taylor himself, this 100-proof bottling stands as the closest modern interpretation of the fine bourbons produced under his leadership at O.F.C Distillery (now Buffalo Trace) during the 19^th century.

The inspiration for this modern recreation traces back to 1996, when a group of bourbon visionaries and retired George T. Stagg Distillery craftsmen* convened at Buffalo Trace Distillery in their pursuit to create the world’s best whiskey, a mission that continues to guide production at the World’s Most Award-Winning Distillery today. As they sampled more than 30 whiskeys across a range of ages, mash bills and proofs, one voice cut through the room with a thought: “Well, we don’t make whiskey the way we used to.” This led to the Distiller’s Council unpacking the way that whiskey was made when they first started their careers. That meeting, until now known by bourbon insiders as the “Distiller’s Council”, resulted in a re-discovery of E.H. Taylor’s pioneering techniques that had been lost to history.

In the spirit of Honor Tradition, Embrace Change, this led to the revival of Taylor’s sour mashing process – patent pending by Buffalo Trace – and, combined with the modern wisdom of Buffalo Trace’s expert distillation team, the creation of Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Distiller’s Council. Crafted using his trailblazing techniques, the production process remains nearly identical to that of the 1880s using both grains in his mashbill and his fermentation process. This expression celebrates a seminal moment in bourbon history and commemorates that meeting with a one-of-a-kind expression that tastes unlike anything else currently available on the market.

“Colonel Taylor’s unwavering commitment to quality and innovation has helped shape every decision at our Distillery since he set our standards in 1870,” said Harlen Wheatley, Master Distiller, Buffalo Trace Distillery. “His enduring legacy left a profound impact on everyone present on that fateful day in 1996. As many of them are no longer with us, we hope they are enjoying this angel’s share with the Colonel himself – watching proudly as we carry his vision forward.”

Widely recognized as the “Father of the Modern Bourbon Industry,” Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. purchased the O.F.C. Distillery in 1869 and ushered in a new era of innovation. From state-of-the-art grain equipment to copper fermentation tanks and the first steam-heated barrel warehouses – still in use at Buffalo Trace today – Taylor’s vision revolutionized bourbon production. His advocacy also led to the landmark Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, cementing his legacy as a champion of quality and integrity. His visionary spirit continues to guide Buffalo Trace more than a century later.

“Colonel E.H. Taylor didn’t just shape a distillery – he helped shape the entire bourbon industry. That’s why he’s known as the Father of Modern Bourbon,” said Andrew Duncan, Global Brand Director at Buffalo Trace Distillery. “From championing the Bottled-in-Bond Act to modernizing production standards, many of his innovations have stood the test of time and are in use to this day. Always of Topmost Class, he set the bar for integrity, innovation and craftsmanship. In that spirit, we are proud to revive this faithful interpretation of his original recipe, crafted with the same standards of quality and spirit of innovation he so fiercely advocated.”

Bottled at 100-proof in a vintage-style, Grecian glass decanter modeled after one featured in an 1950s-era Old Taylor “Original Recipe” Bourbon advertisement – as seen in popular magazines such as TIME and Playboy – this special bottling will be available in limited-quantities nationwide at retail stores, restaurants and bars starting July 2025 at a suggested retail price of $1,499.99 (750ml) (local taxes and costs dependent).

Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Distiller’s Council is the 14^th release to join the acclaimed bourbon portfolio alongside expressions including Small Batch, Single Barrel, Rye, Barrel Proof Rye, Warehouse C Tornado Surviving Bourbon, Four Grain and more. In Fall 2025, E.H. Taylor will join the annual, highly-anticipated Buffalo Trace Antique Collection as the Collection’s first Bottled-in-Bond bourbon.

For more information on the Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Collection, please visit https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/our-brands/e-h-taylor-jr

*The bourbon luminaries who attended the original 1996 Distiller’s Council meeting include Elmer T. Lee, Orville Schupp, Jimmy Johnson, Gary Gayheart, Al Geiser, Harlen Wheatley, Mark Brown, Ronnie Eddins and Leonard Riddle, among others.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and it is a National Historic Landmark, as well as listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site. The Distillery has won more than 40 distillery titles since 2000 and garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. Its William Larue Weller and Stagg were named Best of Show at the 2024 Denver International Spirits Competition and its Traveller Whiskey is the Most Awarded Super Premium Whiskey Release of 2024. Buffalo Trace Distillery has a deep commitment to supporting charitable initiatives. Nonprofit organizations interested in learning more about the Distillery’s efforts are encouraged to register their charity here. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery, visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.