The Art of Whisky
From the World’s leading whisky authority Jim Murray.
A superb selection of over 70 nineteenth and early twentieth century posters and showcards designed to advertise the Scotch and Irish whiskies of the time.
In hardback.
whiskybible.com
The only place to order personally dedicated copies.
HEPBURN’S CHOICE RANGE UNDERGOES VIBRANT RE-BRAND
Hunter Laing & Co. reveals new look and feel for the range inspired by the directors’ grandfather who travelled the globe in the 1960s with his role in the Diplomatic Service
The family owned Scotch whisky distiller, blender and bottler Hunter Laing & Co. announces a brand-new look and feel for the Hepburn’s Choice range. The new-look collection will be available worldwide from early September.
Each bottling, whether as a single cask or small batch, showcases the characteristics of a Scottish distillery. The colours of the new design denote the whisky region of the distillery, giving consumers a quick and handy reference as to flavour profile.
The range is named in honour of the directors’ late maternal grandfather, William Hepburn, who travelled the globe with his role in the Diplomatic Service. The new design harks back to the 1960s and William’s heyday, when he lived in places as diverse as Hong Kong, Istanbul, and Nairobi.
The Hepburn’s Choice range is bottled at 46% ABV and without artificial colouring or chill-filtration. The collection is also available to purchase from Ardnahoe Distillery which reopened to the public on Monday 20th of July.
Commenting on the new design, Stewart Laing, Managing Director, said:“We’re extremely proud of the new design. We aimed to produce a refreshing, vibrant look and feel that would catch the eye of whisky fans worldwide, with a nod to our family heritage.”
Adding to his father’s comments, Scott Laing, Business Development Director, said: “The new look of Hepburn’s Choice is colourful, eye-catching and exciting, which we know will create intrigue with loyal fans of the range and whisky enthusiasts around the world.
“Our range is bottled as 70cls and has been matured in a variety of different casks. The liquid is as good as ever, and we can’t wait to see people’s reaction to the new branding.
“My grandfather’s long experience of attending embassy functions gave him a fine sense of appreciation for his homeland’s whiskies. We believe these bottlings would indeed have been ‘Hepburn’s Choice’.”
Facebook: @Hunterlaingwhisky
Twitter: @hlaingwhisky
Instagram: @hunterlaingwhisky
Notes:
Virginia Distillery Company’s Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky Now Available
LOVINGSTON, Va. (September 4, 2020) – Just in time for Virginia Spirits Month, a collaborative effort between the Virginia Distillers Association and the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to support the Commonwealth’s burgeoning distilled spirits industry, the latest offering of Virginia Distillery Company’s Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky has made its way onto shelves at Virginia ABC stores. The whisky is also available for purchase online at vadistillery.com to customers in Virginia and beyond.
Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky is made from 100% malted barley, marrying American Single Malt whisky made on-site in Virginia with aged malt whisky from Scotland. The whisky finishes in casks sourced primarily from Virginia cideries such as Potter’s Craft Cider and Buskey Cider for an additional 8 to 20 months. The whisky retails for $59.99.
The Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky has received multiple awards in recent years, including being recognized by Whisky Advocate as one of the top 20 whiskies of the year in 2018, receiving a 90-point rating from the publication.
On Thursday, September 10th at 3pm ET, Virginia Distillery Company will host a live virtual tasting on Instagram featuring the Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky.
“We’re thrilled to bring back our award-winning Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky during Virginia Spirits Month,” said Virginia Distillery Company CEO Gareth H. Moore. “Our Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky has a lot of fans and it’s the perfect time of year to enjoy it.”
To coincide with the latest release of Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky, Virginia Distillery Company collaborated with Pratt Standard Cocktail Co. on a cocktail kit available exclusively online for Virginia residents.
The cocktail kit, which is available for $69.99 on the Virginia Distillery Company website, includes Cider Cask Virginia-Highland Whisky (750ml bottle), Pratt Standard Cocktail Co. True Kola Syrup (16 oz. bottle) and a cocktail recipe card featuring two recipes, one that can be enjoyed hot and one that can be enjoyed cold.
The distillery launched Courage & Conviction, its signature American Single Malt whisky, this spring. The name is a nod to a phrase founder Dr. George G. Moore was often heard saying: “Have the courage of your convictions.”
Coinciding with the rollout of the Dr. George G. Moore batch of Courage & Conviction, Virginia Distillery Company released batch.info, a website hub that includes distillate and cask data, as well as bottling and process information for consumers. Virginia Distillery Company also recently launched a complete guide to American Single Malt whisky.
For more information, visit the distillery’s website at www.vadistillery.com.
About Virginia Distillery Company
Staffed by a local Virginia team mentored by Scottish consultants with decades of experience, Virginia Distillery Company is the largest dedicated American Single Malt whisky distillery in the U.S. The distillery has a current annual production volume of 80,000 4.5L cases and growing. At full capacity, the distillery can produce over 8,000 casks yielding 350,000 4.5L cases annually. The distillery produces Courage & Conviction American Single Malt on-site using malted barley from North America and water from Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. In addition, the distillery offers the award-winning Virginia-Highland Whisky series, made with 100% malted barley. Showcasing both Old and New World whisky-making, the award-winning line marries whisky made on-site in Virginia with whisky from Scotland.
Rye Whiskey at Its Best: Hand-Selected Casks Direct from WhistlePig
NOTE: Our walk-in retail locations are currently closed. We have curbside pickup and low cost (often free) delivery options available in ZIP codes where we can ship lawfully, including anywhere in California. We can also include any new or existing will call orders in your delivery batch. Choose local delivery at checkout to learn if you qualify.
When it comes to artisanally-crafted rye whiskey, you won’t do much better than WhistlePig. Since its founding back in 2007, this Vermont-based distiller has quickly become the go-to choice for rye aficionados worldwide. There are plenty of reasons for this, but chief among them is the raw potency these whiskeys possess. These are no-nonsense bottlings that beautifully highlight the robust, spicy character of rye while at the same time offering unparalleled smoothness. As the distillery puts it, they are a linebacker and a ballerina all rolled into one.
WhistlePig’s barrel program is notable for its size and consistency; hence it is always thrilling to pick out some exclusive casks for our customers. This duo might be the best to date, as they offer the signature WhistlePig profile, yet each has its own unique twist. Spicy and potent, they are wonderfully layered and complex—the kind of contemplative whiskeys that collectors so love. The unparalleled quality, coupled with the limited number of bottles produced, means these won’t be around for long. If you’ve purchased our WhistlePig exclusives before, you know these are a rare treat and among the finer examples of craft whiskey in the market today.
WhistlePig offers one of the most extensive rye barrel programs in the country and with some of the very best whiskey available it has won award after award for its innovation. The newest addition to the barrel lineup is the 15 Year Vermont Estate Oak Finished. Vermont oak trees from the WhistlePig farm in Shoreham, VT are harvested and made into custom barrels for finishing. The growing season in Vermont is short and this results in an incredibly tight grained wood (more rings in each stave). The already ancient 15 year old whiskey spends an additional 6+ months in the custom toasted and charred barrels. The end result? An incredibly intense whiskey that is amped up to 11. The cask strength bottling can handle a fair bit of water. When you add it, a substantial oil slick will form in your whiskey adding visual proof to the intensity of flavor. 100% Rye. Distilled in Alberta.
Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 01, 2020
Yielding just 132 precious bottles, barrel #2440 possesses a deeper and sweeter caramel nose than barrel #2483. Its vanilla component sits right on top of the glass inviting you in, surely a sign of the estate oak’s influence on the ancient rye. An herbal component hides underneath the sweetness, a gentle and easy-going pickling spice hinting at the complexity in your glass. That gentle start is challenged in a big way when you take a sip at full strength (57.8%ABV). Its massive spice explodes across your tongue and bounces from sweet cinnamon to herbal dill and pepper then back again to nutmeg and allspice. Taking in the finish you feel as if you’ve run a race and need a moment to recover. After a pause and a deep breath, you have and you’re ready for another go. A big whisky from one of the biggest names in craft production.
Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 01, 2020
The nose is almost reversed from cask #2440. Barrel #2483 begins with more dill, oregano, tarragon on top. It’s herbal and a bit green with an underlying sweet oak that you have to dive into to discover fully. The palate is a bit richer and fuller-bodied than its sister barrel with a good balance between sweet and savory notes. It fills every nook and cranny of your mouth quickly and then it sits there. You taste it from the tops of your gums all the way to the back of your palate for a good 30 seconds. Not just feeling the 57.9% ABV, but each moment releasing more flavors. The lingering finish is all maple syrup and caramel candies. A beauty of a cask. These barrels are why we go back to the proverbial well on the farm in Shoreham over and over again.
Make Mine a Double!
The Whisky Bible’s Two Editions.
Apart from being the most authoritative and detailed book on whisky in the world, Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible has always set out to be the most comprehensive and easy to use, too. That is why there is now both a standard and North American edition.
So, if you are in a hurry and have only moments to make a quick decision about buying a whisk(e)y, then if it is bourbon, rye and other American whiskeys you are looking for, the North American edition now lists those at the front of the guide lining up the brands alphabetically as well as by State. And this followed directly by the Canada section, making this edition of the Whiskey Bible even more North American user friendly.
For Scotch lovers around the world, the standard Jim Murray Whisky Bible presents you the single malts section distillery by distillery alphabetically as before.
whiskybible.com
The only place to order personally dedicated copies.
September Virginia Spirits Month Is Here
September in Virginia means one thing: Virginia Spirits Month! We’re excited to launch a new whisky cocktail kit, featuring our Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky. Perfect for those September evenings on the porch.
Hitting Store Shelves Near You
In the next week, Cider Cask Virginia-Highland Whisky will be hitting the shelves near you… just in time for the September weather. Keep your eyes peeled for its return. 🍏 Use our website’s store locator to find a bottle near you. If you live in Virginia, we can also ship a bottle to you direct from our distillery.
USA Today: Best Craft Whiskey Distillery Nominee
We’re thrilled to have received a nomination for USA Today 10Best’s Best Craft Whiskey Distillery. If you had a free second, head on over and give us a vote.
Journey Cask: Britannia – Almost Sold Out!
Our Journey Cask: Britannia release is almost sold out (there are less than 5 cases left!). This limited release scored 93 points in Whisky Advocate, and is currently our only cask-strength offering. Grab a bottle before it’s gone!
Only available through our distillery store, shipping to Virginia residents only.
Edradour We Have Arrived – Apollo Moon Exclusive 🚀
Exclusive Apollo 10
“Charlie Brown”
Fifty-one years ago Apollo 10 pioneered a full dress rehearsal for the first historic moon landing. Command service module, dubbed “Charlie Brown” stopped short of landing on the lunar surface.
Commander Thomas Stafford proclaimed “You can tell the world that we have arrived”.
To mark this occasion, TheWhiskyBarrel.com has bottled a single first fill sherry butt distilled in 2010 at the Edradour distillery in the Scottish Highlands. Just 400 numbered bottles at cask strength 57.4%.
In the interest of fairness ‘We Have Arrived’ Edradour 10 Year Old is limited to 2 bottles per customer (but you don’t have to be an astronaut to buy it!).
Shop >> We Have Arrived – £120 / €135 / $133*
GORDON & MACPHAIL COMMEMORATES 125th ANNIVERSARY WITH ‘LAST CASK’ RELEASES
— 47YO Coleburn first in the series of four rarely seen whiskies —
Gordon & MacPhail has revealed plans to launch four rarely seen single malt Scotch whiskies to commemorate the company’s 125-year history.
Exceptionally scarce, each whisky – either from a closed distillery or made on Lomond Stills no longer in production – is from the last cask held in Gordon & MacPhail’s famous warehouse in Elgin. The rare single malts will be released periodically during the rest of 2020, providing a fitting tribute to 125 years spent in pursuit of perfection of the art of maturation. Since 1895 Gordon & MacPhail has released single malts from over 100 celebrated, little-known, or closed distilleries.
The first of the anniversary whiskies to be revealed is the Gordon & MacPhail 1972 from Coleburn Distillery in Speyside. Coleburn Distillery, situated just four miles from the company’s Elgin home, started production in 1897 and it remained active until 1985.
Gordon & MacPhail 1972 from Coleburn Distillery [RSP £1500*]
Just 363 bottles of the sweet, intense and complex 47-Year-Old whisky from Coleburn Distillery are available. After spending its entire maturation in cask 3511, a refill sherry puncheon, the golden-hued whisky has been bottled at cask strength (62.4% ABV), developing a sweet aroma with butterscotch notes.
This sweetness is carried into the taste of the whisky, with apricots flavours, cooked apples and mint giving way to a medium finish with autumnal fruit and a slight herbal finish.
Stephen Rankin, a fourth-generation member of Gordon & MacPhail’s owning family and the company’s Director of Prestige, said: “The whiskies we have chosen to commemorate our 125th Anniversary are all truly unique and seldom seen in the market.
“They are bottled from the last remaining casks we have from these distilleries, and marks an emotional moment for my family as they leave the Gordon & MacPhail warehouse after being left to mature by my grandfather many decades ago.
“These single malts represent not only the skills and expertise in whisky maturation built and passed down through generations, but also the passion we have in advocating the discovery of rare whiskies from some of Scotland’s lesser known, but much sought after, distilleries.
“We intend to reveal details of the other three whiskies over the coming year, with each single malt honouring this important milestone for Gordon & MacPhail.”
For more information visit www.gordonandmacphail.com.
#GordonandMacPhail
*Prices in international markets may vary due to local taxes and import duties.
Tasting notes
Gordon & MacPhail 1972 from Coleburn Distillery
Matured in cask 3511, a refill sherry puncheon and bottled at 62.4% ABV.
Colour: Golden
Aroma: Sweet butterscotch, ripe fruit and subtle floral aromas. Caramelised sugar develops alongside waxy citrus peel, slowly transforming into fresh guava.
Taste: Intensely sweet; fruity flavours of apricot and cooked apple with a subtle mouth-warming chilli spice edge. Subtle charred oak flavours give way to a soft undertone of mint leaves.
Finish: A medium finish with sweet and ripe autumnal fruit and a lingering dry herbal note.
Gordon & MacPhail Whiskies
Established in 1895, family-owned Gordon & MacPhail is curator of some of the world’s finest and rarest single malt Scotch whiskies from over 100 distilleries. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued to pursue the perfect partnership between spirit and cask.
Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail has carefully matched spirit to the highest quality oak casks which are sent to distilleries throughout Scotland, filled with new-make spirit, and matured either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouse in Elgin.
It is this simple but endlessly complex pairing that creates an intriguing and unique portfolio of expressions – single malts that Scotch whisky lovers will not find anywhere else.
In April 2018, the company unveiled its streamlined portfolio:
Diageo Special Releases 2020 – Rare by Nature part two
This year has gone both strangely fast and slow. The whisky calendar is all over the place and while most things have been delayed, others are keeping to plan or even arriving earlier than expected. Case in point: the Diageo Special Releases 2020 were announced back in May and will be launching about a month earlier than usual, in September 2020. Along with this earlier scheduling came the bit I’m most interested in – the chance to try them: read on to learn more about the new Diageo Special Releases, and what they taste like…
Simply put, they are a much anticipated range of annual whisky releases from Diageo, the world’s largest whisky company. They’ve been going since 2001, and took over from both the Rare Malts Selection and a few occasional special releases (no capital letters) from Diageo and its precursor companies, DCL and UDV.
These days, it’s an established part of the yearly whisky release line-up. The past few years have seen some shake-ups, with the annual releases of whisky from closed distilleries Port Ellen and Brora disappearing from the range in 2018, and the long-running Caol Ila release – pretty much the only way for the general public to get their hands on unpeated whisky from the Islay favourite – disappearing last year.
Despite rumours of the Special Releases’ potential demise, last year’s rejig of the range both down in price and into a new look has had a good response, and they’re back again for another year. The Diageo malts team have been working on next year’s releases for a couple of months already and the range looks to have a new lease of life.
Read more in my post – Diageo Special Releases: what are they? >
If you remember last year’s Diageo Special Releases, then the line-up for 2020 might look somewhat familiar. Not only do we have eight whiskies again, but seven of the eight distilleries are the same as those in 2019 – Singleton of Glen Ord has been replaced by Singleton of Dufftown – and even some of the ages and vintages match up.
Dr Craig Wilson, the current curator of the range, explained this as being a reaction to the reception of the 2019 line-up – it went down rather well. As such, the single malt team at Diageo built this year’s range using the same distilleries, but exploring different facets and flavours of each.
But what are the whiskies, and what do they taste like?
An obvious opener to the range, and not only because its first alphabetically, It’s an interesting Cardhu, having not only been matured in refill and ex-bourbon American-oak casks (I assume this implies the potential presence of refill American oak sherry casks), but also in new oak. While some Scottish producers have jumped on new oak for their whiskies, Diageo hasn’t released any whiskies that trumpet its use, as far as I remember – let me know in the comments how bad my memory is. Cardhu is a distillery that sometimes gets a bit of stick for being safe and boring, so what does the new oak add?
Nose: Crunchy green apples and just-ripe white pears. Toffee notes build, with heather honey and crunchy barley sugar not far behind. Green herbal notes develop, with sage and rosemary alongside fresh lemon peel and candied orange.
Palate: Toffee leads – Highland Toffee bars with zesty lemon and singed orange. The toffee becomes Crunchie innards with a drizzle of honey, a pinch of ginger, spicy baked apples and a dusting of cocoa.
Finish: Burnt toffee and baked apples fade to expose gravelly minerality, custard and spice.
Comment: Nicely balanced, with the classic Cardhu honey character perked up with some zesty fruit, and spiced up, maybe, by the new oak.
The only distillery change this year, but it’s still keeping in the same range – Glen Ord (last year’s entry), Glendullan and Dufftown make up the Singleton collection. Dufftown’s the distillery in the range that’s easiest to find in Europe, making this less interesting to me (a Glen Ord fan) than the 2019 Special Releases entry, but former Special Releases curator Maureen Robinson is behind this bottling, and anything Maureen’s had a hand in is worth trying.
This is, in cask terms, one of the most boring whisky in the line-up – it’s all matured in refill American-oak hogsheads. However, I’m a contrary whisky fan who loves refill-cask-matured whisky, so it’s towards the top of my list.
Nose: Damp, freshly mown grass leads, with sweet coffee pastilles and medium-dark chocolate following. Lighter floral notes develop, with boiled sweets and chocolate limes. Toast and honey notes build, joined by a touch of buttery pain au chocolat.
Palate: Rich and honeyed with more weight than the relatively fresh nose suggested. The toffee, lime and chocolate are back, with rich stewed orange notes. Fruity dark chocolate rolls in, with a touch of bitter char and rye crisp-bread to balance the sweetness. More floral notes develop with some time in the glass: grass meadows and spring blossoms.
Finish: Honey and chocolate lead to warming spice, green apple and gentle grassy notes.
Comment: The nose zigged and the palate zagged, with extra weight and complexity coming through on the tongue. Nice rich back-end for a 100% American-oak dram, with the whisky showing lots of chocolate – the darker side of the oak’s usual cream and vanilla character.
A fifth Pittyvaich to pop up in the Special Releases, and the third year in a row for one to appear. In keeping with all the others, this is a 1989-vintage release, now clocking in at 30 years old. The distillery wasn’t open for long and closed in 1993, but there must be something about the vintage that keeps Diageo coming back for more. It is definitely the best vintage from the distillery that I’ve tried.
This one is all first-fill ex-bourbon casks, a switch from the sherry-finish of last year and the refill casks from the year before. An extra year or two and an extra bit of bourbon-cask punch – how does it work with Pittyvaich’s spirit?
Nose: Fruit Salad sweets, unripe pineapple, aromatic apple and perfectly ripe pear. Sweet cream follows, studded with dried fruit: tropical trail-mix with sultanas and milk chocolate buttons. Pink shrimp sweets develop along with leafy green herbs.
Palate: Soft and rounded with a core of tropical fruit – a tin of fruit salad (drained) with a drizzle of single cream. Oaky spice develops along with biscuit notes and the leafy green notes from the nose: freshly picked, hand-rubbed hops and aromatic herbs.
Finish: The leaves linger, with flashes of fruit and spice. Fruity hops remain.
Comment: I’ve got a weird, leafy, hoppy note off the last few Pittyvaich Special Releases, and it’s back again here in spades. PIttyvaich continues to be ‘the weird one’, but if you like the green note, you’ll like this.
Dalwhinnie is one of the first distilleries I loved, and I always look forward to trying older editions. Last year’s release brought in some of the distillery’s usual sherry-cask influence, and while this year’s just says ‘refill hogsheads’ – which could conceal some fortified wine – I suspect this is much more straight down the line: a rare style of Dalwhinnie that I rather like.
Nose: Elegant, with dusty polished oak and slowly building butterscotch to start. The polish notes become treacly, backed up by concentrated orchard fruit: stewed apples and pears. A touch of black liquorice hides underneath, washed over by building fruit. Tarragon and leafy green notes develop.
Palate: Rich and creamy with crunchily topped crême brûlée concealing fresh orange and lemon peel under the creaminess. Coffee notes build and gentle black pepper spice isn’t far behind. The butterscotch from the nose pushes through, with toffee and cream in tow.
Finish: Toffee fades to leave sweet pear, wax-polished oak and treacle toffee.
Comment: Another whisky that pulls out some of the darker side of oak, with dark sugars balanced against solid fruity character.
Mortlach has had a lot of love from Diageo over the past few years. First, the distillery’s whisky was shifted into the limelight as the company’s flagship premium range. It was a move which led to a step down a few years later when it didn’t do as well as expected, and a new range was launched, focused on sherry maturation. Then came last year’s 26-year-old sherried dram in the Special Releases, sticking with the the rest of the range’s style. So what do we have here? Another sherried edition.
Unlike with last year’s sherry-heavy release, this time Craig Wilson has focused on a sweeter and more elegant side of the distillery’s nature. The casks are just used for finishing, and their influence has been appropriately dialled down:
Nose: Big sweetness to start: syrup and singed toffee – wide, rich and sweet. Orchard fruit, vanilla and toffee notes build – well structured and elegant. Pineapple hints develop, both freshly sliced (and very ripe) and barbecued.
Palate: The hints of richness come through on here – it’s much bigger and weightier than the nose suggested. A kick of gingery spice leads into a pile of juicy raisins, with ginger cake, rum cake and pineapple upside-down cake underneath. Baked apples and poached pears appear, with notes of meaty spirit, spice and forest ponds growing alongside.
Finish: Soft spice and spongecake followed by damp apples and unripe pears.
Comment: It’s toned down from last year, but after the nose suggested some almost bourbon-cask elegance the palate wipes that from the mind – it’s ‘only’ a sherry finish, but it’s picked up a nice whack of flavour from the casks. Not enough to hide the spirit, though, which definitely elevates it.
Of the whole Special Releases range, this is the one I was anticipating the most. After last year’s introduction of smoky Cragganmore – a spirit that I didn’t know existed – would Diageo bring it back for a second outing? Could Cragganmore become the anti-Caol Ila: a usually unpeated dram that appears in the Special Releases as a peated edition?
Unfortunately, it seems not.
With no mention of smoke – other than by Senior Brand Ambassador Ewan Gunn when talking through his tasting notes – this is described as being matured in ‘refill casks and fresh-charred casks’. The latter I’ve had confirmed by the Diageo team as being ‘new fresh-charred American-oak hogsheads’: more new oak? Could they be the source of Ewan’s smokiness?
Nose: Rich butterscotch and barrel char. Notes of roasted banana and shortbread develop, with sweet apple and poached pear not far behind. Polished oak and sweet, waxy notes develop with hints of sultanas and dried apricot. Brown sugar follows.
Palate: The butterscotch of the nose becomes burnt, with bitter sugar notes balanced by sweet polished oak, chocolatey mocha coffee and milk chocolate. Raisins and sultanas emerge with a fleeting hint of menthol, before dried apricot, dried apple and liquorice take over.
Finish: Sweetness fades to levae balanced char, forest pools and stewed apples.
Comment: There’s definitely a char note here, but not one that I see as being properly smoky. It could be the freshly charred casks allowing the spirit deeper access into the wood to pull out darker flavours, it could be auto-suggestion. Either way, it’s quite nice.
A dram that immediately got people’s attention when it was announced – a hark back not only to the Talisker 8 Year Old releases of yore, but also the Special Releases entry of two years ago, which shot off the shelves in moments. A youthful expression from the Skye distillery, it was a raw look at what makes the distillery great.
Its follow-up is something quite different: a whisky finished in pot-still Caribbean rum casks, which Craig Wilson confirmed as being from Jamaica. It’s a first for Talisker and a rare outing, if not a first, for Diageo in general (again, please tell me below in the comments how wrong I am). It’s an intriguing prospect – how does Talisker’s maritime charm pair with funky rum?
Nose: Sweet and smoky with bananas, butterscotch, sea-spray and black pepper. Candied orange and lemon appear, surrounded by a cloud of sweet and salty peat smoke. More sweet fruit notes develop: overripe, roasted and grilled pineapple.
Palate: Rich, rounded and sweet. A big hit of pungent peat smoke is tempered by baked apples and toasted bananas, all dusted with freshly cracked black pepper and Maldon salt. A pinch of chilli heat is swamped by sweet and sour citrus: lemon, lime and Seville orange.
Finish: A hit of plimsoll rubber and tar leads to singed apples and liquorice sticks.
Comment: The rum works rather well, but it’s the nose where it has the biggest impact – is it Jamaican funk you can smell or damp, maritime Talisker? The palate is much more typical, but intense, sweet and fruity, with the ‘Made by the Sea’ tagline dialled up a notch. I think this might be the hit of the series…
The final survivor of the old guard – the only whisky to appear every year since the first ‘proper’ Special Releases in 2002. It varies from year to year, but is very much the go-to dram of the range, with it often not really being seen as part of the line-up, but more of a special release (no capital letters) of its own.
Last year’s edition was smokier than usual, and as a contrast Craig Wilson has leant on the same character that you may have noticed in many of the releases above: sweetness. It’s all matured in refill American oak – both hogsheads and butts – so there’s almost certainly refill sherry casks in here. How does it all come together?
Nose: Burning limes and peat fires. Sweet chocolate lime notes push through the smoke, followed by ozone-rich sea-spray and rock-pool brininess. Gomme sweetness mixes with brine and citrus: preserved lemons and lemon boiled sweets.
Palate: Thicker and richer than the nose suggests, with a lemon sherbet and toffee fudge kick up front. Leather and dark sweetness carry on underneath, laced with chocolate and sweet espresso, while zesty lemon and lime float on top. Earthy smoke and cocoa build along with chocolate icing sweetness.
Finish: Mint choc chip, damp ferns and lingering lime zest.
Comment: I was expecting sweet and light, but this is a richer and darker Lagavulin than you usually find in the Special Releases. Still intense and peaty, but balancing zesty seaside freshness against darker, sweeter notes. An interesting take on the 12-year-old expression.
We’re still waiting on confirmation of the exact date, but they should be with us in a couple of weeks – the middle of September. This year really is flying by…
Keep an eye on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, as well as The Whisky Exchange homepage – they’ll be up on all of them as soon as they’re available
Buffalo Trace Distillery Announces Limited Release
Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel in the U.S.
FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Aug. 27, 2020) For Blanton’s fans, Buffalo Trace Distillery is making Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel available in the United States this fall. This announcement follows Buffalo Trace Distillery announcing earlier this year that Blanton’s Gold Edition will be available annually in the United States, starting in summer 2020.
Like Blanton’s Gold Edition, Straight From The Barrel will be limited, and released once every year in the U.S. This is the first time Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel has been made available in the U.S. It joins Blanton’s Original Single Barrel, bottled at 93 proof and the aforementioned Blanton’s Gold Edition, bottled at 103 proof.
As its name suggests, Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel is an uncut, unfiltered bourbon. The recipe is the same as Blanton’s Original and Blanton’s Gold, but the proof will vary from barrel to barrel.
“Blanton’s continues to be one of our most sought after bourbons,” said Kris Comstock, senior marketing director. “Fans in the U.S. have asked us to make Straight From The Barrel available here at home, so we’re happy we’re able to accommodate that starting this fall.”
Like the other two in the Blanton’s stable, Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel showcases a horse and jockey atop its stopper, in various poses to emulate the running of a horse race. The eight different horse and jockey stoppers feature a letter that collectors save to spell out the brand name “B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S.”
Tasting notes for Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel describe it as notes of dark chocolate, caramel and butter with earthy undertones of walnut and hazelnut on the nose. The palate delivers intrepid notes of warm vanilla, oak, toasted nuts and a rich spiciness with hints of butterscotch or honey, with a deep and resonate finish.
Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon, the world’s first single barrel bourbon, was created in 1984 by Elmer T. Lee. Named after former distillery president Colonel Albert B. Blanton, Elmer recalled how Colonel Blanton would handpick “honey barrels” from the center cut of Warehouse H for the many parties Blanton held. Many years later, the Distillery called upon Elmer to create a new bourbon in 1984 and Blanton’s was born – the world’s first single barrel bourbon.
Today, Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon is one of the most revered and award-winning bourbons on the market. Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel will start shipping from Buffalo Trace Distillery this fall on a very limited basis. Suggested retail pricing is $150. For more information on Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel visit www.blantonsbourbon.com.
About Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and 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 and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by “Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018” and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2nd and 3rd finest whiskeys in the world, respectively, in the “Jim Murray Whiskey Bible 2020.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.
