Ballantine’s Unveils Chapter Three Of Its Exclusive 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Moment’

Ballantine’s, the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky continues to celebrate its legacy of skilled makers, unveiling the anticipated third chapter of the revered Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: Chapter Three ‘The Moment’.

‘The Moment’ is an all-new expression within the Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection; a series of five unique 40 Year Old blends that pay tribute to the valued skills and knowledge passed down through generations of Ballantine’s Master Blenders.

This latest chapter, The Moment stands as a testament to the art of precision and timing in whisky craftmanship. It beautifully demonstrates the story of how former Master Blender, Jack Goudy taught current and well renowned Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop the importance of being able to decipher, from the hundreds of casks and samples being nosed, which were ready to be selected for blending.

This exceptionally rare, hand-crafted whisky showcases the rich character of Miltonduff distillery, a cornerstone single malt in the Ballantine’s blend. Offering a rich, sweet and creamy finish, balanced by subtle, warming spice, The Moment encapsulates Ballantine’s distinctive signature style.

Commenting on the release of Chapter Three, Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop, said: “Crafting a whisky of this age is an exercise in patience, but The Moment speaks to something even more profound. The precise instance when a whisky reaches its absolute peak. It’s about recognising that perfect harmony amidst thousands of casks, a skill Jack Goudy taught me, and one that defines the very soul of Ballantine’s. This release is a tribute to that critical discernment, celebrating the Miltonduff character that shines through, and the enduring legacy of those who came before us.”

Complementing the outstanding liquid, each individually serialised bottle is elegantly displayed in a hand-finished wood veneer cabinet. Sustainable oak surfaces, veiled in finely-woven fabric, are enhanced by burnished and engraved metal hardware. Further elevating the presentation, each Chapter features an intricately folded paper panel by noted Scottish artist Kyla McCallum. Its elongated, grounded design sits behind the bottle, symbolising the moment the whisky reaches its peak.

The artist’s meticulous design for The Moment vividly recalls the scene inside Ballantine’s warehouses, where rows of maturing casks stretch into the distance. From hundreds of casks, only the blender’s expertise determines the exact readiness of each for blending and bottling.

Master Blender Sandy Hyslop personally blends each 40 Year Old liquid at cask strength. This ensures a distinct and unique profile for every release within the Masterclass Collection, underscoring the brand’s commitment to individuality and quality.

Just 108 bottles of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: Chapter Three ‘The Moment’ will be released globally, presented in individually numbered bottles. Available for purchase from November 2025 at specialist retailers at an RSP $13,000 USD. Follow @ballantines or visit ballantines.com to discover more.

Royal Elizabeth Bond confirms Summerhall Distillery and Proof 8 as operating partners for major new Central Belt whisky maturation facility

Royal Elizabeth Bond, a major new bonded Scotch whisky warehousing development on the outskirts of Edinburgh, has today announced the appointment of two partners to bring gold-standard cask and inventory management to the heart of operations.

The 50-acre former World War II naval storage depot in Dalmeny (known as Royal Elizabeth Yard) secured HMRC Warehouse Keepers approval earlier this month and will now begin welcoming clients to the facility, which will feature a mix of newly constructed and refurbished historic warehouses.

As operations commence, the business has appointed Edinburgh’s Summerhall Distillery as its facilities management partner.

KIRKLISTON, UK – 2025: Summerhall Distillery are the first official tenant at The Royal Elizabth Yard, with cask storage and a bottling line operating within one of the existing warehouse buildings. Pictured Marcus Pickering (L) , Co-founder of Summerhall Distillery, with Jonathan Sutton  (R) of Lewis Sutton Property Consultants who manage the yard. (Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY)

Summerhall Distillery is one of the pioneers of Scotland’s new wave of spirits producers, bringing years of experience and expertise to the role. With existing tenancy at two renovated warehouses on the site – one for cask storage, the other for bottling – they will now deploy a 4-strong team to manage cask handling and maturation and offer additional services to customers via their Edinburgh Bottlers business.

In addition, Proof 8 has been appointed to provide full transparency and traceability across REB’s inventory and warehouse operations via a purpose-built, blockchain-backed platform for the spirits industry. Their technology ensures full HMRC compliance, secure cask ownership through Digital Deeds, and real-time access to all production and maturation data for every cask stored across the entire REB estate.  This eliminates the guesswork and risk that continue to affect warehouses relying on paper records or legacy systems at a time when cask fraud and regulatory demands with Warehousekeepers and Owners of Warehoused Goods Regulations reform are a growing concern.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Jonathan Sutton of Royal Elizabeth Bond said: ‘We are delighted this strategically located facility is now onboarding spirit. Royal Elizabeth Bond now begins its transformation into the industry’s largest independently owned cask maturation facility. In turn, and aligned with the needs of the Scotch whisky industry more generally, REB has outstanding storage capacity specifically tailored to meet the inherent long-term industry demands of Scotland’s most famous export.  

In Summerhall Distillery and Proof 8 we have two diligent and hands-on technical partners to exceed customers’ expectations in the management of their maturing spirit. Collectively we will be working to ensure Royal Elizabeth Bond becomes a trusted, long-term storage partner for Scotland’s distillers, independent blenders and bottlers and brokers. 

Ideally located just 7 miles west of Edinburgh, the historic Royal Elizabeth Yard site was built in 1946 as a Ministry of Defence storage facility, primarily of food and other supplies (including rum) for the vital Rosyth Dockyard site across the Firth of Forth.

It was bought in 2018 and the owners soon saw its potential for whisky warehousing, due to its proximity to major transport routes and many of the industry’s bottlers and blenders.

After bringing together a team of whisky, property and logistics leaders, the Royal Elizabeth Bond project was launched to bring investment, innovation, sustainability, value for money and high-quality cask management to the Scotch whisky sector, as it fights to grow and build competitive advantage globally. Their ethos, to safeguard Scotland’s spirit so their partners can craft its future, underpins everything they do. 

Marcus Pickering, Co-Founder of Summerhall Distillery commented: ‘This historic naval site has played an important role in our business for several years, and we’re incredibly proud to be taking on this new partnership with Royal Elizabeth Bond. The development represents a significant investment in Scotland’s whisky infrastructure, and our experienced team will be on site every day, managing each cask with the same care and precision we give our own. Together, we’re helping to build a world-class maturation facility that sets a new benchmark for quality and service in the Scotch whisky industry.’

Stuart Maxwell, Chief Operating Officer at Proof 8 added: ‘By choosing Proof 8, Royal Elizabeth Bond is making a clear statement that their warehouses are built for the future, and will lead the industry in transparency, efficiency and operational excellence. The level of traceability Proof 8 brings is proving transformative. It reduces admin, strengthens compliance and gives both warehouse keepers and cask owners total confidence in what’s held in their facility. Royal Elizabeth Bond is aligning with where the industry is headed, towards smarter, more secure systems that prioritise traceability and efficiency.

About Summerhall Distillery

Co-founded by Matthew Gammell and Marcus Pickering, Summerhall Distillery occupies the site of what was once the small animal hospital of The Old Royal Dick Vet School. Founded back in 2013, Summerhall Distillery became Edinburgh’s first exclusive Gin distillery in 150 years and is home to brands Pickering’s Gin and The Broody Hen Scotch Whisky. Since 2013, Summerhall Distillery has expanded into a multi-spirit production facility with the ability to produce vodka, gin, rum, as well as blended and single malt whiskies. Distilling, bottling, and labelling every bottle that leaves the distillery by hand. 

About Proof 8

Proof 8 provides digital distillery and warehouse management solutions that connect the entire supply chain. Built specifically for the spirits industry, Proof 8 transforms operations with the most comprehensive modern operating system for production, maturation and bottling. With key features like Recipe Builder and Smart Scheduling, the Proof 8 platform gives distilleries complete visibility and control over production and inventory, ensuring compliance, data accuracy and confidence throughout every stage of a spirit’s journey.

https://www.royalelizabethbond.com/

It will come as no surprise to you that here at North Uist Distillery we love whisky.

We love thinking about whisky, we love talking about whisky, we love making whisky, and of course, we love sharing whisky with friends.

Hospitality lies at the very heart of Hebridean culture – the door is always open, the stove is always lit, and a dram is always ready to pour. It is with this spirit of Hebridean hospitality in mind that we launch The Guest House Series, opening our doors to host some of our favourite distilleries, and inviting you to pull up a chair by the fire.

GUEST HOUSE No.01

Over the last few years of dedicated research for our own uisge beatha we have tasted some truly exquisite drams from friends and neighbours in the world of distilling (it’s a hard job but someone’s got to do it) and we just couldn’t resist buying a cask or two of the delicious spirit we have sampled to share with our fellow whisky lovers.

Over the last months we have been busy tasting, blending and sampling, working on our first release which we are delighted to be bringing you just in time for Christmas!

Created using select casks from distilleries across Scotland to bring you a delicious easy drinking blend, Guest House No.01 was created to be enjoyed by a Hebridean fireside with friends.

Aged in a mix of sherry and bourbon casks and with a lightly peated flavour, this smooth sipper is the perfect way to toast our Uist whisky as it gently ages.

GUEST HOUSE No.01

Pre-order now, with free delivery from early December.

As always, bottles will come gift wrapped with a hand written note, making them the ideal way to show a little love to the whisky fan in your life.

Slàinte.

Team NUD x

Teapot Dram Batch No. 11 Has Arrived

Today we release Teapot Dram Batch No. 11. Matured exclusively in first-fill sherry casks and bottled at 59.7% ABV, this special release is limited to just 3,000 bottles and priced at £125. This is Glengoyne’s bold tribute to a unique distillery tradition. Don’t miss your chance to own the next exceptional dram in the series. Available exclusively at Glengoyne.com and our Distillery Shop.

Tasting Teapot Dram 11 with Robbie

We joined Robbie in Glengoyne’s Warehouse eight for a tasting of Teapot Dram Batch No. 11.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Dates, dark chocolate, lemon meringue, grilled peach, toasted nuts, dry sherry, and a wisp of incense.

Palate: Cherries, strawberry ice cream, blackberry jam, gingerbread, fudge, hazelnut spread, dried apricot.

Finish: Maraschino liqueur, Eton Mess, summer berries.

Master’s Choice Single Malt Whisky

For nearly four centuries, the Worshipful Company of Distillers has embodied the spirit of craftsmanship, camaraderie, and generosity. Founded by Royal Charter in 1638 to uphold the quality of London’s early distilling trade, the Company today brings together professionals and enthusiasts from across the world of fine spirits. Its members share a deep respect for heritage and a commitment to excellence, education, and charity.

Guided by the ancient motto, “Drop as Raine, Distill as Dew,” the Company celebrates both the science and artistry of distillation.

We’re delighted to introduce Master’s Choice, a special limited-edition whisky created to honour our Founder, Daniel Szor’s year as Master of the Worshipful Company of Distillers. This release is a celebration of friendship, tradition, and the enduring craftsmanship that has defined the Company for generations.

Master’s Choice is available from today, exclusively on our website and at our three Cotswolds Distillery shops in Stourton, Broadway, and Bourton-on-the-Water, priced at £SOLD OUT! – while stocks last.

Please note that bottles of this edition are in very short supply and are therefore limited to one bottle per person.

Tasting Notes

Cotswolds Master’s cask is a long awaited marriage of our core casks elevated with 10 years maturation in the Cotswolds. The use of first fill bourbon casks and our signature Red Wine STR casks builds a foundation of sweetness and creaminess.

The nose is elevated and bursts with citrus, apples and marzipan aromas followed by elegant cherries, plums and almonds on the palate. The finish and long and complex with shortbread and dried apricot flavours that all balance to make it unmistakably Cotswolds with all the balanced complexity of rare, hand selected 10 year old casks.

Join Courage Club by Nov. 30 to Unlock Our Limited Edition Spanish Oak Sherry Cask

Crafted from rare Spanish Oak Sherry casks, our next limited release (just 500 bottles) is one you won’t want to miss.

Join Courage Club by Nov. 30th to unlock guaranteed first access to this exceptional bottling—along with member-only perks, savings, and exclusive member-only releases. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to join, this is it.

Join by 11/30 and your first quarterly club shipment, including Spanish Oak Sherry Cask, will arrive mid-December.**Please note: this limited release is priced at $169.99, which is above our typical club-exclusive range of $75–$100. If you prefer not to receive this higher-priced bottle, you’ll have the option to opt out before shipments go out in mid-December.

JOIN COURAGE CLUB

Spanish Oak Sherry Cask

This whisky showcases the rare character of Spanish Oak (Quercus Robur) sherry butts, coopered in Jerez, Spain, and seasoned with both Oloroso and PX sherries. Spanish Oak is notoriously difficult to work with — the trees grow sprawling and wild, yielding few casks. But the reward is remarkable: a deeply expressive whisky with aromas of lemon, golden raisin, and honeycomb, unfolding into flavors of dried cherry, plum, maple syrup, coffee, leather, and cinnamon.  Aged for over seven years and bottled at cask strength, this is one of our most limited and distinctive releases to date.

Virginia Distillery Company
299 Eades Ln
Lovingston, VA 22949-2325

Williamson (Laphroaig) 15 Years Old Shop Exclusive

This single malt was distilled in 2010 at the Laphroaig Distillery on the picturesque Isle of Islay. It was aged for 15 years in a single bourbon barrel, which allowed the natural distillery style to shine, resulting in notes of gamey meat, tobacco leaf, camphor, and brine. Bottled at natural cask strength without chill-filtration or artificial colouring exclusively for our shop.

£94.00

SHOP NOW

STUNNING EXCLUSIVE

The Hearach 2018 First Fill Bourbon #1293

This rare single cask release from The Hearach showcases the distillery’s signature coastal character in its purest form. Distilled on 22nd March 2018 and bottled on 16th June 2025, this bottling, which is exclusive to The Whisky Shop, comes from a First Fill Woodford Reserve Bourbon cask, producing only 252 bottles, making it truly limited edition. Bottled at 59.3% ABV.

£125.00
SHOP NOW ❯

Free Next Day Delivery for 12 Months For just £14.95 you can enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year! Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs. Find out more ❯

Younger Still (Ardbeg) Single Cask

The Whisky Barrel Unveils Exclusive “Younger Still” 2021 Islay Single Cask — A Modern Legend in the Making

Get ready for a rare take on Islay’s iconic whisky heritage — The Whisky Barrel proudly presents the Younger Still, a bold and limited single malt whisky distilled in 2021 at a secret Islay distillery on Pier Road (the legendary home of the heavily peated and often toasted oak Committee). Bottled in 2025 at a formidable natural cask strength of 61.6% ABV, this exclusive release is limited to just 261 bottles worldwide.

Crafted from one single cask, the Younger Still captures the raw, untamed essence of Islay — from its billowing peat smoke and sea-salt air to its finely balanced citrus and spice. Described by The Whisky Barrel’s team as “smoky, maritime and full of raw power”, this release revives the island’s legendary spirit in a new generation.

“We’ve drawn one single cask from Islay’s iconic heart and bottled it exclusively for our own growing global community — Younger Still is not only a dram, it’s a statement.” — Alastair Brown, Managing Director of The Whisky Barrel.

Priced at £69 GBP (inc. VAT), this limited single-cask release is available only through The Whisky Barrel’s website. For whisky collectors and Islay enthusiasts seeking something truly exceptional, the Younger Still marks a bold chapter in modern Islay single malt history.

Key Bottle Information:

• Distilled: 2021, Secret Islay Distillery on Pier Road
• Bottled: 2025 at 61.6% ABV
• Limited to 261 bottles exclusive to The Whisky Barrel

Tasting Highlights:

• Nose: Billows of peat smoke meet citrus peel, sea salt and charred oak
• Palate: Coastal smoke, dark malt, sweet spice and hints of fruit
• Finish: Long and enduring, with embers of peat, maritime salt and warming spice

The Islay Younger Still is available exclusively from: 🔗 The Whisky Barrel – Islay Younger Still

Westward “Milestone” Edition No. 3 American Single Malt Whiskey (750ml)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Buyer | Review Date: 11/2025

There’s no question that Westward is at the forefront of defining the American Single Malt category, and one thing I think is missing in this category is a truly legendary product that fulfills its true potential in a fully realized way. We’ve had some amazing high-end releases from classic craft producers like St. George, Stranahan’s, and Charbay, but there are so few true diamonds in the category. To that, our friends at Westward have responded, “Hold my beer.” The Milestone is a product that is truly revolutionary in both its conceptual design and execution. Each edition builds on the previous expression, and if last year’s release is any indication, this could easily be one of the most overtly delicious American malts ever bottled. The character is opulent and extremely complex, hearkening to some of the most storied Scottish releases, with beautiful tropical fruit and dense, hyper-developed malt character. It’s truly incredible what they’ve achieved, and having the opportunity—thanks to new partnerships—to actually show our customers this extremely rare and sought-after product is such a joy. This is how you build a new category. Congrats to our friends at Westward.

$240.00

The Westward Whiskey Milestone is considered by the distiller to be their masterpiece. The intent is to showcase “Verum Factum,” the accumulated knowled over 20 years of whiskey production. By reimagining Old World distilling and winemaking techniques, Milestone is raised from a twenty-one-barrel Solera system used exclusively for this annual offering. This meticulous method allows them to continuously age and blend some of our oldest and most precious whiskeys with rare cask types, creating even more complex flavors. This special approach creates a time capsule in a bottle, one that reflects a distinct moment in the distiller’s story that can never be told again.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA