THE HOUSE OF SUNTORY WHISKY PROUDLY INTRODUCES

THE YAMAZAKI^® MIZUNARA CASK 2017 EDITION™ 

Japan’s Oldest Whisky Distillery Releases Limited Edition Offering

Aged For 18 Years Exclusively In Japanese Mizunara Oak

CHICAGO, IL (September 12, 2017) – For more than three generations, the master blenders at Suntory Whisky, the founding house of Japanese Whisky, have devoted themselves to pursuing the harmony of Japanese nature and craftsmanship. One of the most impressive examples of this pursuit is found in Mizunara, the Japanese oak. The wood from this rare and demanding tree inspired Suntory to take a momentous step forward in whisky making, both in perfecting new cask-making techniques and in creating flavors never before tasted in whisky. Suntory’s blenders have brought the essence of the noble Mizunara into a peerless liquid – tantalizingly spicy, redolent of incense and uniquely Japanese.

Revealing their mastery of the Art of Mizunara, The House of Suntory Whisky proudly introduces The Yamazaki® Mizunara 2017 Edition™ available as of October 2017. 

From the House of Suntory Whisky

The Mizunara cask is a perfect expression of “Tsukuriwake” – the art of diversity in whisky making. Diverse grain types, as well as fermentation, distillation and maturation techniques, underpin Suntory’s legendary Art of Blending. This diversity enables Suntory to produce more than 100 different malt and grain whiskies at the Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries and allows Suntory complete self-sufficiency in the creation of its blends.

It is at Yamazaki, Japan’s oldest malt whisky distillery and the House of Suntory’s soulplace, where the art of “Tsukuriwake” is pushed the furthest. Built in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii, the founding father of Japanese Whisky, Yamazaki produces a wide variety of malt whiskies. Only Yamazaki whiskies—and only a few—have had the privilege of maturing in Mizunara casks, creating one of the most uniquely flavored and distinctly Japanese whiskies in the world.

For Suntory’s fourth Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo, every creation is a new journey to achieve the exquisite balance of subtlety, refinement and complexity that is the hallmark of all Suntory whiskies. In his pursuit of true “Mizunara-ness,” he tasted a few hundred Mizunara whiskies and made selections with varying ages, from 18 years old and beyond. A very small portion exceed even 50 years of maturation, which give this limited edition an incomparable depth and a flavor that lingers long after the liquid has passed the lips.

Fukuyo knew from the start that the Yamazaki Mizunara 2017 Edition was not intended for a familiar, relaxing moment. He wanted this uniquely Japanese whisky to be dramatic and unforgettable:

“I wanted to reveal the whisky’s soul that is the Art of Mizunara—a heightened sense and awakened palate engaged through aromas and flavors never known before. Encountering it should be a moment of epiphany.”

Pioneering the Mizunara Cask

It is said that in the early 1940s, Suntory’s blenders began small scale experiments with Mizunara. But it wasn’t until the end of World War II, when it became difficult to import wood, that Suntory truly focused on mastering the homegrown Mizunara cask.

Although only found in a few regions within Japan, it wasn’t Mizunara’s rarity that presented the greatest challenge to cask makers. It was the hard, permeable nature of the wood. The name Mizunara comes from the tree’s high moisture content – in Japanese “mizu” means water and “nara” means oak. Its permeable character is less than ideal for cask making since liquid can easily seep through the wood. And because Mizunara is a hardwood, it can be difficult to shape and join with the precision needed to prevent leaks.

Through great perseverance, Suntory’s craftsmen mastered the art of Mizunara cask-making by learning how to identify the right trees to make perfectly true casks. Although rarer, Suntory’s cask makers found that straight grain trees are less permeable. Trees suitable for cask making must have grown perfectly straight and have a diameter of at least 27.5 inches. They also tend to be far older than trees used in other casks.

In keeping with Suntory’s deep respect for the environment, trees are only cut if their removal will not jeopardize the health of the forest.

Taste Blessed by The Passage of Time

Throughout their long history using Mizunara casks, Suntory’s blenders have observed that age is the key to unlocking the signature taste of Mizunara whisky. A long maturation period reveals the distinctive spiciness and incense-like flavor of sandalwood and aloe wood that Suntory considers as the quintessential “Mizunara-ness.”

With many other cask types, whisky usually reaches a maturation peak at some point. But even at 50 years and beyond, the top-note and after-taste aromas of Mizunara whiskies are generally still improving. This unique ability to support long-term aging affords endless opportunities to experience the evolution and refinement of Mizunara whiskies over time.

Tasting Notes

Color:  Amber

Nose:   Rich and elegant fragrance, aloe wood, cinnamon

Palate:  Condensed sweetness, silky texture, dry fruits, coconut, orange marmalade

Finish:  Distinctive spiciness lingers with Japanese incense, aloe wood, cinnamon and tartness

Yamazaki Mizunara Cask 2017 Edition is presented at 48% alcohol by volume (96 proof) with a suggested retail price of $1,000.00 (750ml). The bottle label is 100% handcrafted mulberry Echizen paper produced via a slow process of drying on wood boards (a traditional Japanese method). The wood box that encloses the bottle is made of cask material used in the aging of Suntory whisky.

ABOUT SUNTORY WHISKY

Suntory was established in 1899 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Since 1923, as the pioneer of Japanese whisky, Suntory Whisky has been renowned for its House of Master Blenders and for their Art of Blending. The founding father of Japanese whisky, Shinjiro Torii, built Japan’s first malt whisky distillery in Yamazaki, near Kyoto—a region known for the purity of its water, where the traditional Japanese tea ceremony was born. Torii dreamt of creating an authentically Japanese whisky by choosing a terrain and climate completely different to that of Scotland, thereby cultivating unique conditions for maturation.

In 1972, Torii’s son Keizo Saji, Suntory’s second master blender, built the Chita grain distillery near Nagoya to produce more of their own high-quality grain whiskies. In 1973, Saji founded the Hakushu distillery amidst the deep forests of Mt. Kaikomagatake in the Japanese Southern Alps. Its high altitude and lush environment is what differentiates Hakushu from other distilleries.

With three distilleries and a great diversity in whisky making (different still shapes, five types of cask, and three varieties of wood), Suntory produces over 100 malt and grain whiskies which amounts to the whole of Scotland’s production.

With respect to heritage and a commitment to innovation, third generation master Blender Shingo Torii, and grandson of Shinjiro, now leads this most highly awarded House of Japanese Whisky. Today the House of Suntory Whisky has been named four-time Distiller of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge in London, UK (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014).

Suntory Whiskies are subtle, refined and complex. The portfolio includes two single malt whiskies:  Yamazaki – Japan’s N°1 Single Malt, multi-layered and profound, Hakushu – verdant, fresh, and delicately smoky; and two blends: the noble blend, Hibiki – Japan’s most highly awarded blended whisky and Suntory Whisky Toki – ideal for Japanese highballs.

whisky.suntory.com        #SuntoryWhisky   @SuntoryWhisky

ABOUT BEAM SUNTORY INC.

As the world’s third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits Brands that Stir the World.  Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands and Suntory whisky Kakubin, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek bourbon, Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Hornitos and Sauza tequila, EFFEN and Pinnacle vodka, Sipsmith gin, and Midori liqueur.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and commitment to Growing for Good. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com/ and www.drinksmart.com.

Whisky from the heart of Speyside

Introducing Speyburn 15 Years Old

We’re thrilled to introduce you to a new limited release expression, Speyburn 15 Years Old.

The 15 Years Old is created using fresh spring water from the Granty Burn, a stream flowing with soft and clear spring water and a major tributary of the River Spey. This unique expression has been matured in American oak and Spanish oak casks, adopting the fragrant Speyside air and surrounding rich woodland over time to become a full-bodied and vibrant dram.

The distinctive amber liquid with golden highlights, has the aroma of subtle dark chocolate, vanilla, orange, raisins and spice. The rich taste is bursting, with notes of citrus fruits and has a creamy, warm and long-lasting finish.

Click here to discover more about Speyburn 15 Years Old

For the first time in five years Speyburn has a new look

To complement the launch of Speyburn 15 Years Old we are also excited to reveal that the complete Speyburn collection has also had a make-over.

The refreshed packaging pays homage to Speyburn Distillery and it’s 120 years of whisky-making traditions, whilst also showcasing the natural landscape of the distillery’s home in the heart of Speyside. Each release in the collection features photography of the iconic distillery and the stunning surrounding Speyside landscape. Each pack continues to carry the brand’s iconic leaping salmon emblem, a tribute to the River Spey which is as famous for its salmon fishing as it is with its relationship with whisky.  The bottle is now presented in a premium carton, perfect for any gifting occasion.

The new packaging will be rolled out Globally over the coming months but why not click visit our website now for an opportunity to see our new look now!

Port Ellen is the name for collectors Islay whiskies. The distillery closed in 1983, having enjoyed a phenomenal reputation amongst whisky drinkers, the remaining stocks are in serious demand.

This release in the XOP range has been ageing slowly in refill casks for 33 years, making it from the last year of Port Ellen’s distillation. With such a demand, future releases will only become more valuable as scarcity will drive this wonderful spirit off our shelves.

Nose: Soft peat, with delicate vanilla spice and a hint of lemon sherbert.
Palate: Smoky, charred pineapple intertwined with sweet barley and toffee apple.

Web Exclusive Price: £1329.05

Buy Port Ellen 33 Year Old

This is an excellent example of a beautifully aged, single cask Bowmore. Douglas Laing have tirelessly selected this extremely rare whisky for us to taste.

Nose: Sear air, gentle peat and soft parma violets.
Palate: Smokey and rich with vanilla and fudge.

Late 80s Bowmores are a shop favourite, and with time these will be harder to find. This week it is at this exclusive web price.

Web Exclusive Price: £255.95

Buy Bowmore 25 Year Old

Ahead of Christmas, Highland whisky distillery, Tomatin are issuing the Legacy Gift Pack (RRP £34.99). The pack comes with two branded Tomatin glasses, as well as a bottle of the award winning Legacy, matured in a combination of Bourbon barrels and Virgin Oak casks which bring a light sweetness.

Legacy boasts aromas of vanilla, marshmallow, pineapple and lemon. On the palate, gentle flavours of candy, pine, lemon sherbet, apples and sponge cake emerge ahead of a light, clean finish. Perfect for those after a light, post-Christmas meal winter warmer!

The pack is available in the UK & Europe and is available from selected retailers from Monday 18th September.

Springbank 14yo Bourbon Wood

The new Springbank 14yo Bourbon Wood is available now.

The new Springbank 14yo Bourbon Wood is available in the Campbeltown Cadenheads shop from today and will be available throughout the UK tomorrow.

Bottled at 55.8% ABV and with 9,000 bottles available worldwide the new Springbank 14yo Bourbon Wood is being sold in the Campbeltown Cadenhead shop for £55.00.

Tasting notes

Nose: This unique Campbeltown Malt starts off with cream, vanilla extract and yogurt. Salted popcorn, toffee and marshmallows follow the ever present creaminess. American cream soda, sugar doughnuts, with a heathery influence.

Palate: Yogurt and thick cream continue from the nose with an introduction of honey, syrup and liquorice. Gentle notes and sweet apples, almonds and dried bananas. A light dusting of icing sugar and lemon zest.

Finish: A touch of smoke and dry peat builds with a gentle sea breeze from Campbeltown Loch. Briny and light mineral flavours complete this excellent dram.

The release date for other countries/markets will vary throughout the coming weeks – please contact your local retailers and stockists for more information, the web address below can help you with that here.

If you would like to buy it directly from us you can contact our Campbeltown Cadenhead shop by calling +44 (0)1586 551710. The Society will not be taking orders for this as we are not aware of our shop’s stock or allocation.

Some important points that you need to know:

• The Campbeltown Cadenhead shop will be selling the Springbank 14yo Bourbon Wood for £55.00.
• This is not a Society exclusive bottle
• This is not considered a core product so the Society discount will not apply on this bottling.

Slainte

The Springbank Sales Team

Springbank Distillers

Diageo 2017 Special Releases

This year’s batch of rare and limited editions from Diageo has finally arrived! With eight single malts, three from closed distilleries, a single grain aged more than half a century and a unique blended malt, this year’s batch is worth the wait!

Now available to pre-order online

Only available while stocks last

A Bold New Bottling From A “First Growth” Distillery 2002 Balvenie 14 Year “Peat Week” Single Malt ($99.99) “Balvenie’s next step on the path to single malt royalty and another sign of a distillery in full ascension.” – David Driscoll, K&L Assistant Head Buyer

Balvenie’s adherence to both age-stated malts and transparent production details, along with what is clearly a crowd-pleasing style, has put the brand into a unique position: it’s equally popular with those in-the-know and those who really don’t care about knowing. That’s definitely a great place to be in today’s market as many in the industry think the brand is well on its way to becoming the next Macallan—a first growth in the single malt Scotch pantheon of malts. With the new 2002 Balvenie 14 Year Old “Peat Week,” the Speyside distillery has strayed a bit from its smoke-free character, but to make an overtly peaty, Islay style whisky would be out of character for the brand and it’s definitely not the character of the whisky (despite the fact that Balvenie describes it as “heavily peated”). What David Stewart and the gang have produced, however, is a vintage-dated whisky, produced entirely from the one single week of peated whisky distillation at Balvenie back in 2002 (the first peated run in more than fifty years at the distillery) that perfectly expresses the ease, grace, and utter drinkability of the Balvenie house style. Aged entirely in American oak barrels, there’s no sherry influence like the brand’s Doublewood expressions, but rather lush golden grains, honey with sweet barley, peaches in syrup, and vanilla extract. Faintly, underneath all those lovely aromas, is just the tiniest hint of peat, accenting the soft and supple mouthfeel with graceful brush strokes of campfire smoke and smoldering brush. Made in limited quantities, our staff is head over heels for the new Balvenie “Peat Week” as is clear from the reviews below. We think it’s Balvenie’s next step on the path to single malt royalty and another sign of a distillery in full ascension.

For more on this exciting new release, check out our recent Spirits Journal post.

2002 Balvenie 14 Year “Peat Week” Vintage Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($99.99)

This limited edition Balvenie is the result of one single vintages production distilled entirely in the year 2002. David Stewart and Ian Millar began experimenting with peated whisky years ago and in order to avoid tainting the standard Balvenie spirit they allocated an entire week exclusively to peated whisky production. Each year the distillery produced a tiny amount of these peated whiskies, so each bottling is by it naturally very limited. This particular bottling, the first available stateside, is not chill filtered and aged exclusively in American Oak casks.

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 01, 2017

What attracted me immediately to the 2002 Balvenie was the subtle and haunting nose. Aged entirely in American oak barrels, there’s no sherry to be had here. Instead you get a noseful of lush golden grains, honey with sweet barley, peaches in syrup, and vanilla extract. Faintly, underneath all those lovely aromas, is just the tiniest hint of peat. The second thing that I loved about the whisky is that it’s all finish. The mid-palate flavors are where the peat picks up (30 ppm) and remember we’re dealing with Highland peat here, not Islay peat. There’s a compositional difference between the two and the resulting flavors are profoundly different (if you remember the old Glenmorangie Finealta). There’s no brine or medicinal character here, just soft brush and faint campfire smoke in low levels, hanging onto the underbelly of the malty core. Everything about the drinking experience is understated until you get to the end, and then: whoooooosh! A wave of rich vanilla and sweet smoke comes racing through your nostrils and over the roof of your mouth, lingering for a solid five minutes after lapping up onto the shore of your lips. With the 2002 Peat Week, Balvenie has proven to me yet again that it can excite experienced drinkers while still maintaining a big tent approach. Nothing about this whisky is difficult to understand, but there’s so much to unlock for those who enjoy the analysis. We’re witnessing the ascension of a great distillery in peak form.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 07, 2017

This is a very good single malt. In the nose there is a medium amount of peat with some nice malt aromas. In the mouth it is soft and pure with interesting malt flavors that are balanced out with some smoke. The smoke flavors do not dominate but are integrated with the malt. The Balvenie Peat Week is easy to drink and enjoy and should please single malt fans.

Andrew Stevens | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 07, 2017

I had a few interactions yesterday in which I was attempting to describe and explain to customers about the new bottling from Balvenie and I admit I was struggling. One interaction in particular was a challenge because the customer wanted me to compare it to other whiskies. I had to try and explain that this one was simply different, delicious but different. In some ways this is clearly a Balvenie, I get the rich vanilla, grassy hay, and nutty notes on the nose, but with a savory herb and sweet peat component. The whisky is full bodied and has wonderful richness to it, but then there is this scrub brush campfire note that twines throughout it that does not taste like almost anyone else’s peated Scotch. It is neither salty, nor briny, and the smoke is gentle, but definitely present. It is a seriously intriguing bottle and although I am not sure where to categorize it, I will happily continue to drink it and think over that question.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 05, 2017

Gorgeous. Matured exclusively in American Oak and it shows. The vanilla and caramel on the nose is crystal clear. I often find myself thinking about precision in wine, but not whisky. The nose here is exact. There is a beautiful fresh peaty quality and homemade cookies straight from the oven. It’s an aroma to get lost in. The palate is full and rich in a way I don’t expect given the pale straw color and nose, luscious even. Finish is gently sweet and smoky. Make me a BBQ sauce that tastes like this and I’ll make you rich. A special bottling from Balvenie’s heavy peating week at the distillery.

Chantel Carroll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 02, 2017

This Scotch was everything I wanted it to be, and then some. What an amazing and rare treat. Integrated smoke, subtle vanilla, and sweet malt on the nose. The palate was rich with caramel, salinity, and toasty grains. It then finished with fresh stone fruit and honey. The characteristics were so gracious, yet blended together so well. This Scotch is a reminder of why I love this Spirit, so much!

Alex Schroeder | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 01, 2017

One of the best whiskies I have tasted in some time, this is a rare peated offering from Balvenie, where they set aside one week each year to heavily peat their barley for such bottlings. On the nose there is mentholated smoky sweetness, barley and oak. On the palate, the peat smoke is so well-integrated it is almost absorbed completely into the flavor profile, which has a sweet, savory malt base. It is so good, round and complete that I anticipate the bottle emptying very quickly, despite its hefty 49% abv level.

Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 01, 2017

Wow this is pretty cool. I figured I knew the Balvenie whiskies inside and out but to be honest this is my first experience of the “Peat Week” bottling. From the wealth of information on the tin this particular batch was distilled the same week I met my (to be) wife…and we’re now just about to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary! I love how this bottling combines the soft, round approachability of Balvenie with a beautiful smoky note that is subtle and not overpowering. Maybe the elegant integration of the smoke is due to the different source of peat (Highland vs. Islay) or perhaps it’s just the skill and know-how of the folks at Balvenie. Either way this is a crowd pleasing malt that is sure to make lots of people happy…whether you’re looking to geek out on the incredible transparency provided by the distillery about these single batches or just looking for something to sip in the evening as summer turns to fall.

This is an excellent example of a beautifully aged, single cask Bowmore. Douglas Laing have tirelessly selected this extremely rare whisky for us to taste.

Nose: Sear air, gentle peat and soft parma violets.
Palate: Smokey and rich with vanilla and fudge.

Late 80s Bowmores are a shop favourite, and with time these will be harder to find. This week it is at this exclusive web price.

Web Exclusive Price: £255.95

Buy Bowmore 25 Year Old

New Loch Lomond Inchmoan 10 Year Old GTR exclusive Single Malt set to land at Cannes  

Loch Lomond Group’s Global Travel Retail (GTR) range is expanding with the addition of a new GTR exclusive Single Malt Scotch whisky – the Loch Lomond Inchmoan 10 Year Old.

The new expression, which will only be available to duty free and travel retail shoppers, is to be launched at the 2017 TFWA World Exhibition and Conference in Cannes.

During the event, Loch Lomond Group, which owns the award-winning Loch Lomond, Glen Scotia and Littlemill Scotch whisky brands, will also be announcing details of a new ultra-premium expression which will be its oldest-ever release.

The group is attending the annual TFWA event for a second year in a row. Last year it chose the Cannes global gathering to unveil plans for its new bespoke GTR range for both its Glen Scotia and Loch Lomond Scotch whisky brands.

The Loch Lomond GTR Scotch whisky collection, which is packaged in distinctive travel-retail specific gift tubes that underline the quality and provenance of the liquid inside, was first launched at Glasgow Airport in February 2017 and quickly became its top-selling Scotch whisky brand.

Since then, the Loch Lomond GTR Scotch whisky collection has gone from strength to strength and is now available in 11 World of Whiskies throughout UK airports including branches in Edinburgh and London Heathrow.

Both the Glen Scotia and Loch Lomond GTR Scotch whisky ranges have also been rolled out to the Nordic region where a new partnership with Stockholm based distributor Five Eyes, part of the Solera Bevarage Group, will target further growth. Each of the GTR ranges continue to gain listings in Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.

The Loch Lomond Inchmoan 10 Year Old Single Malt 1L global travel exclusive is distilled at the group’s Alexandria distillery, where it takes its name from Inchmoan Island located in Loch Lomond. Inchmoan means ‘the island of the peat’ in Scottish Gaelic as for centuries mainlanders used peat cut from it as a source of fuel.

Rich and smoky, the Loch Lomond Inchmoan 10 Year Old GTR exclusive Single Malt is born from a combination of malt whiskies from the distillery’s traditional swan neck and unique straight neck stills to create an unconventional peat character with depth and balance. It is designed to complement the existing Loch Lomond GTR collection which includes the Loch Lomond Inchmurrin Madeira Cask Finish, light and packed with fruit character and the beautifully balanced Loch Lomond 12 Year Old.

André de Almeida, managing director of Global Travel Retail at Loch Lomond Group, said: “The Loch Lomond Inchmoan 10 Year Old GTR exclusive Single Malt will be a fantastic addition to our existing GTR range and provides travellers with an even greater choice of flavours from Loch Lomond Group whiskies. What’s also exciting is that it showcases the wide range of flavour profiles that we can achieve at our Alexandria distillery thanks to our unique stills.

“We are extremely proud of the success to date of the Glen Scotia and Loch Lomond GTR Scotch whisky collections and we look forward to working with partners who are keen to offer consumers something different for them to discover, and grow their sales in the process.”

The Loch Lomond Inchmoan 10 Year Old GTR exclusive Single Malt 1L will be available from travel retail outlets early 2018 and priced at £42.

For further information, visit www.lochlomondgroup.com

Notes: 

About the Group / Loch Lomond Whiskies:

• Loch Lomond Group is an independent distiller based in Alexandria and is home to several award-winning spirit brands that are sold in more than 100 countries worldwide.
• Loch Lomond distillery has been producing the finest single malt whisky since 1814.
• Images and interviews with key staff from the Group are available upon request.
• www.lochlomondgroup.com

www.lochlomondwhiskies.com

@LochLomondMalts 

About Glen Scotia:

• Independent distiller Glen Scotia has been producing single malt whisky in Campbeltown since 1832.
• Glen Scotia is one of three surviving distilleries in Campbeltown.
• Glen Scotia was named Best Campbeltown Distillery of the Year at the 2017 Berlin International Spirits Competition. 

www.glenscotia.com

@glenscotiamalts

Although it is what is inside a bottle that counts, there are times when love at first sight can strike between a drinker and a whisky.

We have to admit that the release of the first Antique Lions Of Whisky series – dubbed ‘The Birds’ – earlier this year caught our intention. A homage to the gorgeous Moon Import whisky releases of yesteryear, three of Europe’s top independent bottlers and whisky merchants have come together under the banner of Antique Lions Of Spirits to offer whisky drinkers something quite special.

The Oak Barrel is excited to announce that we’ve managed to secure two full sets of the release. One of those is currently on the shelf in our store’s temperature controlled vault and the other is being reserved for a tasting evening in mid-October.

ALOS was formed by Jens Drewitz of Germany’s Sansibar alongside Italian whisky merchants Max Righi (Silver Seal) and Diego Sandrin (Whisky Antique).

This release is a homage to the Moon Import bottlings prominent in Europe in the ‘90s and ‘00s. Often beautifully stylised, the resultant series has some of the best packaging we’ve ever seen.

The whiskies have been selected to have an ‘old world European’ style, so expect them to be soft, elegant and fruity with fantastic poise.

There are less than 300 bottles of each of the expressions in this first Antique Lions Of Whisky ‘The Birds’ and even less of complete sets.

Inside each one of the beautifully presented boxes, the trio explain the series in their own words:

“What you are holding in your hand, our dear friend, is the result of a meeting amongst friends, Jens Drewitz (Germany), Max Righi (Whisky Antique) and Diego Sandrin (Lion’s Whisky) each in love with whisky, each eager to create and produce something that people can enjoy, something that will not forfeit quality for profit, we wanted to give you an experience that you will cherish, therefore we have carefully selected these single casks and decided they were the best we could find at this time.

“We also wanted to give homage to Maestro Mr Mongiardino for the inspiration of his label design in the past Moon Import series and were fortunate enough to find the beautiful plates of these beautiful 1800s drawings.

“Hopefully ALOS will continue to release high quality and beautiful products for you, this all depends on feedback, if we are successful in pleasing you then we will continue.

“Thank you for choosing this bottle as part of your whisky journey, may you be blessed by years and years of good life and good drams.”

The series consists of six expressions – five 28-year-old 1988 vintages from highland and Speyside distilleries Mannochmore, Blair Athol, Tormore, Glen Moray and Fettercairn and a 41-year-old 1975 from an un-disclosed Speysider matured in an ex Fino-sherry cask.

We will be opening all six bottles in an intimate and very special tasting event at The Oak Barrel, which may not be repeated around the world. The night will be hosted by The Oak Barrel’s Scott Fitzsimons, a self-proclaimed lover of Diageo workhorse and other under-appreciated distilleries.

Tickets are strictly limited and we cannot do a second night, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

What We’ll Be Trying:

Antique Lions Of Whisky Glen Moray 1988 29-Year-Old

Antique Lions Of Whisky Tormore 1988 29-Year-Old

Antique Lions Of Whisky Fettercairn 1988 29-Year-Old

Antique Lions Of Whisky Mannochmore 1988 29-Year-Old

Antique Lions Of Whisky Blair Athol 1988 29-Year-Old

Antique Lions Of Whisky Speyside 1975 41-Year-Old

WHAT: Antique Lions Of Whisky – ‘The Birds’ Tasting Night WHERE: The Oak Barrel, 152 Elizabeth St, Sydney 2000 WHEN: Tuesday 17 October, 6.15pm for a 6.30pm start PRICE: Members $90 / Non-Members $100 TICKETS: [BUY MEMBERS] [BUY GUEST]

The Oak Barrel is one of Sydney’s oldest bottle stores, having remained independent since its foundation in 1956. Specialists in single malt whisky, small batch wine and craft beer, they hold regular tasting events in their CBD Cellar Room. Home of the Sydney Whisky Fair, the store was named ALIA Australian Bottle Store of the year in 2016 and Highly Recommended in the 2018 Icons Of Whisky Awards.