Diageo Special Releases 2015 – first look

Each year, Diageo launches a small number of limited-edition whiskies from its distilleries under the Special Releases banner. None have ever been seen before, so unsurprisingly, interest (and demand) is high when they hit the market.

There are nine single malts in the 2015 Diageo Special Releases line-up
I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of this year’s Special Releases that we’ll be stocking over the next few weeks. The whiskies are a mixture of ages (and price brackets), from both closed and operating distilleries, and this year, there are nine new whiskies to taste. They are:

Brora 37 Year Old, 50.4% ABV, 2,976 bottles (RRP £1,300)
Caol Ila 17 Year Old, 55.9%, ‘limited availability’ (£90)
The Cally 40 Year Old, 53.3%, 5,060 bottles (£750)
Clynelish Select Reserve, 56.1%, 2,946 bottles (£550)
Dailuaine 34 Year Old, 50.9%, 2,952 bottles (£380)
Dalwhinnie 25 Year Old, 48.8%, 5,916 bottles (£325)
Lagavulin 12 Year Old, 56.8%, ‘limited quantities available’ (£80)
Pittyvaich 25 Year Old, 49.9%, 5,922 bottles (£250)
Port Ellen 32 Year Old, 53.9%, 2,964 bottles (£2,400)

I’ll talk about the whiskies in the order they were presented on the night, with expert comments from Diageo master blender Maureen Robinson.

THE CALLY 40 YEAR OLD, 53.3%, 5,060 BOTTLES

A single grain whisky from Caledonian distillery, and a Special Releases newcomer. Big aromas of toffee popcorn on the nose, with grilled pineapple, rice pudding, cream and honeycomb, but fresh, not heavy. Toasty and oaky on the palate freshened up with melon and lime-zest notes.
Maureen Robinson: ‘Caledonian grain is renowned for being very sweet and buttery’

DALWHINNIE 25 YEAR OLD, 48.8%, 5,916 BOTTLES

Dalwhinnie is sometimes regarded as a beginner’s whisky, or one to convert non-whisky drinkers. This particular bottling would definitely convert the doubters, with its swathe of honeyed fruit on the nose – plum, greengage, strawberries and melon – along with vanilla, toast and egg custard. Rather punchier on the palate, with black pepper, green-apple skin and a touch of liquorice.
MR: ‘Adding water really emphasises the citrus and oaky notes’

CLYNELISH SELECT RESERVE, 56.1%, 2,946 BOTTLES

Eyebrows were raised when a NAS version of Clynelish made an appearance last year – until people tasted it. It was one of the big hits, and the 2015 bottling is equal to it. This Clynelish is a blend of four different ages, with the youngest being 15 years old. On the nose, there’s fresh citrus in the form of lemon and grapefruit, then the trademark waxiness kicks in along with toffee notes. The palate delivers soft citrus fruit, orange oil, wax jackets, green apple and a creamy mouthfeel. Absolutely delicious.
MR: ‘We’ve really dialled up the waxiness with this one’

PITTYVAICH 25 YEAR OLD, 49.9%, 5,922 BOTTLES

Pittyvaich distillery closed in 1993. Maureen informed us that while it was running, fermentation times were shorter than other sites, and the stills were run a little harder, giving a ‘more flavoursome’ spirit. This 25-year-old bottling has a delicious nose of nutty cereal and almonds, mango and lemon tart, with a fruit-salad palate of lemon and orange with nut praline and toffee. Not a big-flavoured malt, but very moreish.
MR: ‘My usual description is nutty, like a malt spirit character, and cake mix, when you’re baking a cake and you open the oven door halfway through’

DAILUAINE 34 YEAR OLD, 50.9%, 2,952 BOTTLES

Dailuaine is one of the lesser-known Diageo distilleries, with precious little of its output bottled as a single malt, but the ones I’ve tried (albeit just a handful) have all impressed. This SR bottling is a full-flavoured dram – dense, with cured meat, dark gingerbread, rich dried fruit on the nose, then a big-hearted palate of chocolate orange, citrus-tinged ham, leather and tobacco. Alluring and classy.
MR: ‘With water, it goes from fruity to meaty’

CAOL ILA 17 YEAR OLD, 55.9%, ‘LIMITED AVAILABILITY’

Unpeated versions of Caol Ila have appeared regularly in SR tastings, although many have had a smokier edge than expected. This bottling starts off with beautiful aromas of wispy smoke, along with gingerbread, asphalt and a touch of sweet-cured meat. Then I get smoked fish, lemon oil and tarry rope, with a rich fruitiness in the background. One for trivia fans: Diageo were keen to label this whisky ‘Highland Style’, but the Scotch Whisky Association wouldn’t allow it.
MR: ‘This is what I term as “my fresh air”. I get sweetness and the dying embers of a fire’

BRORA 37 YEAR OLD, 50.4% ABV, 2,976 BOTTLES

This year’s Brora release is its oldest to date. Very characterful nose of leather books, bonfires, cured meat, forest floor and a touch of coffee and mocha. Fruitier than expected on the palate, then the smoke begins to build, with a little wax and black pepper. Clean and precise, with some lemon freshness running through its core, helping to balance this rather sturdy dram nicely.

 MR: ‘When I nosed this, I got “old leather”’

LAGAVULIN 12 YEAR OLD, 56.8%, ‘LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE’

The 12 Year Old Lagavulin is a familiar SR release, and is always popular. This year’s bottling starts off all fruity and meaty, but the smoke isn’t far behind. Juicy and savoury, this a big, uncompromising whisky. Adding a little water is a good idea, bringing out the fruitiness, something akin to pork terrine with apricots. A lovely dry, smoky finish, with some fruit to soften the mouthfeel.
MR: ‘I normally find Lagavulin 12 has a bit of nose prickle, but this one is quite mellow. One of my descriptions for it used to be “gravy and mashed potatoes”!’

PORT ELLEN 32 YEAR OLD, 53.9%, 2,964 BOTTLES

The final whisky of the tasting was from one of Diageo’s most celebrated distilleries – and certainly its most lamented: Port Ellen. Big, spicy, smoky rich nose – wow! Plenty of cinnamon, juicy fruit, leather, oranges and bonfires. Fuller on the palate, with spicy fruit, Seville oranges, cloves, even a touch a meaty. Big, rich and generous. Adding water softens and sweetens, but also takes the edge off this big-boned dram. I don’t think it needs it.

MR: ‘This one is from 1983 – the year the distillery closed’

In all, a fascinating collection of whiskies, covering all manner of styles. The big names will attract plenty of attention, but for me, the two most interesting whiskies were the Dalwhinnie and the Dailuaine; the former a fruit-filled beauty; the latter a broad-shouldered beast that rewards long contemplation. Keep a look out for all the 2015 Special Releases on The Whisky Exchange website.

Heaven Hill Brings Back Critically Acclaimed Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon After Three Year Hiatus

Famed Distiller Also Continues Releasing Elijah Craig 23-Year-Old Single Barrel

BARDSTOWN, KY—To the delight of scores of Bourbon fans who have lamented its absence, Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon is back. Heaven Hill Brands, the nation’s largest independent family owned and operated distilled spirits supplier, is once again offering the highly sought after and critically acclaimed American Whiskey after a three year hiatus due to inventory shortages. A past winner of the “Best Bourbon” award at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel was first introduced by Heaven Hill in 1994, and quickly gained legendary status at a time when super-premium Bourbon offerings were few and far between. As demand for the rare whiskey grew, along with growing demand for Heaven Hill’s other super-premium Bourbons, there were simply not enough 18-year-old barrels that met the Master Distiller’s strict quality standards, so the bottling was discontinued in 2012. Since then, stocks have come back into line, allowing Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel to again be offered on a limited national basis at a suggested retail price of $120 for the 750ml bottle. Heaven Hill also announced it is re-releasing a limited number of barrels of Elijah Craig 23-Year-Old Single Barrel, which has been bottled, also in limited quantities, since 2013 and carries a suggested retail price of $199.

Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel quickly gained a cult following upon its release as the oldest single barrel Bourbon on the market, and one that garnered multiple medals and awards throughout the nation and the world. It captured Double Gold/Best Bourbon at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and was named one of the top 50 spirits by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Arguably a victim of its own success, the brand was furloughed just as the high-end Bourbon market exploded, and since then connoisseurs have consistently inquired about when it might return.

Heaven Hill will be releasing only about 15,000 750ml bottles of Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel this fall, packed in a three bottle case, and it will be available in most major metro markets nationwide on an allocated basis. The face label has been slightly altered since its last appearance in 2012, with the logotype now echoing the same Elijah Craig typographic treatment as the Elijah Craig Small Batch, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, and the Elijah Craig 23-Year-Old Single Barrel. The new Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel now presents a consistent family look with the 23-Year-Old Single Barrel, with the former using a blue and copper colored face label and the latter a green and copper color palette.

The selection process for the Elijah Craig Single Barrel is one of the most stringent at Heaven Hill. From an aging inventory of 1.1 million barrels, the second largest American Whiskey holdings in the world, Master Distillers Craig Beam and Denny Potter select only barrels that have rested at low storage, and then further choose only those that meet their strict nosing and taste criteria. While taste nuances will vary slightly from one barrel to the other, as they should in a single barrel offering, in general they have selected for complex, multi-layered taste profiles that balance the 18 years in new charred oak with sweet and spicy grain notes. As befits a Bourbon that has seen 72 variable Kentucky seasons, the finish is long and warm.

The Elijah Craig 23-Year-Old Single Barrel is even more limited in quantity than the 18-Year-Old. The additional five years of maturation gives the 23-Year-Old a honeyed, dry oakiness, while still retaining the spicy and long finish.

“We at Heaven Hill have been offering aged Bourbons and single barrel bottlings as old as 18, 23, or even 27 years, for longer than anyone else,” noted Susan Wahl, Senior Brand Manager for Whiskeys at Heaven Hill Brands. “Our experience in this arena, along with our renowned quality standards and inventory of over one million aging barrels, means we can select and bottle extra-aged Bourbons that are unlike any others in the world, and provide a unique tasting experience for the true aficionado. This is really showcased in the Elijah Craig 18 and 23-Year-Old Single Barrel bottlings.”

Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams Bourbon; Larceny, Elijah Craig and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Deep Eddy Vodka; Burnett’s Vodkas and Gin; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; Hpnotiq Liqueur; The Christian Brothers Brandies; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur; Lunazul Tequila; Cinerator Hot Cinnamon Flavored Whiskey and Rittenhouse Rye Whisky.

Exclusive Hillrock Double Cask Rye now at Park Ave.

It’s a ‘Single’ of a ‘Double’.

We can explain*.  We’ve been fans of Master Distiller Dave Pickerell’s work at Hillrock ever since their first batches were released. However, the ‘Double Cask Rye’ quickly became a store favorite. So when the opportunity arose to own a singular batch of “Double Cask” – we jumped on it. After tasting samples from different barrel batches we decided that Barrel #51 needed to be ours.

*Like all other Hillrock Double Cask Rye bottlings – #51 was matured in traditional oak casks before being ‘double’-barreled, or finished, in a secondary cask. The second barrel is American oak that has been charred with a #4 char. In addition, the staves within the secondary cask are air-seasoned for over two years prior to the casks’ assembly.

See below, for a photo of this exclusive as well a special ‘Exclusive – Exclusive Offer’.

Cheers!
Jonathan & Eric
The Park Avenue Liquor Shop
270 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212-685-2442
jonathan@parkaveliquor.com
eric@parkaveliquor.com
www.parkaveliquor.com

Park Avenue Liquor Shop’s ~ Hillrock, Double Cask Rye (#51) has a rich golden brown color. Aromas include sweet vanilla and caramel along with stewed fruits like prunes and apricots. On the palate are flavors of clove, baking spice, cinnamon and butterscotch. At 90 proof – it leads to a long, warming finish.

$96 per bottle

Here’s an Special Offer for our online customers. Order any of select Park Avenue Liquor Shop exclusive bottlings on our site ~ and receive 10% off. (discount applies to listed exclusives only) USE DISCOUNT CODE: EXCLUSIVE

The discount applies (only) to the following Park Avenue Liquor Shop exclusives:

Hillrock Estate Park Avenue Liquor Shop Exclusive Cask #51 ~ Double Cask Rye

High West Double Rye Whiskey Manhattan Barrel Finish Park Avenue Exclusive

Fuenteseca Reserva Estate Bottled Extra Anejo Reserva~ Park Avenue Liquor Shop Exclusive

Angels Envy Port Barrel Finish Park Avenue Liquor Shop Exclusive Micro Blend

Bushmills Single Cask-Rum Finish-Park Avenue Liquor Shop Exclusive

Germain-Robin Batch 2012F Barrel 124 Park Avenue Liquor Shop Exclusive

Christian Drouin Coeur De Lion Rum Cask Finish – Calvados Park Avenue Liquor Shop Exclusive

Paulet Grande Champagne Lot PALS – Park Avenue Liquor Shop Exclusive

Once again this discount offer is while supplies of each item listed lasts or the end of October – whichever comes first. Discount applies ONLY to listed items and CANNOT applied to any other bottles. We are not responsible for any typographical errors or THIS. Please contact the store with any questions.

LIMITED EDITION THREE SHIPS SINGLE CASK LAUNCHED 

Three Ships Whisky, the pioneer of the South African whisky industry, has made history yet again with the launch of a rare single cask single malt whisky to showcase the extraordinary whisky crafted at The James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington.

Only 800 bottles of the Three Ships 10 Year Old Single Malt Single Cask PX Finish whisky, bottled by hand and numbered, have been released by master distiller Andy Watts. Distilled in 2005, the whisky was initially matured for eight years and ten months in American oak where after a small quantity was selected to spend a further 14 months in a cask in which Pedro Ximenez (PX) sherry had previously been matured.

The whisky forms part of the Masters Collection which will see a limited edition being launch, each year, over the next years under the Three Ships brand.

Presented in its purist form, the whisky is un-chillfiltered, natural in colour and bottled at 46.2% alcohol by volume to enhance the complexity and flavours of this elegant malt.

Says Andy: “Local whisky lovers have long been asking me to produce something extra special and while cask finishes have been produced for many years around the globe, it was time for Three Ships to make history for the South African whisky industry. Although the challenges presented by different cask finishes have occupied us for a number of years, we didn’t want to release a new whisky just to satisfy the demand. The product had to be right in every aspect and I believe what we have here was certainly worth the wait.”

Andy experimented with various casks for a few years before selecting the PX for the particular effect it has on whiskies with a presence of smoke and peat. “Pedro Ximenez is a white Spanish wine grape varietal used for the production of a sweet-style sherry. The raisiny richness it imparts to the cask was the perfect finishing touch I wanted to complement the smokiness of our single malt with some sweet, nutty flavours.”

Andy selected only a small percentage of the limited edition Three Ships single malt he had been working on at the time (due for release in 2016) to spend a finishing period in a single PX cask.

“The end result has not disappointed and the decision to produce only one cask has turned this whisky into a very rare collector’s item.”

The Three Ships 10 Year Old Single Malt Single Cask PX finish is complex with delicate sweet notes from the sherry cask which lifts the nose with prunes, dates, figs and fruitcake and combines effortlessly with the elegant smokiness of the malt. The whisky is powerful and lingering in its taste and finish.

Available from 27 October only online at http://www.threeshipswhisky.co.za/, Norman Goodfellows, Whisky Brother and http://www.vinoteque.co.za/. The limited edition will retail for about R850.

For more information please visit http://www.themasterscollection.co.za/ and #PXFinish.

Cornelia Parker ‘Blue Luna’ Launch @ Multiplied 2015

Launching ‘Blue Luna’ Single Malt Scotch Whisky,  Matured under the influence of 223 full moons 8 of which are blue. edition of 35 Cornelia Parker 

The time has arrived!

M>A>M is delighted to be presenting ‘Blue Luna’ at Multiplied Art Fair, 2015. A new artist whisky by Cornelia Parker RA OBE, ‘Blue Luna’ will be launched at this years art fair, where you can catch the artist in conversation with Iwona Blazwick OBE director of Whitechapel Gallery, Friday 16th October, at 2:30pm, discussing moon landings, and other lunar activities surrounding Parker’s practice over the years.

For this commission, Parker has been intrigued by whiskies maturation process, how time and more specifically the moon cycle effects the spirit. In a continuation of Parker’s lunar series, this latest work ‘Blue Luna’ is very much a time orientated piece. The artist asked that we keep the whisky in the cask, (distilled at Benrinnes distillery 223 full moons ago) until the next blue moon (31st July 2015). We bottled this fine spirit during this special lunar moment at cask strength 54.5%, we managed to capture 35 bottles unique to this art work. The piece includes a series of 6 lithographs produced by Poligrafa Obra Grafica and a unique photogram, (a piece influenced by the blue moon itself) entitled ‘Bottoms Up’ (whisky glass moon).

If you wish to get your hands on one of these rare specimens, join us at Multiplied art fair 2015, where we will also be showcasing a new work by artist/ film maker Ben Rivers who currently has an excellent solo exhibition at Camden Arts Centre.

As well as the latest pieces by Cornelia Parker and Ben Rivers we will be exhibiting for the first time, all of our back catalogue, which features works by Charles Avery, Rose Wylie, Rodney Graham and Laure Prouvost.  Hope to see you there, Sláinte!

RMW 40 Year Old Three Sherry Cask Blended Malt

Quite frankly, we are delighted with our latest exclusive Royal Mile Whiskies bottling. Three excellent sherry cask matured single malts from the distilleries of Glenrothes, Macallan and Tamdhu have been gently married together to become probably the best value 40 year old malt whisky available in the world today. We’re confident that in this age where any whisky with forty years of maturation can cost big bucks, this simple but elegant bottle (nice label, no expensive box) of unctuous malt will bring big smiles to the faces of many whisky fans. Click through for tasting notes

J. & G. Grant are delighted to announce the new limited edition 1956 Oloroso Sherry Cask. Intended as the second of the series of six special bottlings from the renowned independent distillery, the Grant family are set to continue this collector series with a fantastic 57 year old whisky.

The 1956 Oloroso Sherry Cask has been matured in two sherry hogshead casks and one sherry butt, producing a total of 660 bottles for the world market. A non-chill filtered bottling at 47.5% ABV, this whisky carries an impressive strength for its age. Due to be launched in the UK this autumn, the 1956 will be rolled out across key international markets over the coming months.

George Grant says “For our second release of this family series, which follows up last year’s 1966 Fino Cask, we are proud to go back to our roots of oloroso sherry cask maturation. As promised, this offers a completely different expression to its fino cask predecessor.

It’s a real pleasure to introduce the 1956 Oloroso Sherry Cask, considering that the casks we have from the 1950s are the oldest in our warehouses, we wanted to be sure to incorporate a small vatting of these treasured whiskies as part of this special family series”.

The bottle is packaged in a similar style to the first edition, making it a recognizable product of the range. It is presented in a black leather box with a silver emblem featuring George Grant, second generation of the Grant family who lived during the time period of 1830-1890. Having recently celebrated the 150^th anniversary of family ownership at Glenfarclas earlier this year, the 1956 limited edition marks yet another historic milestone for the Grants much-admired family business.

Glenfarclas Email: info@glenfarclas.co.uk Website: www.glenfarclas.co.uk Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/glenfarclas/ Tel: +44 (0) 1807 500257 Fax: +44 (0) 1807 500234 Address: Glenfarclas Distillery, Ballindalloch, Banffshire AB37 9BD, UK

Glenfarclas 1956 Sherry Casks

The 1956 Oloroso Sherry Cask has been matured in two sherry hogshead casks and one sherry butt, producing a total of 660 bottles for the world market. A non-chill filtered bottling at 47.5% ABV, this whisky carries an impressive strength for its age. George Grant says “For our second release of this family series, which follows up last year’s 1966 Fino Cask, we are proud to go back to our roots of oloroso sherry cask maturation. As promised, this offers a completely different expression to its fino cask predecessor. It’s a real pleasure to introduce the 1956 Oloroso Sherry Cask, considering that the casks we have from the 1950s are the oldest in our warehouses, we wanted to be sure to incorporate a small vatting of these treasured whiskies as part of this special family series”. The bottle is packaged in a similar style to the first edition, making it a recognizable product of the range. It is presented in a black leather box with a silver emblem featuring George Grant, second generation of the Grant family who lived during the time period of 1830-1890. Having recently celebrated the 150th anniversary of family ownership at Glenfarclas earlier this year, the 1956 limited edition marks yet another historic milestone for the Grants much-admired family business.

ONLY ONE LEFT OF OUR ALLOCATION £1895

T.B.Watson Ltd.

• Wild Turkey 17 Year Old Master’s Keep Kentucky Bourbon 750ml ( $129.99) Finding an age statement in today’s Bourbon market is like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Finding one that’s above ten years of age is like finding a needle in a haystack. Because of the current state of affairs, the prices for American whiskey are going bananas. So how is it that Wild Turkey can come in and drop a 17 year old gem of a Bourbon for the same price as some non-age statement MGP-bottled mystery? We weren’t sure, so we headed on down to the distillery recently to try ourselves a pour. Soft, round, and rich on the palate, this is a velvet textured whiskey for those looking for “smooth”. It’s loaded with candy corn, toasted oak, and even a touch of maple syrup on the finish. We visited with Jimmy Russell soon after and it turns out the reduced proof and softness of the spirit came due to the brick warehouses at the Old Taylor site where these casks were kept. It reduced the ABV, rather than increased it because brick does a better job of keeping out the heat, so the low proof is a natural phenomenon of the environment. And it tastes like 17 year old Bourbon with extra weight on the palate and concentration of oak you just don’t find in 10 year old whiskies. I doubt we’ll see anything this good in this quantity any time again soon. For those of you who need that special Bourbon Christmas gift this year, I’d start shopping right now. (David Driscoll).

And so it begins… I hate to admit it but autumn is here, the leaves have changed colour, my heating has been turned on (after a little negotiation!), and very soon winter will arrive. I actually am a bit of a fan of the colder months, for the 1st half of winter we are frantically busy getting your whisky ready in case Santa decides you have been well behaved, and then in January it all slows down a little and we have time to plan new exciting projects for the year ahead.

BRAND NEW RELEASE OF CHAPTER 17

Today sees the release of Chapter 17; this is a first for us and a 1st for England…

A Triple Distilled Single Malt Whisky on general sale. We did release a few samples via the Founders Range a few years ago as an appetiser and the lucky few who got a taste – have been asking for more.

The art of triple distilling is normally the preserve of the Irish but our distillers have unlocked the secret and created an incredibly elegant and delicate whisky which we are all very proud of, again this is a VERY SMALL BATCH OF JUST 900 BOTTLES – so be quick if you want some.

TASTING NOTES

AROMA: Vanilla custard, slightly citrus with a hint of orange, spotted dick and rich dark chocolate. Creamy toffee and butterscotch. Subtle notes of liquorice.
TASTE: Vanilla, light citrus fruits. Slightly dry, dark chocolate, light honey. Again the subtle liquorice is there.

BUY NOW £49.99