Edinburgh’s Scotch Whisky Experience Invests in the Future

This year will see a major investment, anticipated to be in the region of £3 million, in one of Scotland’s premier visitor destinations. The Scotch Whisky Experience is a five-star attraction operating from the top of Edinburgh’s busy Royal Mile.

The Experience has been educating and enthusing visitors about Scotch whisky for over 30 years already welcoming more than 8.5 million visitors from around the globe, in addition the Amber Restaurant and Whisky Bar accommodate corporate events and private dinners.

The Scotch Whisky Experience brings the joys of Scotland’s whisky heritage to a worldwide audience. The substantial investment of £3 million will enhance the visitor experience, with work already underway, this will reflect the premium nature of Scotch whisky. With tour options to suit both whisky lovers and those with a passing interest, the new tour experience will include technology not yet seen at a visitor experience in the UK.

Susan Morrison, Chief Executive of The Scotch Whisky Experience, said “we’ll be creating a theatrical and magical experience to tell the story of Scotch whisky production, blended with technologies which we believe have never before been used in a visitor experience. Our team have been nurturing this vision since well before the pandemic, and excitement is building. We can’t tell you more yet, but we promise that what we have in store will be breathtaking and truly unique.” 

The Scotch Whisky Experience was first created when 19 individual Scotch whisky companies jointly invested in showcasing the industry to international visitors. The Scotch Whisky Experience remains a key partner for the industry. Representing a significant proportion of the Scotch whisky distillers companies, the experience has new distillers joining all the time as more and more distilleries are built all across Scotland.

The Scotch whisky industry is a very considerable player in both Scotland and the UK representing £5.5 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the economy with 11,000 people directly employed in Scotland, 7,000 of those jobs in rural areas. In 2021, Scotch Whisky accounted for a remarkable 22% of all UK food & drink exports.

(Source: Scotch Whisky Association, Jan-Dec 2021 data)

Education is a key ingredient in the success of Scotch whisky with its unique and complex heritage. The product of the distillation of water, barley and yeast it encompasses a huge range of possible expressions based on differences of age, source of ingredients, region, type of maturation and the production process itself. The industry offer includes many varieties of single malts, product of just one distillery, and a huge range of blended whiskies made by the highly-skilled Master Blenders. The Scotch Whisky Experience’s new investment is destined to bring even more visitors into this extraordinary world of Scotland’s whisky heritage.

Work commenced in early January and will be completed by Summer 2023. Any disruptive work will be undertaken outside opening hours and will not impact on tour experiences, Amber restaurant or private events.

NOTES 

The Scotch Whisky Experience is a five-star visitor attraction, where visitors learn how Scotch Whisky is produced, situated on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. As well as tours and tastings, guests can purchase whisky and souvenirs in the shop or enjoy a meal at the Amber Restaurant.

The Scotch Whisky Experience is also home to one of the largest whisky collections in the world, The Diageo Claive Vidiz Scotch Whisky Collection.

The Experience is available in 20 languages with family-friendly and tailored tours and is fully wheelchair accessible.

Open daily with tours available from 10:00 – 17:00

(extended hours at weekends and high season)

Tours range from £21.00 per person and are available to book online at: www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk

DANCING GOAT PRESENTS SERIES LAUNCH

The Dancing Goat Distillery® is proud to present our sourced whiskey inventory: 4,500 barrels of uniquely aged whiskey stocks. This multi-year series will feature 16 mash bills with ages ranging from 6-21 years. Composed of multiple vertical series, boundary bending blends, and one-off releases; the Dancing Goat Presents collection will highlight our blending and finishing skills as we patiently wait to share our own aged distillates.

The first Dancing Goat Presents release will feature a 21-year-old light whiskey. Bottled non-filtered at 126.4 proof, Very Old Goat features notes of syrupy sweet oak, toasty oak, robust caramel, honey, pepper, and light fruit. Very Old Goat will be available online at Seelbach’s and Shared Pour on March 31^st. A limited quantity of 36 bottles will be available on a first come first served basis at the Dancing Goat Distillery at 6pm on March 30^th for $200. Distillery visitors will also have the opportunity for pre-market purchase of the second Dancing Goat Presents release, a 7-year port finished rye coined I Would Rye 4 U. The second release will be made available online and in Wisconsin and Illinois later in April.

Please join us for a celebration of Indiana’s finest bounty and follow @DancingGoatDistillery.

ABOUT DANCING GOAT DISTILLERY

Dancing Goat Distillery is in Cambridge, Wisconsin. The proud producers of Limousin Rye and Death’s Door Gin, the facility spans 34,000 square feet with four stills in operation. Over 7,000 barrels of whiskey are aging in the state’s first true Kentucky style open-air rickhouse. The Dancing Goat Distillery offers tours, guided tastings and a gin academy where guests can craft their own bottle of gin. For more information, please visit www.dancinggoat.com or email info@dancinggoat.com

Lux Row Distillers introduces Rebel 100 Rye

Latest Rebel brand-family variant elevates the proof – and taste – following in the footsteps of its bourbon namesake

ST.LOUIS (March 16, 2023) – Lux Row Distillers announced the newest variant in the Rebel brand family: Rebel 100 Straight Rye Whiskey. Rebel 100 Rye is set to reach retail shelves across the country later this month at a suggested retail price of $19.99 per 750 ml bottle.

Rebel 100 Straight Rye Whiskey delivers smooth, spicy rye flavor via its 51% rye, 45% corn and 4% malt mash bill. Offered at 100 proof, Rebel 100 Rye features a spicy nose that opens into rich rye flavor balanced by hints of vanilla.

“Based on the continued success of both Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, we’ve elevated the proof of its rye counterpart,” said Eric Winter, brand manager for Rebel. “Rebel 100 Rye drinkers still will enjoy the award-winning smooth, spicy rye flavor of Rebel Rye at a proof level that amplifies its taste profile and stands out even better in classic cocktails.”

About Luxco

Founded in St. Louis in 1958 by the Lux Family, Luxco is a leading producer, supplier, importer and bottler of beverage alcohol products. Our mission is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of consumers, associates and business partners. Merged with MGP Ingredients, Inc. in 2021 (Nasdaq: MGPI), Luxco operates as MGP’s Brands Division and manages all MGP/Luxco brands. This extensive and award-winning spirits portfolio includes well-known brands from four distilleries: Bardstown, Kentucky-based Lux Row Distillers, home of Ezra Brooks, Rebel, Blood Oath, David Nicholson and Daviess County; Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery, maker of Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey and Bowling & Burch Gin; Jalisco, Mexico-based Destiladora González Lux, producer of 100% agave tequilas, El Mayor, Exotico and Dos Primos; and Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where the George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Rossville Union Straight Rye Whiskey are produced. The innovative and high-quality brand portfolio also includes Everclear Grain Alcohol, Pearl Vodka, Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream, The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey, Green Hat Gin and other well-recognized brands. For more information about the company and its brands, visit luxco.com.

Statement from Kentucky’s Bourbon Industry

on House Passage of HB 5

“The Kentucky Distillers’ Association thanks and applauds the Kentucky House of Representatives for passage of the common-sense compromise to House Bill 5, a long-term phase out of Kentucky’s discriminatory barrel tax on Bourbon that no distiller pays anywhere else in the world.

“We appreciate the leadership of A&R Chairman Jason Petrie and House Speaker David Osborne who put forth this compromise which addresses funding issues with schools, local fire and emergency services, and barrels under industrial revenue bond contracts.

“Distillers will continue to pay the punitive tax over the next 17 years, giving local communities a significant influx of revenue and ample time to diversify their budgets and plan for the future without having to depend on the success of a single industry.

“Most importantly, schools will be held harmless under the companion House Bill 447 should their funding decrease over the phase out. And distillers will be required to honor IRB contracts and commitments by continuing to pay taxes on those barrels.

“The KDA and its members have always asked to be treated just like every other industry in Kentucky. No other manufacturer pays taxes on its goods during production. Taxes aren’t levied on vehicles rolling down the assembly line, dish washers as they are being built, or tobacco drying in the barn.

“The distilling industry is the highest-taxed large manufacturing industry in Kentucky, and our companies already pay a multitude of other taxes like all other businesses including property, sales and use, local occupational taxes plus alcohol license fees at the state and local levels.

“Bourbon has been blessed with historic growth over the last decade, but Kentucky continues to lose out on the next generation of distillers and those jobs and investments. They are simply not coming to Kentucky, and the Bourbon barrel tax is a main reason why.

“Thank you to all House members who voted for these critical measures.

“We urge the Senate to pass House Bills 5 and 447 and keep Kentucky the one, true home of Bourbon.”

— KDA President Eric Gregory

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association that passionately unites, promotes, protects and elevates the Commonwealth’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from legendary, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s timeless craft and treasured economic engine. The KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving.

The Rarest Midleton Very Rare In The World?

Four fantastic new bottles are available to buy now on the Mark Littler Shop, including a Midleton Very Rare 1988. 

The Mark Littler Shop is infamous for listing incredibly rare and collectable whiskies such as the Balvenie 1937 50 YO (sold in 2021) and the Springbank 1919 50 YO (sold in 2022). Now another spectacularly rare bottling is available for one lucky purchaser, the Midleton Very Rare 1988.

The Midleton Very Rare 1988 is perhaps the rarest release in the series, the first of which was the 1984 release. It is said that only one cask was bottled for the 1988 version, hence the fact that this bottle has only appeared at auction 16 times since 2009. When the bottle does appear at auction, it sells almost exclusively in Ireland, making this UK-based opportunity one that shouldn’t be missed.

This particular bottle was purchased by Mark Littler Ltd’s client in Dublin in 1991 for just £32 whilst the family were in Dublin celebrating a birthday and is available to buy now on the Mark Littler Shop. 

Also available to buy on the Mark Littler Shop are two Macallan James Bond 60th Anniversary bottles. These bottlings were released via ballot on the Macallan website in September 2022 to great fanfare, and prices on the secondary market skyrocketed within days. Is there a gap in your collection?

The Macallan James Bond Decade IV and Decade V are now available to buy on the Mark Littler Shop.

And finally, a stunning Dalmore 1973 33 Year Old is also available to purchase. Dalmore distillery is often credited with being the first distillery in Scotland to perform a luxury rebrand in the year 2005. As such, the twelve-point stag has become synonymous with the brand. This beautifully presented vintage whisky sold just 5 times in 2022 and is now available to buy.

The Mark Littler Shop carries rare and collectable Scotch, Irish, Canadian, and Japanese whiskies with free UK delivery and 1-3 day shipping.

About Mark Littler Limited

Mark Littler is an independent whisky broker, market analyst and consultant with over a decade of experience in the industry. Each week he publishes new videos on his YouTube channel about topics such as cask investment fraud (and how to avoid it), the history of distilleries and bottles, debunking whisky investment myths and much more. For more information visit www.marklittler.com

If you are interested in the Macallan James Bond Series or would like to chat to one of the team about our other services, please get in touch.

Email: whisky@marklittler.com

Telephone: 01260 218 718

Melbourne-based whisky website, Skull and Barrel, has launched its own retail site offering a comprehensive selection of rare, old, and collectible whiskies and spirits. With over 15 years of experience, the company’s team is passionate about connecting these rare bottles with those who share their enthusiasm, and actively supports customers in their aims, whether that be consuming, collecting, or investing.

Skull and Barrel’s range includes The Macallan, Ardbeg, Springbank, and Glenfiddich, with an emphasis on limited edition and rare bottles. They offer a range of services, including valuations, selling collections of bottles, and queries about buying.

A spokesperson for Skull and Barrel said, “We are excited to launch our own retail site and bring our passion for old, rare, and collectible whiskies to a wider audience. Our aim is to make the market more accessible to buyers and sellers of any background and geography, and to connect these rare bottles with those who share our passion.”

Skull and Barrel’s range of Macallan whiskies is particularly noteworthy, with a wide variety of vintages and expressions available, including rare and limited editions.

Springbank, another of the company’s featured distilleries, is known for its small-batch, handcrafted approach, producing some of the most highly regarded whiskies in Scotland. Skull and Barrel’s selection of Springbank whiskies includes rare and hard-to-find bottles, making it a must-visit destination for whisky enthusiasts.

Skull and Barrel’s expertise, knowledge, and commitment to quality make it a go-to destination for rare and collectible whiskies and spirits. For more information about Skull and Barrel and their range of whiskies and spirits, please visit their website or contact the team directly.

www.skullandbarrel.com.au
2/31 Makland Drive
Derrimut, 3026, Victoria,
Australia
sales@skullandbarrel.com.au

Caskshare Pairs Its One-Off Whiskies With Adventures In Art

Driven by a passion to share the magic of incredible rare whiskies, the team at Caskshare are embarking on a series of collaborations with bright young visual artists.

Specially created artworks will feature on the labels of Caskshare’s releases from January 2023, showcasing the designs of a collective of talented illustrators, the first of which are Martha Duncan, Phoebe Phillips and Evie Grace.

Each of their labels incorporates a different element reflecting the enjoyment of special whiskies – and offers an adventure for the senses.

Caskshare’s single-cask-to-glass service invites adventurous drinkers to sample a share of a truly unique whisky from a one-of-a-kind cask before it’s even bottled.

Making owning single cask malts accessible to everyone from collectors to the whisky curious, the premise is simple: one share = one bottle and single-bottle shares start from as little as £40.

Collaboration .1 – ‘Home’ by Martha Duncan, Blended 9 Year-Old Malt (for Collective members only)

The Glasgow School of Art graduate’s fun, colourful designs take inspiration from human quirks, overheard conversations, architecture and animals and she works mainly using the linocut printmaking technique and digital art.

Martha’s design for Caskshare depicts the beautiful Edinburgh New Town townhouse which is home to Caskshare.

Martha said: “I often use Scottish motifs, including tenement buildings, in my own illustrative work which makes the piece a perfect collaboration between myself and Caskshare.”

@marthaduncan.studio

www.marthaduncanstudio.com

Collaboration .2 – ‘Out of this World’, Phoebe Phillips, Agitator, £75

(a second work by Phoebe also features on Agitator’s Swedish Four Grain Whisky, £75)

Phoebe Phillips is an illustrator and screen printer based in Somerset. Drawing on inspiration from pop culture – past and present – she reimagines nostalgic curiosities with an unmissable vibrancy through illustration and hand-crafted screen printing.

Her love of the weird and wonderful pours through in her custom designs for these sister Caskshare labels. Depicted in her distinctively retro style of illustration, the labels combine to show a space robot and astronaut enjoying an out of this world whisky in an out of this world setting, together.

Phoebe turned to the pages of her vintage comic book collection to seek other-worldly inspiration which she realised initially in pencil. With the concept defined, she moved into Illustrator, selecting a bold and beautiful colour palette that reflects the tasting notes of the whiskey itself. The pieces were then finished with an intricate stipple shading to add depth and dimension to the artworks.

www.phoebephillips.co.uk.

Collaboration .3 – ‘Bothy’, Evie Grace, Daluaine, £85

Scottish freelance illustrator and designer Evie is currently based in Bristol and shares stories through bold, honest and witty concepts.

Evie’s inspiration comes from what’s going on in the world whether linked to the environmental or social, and from the stories she collects through life experiences and conversations.

A keen outdoor and cold-water swimming enthusiast, Evie said: “Whisky and adventures are one and the same for me – a Scottish bothy with a whisky is the perfect combination. I wanted to show both the magic of Scotland and the magic of adventures by adding mystical twists to the starry bothy scene.”

www.eviegraceillustration.com

@eviegraceillustration

Amy Macrae, Marketing Manager at Caskshare, said of the collaborations: “For us, whisky is about community, individuality and craftsmanship, and we’ve invited artists to help us convey this by sharing their work on our bottles.  Their designs are bright and beautiful expressions of what’s inside, taking elements from Scottish culture, myth and the feeling of ‘home’, along with playful takes on the experience of drinking whisky.

“We can’t wait to embark further on this journey, amplifying up-and-coming talent and sharing this range with the world.”

Further artists and label designs will be announced and updated over coming months, with full details at www.caskshare.com.

About Caskshare

It’s not just the angels who take a share of every cask, with Caskshare now everyone can. Offering a ‘cask to glass’ service, Caskshare makes it simple for anyone to have a share of fine and rare single malts. The premise is simple. One share = one bottle and single-bottle shares start from as little as £40.

Selling one-of-a-kind whiskies by the bottle opens up a world of possibilities – bottle shares can be bought for one cask, across a portfolio of malts or distilleries meaning buyers can stick to what they know and like or embark on a journey of flavour exploration, to enjoy for themselves, to keep or to gift.

How Caskshare works

Lowering the barrier of entry to cask ownership opens up a world of possibilities – bottle shares can be invested in one cask, one distillery, across a portfolio of malts or distilleries meaning buyers can stick to what they know and like or embark on a journey of flavour exploration, to enjoy for themselves, to keep for a long-term investment or to gift.

What are we drinking?

Since 2019, the stable of new-wave Scottish distilleries represented by Caskshare has grown to twelve: Annandale (Lowland), Arbikie (Highland), Ardnamurchan (Highland), Benriach (Speyside), Caol Ila (Islay), Cambus (Lowland), Glen Moray (Speyside), Glenwyvis (Highland), Holyrood (Lowland), Isle of Raasay (Highland), North Point (rum) and Tullibardine (Highland).

Caskshare also acts as an independent bottler, buying rare single malt casks direct from distilleries to enable people to get a taste of one-of-a-kind whiskies that can’t be found anywhere else. Its expanding range includes the oldest Port Charlotte on the market and GlenWyvis 3YO Pedro Ximenez (£95) and 7YO First-Fill Rum Cask (£85).

www.caskshare.com

@thecaskshare (Twitter)

@caskshare (Instagram and Facebook)

HUNGARIAN OAK AMID NEW ADDITIONS

TO GLENALLACHIE’S VIRGIN OAK SERIES

The Speyside-based distillery introduces three new single malts

finished in Scottish, Hungarian and Spanish virgin oak 

Independent Scotch whisky distillery The GlenAllachie today reveals a new trio of limited-edition single malts joining its Virgin Oak Series.

The next tranche of whiskies includes the 8-year-old Scottish Virgin Oak Finish (UK RRSP £65.99), the 7-year-old Hungarian Virgin Oak Finish (UK RRSP £62.99) and the 10-year-old Spanish Virgin Oak Finish (UK RRSP £69.99).

‘Virgin oak’ refers to wood that has not previously been used to age any other wine or spirit; thus, the influence it has on the whisky is that of the oak alone.

The GlenAllachie’s Virgin Oak Series sets out to explore the impact of oak provenance, terroir and genus on flavour development during the whisky maturation process.

The three unusual cask types were adeptly obtained by Scotch whisky industry stalwart Billy Walker who has built a reputation, during his half-century-long career, for peerless wood innovation.

To create the triad of new whiskies, the spirit was first matured in American Oak (Quercus Alba) ex-Bourbon Barrels before undergoing a finishing period of approximately 18 months in the different oak varieties.

The 8-year-old Scottish Virgin Oak Finish enjoyed secondary ageing in Sessile Oak (Quercus Petraea) sourced from the Atlantic coast of Scotland.

Scottish oak is rarely used for cask production due to its tendency to knot as it grows, creating challenges in crafting staves; its porosity, boosting the chances of leakages; and its pronounced scarcity, commanding an eye-wateringly high price.

Before being filled, the wood was naturally air-dried for 36 months, allowing for further development of flavour characteristics, then toasted and charred to a medium level.

The 7-year-old Hungarian Virgin Oak Finish underwent an 18-month-long stint in Quercus Petraea from the Zemplén forest in the mountains of northeast Hungary.

A highly unusual oak type for Scotch whisky maturation, The GlenAllachie are among the first producers to experiment with the use of virgin Hungarian wood.

The rocky volcanic soil, along with the colder climate and higher altitude in which it grows, means trees in the area grow very slowly, developing tighter grain: a desirable trait for ageing spirit.

The 10-year-old Spanish Virgin Oak Finish used hogsheads made of Quercus Robur from the Spanish Cantabrian mountains with a cool yet humid climate.

The oak was dried in open air for 18 months, then subsequently toasted and charred, to open up the pores for flavour extraction by the whisky.

All three of the single malts were bottled at a high strength of 48% ABV, without added colouring or chill filtration.

Reflecting on the new product innovations, Walker comments:

“Virgin oak of varying provenance presents endless possibilities to me as a whisky maker. Exploring a variety of oak types, toasting and charring the casks to particular levels, and then closely observing the spirit development over time has been a truly joyful experience.

“These three new bottlings embody the range of flavours offered by oaks of different origins. From the Scottish, expect notes of biscuit, pear and gingerbread; the Hungarian boasts waves of lemon juice, cinnamon and raisins; and the Spanish oak has imparted bursts of toffee sauce and ripe banana. Each is as uniquely enticing as the last.”

The launch coincides with the release of Batch 9 of The GlenAllachie 10-year-old Cask Strength (UK RRSP £68.99); an expression which was previously crowned World’s Best Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards in 2021 for its fourth iteration.

With UK RRSPs starting at £62.99, The GlenAllachie’s new Virgin Oak Finishes and the 10-year-old Cask Strength Batch 9 will begin hitting shelves from today, with global specialist retailers receiving stock in the coming weeks.

ABOUT GLENALLACHIE:

One of Scotland’s few independently owned and managed distilleries, The GlenAllachie is led by industry veteran, Billy Walker, who boasts over a half-century’s tenure in whisky. With an emphasis on wood policy, The GlenAllachie’s cask budget for 2023 stands at an eye-watering £2.7m/$3.3m. With 16 on-site warehouses holding over 50,000 casks, we have complete control of the end-to-end maturation process.

The GlenAllachie focusses on quality over quantity, which is why we chose to reduce our production capacity from 4million to around 800,000 Litres of Alcohol and increase our fermentation period to 160 hours for an ester rich, fruity spirit.

We believe age and integrity matter, which is why all our whiskies carry an age statement, and are bottled at a minimum of 46% ABV, natural colour and non-chill filtered for maximum flavour experience.

Our other brands are MacNair’s Boutique House of Spirits – encompassing Lum Reek Blended Malt Scotch Whisky and White Heather Blended Scotch Whisky.

Further information on the distillery and company can be found at www.theglenallachie.com

Facebook – @TheGlenAllachie    |    Twitter – @TheGlenAllachie    |    Instagram – @theglenallachie_

TASTING NOTES

The GlenAllachie 8-year-old Scottish Virgin Oak Finish – 48% ABV

Colour: Golden Sunset.

Nose: Bursting with baked oats, butterscotch and toffee, with notes of cinnamon, gingersnaps and heather honey.

Taste: Lashings of heather honey, orchard fruits and lemon zest, followed by white chocolate, cinnamon and ginger, with toffee and butterscotch on the finish.

The GlenAllachie 7-year-old Hungarian Virgin Oak Finish – 48% ABV

Colour: Golden.

Nose: Bursting with butterscotch, citrus and milk chocolate, with cinnamon, raisins, orchard fruits and ginger.

Taste: Lashings of heather honey and cinnamon, followed by chocolate, lemon drops and caramelised brown sugar.

The GlenAllachie 10-year-old Spanish Virgin Oak Finish – 48% ABV

Colour: Mahogany.

Nose: Lashings of orchard fruits, baking spices and sticky toffee pudding, with notes of brown sugar, glazed cherries and citrus.

Taste: Bursting with chocolate, coffee and heather honey, followed by notes of pepper, ginger and molasses, with banana and sultanas on the finish.