GET YOUR 3D GLASSES READY: ANNUAL WHISKY SHOW BOTTLINGS CELEBRATE THE SCIENCE OF FLAVOUR

September 2021: The Whisky Exchange invites whisky-lovers to embark on an adventure of flavour with the launch of a series of single cask bottlings for Whisky Show 2021. Each label design tells a three-dimensional story with superhero characters symbolising the flavour compounds in whisky production.

The theme of this year’s Whisky Show 2021, A Journey Through Flavour, inspired the designs created by Elixir Distillers creative director, Raj ‘MrC’ Chavda exclusively for The Whisky Exchange. He said: “When considering the show theme, I started to think about what makes up flavours and imagined these compounds as the heroes of whisky.”

Raj wanted to experiment with different dimensions using anaglyphs to try and convey depth of flavour. The anaglyph technique uses layered images of contrasting colours – typically red and cyan – that when viewed through 3D glasses trick the eye into perceiving three-dimensional shapes. Just as red and green lines can create an image that appears to leap off the page, so can flavour compounds evoke a favourite fruit, a piece of patisserie, or even a time or place. This illusory quality is a big part of what makes distilled spirits, and whisky in particular, so compelling – these artworks interpret the experience of drinking whisky.

Raj drew inspiration from the so-called silver age of comic books, as he explains: “Once we had the selection of whiskies we tasted them to pair each one with the artwork I’d created. For example, Ardbeg ‘The Phenolic Phantom,’ was easy because it was so distinctive with those smoky phenols – the chemical compounds within the peat smoke that are responsible for the distinctive smoky aromas and flavours.”

Ticket holders for both the physical and virtual Whisky Show 2021 will receive exclusive first access to the whiskies, which will be available via the on-site Whisky Show shop and whiskyexchange.com from 1 October 2021.

For further details: https://whiskyshow.com/london/what-s-on/show-bottlings/

Captain Congener

A Speyside Distillery – 20 Years Old

57.6% | 70cl | £135

Congener is the blanket term given to the flavour compounds that characterise our favourite drams. They are the chemicals that bring to mind tropical fruit or salt sprayed beaches and smoky hearths. This Speyside malt has a secret identity, though its particular combination of congeners might be familiar to keen-nosed whisky fans.

Nose: A balance of raisin fruitiness and savoury leafy bracken notes. Fruity cherries, and buttery an almondy Cherry Bakewells build. Green and leafy notes hide beneath, joined by runny caramel, stewed apple and white-wine-poached pears.

Palate: Buttered sponge cake, candied orange, butter cream and baking spice. Rich and creamy notes build, followed by sweet apple and pear jam, a touch of blackcurrant and some barrel char. Buttered malt loaf, mincemeat and more spice bring up the rear.

Finish: Blackcurrant on spiced fruit loaf. Damp oak and lingering leafiness.

Ester Elektron

Bunnahabhain Distillery – 19 Years Old

54.3% | 70cl | £150

What we might perceive in our glasses as pineapple or almond pastries is actually nothing of the sort – they’re merely chemicals that trigger memories. This label references esterification, the process by which flavour molecules are created during fermentation, distillation, and ageing. This particular bottling shows lots of white fruit, courtesy of molecules formed in the washbacks at Bunnahabhain.

Nose: Rich fruit and damp leaves – forest floors covered in rogue raisins. Toffee apples and toffee sauce build with apple crumble and a dollop of rich vanilla custard. Raisin jam, malt loaf and butter cookies fill in the gaps.

Palate: Thick on the palate and very rich. A touch of forest pond and bracken-covered earth is overtaken by dark chocolate sauce and heavily spiced fruit cake – buttery nutmeg and hot cinnamon. Cake-batter notes develop, sweet and creamy.

Finish: Spiced apple purée, toasted rye bread and a drizzle of custard on bread-and-butter pudding.

Aurora Aldehyde      

Blended Scotch Whisky – 41 Years Old

46.2% | 70cl | £240

The first of our four bottlings for the Whisky Show 2021 comes from an exceptionally long-aged parcel of blended Scotch. Filled in 1980, these casks represents a historic style of whisky making, full of eccentricity and character.

Nose: Fruit cake with lots of fruit: glacé cherries, sultanas, plump raisins and juicy dates, all topped with fruity caramel. Ginger cake develops, as well as leafy notes and damp earth. Polished oak, candied orange peel and spiced dark chocolate build.

Palate: Fruit loaf studded with singed raisins and spread with raisin jam is joined by charred staves, baked apples and woody spice with notes of candied pear developing. Riverbank loam and damp bark emerge, balanced by spiced toffee, dark chocolate, and black cherries and their stones.

Finish: Damp oak, cherry stones, char, lingering dark chocolate and singed orange.

The Phenolic Phantom                           

Ardbeg Distillery – 20 Years Old

51.4% | 70cl | £450

This Ardbeg – a distillery whose whiskies are rarely offered by independent bottlers – is an excellent example of well-aged peated malt, full of tarry phenols and unmistakable Islay character.

Nose: Sea spray and oily smoke. Darker notes of tarry ropes are balanced by singed citrus and buttery lemon shortbread. Orchard fruit – sharp apples and sweet apple purée – are dusted with icing sugar. Mulchy grass and fallen leaves roll in around the edges.

Palate: Sweet and smoky, with apple-and-cinnamon syrup poured over warm croissants, all topped with baked apples and pears. Mintiness builds through the middle followed by green leaves and driftwood. Seaside smokiness and salty sea air surrounds everything.

Finish: Singed oak, sweet apple and soft spice fade to leave barbecued fruit.

Apollo Trilogy
of Single Cask Whiskies

Apollo Trilogy of Single Cask Whiskies

Thursday the 30th of September, 2021, Fife, Scotland

Specialist online Scotch whisky merchant and bottler TheWhiskyBarrel.com, is proud to expand its whisky series commemorating the Apollo Missions with a new trilogy of single cask Scotch whiskies featuring illustrated labels depicting some of the most famous moments of the Apollo missions.

Tomatin, Highland Park & Glenrothes Single Casks

Three new bottlings have been released today, each has matured in a first fill sherry hogshead and represents an event that took place on the Apollo Missions. Each has been illustrated by celebrated London based artist Jamie Coe.

APOLLO 12 Lightning Strikes Twice

Tomatin 10 Year Old 2011 Vintage “SCE to AUX”

Just after lift-off the Saturn V rocket was twice struck by lightning affecting telemetry measurements on the spacecraft. To avoid a potential disaster, EECOM engineer John Aaron in Mission Control suggested the pilot switch the Signal Conditioning Electronics to auxiliary.

Selected from a first fill Oloroso sherry Hogshead cask distilled at the Highland distillery, Tomatin. 271 numbered bottles at cask strength 56.4% abv.

APOLLO 14 Golf on the Moon

St Ola® 15 Year Old 2006 Vintage “Miles and Miles and Miles”

Landing in the lunar Highlands, the third mission to land on the Moon. Commander Alan Shepard, using a makeshift fold up club, struck two golf balls which remain on the lunar surface to this day and proclaimed that the second Moon shot went “miles and miles and miles”. The 6-iron resides at the USGA Museum in New Jersey, planet Earth.

Selected from a first fill Pedro Ximenez sherry Hogshead cask at the Orcadian distillery, Highland Park. 316 numbered bottles at cask strength 61.8% abv.

APOLLO 15 The Genesis Rock

Glenrothes 12 Year Old 2009 Vintage “Get that Unusual One”

Astronauts David Scott and James Irwin travelled to the Spur crater designated Geology Station 7 using the lunar rover vehicle. On the rim of the crater the Astronauts collected the Genesis Rock sample amongst 77kg of lunar samples returned to Earth.

Selected from a first fill Oloroso sherry Hogshead cask distilled at the Speyside distillery, Glenrothes. 312 numbered bottles at cask strength 61.1% abv.

About The Whisky Barrel Apollo Series

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 2019 TheWhiskyBarrel.com released a single cask bottling from the Deanston distillery, which promptly sold out. Subsequent releases commemorating the Apollo Missions now achieve over £1k at specialist auctions as collectors bid to accumulate the complete series.

Available exclusively from TheWhiskyBarrel.com, shipping to customers Worldwide including the North America, Europe and Asia.

PRICING

Each bottle retails at: £90 GBP inc. VAT / €88 EUR / $100 USD / c$130 (+ P&P) *

Notice:-

Q) What is the product called?
A)
– Tomatin 10 Year Old 2011 “SCE to AUX”
– St Ola® 15 Year Old 2006 “Miles and Miles and Miles”
–  Glenrothes 12 Year Old 2009 “Get that Unusual One”

Q) When will this product be released/was it released?
A) Thursday 30th of September, 2021.

Q) Where is it available?
A) Scotland, off-trade, TheWhiskyBarrel.com.

Q) Is this product already available in other markets?
A) Scotland only, TheWhiskyBarrel.com ships worldwide.

Q) How much is it?
A) Each bottle retails at £90 GBP inc. VAT / €88 EUR / $100 USD / c$130 (+ P&P)

Q) Who handles the product’s distribution?
A) In-house at TheWhiskyBarrel.com.

Q) How many bottles are there?
A) 899 bottles across three single casks.

Q) What is the ABV of this product?
A) Natural cask strength.

Q) Why has this product been launched?
A) Limited Edition single cask exclusives for TheWhiskyBarrel.com online whisky shop.

Notes

The Whisky Barrel is a specialist online whisky and spirits merchant based in Fife, Scotland and was established in 2007. In 2019 The Whisky Barrel won The Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade. The Whisky Barrel is also a winner of the Whisky Magazine Online Retailer 2018 and was International Wine & Spirits Competition runner-up in 2016.

*N.B. Prices correct at the time of publishing and are subject to currency fluctuation.

The Whisky Barrel    E: info@thewhiskybarrel.com
Visit www.thewhiskybarrel.com
T: +44 (0)1334 655 499

REDBREAST ANNOUNCES THE IBERIAN SERIES

A DEDICATED NEW RANGE INSPIRED BY THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

Redbreast Pedro Ximénez Edition revealed as first new release to celebrate Redbreast’s deep ties to the peninsula’s finest cooperages and wine makers

Redbreast Irish Whiskey, produced by Irish Distillers at Midleton Distillery, has unveiled a new collection of whiskeys. The Iberian Series celebrates the brand’s long-standing connection to some of the Iberian Peninsula’s most celebrated cooperages and winemakers.

Redbreast Pedro Ximénez Edition will join the award-winning Lustau Edition[1] in the inaugural Redbreast Iberian Series line up in yet another stunning example from Midleton’s skilled whiskey makers of how Ireland and Iberia’s rich heritages, as the purveyors of some the world’s finest spirits and wines, can combine to create whiskeys that are truly extraordinary.

The first limited edition release to join the series, Redbreast Pedro Ximénez Edition is a single pot still Irish whiskey, triple distilled and initially matured in ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry casks before being re-casked into delectable Pedro Ximénez hogsheads from the southern tip of Spain for a minimum of 12 months. Just half the size of a standard sherry butt, the increased surface area of the hogshead intensifies the flavour contribution from the Pedro Ximénez-soaked wood, imparting notes of treacle, raisins and orange zest thanks to the sweeter grape variety used in the world renowned sherry.

Redbreast Lustau Edition – launched in 2016 to critical acclaim around the globe – will remain the anchor expression in the Redbreast Iberian Series and will be joined by a new Limited Edition release from time to time.

Master Blender Billy Leighton comments: “Iberia has been central to the history of Redbreast, and my colleagues and I have been visiting the peninsula since the 1980s. The close relationships fostered there over decades have led to many delightful discoveries that take the region’s influence on our whiskey to another level, while sitting comfortably within the Redbreast family. It gives me great pleasure that the new Iberian Series gives us an outlet to bring our best discoveries to consumers around the world. The collection will add new and exciting chapters to the Redbreast Family story with whiskeys finished in casks sourced from the sun-drenched bodegas of Spain and Portugal, suffused with the natural warmth and sweetness of the Iberian Peninsula.”

Dave McCabe, Blender at Irish Distillers adds, “The creation of the Redbreast Pedro Ximénez Edition came about thanks to strong relationships and good fortune. A number of years ago, our friends in Antonio Páez Lobato Cooperage in Jerez presented us with an exceptional opportunity to trial casks which had been pre-seasoned with Pedro Ximénez sherry for two years. Finding that the wood contributed a very different flavour profile to the traditional Spanish sherry cask, we finished our Redbreast whiskey in these hogsheads for between 12 and 22 months, adding a distinctive twist to the signature Redbreast character.

“Underpinned by the much loved Redbreast Lustau Edition, each subsequent expression in this series will represent a new chapter in exploring the casks, flavours and aromas from this region.”

Crafted to the exacting standards of Irish Distillers Master Blender Billy Leighton and Blender Dave McCabe, Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Pedro Ximénez Edition is bottled at 46% ABV and without chill-filtration. It will be available in Ireland from 27^th September, in the UK, Finland and Global Travel Retail from late September, and in the US from November at RRP of €80, £72, $86.

Tasting notes for Redbreast Pedro Ximénez Edition:

Nose: Hints of fruit, spices and toasted nuts combine with the subtly sweet aroma of Pedro Ximénez sherry seasoned casks.

Taste: A zesty, syrupy mouthful with the perfect balance of fruit, spice and toasted notes.

Finish: Satisfyingly rich and long, sweet flavours linger on the palate.

Tasting notes by Redbreast Lustau Edition:

Nose: Rich infusion of dark fruits, prunes, dates and figs with liquorice, marzipan, toasted oak and Redbreast spices

Taste: Creamy pot still with Redbreast spices balanced with richness of sherry finish and contribution of fresh Spanish oak

Finish: Endless. Sweetness and Pot Still spices endure while Oloroso Sherry and Spanish Oak have the last word 

[1] In 2021, Redbreast Lustau Edition was awarded a Double Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Gold medal by the International Spirits Challenge and Beverage Testing Institute.

MAKER’S MARK® INTRODUCES LIMITED RELEASE: FAE-02, COMPLETING TWO-PART SET OF 2021 WOOD FINISHING SERIES BOURBONS

Fall Release is a Sensory Showcase of Wood’s Impact on Texture and Mouthfeel

Loretto, Ky. – Maker’s Mark®, the iconic Kentucky bourbon brand, today debuted the latest entry in its innovative Wood Finishing Series, Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 Limited Release: FAE-02. The distillery’s newest stave-finished bourbon is the second of a complementary pair of 2021 limited edition releases and was thoughtfully crafted as a texturally rich, softer complement to spring’s FAE-01.

Every whisky in the distillery’s Wood Finishing Series tells a story about the purposeful way Maker’s Mark has been crafted since its inception. Maker’s Mark has never chill-filtered its whisky, a decision that allows the classic bourbon to retain its signature character and depth of flavor by leaving naturally present fatty acid esters (FAEs) in the whisky. Using the distillery’s pioneering wood stave-finishing technique, the 2021 Limited Releases FAE-01 and FAE-02 celebrate and amplify characteristics that stem from that choice – namely dark, woody notes and a rich, full-bodied texture, respectively.

2021 Limited Release: FAE-02 is produced using double-heat-treated virgin French Oak barrel staves that undergo an infrared exposure prior to a flame toast finish. The process yields a Maker’s Mark bourbon that exhibits a distinctly luscious mouthfeel. Unlike FAE-01, which used American Oak staves to amplify notes of dark leathery tobacco and barrel-aged fruit, FAE-02 is characterized by a gentler, mouthcoating palate of light caramel and deep oak.

“Our first 2021 release was crafted to hit you in the face with big, bold aroma and flavor, just like standing in a barrel warehouse – wood, tobacco and spicy dried fruit,” says Jane Bowie, Director of Innovation at Maker’s Mark. “With FAE-02, we wanted to explore the softer side of our 2021 taste vision by placing more of the focus on rich, consistent texture and tone that stems from fatty acid esters. Just like the things we find so comforting about artisanal butters, olive oils and creamy spreads, FAE-02 delivers a fattier, full-bodied, mature Maker’s Mark bourbon that makes for an ideal sip on a Fall evening.”

Like all Wood Finishing Series offerings – including Maker’s Mark 46® and Maker’s Mark® Private Selection – FAE-02 was crafted by finishing fully-matured, cask strength Maker’s Mark in secondary barrels fitted with the proprietary wood staves. The barrels are stored in Maker’s Mark’s limestone cellar for additional aging, where the cask strength bourbon interacts with the wood staves to develop the expression’s unique taste profile.

Bottled at 109.1 proof, the Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 Limited Release: FAE-02 is rolling out now in limited quantities to retailers across the country, available while supplies last. The new bourbon will retail for a suggested price of $59.99. FAE-02, along with FAE-01, will also be included in the September shipment of The Whisky Drop, a new direct-to-consumer program from Maker’s Mark available in very limited quantities in Kentucky and Washington D.C. Each season, eligible program subscribers age 21 and older will receive a package containing two hand-selected, limited bottles of Maker’s Mark, delivered right to their doorstep.

About Maker’s Mark® Bourbon

In 1953, in Loretto, Kentucky, Bill Samuels, Sr., fulfilled his dream to create a handmade and delicious bourbon. He decided to make his whisky in small batches, using soft red winter wheat to enhance the softness and sweetness. He then rotated each barrel by hand for consistency, and finally, aged each barrel to taste. Bill Samuels, Sr., transformed bourbon from a “commodity” into a premium handmade spirit, and today Maker’s Mark® continues to make its bourbon the same way. In recent years, Maker’s Mark has introduced thoughtful, super-premium innovations to its portfolio including Maker’s Mark 46®, Maker’s Mark® Cask Strength, and Maker’s Mark® Private Selection, the brand’s first-ever custom barrel program. In 1980, the Maker’s Mark distillery became the first distillery in America to be designated a National Historic Landmark and has also been decreed as the “world’s oldest operating bourbon whiskey distillery” by Guinness World Records. It remains one of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s most popular tourist destinations, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. For more information, visit makersmark.com.

WE MAKE OUR BOURBON CAREFULLY.  PLEASE ENJOY IT THAT WAY.

Maker’s Mark®, Maker’s Mark® Cask Strength and Maker’s Mark 46® Bourbon Whisky, 45-57% Alc./Vol.

Maker’s Mark Distillery, Inc., Loretto, KY.

OCTOMORE 12s 

Octomore defies logic. Rewards the unreasonable. It takes courage and belief. But, for the seeker of truth there is light.

The industry norm is not accepted here. Assured in its convictions, Octomore is five years old, super heavily peated and bottled at cask strength. The makers of the world’s most heavily peated spirit challenge you, like the spirit itself, to push beyond the expected and explore new realms of flavour. This endlessly alluring, delicate but powerful, supercharged single malt must be experienced to be believed.

Now entering its 12th series, Octomore demonstrates its 100+ PPM prowess with muscularity in each youthful drop. As with previous editions, the 12.1 acts as the base or control of the experimental range, as a necessary springboard for new domains of discovery. The 12.2 offers an alternative maturation to its .1 counterpart, this time in a sublimely balanced ex-Sauternes cask profile. Finally, the 12.3 explores Islay grown barley and the terroir of the distiller’s home-grown grain combined with sherry maturation for the first time in history.

The troika will appear together in specialist retail stores for the first time ever. Offering a cohesive schooling on Bruichladdich Distillery’s most experimental peat endeavours, this series will become available in October, 2021.

OCTOMORE EDITION: 12.1

PPM: 130.8

AGED: 5 YEARS

Nowhere is the dualism of the Octomore super heavily peated series more pertinent than in the .1 edition. Never as expected, delicate but powerful, this is unadulterated heavy smoke balanced with vivacious and dynamic, fruity and floral distillate.

While Octomore in itself does not conform to tradition, Head Distiller Adam Hannett is inclined to mature Octomore .1 editions solely in ex-American oak casks for 5 vibrant years. Octomore 12.1 is the necessary control for the rest of the series, as experiments within an experiment, but this baseline should not be underestimated.

Mainland grown Scottish barley is distilled in a patient and considered trickle. The stripped back maturation profile allows a sensory conversation that highlights the cereal-rich, malty notes of this barley-forward single malt. Vanilla, citrus and fudge culminate in an enigmatic challenge to received whisky wisdom.

OCTOMORE EDITION: 12.2

PPM: 129.7

AGED: 5 YEARS

Octomore 12.2 follows in the footsteps of previous Sauternes legends. The now infamous Octomore 4.2 (Comus) became one of the most acclaimed and sought-aſter whiskies in our distillery’s portfolio, confirming that heavy peat smoke combined with sweet dessert wine of Sauternes is an incredible pairing.

This Octomore 12.2 would spend three and a half years in ex-American oak casks, building a solid foundation of fruity and floral spirit in our lochside warehouses before being recasked in to impeccable quality Sauternes casks.

The pivotal role of the Sauternes casks would add 18 months of supercharged fruit. Melon, white peach, honeysuckle and coconut add a real twist and sweetness to compliment the peat smoke of this heavily phenolic malt.

OCTOMORE EDITION: 12.3

PPM: 118.1

AGED: 5 YEARS

Octomore 12.3 is single vintage, single field, single malt. Raised in Church Field on Octomore Farm by farmer James Brown, this Islay grown barley was trickle distilled through tall narrow necked stills just two miles from where it was grown.

The terroir-driven spirit would take two separate journeys before being combined; 75% was filled into ex-American oak casks, while the remaining 25% spent five years maturing in genuine Pedro Ximenez Solera casks from Jerez-based bodega Fernando de Castilla.

This Islay barley spirit has breathed slowly and delicately for five aged years, its salty citrus marine note is an ode to where the barley was grown and the warehouse’s proximity to the sea. The Pedro Ximenez casks contribute sweet dried fruit notes which highlight the rich dry peat smoke of Octomore.

WATERFORD WHISKY LAUNCHES BIODYNAMIC: LUNA – THE WORLD’S FIRST BIODYNAMIC WHISKY

Waterford Whisky is pleased to announce BIODYNAMIC: LUNA – the world’s first whisky made from biodynamic barley.

As part of its pioneering quest to unearth whisky’s most natural flavours, Waterford Distillery has introduced the radical biodynamic farming philosophy, as lauded by many of the world’s legendary winemakers, to the conservative whisky industry.

The bottling is the latest whisky in the distillery’s Arcadian Series, which showcases the flavours produced by forgotten ways of farming and rare barley varieties.

BIODYNAMIC BARLEY

For the Demeter-certified BIODYNAMIC: LUNA three Irish growers – Trevor Harris, John McDonnell and Alan Mooney – stepped up to the challenge of applying unusual agricultural practices to growing barley. They run their farms according to esoteric principles derived from a 1924 series of lectures by the Austrian polymath Rudolf Steiner.

Steiner created a codified agricultural system for post-WW1 farmers, who were worried about the industrialisation of agriculture, the degradation of the land and the loss of millennia of farming know-how – bios meaning life, and dynamos energy.

Having been adopted by many of the world’s greatest wine producers seeking the ultimate of pure and intense flavours, biodynamics today stands at the cutting edge of regenerative agriculture. Some say it is an advanced form of “über-organic” farming, in which each farm is its own self-sustaining organism where elements including soil, crops, animals, people and the ‘spirit of place’ are all interconnected. For Waterford, it is the ultimate expression of their terroir discoveries.

The approach includes an array of seemingly controversial practices such as burying manure-packed cow horns to ‘ferment’ underground; the creation of simple plant treatments and natural compost fertilisers to stimulate microbial activity; all following the natural rhythms of the lunar calendar. The purpose is to produce vibrant, chemical-free living soil.

As barley makes malt whisky the most complex spirit in the world – the very source of its flavour – biodynamics will contribute to an even purer and more intense expression. Indeed, to create the ultimate natural whisky.

Mark Reynier, Waterford Distillery CEO, explains: “During the 1980s in the vineyards of Burgundy and Alsace, following decades of agro-chemical excess and the race for yield over quality, I witnessed the renaissance of terroir and modern winemaking. Out of this, biodynamics blossomed – a new philosophy that at first seemed outlandish, but after tasting the results increasingly proved its worth.

“Biodynamics is, after all, merely a self-contained farming system, but one that consists of the culmination of 16,000 years of agricultural optimisation – trial and error, life and death – before the vicissitudes of industrialisation and intensification dumbed down individuality.

“During my career I’ve had the fortune to taste the world’s greatest wines, it’s no surprise to see the ever-increasing adoption of biodynamics in the search for intensity and purity of flavour. If for the grape, why not the grain?”

THE ARCADIAN SERIES

BIODYNAMIC: LUNA is matured in a combination of 35% first-fill US oak; 17% virgin US oak; 26% Premium French oak; and 22% Vin Doux Naturel oak.

Tasting notes: apricot jam, lemon drizzle cake, milk chocolate with almonds, earthiness, bread pudding, brown sugar, tea, with intense spices, dark chocolate, a vibrant maltiness and extreme flavour persistence.

21,000 bottles of Biodynamic: Luna are available worldwide, with a RSP of approximately €85-95/$125/£89.95 (varying by location).

In addition to Luna, a new bottling of ORGANIC: GAIA has been released, drawing from the 2016 harvest. This has been matured in a combination of 39% first-fill US oak; 17% virgin US oak; 19% Premium French oak; and 25% Vin Doux Naturel oak.

Tasting notes: Orange peel, fresh soil, bread crust, brown sugar, milk chocolate, fresh fruit salad, fig roll biscuits, lavender, white pepper, grapefruit, liquorice, and cherries, with a dry, spicy finish.

30,000 bottles are available worldwide, with a RSP of approximately €75-86/$115/£77 (varying by location).

ABOUT WATERFORD WHISKY

Waterford Whisky is on a quest to unearth whisky’s most natural flavours.

Unashamedly influenced by the world’s greatest winemakers, we obsessively bring the same intellectual drive, methodology and rigour to barley – the very source of malt whisky’s complex flavour.

Extolling a hundred exclusive farms of Irish-grown barley, we search for natural flavours via three paths: our Single Farm Origins pursue the individualism of terroir-derived flavour; our Arcadian Series expresses the intensity of flavour from alternative philosophies and long-forgotten varieties; whilst our Cuvées revel in the ultimate sophistication, where the whole is greater than the sum.

For more information, visit waterfordwhisky.com.

• Waterford Distillery is certified by Demeter, and follows a rigorous auditing regimen each year. Biodynamic: Luna is also certified by Demeter.
• The distillery has produced around 500 barrels of spirit made from local biodynamic barley, and annually incorporates biodynamics as part of its ongoing ambition to create the most flavoursome and natural expressions of whisky imaginable.
• A recent study by Professor Magali Delmas at UCLA analysed tasting scores given to more than 128,000 French wines from 1995 to 2015, discovering that biodynamic wines scored 11.8% higher compared to conventional or sustainable wines.
• Many of the world’s greatest winemakers follow biodynamic principles. Burgundian legends of Romanée Conti, Leroy, Leflaive, Trapet and Sauzet. Alsacians Zind Humbrecht, Faller, Ostertag, Kreydenweiss, Deiss, and Zusselin; And increasingly the mighty Bordeaux chateaux such as Latour, Lafite, Yquem, Climens, Pontet Canet, Angelus and Palmer .
• Waterford Whisky is the first producer to bring biodynamic spirit to the market, following Mark Reynier’s tentative trials of English-grown biodynamic barley whilst at Bruichladdich Distillery, Scotland.

Pioneering yet another Indian Single Malt revolution – Amrut Distilleries launches the ‘Single Malts of India’ bouquet with Neidhal

Bangalore, India

Amrut Distilleries, the pioneers of the Indian Single Malt revolution and makers of iconic brands such as the Fusion, Spectrum, Naarangi and Amalgam have embarked on a new venture to further cement their repute as the pioneers of Indian Single Malt Whiskies. While Amrut is revered the world over for their obsessive dedication to the art of the craft, the distillery has yet again pushed the boundaries of how Indian Single Malts can be enjoyed.

Amrut has now conceived and launched a new umbrella brand – ‘Single Malts of India’ to showcase some of the hidden gem malts of India. The first chapter of this release, titled the Neidhal will be a limited release of 12,000 bottles across the world, with 1200 bottles being allocated for India.Ancient Tamil texts, dating back to the Sangam period (300 BC – 300 AD), classify mother earth into five regions called Tinais, each being associated with its own distinct literary style, grammar, mood, subtle as well as overt form of romance, culture and even cuisine. “Neidhal”, according to this classification comprises all Oceans and neighboring regions or in short Coastal Plains and the way of living one associates with them.

Neidhal is a single malt eponymously sourced from a Neidhal or coastal region and exhibits traits that uniquely spring from the locale – notes of tropical fruits, vanilla punctuated by soft phenols and above all sea salt on the nose. On the palate, it is fruit cocktail and mesmerising phenols with a touch of iodine. The middle ground is an essay in chewability and a finish that is phenolic with a touch of sweet vanilla.

Quote from Ashok Chokalingam, Head Distiller – Amrut Distilleries “What we have done this time, is dug deep and discovered an uncut gem. We have then procured the gem, carried it to Amrut, caressed it with our touch and polished it with our expertise. What you discover bottled, is truly an amazing whisky showcasing it’s real potential. Watch out, we as an organisation are now sailing into unchartered waters of independent bottling”

About Amrut:

Founded in 1948 by the late Shri. Radhakrishna Jagdale, the history of Amrut Distilleries is as old as independent India itself. The journey started under the name and style of ‘Amrut Laboratories’. In the early years, Amrut was a leading manufacturer and supplier of Rums, Brandy and Whisky for domestic consumption.

Amrut Single Malts were a consequential product of our organisation’s founding principles: Uncompromising Innovation, Unflinching R&D and the Undeterred Courage to always offer exceptional products to our customers. The initial chapters of this journey started when Rakshit was completing his dissertation in the UK; and as part of this project he conducted a market survey to check the acceptance of Amrut Indian Single Malt. The response was very encouraging to say the least – everyone who tried the malt were impressed that fortified our confidence leading to the launch of the brand.

Amrut Indian Single Malt launched in 2004 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK the heart of Scottish whiskies, creating history as the first Indian Single Malt to ever be launched outside India. The journey was extremely tough and challenging as India’s image producing quality whisky was very bad. We also had to undergo many struggles as our Indian identity did not always lead to favourable conditions in the developed world. However, we were absolutely confident about the quality we had to offer and we continued to strive and pursue endlessly our goal of bringing the Indian Single Malt to the world.

COLONEL E.H. TAYLOR, JR. STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY RECEIVES FIRST PLACE BEST OF SHOW AT NORTH AMERICAN BOURBON & WHISKEY COMPETITION

20 Whiskies from Buffalo Trace Distillery Honored

FRANKFORT, KY (Sept. 9, 2020) – Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr Straight Rye Whiskey received the highest honor at the 2021 North American Bourbon & Whiskey Competition (NABWC), named the Best of Show First Place recipient. Nineteen other Buffalo Trace Distillery whiskies were awarded medals, including 12 Gold medals, four Silver medals and three Bronze medals.

Gold medals went to

• Eagle Rare 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• W. L. Weller Antique 107 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• W. L. Weller 12 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• W. L. Weller C.Y.P.B. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• W. L. Weller Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• W. L. Weller Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Elmer T. Lee Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Benchmark Bonded Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Benchmark Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Benchmark Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Benchmark Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Silver medals went to

• Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• W.L. Weller Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Bronze medals went to

• Stagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (131.1 Proof)
• Benchmark Old No. 8 Brand Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Benchmark Top Floor Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The NABWC, which was founded in 2014, promotes excellence in bourbon, whiskey, and moonshine through a double-blind competition and is based on a 100-point scale. The spirits are judged by styles and price categories.

For more information about the 2021 NABWC, visit http://whiskeycomp.com/. For more information about Buffalo Trace brands, visit https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2018 and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world for 2020.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY WHISKEYS WIN 10 GOLD MEDALS AT 2021 INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS CHALLENGE 

            FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Aug. 26, 2021) – Buffalo Trace Distillery spirits took home 16 medals, including 10 Gold medals for top-performing whiskeys, at the 2021 International Spirits Challenge (ISC). Judges also awarded six Silver medals to the Distillery’s spirits following this year’s blind tastings, which took place in the United Kingdom.

Gold Medals:

• Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Bourbon
• Stagg Jr. Bourbon
• Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Bourbon
• Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Bourbon
• Col E. H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Bourbon
• Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Straight Rye Whiskey
• W. L. Weller Antique 107 Bourbon
• W. L. Weller Full Proof Bourbon
• W. L. Weller 12 Year Old Bourbon
• Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon

Silver Medals:

• Buffalo Trace Bourbon
• W. L. Weller Single Barrel Bourbon
• W. L. Weller Special Reserve Bourbon
• W. L. Weller CYPB Bourbon
• Buffalo Trace Distillery Bourbon Cream

Panels of experienced judges score products’ aroma, appearance, taste and finish before they are awarded an ISC medal. This is done over 12 days of intense blind tastings.

Full results from the 2021 International Spirits Challenge can be found at https://www.internationalspiritschallenge.com/live/en/page/isc-2021-winners.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2018 and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world for 2020.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com