Laphroaig Scotch Whisky Introduces Càirdeas 2024 Cask Favourites

We are pleased to announce the introduction of the new Laphroaig Càirdeas 2024 Cask Favourites Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Available in US as of late June, the bottle is offered at 52.4% ABV and at a suggested retail price of $109.99 (700ml). Available on ReserveBar, preorder is live now.

For more than two centuries, Laphroaig’s master craftsmen have worked to shape this richly flavored Scotch whisky. This 10-year-old Càirdeas edition was created by Master Blender, Calum Fraser, to pay homage to the first Càirdeas offerings that made Laphroaig what it is today – a rich and distinct Scotch whisky.

Laphroaig Càirdeas 2024 Cask Favourites celebrates 30 years of friendship, a ten-year-old expression that pays homage to Laphroaig’s well-loved releases: 2019’s Triple Wood and 2021’s PX Cask. Married together by Master Blender, Calum Fraser, as an aged statement celebrating the very first Càirdeas expressions.

Developed in ex-Bourbon barrels, this single malt combines the distinctive peaty flavor of Laphroaig with notes of freshly ground ginger, charred citrus fruits, and a whisper of bonfire notes embers through on the finish. The celebratory malt is bottled at a fixed strength for a memorable experience to share with friends.

Laphroaig is one of the few distilleries that still uses a traditional malting floor, and this is where Laphroaig’s Càirdeas malt starts its life. It begins as malted barley, gently dried and infused by the thick smoke from our signature cold smoking process in our ancient peat kilns. It’s then mixed with the crisp waters of the Kilbride Stream, one of Islay’s unique natural features, before being distilled. The spirit is matured twice — first in over-charred first and second-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and quarter casks before being finished in PX casks, adding fruity sweetness, resulting in a whisky of greater depth, designed to be savored.

TASTING NOTES

Bold, pale gold in color.

Packed with quintessential smoky peat and charred citrus fruit aromas.

With notes of caramelized sugar and cinnamon dominate the nose.

Followed by delicate notes of hazelnut and honey sweetness.

A tannic oak paired with earthy peat and subtle sea-salt bring the whisky to a finish.

Laphroaig Scotch whisky has been dividing opinions since 1845, when Donald and Alexander Johnston first opened their distillery on the Isle of Islay. Its unique smoky taste can be attributed to the island’s peat. Rich in moss, lichen and heather, this peat is unlike anything found on the Scottish mainland. Good whisky needs good water, and the distillery has its own supply in the Kilbride stream which flows through the peat beds. It also needs experience, and with the wisdom of two centuries of craftsmanship, each expression of Laphroaig is a true masterpiece.

BENROMACH DISTILLERY LAUNCHES LIMITED-EDITION WHISKY MATURED IN AMERICAN VIRGIN OAK CASKS

Benromach Distillery in Speyside has launched the latest addition to its Contrasts range – a 10-year-old limited-edition single malt whisky matured in the finest Virgin American Oak casks.

The Contrasts range features whiskies designed as a twist on the delicately smoky profile of brand’s core range, with other releases including Contrasts Triple Distilled and Contrasts Double Matured Bordeaux Wine Cask.

The unseasoned casks featured in this release were handmade by expert coopers in Speyside, then gently charred before being filled with Benromach’s signature subtly smoky spirit. The result is a fragrant whisky with dried banana aromas and lemon and fudge on the nose. Bursting with Seville orange zest combined with butterscotch and smooth smoke on the palate, it finishes with long-lasting citrus.

With an ABV strength of 46%, this whisky is currently available for purchase via independent whisky specialists at a recommended retail price of £60.

Keith Cruickshank, Distillery Manager at Benromach, said: “Every drop of this single malt whisky is made by hand using the sharpened senses of our distillers who put their heart and soul into creating our whisky. Having matured for ten years in Virgin American Oak casks, the result is liquid that is packed with fruity aromas from the offset, followed by zesty citrus and sweet butterscotch flavours. It’s a cracking dram.

“With a limited number of bottles available for purchase, this is the perfect dram for whisky enthusiasts looking to explore something a bit different.”

For more information on Benromach Distillery or Benromach Contrasts Virgin Oak, please visit: www.benromach.com

Tasting Notes: 

Benromach Contrasts Virgin Oak

• RRP: £60
• ABV: 46%
• Nose: Fragrant dried banana aromas with lemon and vanilla fudge.
• Taste: Seville orange zest flavours combine with butterscotch and smooth smoke.
• Finish: Long-lasting citrus and mature oak on the finish.

About Benromach Distillery

Originally built in 1898, Benromach Distillery was brought back to life by owners Gordon & MacPhail in 1993.

At Benromach, the team keep things simple: a handful of distillers relying entirely on their expertise and senses to make the finest handmade whisky.

Their processes honour the knowledge and experience used to make Speyside whiskies decades ago, because at Benromach they believe making whisky by hand delivers genuine character.

For more information, visit: www.benromach.com

About Gordon & MacPhail

Gordon & MacPhail is a family-owned premium spirits company based in Elgin, Scotland. Owner of Scotch whisky distilleries, Benromach and The Cairn, Gordon & MacPhail is also a Scotch whisky maturation expert, and the owner of Scottish Gin brand, Red Door.

Glenmorangie takes its single-estate whisky’s creamy style to new heights

Field-to-glass series’ fourth release bottles the taste of the Distillery’s Highland homeland

Astonishingly rich and silky, the latest release of Glenmorangie The Cadboll Estate takes the single-estate whisky’s creamy character to new heights of deliciousness. Crafted from barley grown in just eight fields on Glenmorangie’s own Estate located near the distillery, this grain-to-glass series bottles the spirit and flavour of the Highland single malt Scotch whisky’s homeland for whisky lovers everywhere. Aged for 15 years in designer bourbon casks to magnify its acclaimed creaminess, the fourth batch limited release is silky, rich and rounded, with notes of fruit and honey.

Glenmorangie’s Cadboll Estate lies just moments from the Distillery on the fertile Easter Ross Peninsula, which divides the Moray and Dornoch Firths. Few live in this world of wide-open skies, endless barley fields and beautiful beaches. And since it is far off the beaten track, only so many can visit. Inspired to share the essence of Glenmorangie with fans around the world, its whisky creators set about crafting a whisky from field to glass, and so the Cadboll Estate series was born. Each release begins with barley grown in only 26 hectares – eight fields – on the Estate. Planted and harvested precisely as the Distillery specifies, this small plot brings forth a spirit of rich creaminess.

To celebrate the Cadboll harvest of 2007, Glenmorangie’s whisky creators matured its precious spirit in their renowned designer casks. Hand-hewn from select American white oaks, air-dried and seasoned with bourbon to their exacting specifications, these casks are custom-made to bring Glenmorangie’s soft spirit to its best. Aged 15 years in that wood, the fourth batch release of Glenmorangie The Cadboll Estate is uniquely full and silky, enriched with notes of honeycomb, apricots and pears.

Director of Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, said: “Grown in just eight fields near the Glenmorangie Distillery, Cadboll barley brings our spirit even more creaminess. To accentuate its incredible softness, we aged the fourth batch release of Glenmorangie The Cadboll Estate in our renowned designer casks. Bespoke from field to glass, this 15-year-old single-estate whisky is alive with rich, silky flavours. Honeyed aromas of apricots and pears, and tastes of butter candy, orange and melon gives whisky lovers a delicious taste of our Highland homeland, wherever in the world they happen to be.”

Glenmorangie Cadboll Estate Batch 4 is now available to purchase online at Glenmorangie.com, the distillery visitor centre in Tain and at other select retailers, RRP: £76.

https://www.glenmorangie.com/

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Follow Glenmorangie on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Glenmorangie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glenmorangie

RRP: £76.00 

Tasting Notes:

Glenmorangie Cadboll Estate fourth batch release is bottled at 43% ABV

Colour: Deep gold.

Aroma: Beautifully aromatic, honeyed and sweet, with tastes of almond, marzipan, honeycomb, melon and pear. Vanilla crème anglaise is present, along with a touch of mint. With a small splash of water, some classic floral notes emerge, with jasmine, lavender and rose, along with a fresh burst of mandarin orange and apricot.

Taste: The texture is smooth and creamy, and is immediately followed by an explosion of complex, colourful flavours: zesty lemon and mandarin orange, menthol and eucalyptus, vanilla and honeycomb, ripe pear and melon. Sweet spices tempered by butter candy.

Finish: Full and rich, but gentle and soothing at the same time, rounded off by a lingering mentholic note. 

About Glenmorangie:

Glenmorangie’s whisky makers use endless imagination and five key ingredients – wood, water, barley, yeast and time – to dream up delicious single malt whiskies. They’ve been honing their craft for 180 years. They create a delicate and fruity spirit in stills as tall as an adult giraffe to allow for more taste and aroma. Led by Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, this crackerjack crew are on a mission to bring new flavours and possibilities to the world of single malt.

Glenmorangie celebrates the joy of delicious single malt in every part of its universe, from its boutique hotel Glenmorangie House to its colourful brand campaign, shot by famed photographer Miles Aldridge. With its tagline “It’s Kind of Delicious and Wonderful”, Glenmorangie invites whisky lovers old and new to see themselves in Glenmorangie’s world.

About The Cadboll Estate series:

This unique series of field-to-glass whiskies was created to share the spirit and flavour of Glenmorangie’s ruggedly beautiful, yet remote homeland with whisky lovers old and new. It began with the first release of Glenmorangie The Cadboll Estate in 2020, a deep and creamy single malt distilled in 2004 and aged in first-fill American white oak bourbon casks. The release was named Best Single Malt 15 Year Old at the International Whisky Competition (IWC) in 2021 and won a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), and gold at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) that year. The silky richness of the second batch, distilled in 2005, wonderfully reflected the subtle changes each year brings to the Highlands. It was awarded gold medals at the IWC, SFWSC, ISC and Scottish Whisky Awards. The nutty, spicy and creamy notes of the Amontillado-cask-matured third batch release, which won Gold in the 2023 International Spirits Challenge, are a deliciously sherried take on the series’ style.

About Cadboll barley:

Grown only in eight fields, covering 26 hectares of Glenmorangie’s Cadboll Estate, Glenmorangie’s own barley is grown and harvested just as its whisky creators wish – even down to the barley variety and the fields in which it is planted. When the barley is harvested, they arrange for it to be malted exactly as they choose, to bring even more creaminess to Glenmorangie’s wonderfully delicate spirit. Only enough barley can be harvested from the Estate each year for one or two weeks of production at the Distillery, meaning it is exceptionally precious.

About Glenmorangie’s designer casks:

Crafted each year in very small numbers, these casks are designed to be the perfect vessel for Glenmorangie’s spirit. They begin life in the forest’s northern slopes of Missouri’s Ozark Mountains. There, slow-growth American white oaks have a particularly porous structure. Inviting greater synergy between wood and spirit, they magnify Glenmorangie’s creamy character.

Only the best trees are selected to be cut into staves. Their wood is allowed to dry slowly in the open air, rather than a kiln, for two years, delivering gentler, sweeter flavours. Hand-crafted to Glenmorangie’s exacting specifications, the casks are then heavily toasted, and lightly charred to augment their natural wood notes. Seasoned with bourbon for four years to bring smoothness, they offer Glenmorangie the ultimate journey to maturation.

About Glenmorangie’s Whisky Creators:

Glenmorangie’s Whisky Creation Team’s favourite phrase is “What if?”. And they are constantly challenging themselves to take whatever captures their imaginations and turn it into whisky – be that their memories of a favourite place (Glenmorangie A Tale of Tokyo), a cup of coffee (Glenmorangie Signet) and more.

At the helm of the team is Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Whisky Creation. With a PhD in biochemistry and decades of experience, Dr Bill has all the skills needed to bring these ideas to life. Already, he has earned the admiration of his peers many times over. For instance, he has taken his place in the Icons of Whisky Hall of Fame. He has won the International Whisky Competition’s award for Master Distiller of the Year more times than anyone else. And he has been named Master Blender/Distiller of the Year by the International Spirits Challenge twice.

Working hand-in-hand with Dr Bill is Gillian Macdonald, The Glenmorangie Company’s Master Blender and Head of Whisky Creation. Gillian combines art and science in her role, with her main responsibilities including the daily sensory analysis of the new-make spirit, core range recipes and the co-ordination of the Company’s sensory panel. Gillian manages the New Product Development pipeline for Glenmorangie which involves nosing hundreds of casks a year for final recipe selection.

Responsible Drinking:

The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savour Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.

GLASGOW’S BLUE LAGOON & FIFE WHISKY BOTTLER TEAM-UP TO GIVE AWAY 50 FISH SUPPERS WITH WHISKY-INFUSED SAUCE

Glasgow institution Blue Lagoon has partnered with The Single Cask to celebrate International Fish & Chip Day on Thursday 6th June – offering 50 free Fish Suppers with whisky-infused sauce to take-away from their famed city-centre Gordon Street venue. 

To celebrate International Fish & Chip Day on Thursday 6th June, Scottish Whisky bottler The Single Cask announces a special partnership with Glasgow’s iconic fish & chip shop Blue Lagoon.

Located next to Glasgow Central Station, Blue Lagoon Gordon Street will give 50 take-away Fish Suppers with whisky-infused sauce to the first customers who walk through the venue’s doors and ask for a ‘The Single Cask Saucy Sensation’ – with the offer lasting until the 50 are gone.

Fife-based The Single Cask have been working with local supplier The Whisky Sauce Co to create a range of delicious single cask whisky sauces*. The bottles will be on offer at The Single Cask events throughout the year and are available to buy online now from The Single Cask.

The Single Cask ‘Chippy Sauce’ is made using a 9-year-old single cask whisky from Benrinnes Distillery and uses balsamic vinegar of Modena to create that classic sweet & spicy flavour. Often associated with Edinburgh residents, The Single Cask are confident that Glaswegians will approve of their delicious single cask whisky ‘Chippy Sauce’.

Blue Lagoon has been a Glasgow phenomenon for nearly 50 years. Italian born entrepreneur Ersilio Varese & childhood sweetheart Edda Varese opened the first Blue Lagoon fish and chip shop on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street in 1975. The company is now headed up by Director Alessandro Varese, who manages venues across the city.

Founded in Fife, The Whisky Sauce Co specialises in creating the best whisky sauces in the country – creating a single cask range for the first-time which were debuted to lucky whisky fans at Feis Ile whisky festival on Islay at the end of May.

The Single Cask recently took on the challenge of demystifying whisky flavour as they relaunched their brand. By using five mood categories, whisky fans can quickly navigate to whichever whiskies they are in the mood for.
Helen Stewart, Brand Marketing Manager at The Single Cask, said: “Glasgow is such an exciting city and to partner with someone with the legendary history of Blue Lagoon is really special. We believe this collaboration showcases both flavour and character extremely well, two things that are very important to us at The Single Cask.

“We are always searching for the ultimate single cask experience and we really believe this can be found in so many different and innovative ways. Our brand new approach to flavour profiling is where each whisky we bottle is allocated to one of five moods. Partnerships like this really show the variety of possibilities when exploring, tasting and enjoying the ultimate single cask experience.”

Adding his thoughts on the partnership, Alessandro Varese, Director at Blue Lagoon said: “We strive to give the people of Glasgow the best fish and chips in the city. The Single Cask whisky is exceptional. It works deliciously in the ‘Chippy Sauce’ they have created. Their approach to flavour lends itself perfectly to our Fish Suppers at Blue Lagoon.

“As we always say, think fish and chips, think Blue Lagoon – this partnership will definitely get people thinking about our fish suppers on International Fish & Chip Day!”

The Single Cask pride themselves on bottling only the most outstanding, characterful, and distinctive single casks of whisky. The company values the distinct personality and cherishes the individuality of every single cask – celebrating whiskies that start conversations through their irresistible attraction: https://www.thesinglecask.co.uk/

*Full single cask sauce details: 

CHIPPY SAUCE – THE FRENCH POLISHER

Created using a 9-year-old single cask whisky from Benrinnes Distillery.

With burger sauces also available: 

SPICY TOMATO CHUTNEY – THE DANCING HONEYBEE

Created using a 34-year-old single cask grain whisky from North British Distillery.

BBQ SAUCE – THE CHEEKY CAMPFIRE KIPPER

Created using The Single Cask’s OFFICIAL FEIS ILE 2024 release, a 12-year-old single cask whisky from Bruichladdich Distillery.

HOT SAUCE – THE JOLLY APPLE

Created using a 14-year-old single cask whisky from Linkwood Distillery.

The Single Cask
The Single Cask was founded in 2010 by Ben Curtis, built on the belief that the search for the ultimate dram never ends. Bottling unique spirits, hand-picked one cask at a time – The Single Cask bottles award-winning whiskies at natural cask strength, without any intervention such as chill filtration or artificial colours.

Powered by the incredible sense of togetherness whisky creates and a growing fascination with the one-of-a-kind personality of single cask bottlings, the passion soon led to the launch of their first bar in Singapore.

Now with a Glenrothes-based warehouse home to over 3000 casks, new retailers, on-trade partners and importers (such as the newly appointed High Spirits in the Netherlands) they are creating an ever-growing fan club family.

The Single Cask’s expertise is in the sourcing of casks and in the maturation – a bold pursuit to uncover whiskies that are both of exceptional quality and character. All their bottlings are tasting panel approved by The Single Cask Taste Masters – an exclusive panel of experts who seek out the thrill of the taste, helping it to become the best experience possible.

Website – https://www.thesinglecask.co.uk/

Social media:

Facebook – @thesinglecaskuk

Twitter – @thesinglecask

Instagram – @thesinglecask

Bimber Distillery celebrates sporting excellence with 

The Spirit of the Underground Release No.6

London’s Bimber Distillery today announced the launch of the sixth release of its celebrated The Spirit of the Underground Collection, produced in conjunction with Transport for London (TfL).

Release No.6 travels to four new stations, each connected to a revered sporting location. All four single cask releases – Oval, Stratford, Wembley Park and Wimbledon – showcase the past and present of these legendary London locations. However, for this release the eye-catching labels and packaging designs also celebrate the sporting excellence which has taken place at each hallowed ground and thrilled people around the world for generations.

Drawn from Bimber’s finest casks, this release presents the distillery’s first selection of ‘double maturations’. Each expression has been matured in a combination of American and European oak, spending over 3 years within the second cask in order to masterfully weave both wood styles together. Each double cask expression has been crafted to tease out new aromas and flavours from the twin-cask approach. Carefully selected, monitored and then bottled at just the right moment, these new Spirit of the Underground releases present with an incredible depth of flavour and a perfect balance between the two casks and Bimber’s naturally fruit-forward spirit style. All four new releases showcase a different double maturation, with each bottled at natural cask strength and without filtration:

• Oval – moscatel sherry cask double maturation 57.6%, 307 bottles
• Stratford – fino sherry cask double maturation, 58.5%, 325 bottles
• Wembley Park – marsala cask double maturation, 58.3%, 305 bottles
• Wimbledon – Vino de Naranja cask double maturation, 56.6% 298 bottles

The Collection, which will total 44 individual releases, features a selection of iconic single malt whiskies that celebrate the heritage and diversity of the distillery’s home city. With eye-catchingly unique designs, each bottle presents a different Tube station on the London Underground network – the oldest underground passenger railway service in the world.

Release No.6 of The Spirit of the Underground Collection will be available directly from Bimber’s Spirit of the Underground website from Wednesday 5^th till Sunday 9th June via a ballot and with an RRP of £135 per bottle.

Speaking of the launch of the sixth release, Bimber’s Matt McKay said: “We have been excited about releasing these four new stations since we first launched the Collection back in May 2021. Every great sporting moment is accompanied by a memorable story, whether that’s about perseverance, friendship, victory or loss. The sixth release of The Spirit of The Underground celebrates not only the history of four iconic locations but also the shared ability of both sport and whisky to bring people together. For this very special release we are delighted to unveil our first ‘double maturation’ casks. We have been internally trialling this new, longer approach to the maturation of our European oak casks and are thrilled to now offer these new Bimber flavour journeys to customers. Each tells its own double maturation story, and we’re tremendously excited to see how our double cask programme develops over the coming years.”

Ellen Sankey, Brand Licensing Manager at TfL, said: “The continuation of our partnership with Bimber Distillery sees the release of four new bottles, all with an association with key sporting locations across our network. We are proud to be collaborating with a London based independent brand, highlighting again that the city houses products of great quality. The creative and original use of our branding to help portray unique elements of our city’s association with sporting history shows the benefit that an innovative, long-term collaborations like this can have.”

This collection is the latest addition to a robust licensing programme, developed by TfL and its international licensing representative IMG, that brings the London Underground’s rich legacy and iconic brand identity to global audiences in unique and authentic ways.

All the expressions in The Spirit of the Underground Collection were crafted to Bimber’s exacting standards. The spirit was produced from the distillery’s single farm barley and malted on a dedicated floor at Warminster Maltings before being fermented for seven days in bespoke, on-site constructed American oak washbacks. Distillation took place in Bimber’s customised stills which possess an increased copper surface area, which results in a rich fruit-forward, layered spirit.

The Spirit of the Underground Collection – Release No.6

About Bimber 

Founded in 2015, Bimber Distillery produces world-class single malt whisky, handcrafted with passion in West London. Our traditionally-focussed approach to whisky creation combines the finest ingredients with heritage production methods that are rarely seen today and an absolute commitment to quality. Our meticulous approach has seen us recognised as a leading light in whisky production and garnered multiple industry awards. Producing a wide array of fruit-forward, textural single malts we deliver the ultimate craft whisky experience to a rapidly growing global community of Bimber whisky lovers.

About Transport for London

Transport for London (TfL) is the integrated transport authority responsible for delivering Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s strategy and commitments on transport. It runs the day-to-day operation of the Capital’s public transport network, including London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway, London Buses and Elizabeth line services, as well as managing London’s main roads. TfL does all it can to support the millions of journeys that are made every day and keep the city moving, working and growing. TfL reinvests all income generated through fares and commercial revenue to run and improve services and is committed to reducing costs.

About IMG

IMG is a global sports, events and representation company. It is a leader in rights management, multi-channel content production and distribution, consultancy and fan engagement; owns, produces and commercially represents hundreds of live events and experiences; and manages licensing programs for the world’s best-known brands and trademarks. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company.

J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery Offers Custom Bourbon Bottles Perfect for Father’s Day  

FRANKFORT, KY (May 30, 2024) –  Forget neckties for Father’s Day, give Dad a custom bottle of double-staved™ bourbon with your own personalized label from J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery.  Order online and choose Dad’s favorite mash bill from hundreds of proprietary double-staved barrels pre-selected by the Mattingly team of blenders.  Customize it even further by choosing the bottle shape, wax color for the stopper, and your own personal message on the label for Dad.  The J. Mattingly 1845 team will hand bottle it to your custom specifications and have it shipped to Dad’s door.   Orders placed before June 5 will be received by Father’s Day on June 16.  Orders placed after June 5 have the option of a downloadable gift card which can be printed and given to Dad on his special day.

All of J. Mattingly 1845’s whiskeys undergo its proprietary double-staving process, allowing the whiskey inside the barrels additional surface exposure to charred barrel staves to impart more flavor and color.  This extra surface exposure of the charred staves inside the barrels imparts more caramel and vanilla naturally from the wood, resulting in a more flavorful taste profile.  The barrels are then married together and after rigorous taste tests from J. Mattingly 1845’s team of blenders, a one-of-a-kind blend is created.

“The online custom bourbon bottles truly are a one-of-a-kind gift that dad, or any bourbon lover, will treasure,” said Harry Richart, president of J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery.  “Not only is the liquid inside with our double-staved bourbon blends never repeated, but your choice of bottle shape, custom message for the label and wax color combination make it a unique creation not found on the liquor store shelf.  It’s a gift that stands out from all others with all the customization opportunities.”

J. Mattingly 1845 Bourbon and the custom bourbon creation option are available online at jmattingly1845.com and in person at its Distillery in Frankfort, KY. Gift cards are available for the custom bourbon creation experience.  Prices for the online bottles start at $120 for a 750 mL bottle.  Shipping is available to 45 U.S. States.

About J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery

The Mattingly family has been synonymous with distilling in Kentucky for more than two centuries, having a hand in the development of at least nine separate distilleries in the Commonwealth.

            In 2010 Jeff Mattingly took up the family mantle and started his own craft bourbon business.  Today, Jeff’s son Cameron has joined the team as Vice President of Production, continuing the legacy into the latest generation for J. Mattingly Distillery 1845 in Frankfort, Kentucky. Together father and son offer their proprietary double-staving process as well as a custom bourbon blending experience unparalleled in the spirits industry, available on-site in Frankfort or online at www.JMattingly1845.com.

PROVENANCE AT ITS BEST: A HISTORIAN’S COLLECTION OF AMERICAN WHISKEY

View Catalogue

One bottle of Willett 25 Years Old Black Wax, estimated at $15,000 – 20,000, and one bottle of Willett Family Estate 21 Years Old Gold Wax, estimated at $12,000 – 15,000.

Boston – Bonhams Skinner will offer a collection of rare American whiskey boasting exceptional provenance and carefully procured over the last 25 years during its Distinguished Distilleries: Rare Spirits sale from June 4 – 18. The collection hails from Dr. Paul S. Hirsch – an award-winning writer and historian – who developed an effective system for discovering vintage and rare bottles of whiskey and became a leading authority with a robust community around collecting outstanding spirits. The 47-bottles on offer, boasting labels from a number of important distilleries, exemplify Hirsch’s dedication to seeking out the best of the best.

While recovering from an accident in 2000 which left him an amputee, Paul stumbled across a bottle of Old Weller Original 107 Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey at a local liquor store. This discovery turned a quest for American whiskies into a passion that helped heal his body and recuperate his mind. Interested in figuring out how many more gems were hiding in plain sight, Paul utilized his skills as a historian to develop a system for finding these treasures. He posited that liquor stores in areas that had been prosperous in the decades following World War II, but which had sadly since faltered, began pulling their high-end American whiskies from shelves in the late 1960s to replace them with more popular spirits like vodka and blended Scotch.

While earning a PhD in history, Paul traveled to many historical archives around the US and wherever he went, he hunted dusty and modern bottles of bourbon and rye that had been taken off the shelves. He learned to recognize tax stamps, bottles, and the evolving labels buried in the back of shelves or in liquor store basements. Sometimes these efforts yielded a stash of post-war whiskies or more modern treasures. Paul combined his historical expertise and passion for American whiskey into a small business, Barrel Strength Consulting, and hosted tastings and classes throughout southern California. He also helped educate bar and restaurant employees about the history of American whiskies and sold bottles to collectors from Manhattan to Los Angeles.

“The hunt for American whiskies provided my second education in history and a primary education in generosity and hospitality. As a disabled American, my mobility was, and remains, limited, but finding wonderful bottles of whiskey enabled me to host tastings, dinner parties, and post-meal sipping sessions that sometimes ran until morning,” Paul reflected. “My wonderful friends came to my apartment and sampled hundreds of bottles with me. In the process, I learned that the hunt was just a small part of being a whiskey geek; the most lovely and indelible experiences were shared with the people that helped me heal and advance. Pouring the whiskey, I’d discovered, was my way of thanking my friends, of bringing us closer together, and of celebrating or mourning the peaks and troughs of life.”

The highlight of Hirsch’s collection and found using his system is an impressively aged Willett Family Estate 25 Years Old Bourbon with a black wax, estimated at $15,000 – 20,000. Known the world over for producing some of the finest Bourbon and Rye in Kentucky, Willett has remained a family owned and operated company since its inception in 1936. The bottle on offer is part of the Willett family’s Private Barrel Selection – the only label of its kind in existence – and stands as their flagship Bourbon, the longest aged of any product they’ve made in their almost 100-year history. This unique bottle was specifically selected and bottled for the California retailer, BevMo, and has been colloquially nicknamed “Chocolate Monster” for its rich, hedonistic style.

The sale will also feature another bottle from the Willett Family Estate – a 21 Years Old Bourbon with a gold wax, estimated at $12,000 – 15,000. This particular bottle of wheated Bourbon, selected and sold by California retailer K&L Wine Merchants, is widely believed in the collecting community to have come from the Stitzel-Weller distillery. While Willett has neither confirmed nor denied that, if it’s true, it is one of the last bottlings from the original Stitzel-Weller stocks.

“Working with people like Paul is one of the true joys of our profession. His vision, historical approach to collecting and genuine love of the product allowed him to find and drink whiskies that, put frankly, are simply no longer found in the marketplace,” commented Louis Krieger, Global Business Director for Bonhams Wine & Spirits. “Paul has opened the doors of his vault to the collecting community and it’s not an overstatement to say this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to acquire some of the rarest, and most highly sought after, bottles in the world.”

Additional highlights of the collection include:

• A bottle of Karuizawa 31 Years Old from 1981, estimated at $10,000 – 15,000.
• A bottle of W.L. Weller 12 Years Old Single Barrel, estimated at $3,000 – 5,000.
• A bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 20 Years Old, estimated at $3,000 – 4,000.
• A bottle of William Larue Weller from 2006, estimated at $3,000 – 4,000.

About The Bonhams Network

Bonhams is a global network of auction houses, with the largest number of international salerooms, offering the widest range of collecting categories and selling at all price points. Bonhams is recognised for its bespoke service, and a dedication to local market relationships, enhanced by a global platform. With 14 salerooms, Bonhams presents over 1,000 sales annually, across more than 60 specialist categories, including fine art, collectables, luxury, wine & spirits, and collector cars.

Founded in 1793, Bonhams has representatives in more than 30 countries and operates flagship salerooms in London, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. In 2022, Bonhams added four international auction houses to its network: Bukowskis, Stockholm; Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen; Cornette de Saint Cyr, Paris and Brussels; and Skinner, Massachusetts. The success of Bonhams’ global strategy is a result of recognising the shift in growing intercontinental buying and increased digital engagement.

Recent important auctions and landmark single-owner collections, include the white glove sales of Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection, Alain Delon: Sixty Years of Passion; Sir Roger Moore: The Personal Collection; Personal Property of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and The Robert & Jean-Pierre Rousset Collection of Asian Art: A Century of Collecting. Other notable single-owner sales included The Estate of Barbara Walters: American Icon; The Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; The Crown Auction: Props and Costumes and The Claude de Marteau Collection.

Top lots for 2023 include 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta, Sold at Quail Lodge, US for US$30,255,000. Tipu Sultan’s Bedchamber Sword (sold in London for £14m – a world record for both an Islamic and an Indian object); Paul Signac (1863-1935), Sisteron, 1902. Sold for US$8,580,000 (estimate US$4-6 million), and Claude Monet (1840-1926), La Seine près de Giverny, 1888. Sold for US$6,352,500 (estimate US$4-6m), both from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; A Gilt Copper Alloy figure of Virupaksha, Central Tibet, Densatil Monastery, Early 15th century. Sold for HK$37.9m (£4,060,326) in Hong Kong. Yoshitomo Nara (born 1959) Three Stars. Sold for HK$36,754,000 (£3,930,914), also in Hong Kong.

More information and highlights can be found here. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com

THE FAMOUS GROUSE DEBUTS SHERRY CASK FINISH IN THE UK

London, 28^th May: The Famous Grouse has unveiled a new permanent edition to its portfolio, The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish – now available in the UK. The new premium expression is a rich, flavourful blend with unmistakable sweetness earned from a period of maturation in ex-sherry casks.

Launching first exclusively at Morrisons from May, it will then be available in other major retailers from September with an RRP of £22.00.

The Famous Grouse Master Blender has meticulously selected Speyside malts for a second maturation period in sherry-seasoned European oak casks to deliver the rich, warming, and spiced characters that are at the heart of the new premium expression.

Marc Watson, The Famous Grouse Master Blender says: “This new, revived blend is finished in sherry casks seasoned in the region of Jerez, Spain. The aim was to create a blend that is slightly sweeter but still in keeping with the smooth and distinct DNA of classic Grouse. 

Once the blend is in its final stages of maturation, which involves the meticulous combination of hand-selected malt and grain whiskies, The Famous Grouse Master Blender does not stop there; the full blend is married in ex-sherry casks further to enhance their sweet, rich, and smooth characters. The Sherry Cask Finish is a decadent blend of flavours, including chocolate, almonds, dried fruits, and sweet spices.” 

A sweeter balance and smooth in texture, The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish has been created with mixability in mind and the UK release aptly follows the launch of The Famous Grouse’s ‘Full of Character’ global campaign. Designed to introduce the drink to the next generation of whisky drinkers, the campaign also aimed to educate consumers on the accessibility and mixability of the liquid.

The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish comes at a time when demand for sherry cask whiskies continues to grow*. Launching just in time for the summer, ‘The Sherry Cask Spritz’ is the ideal seasonal serve – combine 50ml of The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish with 20ml of lemon juice and 20ml of Madagascan vanilla syrup, top with sparkling wine and ice.

“We are finding that consumers are actively expanding their blended whisky repertoire,” says Joakim Leijon, Global Brand Director for The Famous Grouse. “The Famous Grouse continues to go from strength to strength by maintaining its position as the UK’s No1 whisky and no.2 Spirit brand**. We are therefore perfectly positioned to drive further growth in the category through innovation and range development. The new Sherry Cask Finish will enable loyal consumers to expand their repertoire as well as introduce first time whisky drinkers to The Famous Grouse brand.”

The packaging of the Sherry Cask Finish plays host to the Spanish female Capercaillie. The Spanish Capercaillie was chosen for its link to the product’s Spanish sherry heritage and its vivid orange and red plumage, which echoes the deep amber of the liquid itself. Alongside the ongoing support for RSPB Scotland, The Famous Grouse plans to support further habitat protection projects focusing specifically on the Capercaillie.

*Source: IWSR| Total Scotch Whisky Value sales & Whisky “Sherry title” | 2020-2023|

**Source: Nielsen, Latest 52 weeks MAT – w/e 16.03.24

The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish Tasting Notes 

• COLOUR: Dark red-gold with an amber glow.
• NOSE: A balance of fresh orange and poached pear, cherry blossom, moist sultanas, cocoa beans intermingled with sweet cinnamon and ginger spice.
• TASTE: Smooth in texture, rich in character. A combination of oaky vanilla, dark chocolate, maple syrup, toasted almonds and hazelnuts.
• FINISH: Rich and smooth. Warming notes of dried fruits in Christmas cake with a long sweet, spice finish. 

The Famous Grouse 

The Famous Grouse is the no. 1 whisky in the UK (*Neilsen UK, 2024). It has been the best-selling whisky in Scotland, the home of Scotch whisky, since 1980. The business was founded by Matthew Gloag, who started blending whisky in the 1890s and was launched officially in 1897 to be drunk by the gentry after a day of outdoor pursuits. Today, the brand is owned by the Edrington Group and is exported to over 100 countries.

The Famous Grouse has supported the RSPB, the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, for over 15 years. The partnership was established to improve habitats for resident black grouse on four RSPB reserves in the UK following the species’ rapid decline between 1995 and 2005.

www.thefamousgrouse.com/en

Edrington UK

Edrington UK is the UK’s number one whisky supplier, part of the global Edrington family and responsible for the UK sales, marketing, and distribution of a portfolio of ultra-premium brands, including The Macallan, Highland Park, The Glenrothes, The Famous Grouse, Naked Malt and Brugal.

As a valued distribution partner of Beam Suntory, Edrington UK also represents many of its brands in the UK marketplace, such as Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Bowmore, Laphroaig, Courvoisier and The House of Suntory range of Japanese craft spirits.

Be responsible. Drink with moderation

BeDrinkAware.co.uk

SAZERAC COMPANY AWARDED 67 MEDALS AT 2024 SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION

Among the top honors is W.L. Weller 12 Year, which won its third consecutive Double Gold in turn earning a prestigious Platinum medal

 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 13, 2024) – The Sazerac Company is honored to have been awarded a total of 67 awards across spirits categories in the prestigious 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC). Top honors include 22 Double Gold medals – including the third consecutive Double Gold for W.L. Weller 12 Year Old Bourbon, in turn earning the expression a Platinum medal – as well as 12 Gold, 30 Silver and two Bronze medals.

Sazerac brands receiving prestigious accolades include 1792, Eagle Rare, William Larue Weller, Paul Masson, George T. Stagg, A. Smith Bowman, and more. Traveller Whiskey, Buffalo Trace Distillery’s newest whiskey innovation created in collaboration with Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and musician Chris Stapleton, was honored with its first award: a silver medal.

The competition, held April 5-7, is the oldest and largest competition of its kind. Founded in 2000, the SFWSC is one of many competitions hosted by The Tasting Alliance, a group of hundreds of judges evaluating the world’s best wine, beer and spirits.

“We are honored and humbled to have received dozens of medals across spirits categories from this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition,” said Jake Wenz, President and CEO at Sazerac. “These awards are a testament to our incredible team, whose dedication to premiere distilling and aging across Sazerac’s vast portfolio allows us to produce the finest spirits for our fans around the world.”

Sazerac brands awarded Double Gold and Gold medals at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition include:

Double Gold

• 1792 Bottled in Bond
• 1792 Full Proof
• 1792 Single Barrel
• 1792 Small Batch
• 1792 Sweet Wheat
• A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength
• Benchmark Full Proof
• Benchmark Single Barrel
• Benchmark Small Batch
• Buffalo Trace Distillery Bourbon Cream
• Eagle Rare Straight Bourbon
• E.H. Taylor Single Barrel
• E.H. Taylor Small Batch
• George T. Stagg Straight Bourbon
• Mister Sam Canadian Whisky
• Rich & Rare Reserve
• Seagram’s VO
• Stagg Straight Bourbon
• W. L. Weller 12 Year
• W. L. Weller Full Proof
• William Larue Weller

Gold

• 1792 Aged 12 Years
• Benchmark Bonded
• Benchmark Top Floor
• Booth’s Finest Old Gin Sherry Cask
• Buffalo Trace Distillery Straight Bourbon
• Chestnut Farms Bottled in Bond
• Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Straight Bourbon
• Imperial 12 Year Old Blended Scotch
• Legacy Canadian Whisky
• Royal Canadian Small Batch
• Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey
• W. L. Weller Single Barrel

For complete results from the SFWSC, visit thetastingalliance.com.

About Sazerac:

With over 400 years of history, Sazerac is one of the world’s largest distilled spirits companies. Now in the fourth generation of the current family ownership, Sazerac strives each day to bring the finest spirits to consumers around the world.

Over 500 of the world’s most extraordinary brands are part of the Sazerac portfolio, including Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare, Weller, The Last Drop Distillers, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Southern Comfort, Wheatley Vodka, Meyers’s Rum, White X Cognac, Sazerac de Forge Cognac, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, and many more.

Sazerac is also the steward of many fine distilleries internationally, including Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, United States; Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac in Cognac, France; Paul John Distillery in Goa, India; and Lough Gill Distillery in County Sligo, Ireland. Additional impressive locations can be found in New Orleans, Montréal, London, Cork and Sydney, to name a few.

To learn more, visit www.sazerac.com.

Wick Seafarers Memorial Group Receives Support From New Wolfburn Whisky

Willie Watt MBE with a bottle of the memorial Wolfburn release.

To raise much-needed funds for the Seafarers Memorial in Wick, Wolfburn Distillery has unveiled a charity bottling, with proceeds being donated towards the maintenance and upkeep of this historical Wick landmark.

‘The memorial team are overwhelmed by the generosity of the team at Wolfburn, whose financial support will ensure that the monument will be properly maintained and looked after for years to come,’ said Memorial Group Chairman Willie Watt. ‘The fact that we reached so far back in history to commemorate the 1848 Black Saturday tragedy makes the release of this local limited-edition bottle of whisky all the more important, poignant and special. Our community was made strong through the exploits and hard work of these early fishermen and it is fitting to enjoy a fine dram in their memory. We will remember them!’

Crafted from peated spirit matured for over seven years in hand-selected oak barrels, the packaging features imagery from Robert Anderson’s painting, ‘Wick’s Black Saturday’. And the whisky inside the bottle has equally historical connotations, being made in just the same way it was back in the 1840s. ‘As a proud Pulteneytowner I am delighted that Wolfburn has been able to assist the community in this way,’ commented distillery administrator Jennifer Nicolson. ‘It’s been a lovely project to be involved with, and the reaction of the local folk has been just brilliant.’

ABOUT WOLFBURN:

The original Wolfburn Distillery was founded just to the west of Thurso by William Smith in 1821.  In its day it was one of the largest distilleries in Scotland, producing, according to HMRC records, 28,056 “gallons of proof spirit” in a single year.  Taking its name from the stream that provided the water – the Wolf Burn – the distillery operated until around 1870.  The reasons for its closure are lost in time, but by 1877 the newly produced Ordnance Survey maps showed it being in ruins.

In 2011 plans were laid to resurrect the old distillery. Construction began in 2012 and in January 2013 the new Wolfburn Distillery commenced production, thereby becoming the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland.  Situated 300m from the site of the original distillery, the new Wolfburn operates in much the same way as the old: craftsmen use traditional methods to produce fine spirit, which is laid down in best quality oak casks to await the day when it is bottled as single malt scotch whisky.  Wolfburn’s single malt scotch whiskies are now available in over 40 countries globally.

Wolfburn Distillery, Henderson Park, Thurso, Caithness KW14 7XW

www.wolfburn.com

www.facebook.com/wolfburn