DOUGLAS LAING RELEASE NEW ROCK ISLAND BLENDED MALT SCOTCH WHISKY:

ROCK ISLAND 16-YEAR-OLD SHERRY EDITION

Independent Scotch Whisky Distillers, Blenders, and Bottlers, Douglas Laing & Co., are proud to announce their latest limited-edition release under the Rock Island brand: Rock Island 16-Year-Old Sherry Edition.

Following the success of the 14-Year-Old Sherry Edition, released in 2023, this unique Island Malt has been matured for an additional two years in Sherry casks, resulting in even greater depth of flavour.

This exceptional Whisky is a marriage of Single Malts from the Whisky-making islands of Orkney, Arran, Jura, and Islay, all aged for 16 years and predominantly matured in Sherry casks. These hand-selected casks enhance Rock Island’s signature sweet peat and maritime influence with layers of dried fruits, walnut, and vanilla, now complemented by honeycomb and toasted almonds. A true testament to the impact of additional maturation time.

Bottled at 46.8% ABV, this edition mirrors the strength of the 14-Year-Old, allowing for a direct comparison between these two Sherry-led expressions. As with all Douglas Laing releases, it is non-chill filtered and free from artificial colouring, in line with the family ethos of bottling Whisky ‘as natural as it gets’.

Packaged in a premium foiled carton with a complementing label, this release presents Rock Island in a new light – modern and powerful, yet true to its maritime heritage.

Chloe Wood, Rock Island’s Brand Manager, commented:

“Rock Island 16-Year-Old is a release we are all incredibly excited about at Douglas Laing. The brand itself showcases a truly unique composition, containing Single Malts from some of Scotland’s most acclaimed Whisky-making islands. To release these in a predominantly Sherry-matured expression is a special moment, particularly as it marks the first 16-Year-Old under the Rock Island brand. The flavour profile, shaped by both the spirit itself and the hand-selected Sherry casks, creates a Whisky experience not to be missed. It truly highlights the importance of time and patience in Whisky maturation.”

Expected to retail at £75.00 / €90.00, Rock Island 16-Year-Old Sherry Edition will be available from specialist retailers and online across Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific.

ABOUT DOUGLAS LAING & CO.

www.douglaslaing.com

Douglas Laing & Co. is a leading independent Scotch Whisky distillery, blender and bottler specialising in the selection and release of Single Cask Single and Small Batch Malt Scotch Whiskies.

The company was founded by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948 and is still owned and run by the Laing family – Fred Laing Jr and his daughter Cara Laing.

The company philosophy is to bottle the way the distiller intended – at a high strength and without chill filtration to preserve the robust and unique character of the Whisky. Douglas Laing’s industry reputation and many awards are a testament to this ethos.

Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts, the Ultimate Distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions, encompasses The Epicurean Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky, Timorous Beastie (Highlands), Scallywag (Speyside), The Gauldrons (Campbeltown), Rock Island (Islands) and Big Peat (Islay).

Beyond its Blended Malts expertise, the award-winning Douglas Laing portfolio also includes Provenance, Premier Barrel, Old, Xtra Old Particular, and XOP Black, collectively known as the firm’s “Exceptional Single Casks”.

It’s summer so it’s time to take your whisky adventures outside! Fill up your hip flask with one of the sensational summer sippers from our July Outturn.

MELLOW YELLOW

CASK NO. 39.292

CASK:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  12 years

WE’RE ALL GOING ON A SUMMER HOLIDAY

CASK NO. 64.154

CASK:  1st fill HTMC hogshead

AGE:  16 years

A RUMOUR OF SHERRY

CASK NO. 11.48

CASK:  2nd fill oloroso hogshead

AGE:  9 years

CRUNCHY MUNCHIES

CASK NO. 53.466

CASK:  1st fill PX hogshead

AGE:  15 years

BROWSE JULY OUTTURN HERE

VIEW ALL BOTTLINGS

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada
Suite 160
104 – 1240 Kensington Road NW
Calgary, AB T2N 3P7
403-969-8225
curious@smws.ca
www.smws.ca

Welcome one and all to our now live 169th auction!  We have thousands of tremendous bottlings to choose from this month sourced from every corner of the globe.  We have some particularly old vintages in this month as well as a wide selection of new releases so wherever your collecting (or drinking) interests lie, we’ve got you covered.  So, without further ado here are a few highlights to get your monthly whisky journey started.

First up we have a particularly delicious looking dram from a respected Indie bottler, this is the Springbank 1964 32 Year Old Adelphi.  Given the popularity of Springbank in general indie bottlings such as this one offer the opportunity to acquire an older Springbank without breaking the bank.  And boy does this one look good.  Distilled in 1964 and aged for over three decades before bottling it’s obvious from the rich dark colour that this dram has spent much of its slumber in a sherry cask.

Next a small skip over the water from Campbeltown to Islay and we have the Port Ellen 1979 40 Year Old 9 Rogue Casks.  After the closure of Port Ellen in 1983 stocks of the whisky became far rarer and more appealing to collectors, so you may have a fight on your hands if you want to snap this one up.  Now that Port Ellen has reopened, we may see even greater demand for these older iterations going forward so this could be the ideal time to add this bad boy to your collection.

Another ageing beauty from a respected indie bottler this is the Glen Grant 1952 60 Year Old The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Gordon & MacPhail.  To honour the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee (1952 – 2012) Gordon & MacPhail selected a sixty-year-old Glen Grant scotch from a single first fill Oloroso sherry cask.  The decanter and Swarovski crystal stopper have been designed by Glencairn Crystal, and each is engraved with a unique number as well as a sterling silver collar around the bottle neck. The box is made from Scottish Elm, felled a short distance from Holyrood House, the Queen’s official Scottish residence and lined with purple Harris Tweed.  One of a miniscule 85 bottles released this is a bona fide rarity.

Best of luck to everyone in the auction, and as always………..don’t lose your bottle.

WHAT IS ISLAND WHISKY?

Scotland’s windswept islands have been key centres of whisky making since the early days of distilling in the 15th century. Today, the furthest-flung corners of Scotland are home to some of the most celebrated distilleries in the world.

Though often described as a region, the Islands are officially part of the Highlands, with Islay recognised separately. The isles of Arran, Mull, Jura, Raasay, Skye, Lewis and Orkney all produce single malts, ranging from light and fruity to boldly peated with coastal influence.

DISCOVER

SHOP NOW

Thompson Bros Mystery Malt #2, 48.5%

THE REVIEW

I never got my hands on the first set of releases from this range, but I can happily say that’s in the past now. An amazing concept for not a lot of money. Am unknown bottle arrives at your door after payment, you’ve a percentage chance of getting a Ledaig 29 Year Old, Ardbeg 16 Year Old, or something younger. All single cask products that are uniquely different. The excitement of ordering a bottle of whisky and having no idea what’s going to arrive at your door is quite the trip, I’m amazed I managed to hold back on opening this until this video. You’ll have to watch the video to see what got revealed under the capsule, but it’s such a cool, fun, interesting experience. So fair play to the Thompson Bros and everything they stand for. Easily forging their way through to be the modern foundation of what whisky and its consumers should want.

Jackie Zykan Moves on from Hidden Barn Bourbon, Neeley Family Distillery to Continue with Award-Winning Brand 

SPARTA, KY (June 2025) – Jackie Zykan and Royce Neeley have announced Jackie is stepping away from Hidden Barn Bourbon, and Neeley Family Distillery will continue production of the brand.  Zykan created Hidden Barn Bourbon in 2022, in partnership with Royce Neeley and Nate Winegar.  In 2024, Neeley purchased Hidden Barn from the partners, with Zykan remaining as Master Blender and Winegar as Brand Ambassador.

Today, Winegar will continue his role as Brand Ambassador and Neeley will continue production of Hidden Barn, with the same flavor profile that it’s known for, which has earned it Best in Class and several double gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Zykan will stay involved with the Neeley Family Distillery.

“We have been thrilled to work with Jackie over the years and we look forward to continuing to work with her in a different capacity,” said Royce Neeley, Master Distiller, Neeley Family Distillery.  “We learned a lot from Jackie and have the utmost respect for her palate and blending abilities, and plan to continue to make Hidden Barn just as we have before. Our entire family thinks the world of Jackie, and the door is always open to future Hidden Barn collaborations. We’re excited about being able to work with her in this new capacity.” 

“I’ve so appreciated having this opportunity to work with the Neeley family and Nate, and I’m grateful for their support as I start my new agriculture venture, and also focus on my other business, Oduoak, which is a line of whiskey-based fragrances I created in 2020,” said Zykan, master blender emeritus. “I am honored to lean into my background of biology and chemistry to shed light on the importance of intentional and sustainable botanical sourcing. Diversifying my engagement with the natural world by growing aromatic flowers and herbs for both fragrance and spirits is an inherent next step in my journey. Being able to supply the herbs for Neeley’s Absinthe to deepen its roots as a Kentucky-made product is something I’m really excited about.”

The base of the spirit is the Neeley Family moonshine recipe, crafted using wild-crafted Appalachian yeast. This yeast is also used to create all Neeley Family Distillery distillates, including its Hidden Barn Bourbon.  There are no plans to make any changes to the Hidden Barn Bourbon after Zykan’s departure. In fact, the brand is growing stronger than ever, “We’re moving into our 20^th state as far as distribution, with several more on the horizon,” said Neeley.  Hidden Barn is also available for sale online and at the Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, Ky.

About Hidden Barn Bourbon

Hidden Barn’s name harkens back to the local communities who painted their barns black in solidarity with distillers during Prohibition.  This sense of community is continued today through the passion for quality whiskey and camaraderie shared by its three founders, Jackie Zykan, Royce Neeley and Nate Winegar.  Previous Hidden Barn Series releases have earned Best of Class in the Small Batch Bourbon Up to 5 years by The Tasting Alliance, Double Golds at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2023 and 2024, and Best Small Batch, 1st Place at the 2023 New Orleans Bourbon Festival.  Hidden Barn Bourbon is owned by Neeley Family Distillery.   The brand is available online and in select states. For more information visit hiddenbarnwhiskey.com

Vote for Killowen Distillery

Belfast Whiskey Week is back (18th-26th of July), and we are absolutely thrilled to once again be nominated at the Irish Whiskey Industry Awards 2025. The entire team is delighted to feature across a range of categories such as Female Brand Ambassador of the Year, Apprentice Distiller of the Year and even Manager of the Year, all but to name just a few! To be recognised for all our hard work and efforts over the past year is truly such an honour, and if you feel that we are worthy of these awards we would be delighted to have your vote!

Vote Here

We would also like to remind all those lucky enough to attend this wonderful festival that we will be hosting two very special events;

Friday the 18th of July – Killowen: Weird and Wonderful Tasting
Wednesday the 23rd of July – Killowen: Wine & Fortified Wine Tasting 

Be sure to secure your tickets before the events sell out, we can’t wait to see you there! And once again, thank you all so much for your continued support of our wee distillery.

Get your tickets here

Sláinte

The Killowen Distillery Team

Laphroaig 38 Year Old Archive Collection

£4,100.00

Free Next Day Delivery for 12 Months For just £14.95 you can enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year! Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs. Find out more ❯

SPRINGBANK VINTAGE

NOSE Medjool dates, blackberries, white chocolate and caramel notes kick off this first edition in the Springbank Vintage series.

PALATE There is an earthiness initially on the palate, with notes of shortbread, brandy butter and cloves developing over time.

FINISH The finish brings notes of varnished wood, nutmeg and crystalised ginger.

UK RRP £525 – £540

ralfy review 1085 Extras – A whisky bottling forensics. (99&1-Living Souls)