Skene Scotch Whisky has released a trio of affordable, no age statement single malt whiskies in time for Christmas.   Two are in Skene’s “aged in a sherry cask” range and one is a peated Islay malt. 

The first is a single cask Blair Athol fully matured in Oloroso.   Just 246 bottles were filled at an ABV of 48% with natural colour and no chill filtration.  The price is only £34 for a 70cl bottle. 

The second is a single cask Tomatin fully matured in Oloroso.  Only 186 bottles were filled at a punchy ABV of 50%, again with natural colour and no chill filtration.  The price is just £34 a 70cl bottle. 

The third and final bottling is a peated Bunnahabhain single malt (aka “Staoisha) from two casks.  Just 504 bottles were filled at an ABV of 48%,  yet again with natural colour and no chill filtration.  The price is a very modest £42 a bottle. 

These three new releases (together with earlier Skene bottlings and some aged Macallans)  are now available from Skene Scotch Whisky’s online shop at https://www.skenewhisky.com/shop/ 

Notes about Skene Whisky – After a few years away from bottle sales, Skene Whisky plans to release a number of new ranges over the next few months.  “Skene Reserve” will be single cask premium bottlings of vintage malt whisky (eg Macallan 30yo).   “Skene Sherry Editions” will be sherry-matured single malts ( normally at 48% ABV) aimed squarely at drinkers.  “Skene American Oak “Editions” will be ex-bourbon single malt bottlings (again normally at 48% ABV).  “Skene Peated Malt Editions” will be peated single malt expressions (yet again normally at 48% ABV).

Arkansas Single Malt Whiskey

GEAR UP FOR BLACK FRIDAY WITH THIS SMALL BATCH RELEASE

We have been hard at work at The Distillery! Not only have we bottled a new Limited Release RICE BOURBON that hit the shelves last week, but we are excited to announce ANOTHER Small Batch Release hitting the shelves this week.

WHISKEY DETAILS

COLOR: Medium-dark amber

AROMA: Grassy, hay malty with rich toffee undertone, roasted marshmallows, baking spice, nutmeg
TASTE: Mocha praline, toasted almond, semi-sweet bakers’ chocolate, chocolate rice crispies
FINISH: Long and sweet, with espresso

LIMITED RELEASE

Just like our Arkansas Rice Whiskey, we only made ONE BATCH of this Special Release, Arkansas Single Malt Whiskey. If there is a Whiskey lover on your Holiday shopping list, we are pretty sure this would make the perfect gift! Only available at The Distillery, while supplies last.

Arkansas Single Malt Whiskey was double distilled from a mashbill of 100% Irish Malt and blended with a malt mashbill of 75.1% Brewers Malt. We then aged it for 2 years in 15 & 25 gallon used Bourbon barrels.

What makes this Single Malt EXTRA SPECIAL is that we finished aging it for an additional 2 years in EXCLUSIVE TOASTED FRENCH OAK BARRELS. Often used for Bourdeaux wines, aging whiskey in these types of barrels is not the typical aging process for a whiskey, which has created an amazing flavor profile for this spirit.

If you wish to buy a tasting set for our online tastings,

please purchase ASAP so we can deliver them to you in time.

In-Store pickup is available

November 28th @ 5:30PM PST

Springbank

A true whisky world legend, Campbeltown distillery Springbank boasts a legacy of amazing single malts dating back to 1828. We’ll talk whisky history, current day distilling practices, and explore three Springbank whiskies together, followed by an audience Q&A with our whisky expert presenter. Join us on zoom and bring your home whisky collections – sharing is highly encouraged!

Featured Whiskies

Springbank 10 Year Old

Springbank 15 Year Old

Springbank 18 Year Old

Tasting Sets are available for $25 and include

a small bottle of each featured whisky

Click Here for more Details & RSVP

Additionally, all Springbank single malts are 10% off with the coupon code ‘VIRTUAL’ at checkout.

Mid-week slump? Our Black Friday Sale has come early to perk you up!

Get the home-bar kitted out for winter and bag a brilliant bargain on delicious drams from Macallan, Loch Lomond, Bushmills and many more.

Remember: we offer free UK shipping over all orders over £75.

Check out today’s top deals below…

Shop Black Friday Deals ›

Discover the famous whisky from one of Japan’s most renowned distilleries.

Don’t miss our biggest sale of the year, signup for Black Friday Alerts now.

Dekanta

2-49-7 Minamiikebukuro Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Alasdair Anderson: 40 years and counting

This is Alasdair Anderson, industry stalwart and Distillery Manager here at The Glenrothes. 2020 marks Alasdair’s 40th year in the whisky world, and yet you might never have heard of him. That’s because, much like the whisky he helps produce, Alasdair is understated and incredibly humble. He believes it’s not about him; what matters most is the whisky and the people making it.

Alasdair has seen and done it all, working his way to the top through hard work and a desire to learn that’s never wavered. We sat down with him to discuss the past, the future, and all the barrels and barley in between.

READ THE INTERVIEW

One of 2020’s Most Collectible Single Malts

1995 Aberlour 25 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive

Single Hogshead Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

For time-sensitive bottles this November/December, please get your orders in early. Thanks and happy holidays! We appreciate your business. NOTE: Our walk-in retail locations are currently closed. We have curbside pickup and low cost (often free) delivery options available in ZIP codes where we can ship lawfully, including anywhere in California. We can also include any new or existing will call orders in your delivery batch. Choose local delivery at checkout to learn if you qualify.

Aberlour has a large and devoted following, having made its name with its absolutely stunning sherried expressions. But highlighted today is a real rarity from this distiller’s impressive range—a rare hogshead with 25 years of age. Single malts with this kind of significant age statement are exceptionally hard to find, and when they do, they always command a princely sum. Finding one from Aberlour is rarer even still and a real boon for collectors who enjoy the malts from this Speyside master. The whisky is every bit as tantalizing as one might expect, albeit in a different vein than those which spent their time in a sherry cask. This beautiful 25 Year Old, while possessing all the power you’d expect from a cask strength bottling, is remarkably nuanced and pure. A connoisseur’s dram if there ever was one, this is the perfect gift or addition to your own collection of Scotland’s best. Precious few bottles were drawn from this cask, so we expect our limited allocation to disappear within days, if not hours. If you are to splurge on one bottle of single malt this year, let this be the one.

1995 Aberlour 25 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Hogshead Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($299.99) —This product is expected to arrive for shipment or pickup by late November 2020.

This gorgeous little distillery at the entrance of the tiny town of the same name has quietly become one of the Scotch-loving world’s darlings. The distillery, owned by blending giant Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard), was built in 1879 and features two 21,000-liter wash stills and a pair each of spirits stills that are 20,000 and 15,000 liters respectively. The distillery’s name means “mouth of the babbling brook,” and indeed a stream meanders next to the building, but their water actually comes from Ben Rinnes like many of the other distilleries around the famous mountain. We’ve never been offered a barrel of Aberlour, much less one of such astonishing age. While the distillery itself has been focused on NAS bottlings like their popular A’Bunadh series, the older expressions have become extremely rare. This single hogshead was selected not only for its incredible provenance and rarity, but also its extreme deliciousness. Unlike many modern Aberlours, which have become synonymous with hardcore sherry, this is much more nuanced and idiosyncratic. While by no means a value buy, it does represent a malt that is otherwise unobtainable at nearly any price and its inherent quality and unique character easily merit the price of entry. Only 184 bottles came out of this old hogshead. It was bottled at cask strength without chill-filtration or coloring of any kind.

Winners Announced in 2nd Annual
Scottish Whisky Awards

The national awards programme which promotes and celebrates Scotch Whisky has announced its winners as part of its second annual competition.

The Scottish Whisky Awards is a comprehensive year-round programme which assesses Scotch whisky producers in both business performance and taste.  This year, it involved a rigorous judging process with a panel of 40 experts and the blind tasting of 155 Scotch whisky products.

The ultimate award in the competition, Whisky Distillery of the Year, sponsored by Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers, was presented to Glasgow Distillery after a tremendous year of business progress and having won two Gold medals in the taste competition…..

Read Full Article

View All 2020 Winners

Talisker 8 Year Old 2011 Hepburn’s Choice

Another big name in Scotch whisky. Stunning sweet and salted notes on this dram. Delicious! Talisker 8 Year Old 2011 vintage Island single malt Scotch whisky from Skye. Single sherry butt bottled 2020 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Hepburn’s Choice series.

Brothers Hugh and Keneth MacAskill Talisker Distillery was established at Carbost on the Isle of Skye off the west coast of Scotland in 1830 with construction commencing the following year. Soaking up its own reflection from Loch Harport one day yet fending off North Atlantic gales the next. Talisker is an Islands malt whisky distillery equipped with five stills and has retained its traditional five round wooden worm tubs. There is an excellent range of official bottlings, including Talisker 10 Year Old and Distillers Edition supplemented by independent bottlings in the Secret Stills and Old Malt Cask ranges.

£65.00 / €72.46* / $71.61*

Shop – Talisker 8 Year Old

ralfy review 848 – Three great single malts for 2020