ralfy review 1084 Extras – We all Need to know our ‘taste’.

ralfy review 1083 Extras – Advice on making the most of Whisky Shows.

Bladnoch releases Wave II: Distillery & Spirit –  second instalment in collection showcasing five pillars of whisky making

Bladnoch, Scotland’s oldest privately-owned Scotch whisky distillery has unveiled Wave II: Distillery & Spirit single malt whisky, the second release in The Wave Master Distiller’s Collection.

The Wave is a five-part limited-edition series which walks through the marrying process of whiskies on a journey, that reveals the five whisky making pillars used by Bladnoch master distiller, Dr Nick Savage.

To create The Wave, Dr Nick Savage selected five Amontillado sherry tuns to be filled with whiskies from various combinations of cask types to marry together from the distillery’s 208-year-old bluestone warehouses for annual release. Each year the cask types will be revealed and depict another pillar of Bladnoch whisky making. The remaining whisky will be decanted into the following year’s tun, creating a common thread and a wave effect throughout the series, with the fifth and final release featuring components of the full collection.

Wave II: Distillery & Spirit shines a spotlight on Bladnoch’s Lowland distillery and spirit character. It has been carefully crafted through marrying a combination of re-charred butts and barrels with first-fill ex-bourbon barrels in the second Amontillado sherry tun, a process which champions the fruity, floral distillery character Bladnoch is renowned for.

Dr Nick Savage, Master Distiller at Bladnoch Distillery, said: “All Bladnoch whiskies start their life with the same exceptional Lowland spirit from our stills, which gives us the common thread throughout our single malts. We can use various cask types to mature out different flavours, but everything has the same beginning. Bladnoch is known as ‘Queen of the Lowlands’ and ensuring we distil a truly consistent Lowland style, encompassing fruity pear drops and floral, freshly cut grass, is the essential starting point for our whiskies and provides the identity of our bold Galloway spirit.

“Through The Wave Collection we aim to take people on the unique journey of our whisky over time. Each cask takes notes from the other, building year on year and Wave II: Distillery & Spirit brings to life how important it is to have a robust distillery style. It highlights our floral, fruity character and our Lowland style and how it pieces together with all our other pillars of whisky making to drive our innovative taste-first approach.”

Bottled at 57% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural in colour, Wave II: Distillery & Spirit is characterised by pear drops, pineapples and ginger. On the nose it opens with aromas of pear drops and summer barley, while there are flavours of baked pineapples with ginger snaps on the palate and the finish is floral and fresh yet spiced.

The launch of Wave II: Distillery & Spirit follows the release of Wave I: Time & Maturation in June 2024 which epitomised Bladnoch’s method of selecting casks at the peak time in their maturation process to ensure optimal flavours in the whisky.

In line with Wave I, Wave II is limited to 1,817 bottles in tribute to the year the distillery was founded. It has an RRSP of £125 and is exclusively available to purchase at Bladnoch Distillery or via bladnoch.com where it can be shipped to more than 30 countries around the world.

To mark the new release, Bladnoch hosted Wave Day on Saturday 14 June 2025. Taking place at the distillery, the one-day festival celebrated Bladnoch’s bold Galloway spirit and the history and heritage of the distillery. It was the first opportunity for whisky enthusiasts from across the globe to sample and purchase Wave II.

Dating back to 1817, Bladnoch Distillery is one of the oldest single malt Scotch whisky producers in the world and is enjoying a bold and powerful revival. The legacy brand has been revived in recent years by David Prior, who purchased Bladnoch Distillery in 2015 and is the first Australian businessman to own a Scotch whisky distillery.

Bladnoch Wave II: Distillery & Spirit Tasting notes  

Pear drops, pineapples, ginger

Nose: Pear drops with summer barley

Palate: Baked pineapples with ginger snaps

Finish: Floral. Fresh yet spiced

About Bladnoch Distillery

Bladnoch Distillery was established in 1817, making it the oldest privately owned Scotch whisky distillery in the world. As the southernmost distillery in Scotland, Bladnoch is commonly referred to as the ‘Queen of the Lowlands.’

Hand-crafted using malt from British growers and the pristine water from the River Bladnoch which flows alongside the distillery, Bladnoch single malts are non-chill filtered to ensure the truest flavours shine through.

This legacy brand has been revived in recent years by Master Distiller, Dr Nick Savage, formerly of The Macallan, and owner David Prior, who purchased Bladnoch Distillery in 2015 and is the first Australian businessman to own a Scotch whisky distillery.

Bladnoch has been commended with several high-profile award wins in recent years, most recently at the World Whiskies Awards 2025, where Bladnoch 16 Year Old was awarded gold in the ‘Single Malt – 13 to 20 Years’ category and Bladnoch 13 Year Old taking silver in the same division. In the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2025 Bladnoch was awarded a trio of prestigious awards, receiving double gold medals for each of its Vinaya, Samsara and 13 Year Old Lowland single malt whiskies.

The team at Bladnoch is truly passionate about the preservation of the environment and the local community’s generational involvement in this iconic distillery.

4個のジャパニーズウイスキー蒸留所がモルトストック2025に参戦

As spring is progressing and we slide into summer, so is our program. And we have some exciting and relaxed news for you! Maltstock 2025 will feature a relaxed small wave of 4 Japanese distilleries and an independent bottler! This is very relaxed, but very special too as you would be hard pressed to find a better opportunity to get to know these wonderful companies, their people and their spirits. Scroll down quickly to find out more about our relaxed Japanese guests this year! (for our Japanese readers… we hope Google translate hasn’t slaughtered the translation of the title…)

Annette, Bob, Klaas, Stan and Teun

Japanese Whisky companies @ Maltstock

Wakatsuru Saburomaru Distillery

Saburomaru distillery is situated in Tonami City and renowned for its regional approach to making small batched of highly regarded whiskies. We will be joined by Takahiko Inagaki and Natsuyo Ueda who will tell us all about this distillery and their Zemon stills during the Friday evening masterclass, which is shared with Kameda distillery. Saborumaru will also be featured in Drinks with sessions.

Niigata Kameda Distillery

Established in March 2019, Kameda distillery doen’t follow tradition, but is all about innovation! Modern distilling with sustainability in mind and focussed on making great spirits… We are so curious to hear their story. You can too as Hiroyuki Doda will feature in the shared Masterclass with Saburomaru and Drinks with… sessions!

Ontake Distillery

Kagoshima City in Kagoshima prefecture is the place of origin for Ontake whisky. It was established in 2019 and produces whisky predominantly for private cask owners. So, enter the world of very exclusive spirits! Yasuaki Shirani (Yasu) from Japan Craft Spirits will be present to tell us all about it at his Drinks with… sessions!

Chichibu Distillery

Already announced, but we cannot not write about Chichibu (and Yumi) in this context! We are so stoked to be able to announce that long-time Maltstock guest and fan Yumi Yoshikawa will be with us once again. Come and meet her, share a dram and attend her relaxed Drinks with sessions!

T&T Toyama Independent bottlers

T&T Toyama is Japan’s first independent bottler focussing on Japanese distillers, seeking out great whiskies and bottling them for the demanding Japanese connaisseurs! Be among the first in Europe to savour their whiskies and get acquainted with the story of this young and daring company as told by Koumei Shimono and Takahiko Inagaki.

Buy your Maltstock ticket NOW!

4個のジャパニーズウイスキー蒸留所がモルトストック2025に参戦

A limited number of whisky casks are now available for private ownership at Kingsbarns Distillery — a rare opportunity to become part of our story and lay down your own spirit for the future. In this edition of the Doocot Times, we will be covering maturation, storage and keeping up to date with your cask.

SECURE YOUR CASK

Lagavulin 11 Year Old “Offerman Edition” Caribbean Rum Cask Finished Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $90) $39.99 View

Produced in partnership with actor Nick Offerman (whose character Ron Swanson on the hit TV show Parks and Recreation had a profound fondness for Lagavulin and a rare steak), the 2021 Offerman Edition won the title of Whiskey Advocate’s #1 whiskey of 2021.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Glen Scotia 15YO

THE REVIEW

I feel like this video should come with a small warning. That warning is that I don’t believe that Springbank is the best Campbeltown whisky all of the time.  Glen Scotia has released such incredible whiskies over the years I’ve been drinking them, and even before when they came in highland cow-covered bottles.

A salty, sweet, spicy, tropical, oaky, incredible expression of this very unique area of Scotland and all of the wonderful things it has to offer.

Glen Scotia is always at the forefront of my mind when it comes to great standard releases, fun experiments, festival release bottles, all of the exciting things that whisky drinkers want, but products that are also available and pushing the ability for more and more people to get involved with whisky for Campbeltown.

Fielden Whisky announced as official drinks sponsor at Groundswell Festival 2025

Fielden Whisky, the pioneering English whisky rooted in regenerative agriculture, is proud to be a key partner of this year’s Groundswell Festival—the UK’s leading event for regenerative farming and sustainable land management. As part of the partnership, Fielden will co-host two headline banquets with Groundswell, celebrating the land, its growers, and the bounty they produce. 

Taking place from 2–3 July 2025 at Lannock Farm, Hertfordshire, Groundswell Festival is a landmark event in the regenerative farming calendar. Created by farmers, for farmers, Groundswell brings together growers, environmentalists, food producers and changemakers to exchange ideas and innovations shaping the future of farming. Now in its ninth year, the festival offers a rich programme of over 400 speakers and 200 sessions—covering both the principles and practicalities of regenerative systems and Conservation Agriculture. With ever increasing influence, it has become an essential forum for anyone interested in the future of food, farming, and the environment.

The partnership with Fielden – an English whisky on a mission to change farming for the better – reflects a shared commitment to soil health, biodiversity, and the responsible stewardship of British farmland. Fielden is rewriting the rules of whisky-making with a philosophy grounded in a simple truth: whisky is an agricultural product, and how we grow matters. Instead of relying on industrial farming practices – like agrichemical inputs, frequent ploughing, and monoculture crops – Fielden takes a regenerative approach. They plant diverse grains, grown amongst clover – a natural fertiliser that helps the soil stay healthy. They never use chemical inputs on the land, and minimise soil disturbance. The result? Fields full of life. Whisky full of flavour. 

This “No Chem Regen” way of farming nurtures healthy soils, clear waters and flourishing biodiversity, and encourages crop resilience, helping to cut agriculture’s giant carbon footprint. 

“Groundswell represents the future of food and farming in the UK. It’s where progressive ideas take root. We’re proud to support that mission and bring Fielden’s own vision of soil-first spirits to the heart of the community driving it forward.” Dave Smith, Fielden CEO.

Fielden Whisky will be the festival’s only alcohol partner, running a unique whisky bar, and offering whisky tastings and discussions around soil health and regenerative farming principles at its own stand. Fielden will also be the only whisky available at The Earthworm Arms – the festival’s main bar.

Leading the celebrations, on 1^st and 2^nd July, Fielden will host a very special banquet –   FEASTING FROM FIELD TO TABLE – with Salsa Rosa providing the food. Festival-goers can purchase separate tickets to the communal evening feast nestled in a cosy and beautifully decorated space within the grounds of the festival. The experience will include a guided whisky tasting from the brand’s Whisky Maker, Chico Rosa, as well as an immersive three-course meal that celebrates seasonal produce, with commentary from the growers and creators. Throughout the experience,  festival-goers will have the opportunity to explore first-hand how Fielden’s diverse grains – a mix of heritage, organic and grains adapted for no and low input systems –  grown with soil-first farming methods, can transform both flavour and farming resilience.

Tickets for the Whisky Banquet are £70 per head and include drinks and a three-course meal. Tickets can only be purchased if visitors hold a ticket to Groundswell Festival.  buy here.

About Fielden Whisky of England

What’s whisky got to do with farming? Everything. Whisky is an agricultural product, but most grain is grown industrially, with chemicals. Not on Fielden’s farms. Fielden is bringing England’s fields back to life by planting diverse grains that thrive without chemicals – letting nature take the lead. Their farmers are kind to their land and never use chemicals. Instead, the grain grows in clover, a natural fertiliser that helps the soil stay healthy. This no chem regen way of farming nurtures healthy soils, clear waters and flourishing biodiversity in their fields, helping to cut agriculture’s giant carbon footprint. The grain grows tall and strong. The fields are wild and glorious. And the whisky is full of flavour: think warm flaky pastry, butter and caramel. Is it the grains? Is it the magic of nature?

Who knows – and honestly, does it matter? Fielden are putting the best (completely natural) ingredients into their stills, making a distinctly delicious rye whisky that’s changing farming for the better. Fielden: the English whisky that’s changing farming for the better, field by field, harvest by harvest.

Fields Full of Life. Whisky Full of Flavour. 

About Groundswell Festival
Now in its 9th year, Groundswell is the UK’s leading regenerative agriculture event. Created by farmers for farmers, it brings together experts, innovators, and practitioners to explore farming methods that restore ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and build resilience in the face of climate change. Founded by the Cherry family on their mixed farm in Hertfordshire, John and Paul Cherry have farmed for over thirty five years, converting to a no-till system in 2010.

2011 Bruichladdich 11 Year Old “Dramfool’s Jim McEwan Signature Collection 5.1″ First Fill Bourbon Cask #2477 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) (Previously $325) $228.89 View

Colour – Primrose Yellow, Aromas – Opens beautifully on a combination of Primrose, Myrtle, Lily, Marigold and mint. It’s like walking through the peat fires next to the Atlantic Ocean! Then the sweetness of the toasted barley and mellow oak drift in bringing with them little hints of bourbon spiciness laid down by the first spirit matured in the cask. “Its gentle on my mind” Taste – The spirit is balanced & restrained on the palate. This is pure Islay; No smoke, just barley & oak and time by the Ocean. The opulent flavours seduce the taste buds with mellow oak and barley sugars. The Maritime Islay character is with you all the way, fresh and clean and packed with passion & traditional skills from a dedicated team of Distillers who bring the magic to the spirit. No computers, no colouring, no chill filtration, just a special spirit from a special place.

According to the bottler: “Distilled on 11th July 2011 this whisky spent its whole 11-year life maturing in cask #2477. This maturation took place in a 1st fill bourbon cask from an unknown American Distillery. Bottled in July 2022 as Release 5.1 of the Jim McEwan Signature Collection, like all bottlings within the collection, it was bottled un-chill filtered, with no added colour, and at natural cask strength of 59.0% (as we always say, Jim would have it no other way!), it yielded only 238 bottles.”

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA