Buffalo Trace Distillery April 2025 Flood Update – Tuesday, April 15

FRANKFORT, KY (April 15, 2025) – Nearly one week after flood waters reached their peak at Buffalo Trace Distillery, signs of normalcy have returned to the Distillery. Supported by cleanup and restoration efforts by hundreds of professionals, removal of flood water debris and damage is more than 75% complete. Power has been restored to key areas of the Distillery, which has allowed craft bottling inside Blanton’s Bottling Hall and the main bottling hall operations to resume. The interiors of buildings have been emptied of water and restoration efforts have begun.

“Thanks to the tireless efforts of our contractors and dedicated teams, we’ve made tremendous progress in the Distillery’s flood recovery plan. While there’s still work to be done, the resilience and determination demonstrated this past week is truly inspiring,” said Jake Wenz, Sazerac & Buffalo Trace Distillery CEO and President. “Each day significant progress is made allowing the Distillery to return to normal operations and I am optimistic that, with this same spirit, we’ll be operating normally soon.  We want to thank all of the contractors, our leaders, and our team members for their hard work”

Starting Monday, April 14, Buffalo Trace Distillery reopened to visitors with a limited retail experience. This modified visitor offering includes a small pop-up shopping experience inside the Freehouse building with opportunities to purchase select bottles and complimentary tastings in an outdoor canopy neighboring the building. This modified experience is available to those with previously held tour reservations. Those who are eligible to attend this modified experience will receive an email with instructions on how to book. If capacity allows, additional online reservations will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. At this time, there will be no tours or walk-ups offered.  We know our fans are eager to visit so we’re making every effort to return to normal tour and gift shop operations. Because we have limited capacity, unlike normal operations, reservations are required to attend the modified experience.

In the coming weeks Buffalo Trace looks forward to sharing details on forthcoming relief initiatives to further support the community. Should you want to support relief efforts in the immediate, the Franklin County Flood Relief Fund has been set up by the city to collect donations and offer aid to those who need it most. Find more information via the following link: https://bgcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1985

For the latest information, or to check for additional reservations, please visit Buffalo Trace Distillery via Instagram @buffalotracedistillery or buffalotracedistillery.com.

APRIL 2025 AUCTION HALFWAY THROUGH!

We thought it would be a great time to take a closer look at a few little belters like this; Distilled by the now closed Speyside distillery Dallas Dhu in 1975 then bottled in 2007 by Elgin independent bottling supremos Gordon & MacPhail.

Following the success of the Rare Malts bottlings by Diageo, annual releases of stock from their closed distilleries were then made available in 2002. These rare releases proved to be incredibly popular given the age and rarity of the whisky from these closed distilleries, none more so than from the Iconic Highland distillery Brora. This particular expression was released in 2017, the last of these incredible bottlings to be released. This is bottle number 290 of only 3,000 bottles.

Or how about this pair of Highland Park expressions, both beautifully presented in solid Oak housing, in contrast to the striking but unusual coloured bottles, showcasing the two natural elements they’re named after, ‘Fire’ and ‘Ice’.

Distilled in 1974 and then aged for 28 years before being bottled at natural Cask strength in 2002, this rare bottling of Glen Moray was signed by distillery manager Ed Dodson. Bottle number 292 of only 676 bottles produced!

These are only a few of the old, limited and collectable bottles featured in our April auction, to view more wee gems visit clickwhiskyauctions.com. Register to bid. Remember, you’ve got to be in it to win it! Auction ends Sunday 20^th April from 8pm BST.

THE SEASONS: SPRING & COMPLIMENTARY TASTING

We’re delighted to present the fourth and final entry into our exclusive collection. The Seasons: Spring is made up of three single cask whiskies, selected to evoke nature waking up after a long winter. These are elegant, expressive whiskies that are perfect for sharing on the first warm and sunny days of the year.

DISCOVER

The Seasons: Spring is available to taste in-store at any of our London shops.

SHOPS

Ever wondered what goes into making the casks that shape your favourite drams? Now’s your chance to find out! Join us at the historic Dallas Dhu Distillery for a hands-on whisky experience like no other — Build Your Own Whisky Cask!

Under the expert guidance of our very own Cooper, Jason Taylor, you’ll roll up your sleeves and try your hand at constructing a whisky cask. Experience the time-honoured craft of cooperage, a skill passed down through generations and essential to the whisky-making process.

After your hard work, relax and reward yourself with three expertly matured drams, while Jason shares his knowledge and stories about this ancient craft.

📍 Dallas Dhu Distillery

🥃 3 x 2cl drams

🙌 In-store discounts

EXPLORE & BOOK

Our April Outturn is now live. We’ve always thought that the best things in life lie between the *weird and the wonderful. This Outturn offers you the best of both, with an intriguing new selection of casks – available now. 

SHOP OUTTURN

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

A chance to visit Tamnavulin, home to the world’s fastest-growing single malt, for a very special experience

As part of the Spirit of Speyside festival, Tamnavulin Distillery is opening its doors to a limited number of visitors in early May. Tamnavulin is only open to the public for the festival, making this a unique opportunity to visit a well-loved Speyside distillery and discover more about the single malt with double flavour.

Visitors will follow the journey of a single grain of barley, from seed to sip, and enjoy a tasting of specially chosen whiskies, whilst hearing from the whisky making team about the inspiration behind different expressions. Those who visit during the Spirit of Speyside festival will also be able to purchase whiskies directly from the distillery.

There are limited tickets left for the classic Tamnavulin tour, perfect for those new to its whiskies. An exploration of the Tamnavulin range, this tour includes a paired chocolate tasting from award-winning Highland Chocolatier, Iain Burnett. Tickets are selling out fast and can be purchased here: Tamnavulin Discovery Tour and Tasting Experience – Buy tickets

Already sold out is the Aged and Rare tour, designed for Tamnavulin enthusiasts who want to delve into Tamnavulin’s ageing process and the complex flavours and character in these rare whiskies.

Kirsty Hodge, Blender at Tamnavulin has hand selected the expressions that visitors will taste during the Spirit of Speyside tours. Kirsty said: “I am looking forward to welcoming whisky lovers to Tamnavulin. As we are not normally open to visitors this is a rare chance to see our distillery and discover the magic of Tamnavulin. We have some amazing casks waiting to be discovered, so this is an unmissable experience for fans and those new to Tamnavulin to sample some fantastic whiskies.”

About Tamnavulin:

Tamnavulin, named after the Gaelic term for ‘Mill on the Hill,’ draws its identity from the 16th-century woollen mill that once graced its historic site. It stands as the embodiment of the quintessential Speyside malt. Established in 1966 in the tranquil village of Tamnavulin, Scotland, the distillery’s journey has been one of both tradition and revival. Though the distillery closed its doors in 1995, it was brought back to life and meticulously restored in 2007. Since then, Tamnavulin has been dedicated to crafting exceptional single malt whisky that captures the true essence of Speyside—sweet, smooth, and fruity.

Nestled in the heart of Speyside, a region renowned for housing over half of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries, Tamnavulin benefits from an environment perfectly suited for whisky production. Speyside’s unique microclimate, with its temperate conditions, provides the ideal setting for whisky maturation, while the region’s plentiful water sources contribute to the whisky’s purity and character. Inspired by this extraordinary location, Tamnavulin expertly marries time-honoured distilling traditions with cutting-edge techniques to craft its signature double cask matured Speyside malt—offering a single malt experience with twice the flavour and depth.

Discover Scotland’s hidden gems.

This year’s Spirit of Toronto is your invitation to explore the lesser-travelled roads of Scotland and its whiskies — drams from distilleries that may not seek the spotlight, but whose spirits fully deserve it.

This is the year to explore the uncompromising craft of Benromach, one of Speyside’s last truly handmade single malts. To taste the bold new voice of Lagg, bringing peated power from the Isle of Arran. To experience Lochlea, a genuine farm distillery crafting single malt from barley grown on its own Ayrshire fields — field to glass, with unmistakable integrity.

And to discover Fettercairn, whose tropical fruits and distinctive copper cooling ring make it one of Scotland’s most quietly original distilleries.

You’ll encounter the unapologetically progressive Bruichladdich, a Victorian distillery guided by terroir, transparency, and radical experimentation — while offering something for every palate, from unpeated elegance to extreme peat.

And then there’s Jura, an island outpost with a cult following, offering evocative, coastal drams that reward slow contemplation. These are the distilleries that fly under the radar — rarely discussed, often overlooked, and all the more rewarding for it. Because Spirit of Toronto isn’t just about the names everyone knows. It’s also about the ones waiting to be discovered.

One night. Infinite discovery.

Browse Pour List

The Grand Whisky Auction ENDS TOMORROW TONIGHT!

The auction closes on Tuesday, 15th April from 9:00pm (BST)

________________________________

Are you interested in selling whisky in our next auction?

📞 +44 (0)1463 210 427

📧 sales@tgwa.com

Vic Cameron, one of our whisky lecturers says: “Esters are one of the groups of flavour compounds that we find in malt whisky. You create an ester by combining an acid with an alcohol, and these esters then give you the fruity, floral aromas that we can get in some Scotch whisky. You can make esters in quite a few parts of the process. You do it in fermentation, you do it in distillation, and you also create them during maturation.”

🎬 Watch the Video | 📖 Read the Post

Esters play a significant role in Scotch whisky production, contributing to its unique flavour and aroma profile. This diagram explains the organic compounds formed by the reaction between an alcohol and an acid.📖  Read the Post

GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCE

A modern metropolis expressed in a menu. The Roca brothers, owners of El Celler de Can Roca, draw inspiration from Joan Roca’s immersion in the dynamic, cosmopolitan essence of Hong Kong and artfully translate the spirit of the city into a culinary exploration.

Their creations mirror the urban landscape of Hong Kong and evoke connections and emotions. The towering skyscrapers, the resolute strength, the vibrant hues and the pulsating energy all manifest in a menu that is a symphony for the senses where flavours and aromas unite to distil the spirit of this dynamic metropolis.

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