Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 542: Nc’nean Huntress 2024 – Orchard Cobbler

The third release of the Huntress whisky by Nc’nean is called Orchard Cobbler, named after a fruit stew with some pastry on top. Lovely stuff, bottled at 48.5%, Mark tasted it at a wine domain in his neck of the woods. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/1cZy20cX5r4

DEWAR’S® BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY CONTINUES LEGACY WITH U.S. OPEN: UNVEILING THE FOURTH EDITION OF “THE CHAMPION’S EDITION” 19 YEAR OLD WHISKY

Celebrating the 124th U.S. Open in Pinehurst, the newest iteration of DEWAR’S 19 Year Old – The Champion’s Edition is finished in First-Fill Rye Whisky Casks

DEWAR’S^® Blended Scotch Whisky introduces the fourth iteration of DEWAR’S 19 Year Old – The Champion’s Edition. Crafted to honor the enduring collaboration between DEWAR’S and the U.S. Open Championship, this limited-edition whisky celebrates the 124th U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club.

Described as the cradle of American golf, the Pinehurst Resort & Country Club was originally designed by Scotland-born Donald Ross as a stateside golf club along the sands of the Carolinas that harkened back to his homeland. With a similar mission to bridge rich heritage and modern innovation, DEWAR’S Blended Scotch Whisky honors the best of Scotland, Scotch, and golf with the release of DEWAR’S 19 Year Old – The Champion’s Edition.

Crafted under the expertise of five-time Master Blender of the Year, Stephanie Macleod , at 43% ABV for a nuanced flavor profile, the 2024 expression showcases the brand’s signature double aging process and is finished in first-fill rye whisky casks, producing a Blended Scotch Whisky that is as rich and refined as the sport of golf itself. Commencing with ripe notes of pear and heather honey, it evolves into a spicy tapestry, imparting hints of cinnamon and cocoa powder that gently warms the palate, leading to a refreshing finish.

Continuing its tradition, DEWAR’S 19 Year Old – The Champion’s Edition returns for its fourth year, having previously finished in Napa Valley red wine casks in 2023, American oak & rye casks in 2022, and first-fill ex-bourbon casks in 2021.

Additionally, at the 124th U.S. Open, DEWAR’S proudly reintroduces the official cocktail of the championship, the Lemon Wedge. The refreshing, citrus-forward cocktail features the acclaimed DEWAR’S 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky, and is infused with lemonade and club soda, delivering the perfect accompaniment for enjoying every moment of the competition.

Stephanie Macleod, Master Blender for DEWAR’S commented: “Crafting DEWAR’S 19 Year Old – The Champion’s Edition for the 124th U.S. Open has been a remarkable journey, echoing the precision and finesse of the sport itself. The marriage of our distinguished 19 Year Old whisky, a unique age statement within the category, with the distinctive character of first-fill rye whisky casks has resulted in a symphony of flavors that pays homage to both the rich heritage of Scotch whisky and the enduring allure of golf. With each sip, the liquid reveals notes of cinnamon and cocoa, leading to a smooth finish that lingers on the palate.”

Brian Cox, Vice President of DEWAR’s North America commented: “Throughout the centuries, golf has woven a tapestry of camaraderie, competition, and celebration—a tradition cherished by enthusiasts worldwide. With the release of Dewar’s 19 Year Old – The Champion’s Edition for the 124th U.S. Open, we honor this timeless connection between the sport and the shared moments that follow. Just as golfers gather at the 19th hole to recount their tales of the course, this special-edition whisky becomes an integral part of this ritual—a companion to the stories shared, the bonds strengthened, and the memories made.”

Making the perfect Father’s Day gift this season, the fourth iteration of the DEWAR’S 19 Year Old – The Champion’s Edition commemorative bottle will be available in limited quantities, exclusively at select fine wines and spirits retailers, as well as online via our website.

This article appears here well after the original publication date and as a matter of interest.

ralfy review 1048 Extras – Energy Drinks and Single Malts.

Lux Row Distillers introduces Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish

Latest addition to the Lux Row brand family will debut at the distillery in October before a nationwide release in early 2025

ST. LOUIS (Sept. 9, 2024) – Bardstown, Kentucky-based Lux Row Distillers is expanding its Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey family with the release of Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish. The new release is crafted from small batches of 4-year-old ryed straight Kentucky bourbon finished for six months in casks that held PX Sherry, an intensely rich and sweet wine made from overly ripened, sun-dried grapes. Offered at 112 proof (56% ABV), Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish will be available this October exclusively at the distillery for $59.99 per 750mL bottle. A nationwide release of Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish is planned for early 2025.

The PX Sherry cask finish imparts an aromatic bouquet of dried figs and dates, and decadent flavors of grape syrup and candied fruit followed by hints of spice, roasted coffee, and dark chocolate. The result is a unique and balanced pour.

“We wanted to meld the intensely sweet flavors of PX Sherry with the spicy, peppery notes of our ryed bourbon,” said Lux Row Master Distiller John Rempe. “The outcome is a delicious combination of two opposing yet complementary flavors that results in a truly unique expression.”

Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish is the latest release in Lux Row’s award-winning lineup. The brand family includes fan favorite 12-year Double Barrel and last year’s addition, Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel, which recently earned a Platinum medal at the ASCOT Awards, and a Double Gold designation at the SIP Awards.

“Premium bourbon consumers want products that are unique and high-quality,” said Lux Row Brand Manager Eric Winter. “Our newest PX Sherry finish delivers on both fronts and provides an opportunity to grow the Lux Row brand by appealing to bourbon drinkers who seek out one-of-a-kind flavor options and taste profiles.”

To learn more about Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish visit LuxRowDistillers.com.

About Luxco

Founded in St. Louis in 1958 by the Lux Family, Luxco is a leading producer, supplier, importer and bottler of beverage alcohol products. Our mission is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of consumers, associates and business partners. Merged with MGP Ingredients, Inc. in 2021 (Nasdaq: MGPI), Luxco operates as MGP’s Brands Division and manages all MGP/Luxco brands. This extensive and award-winning spirits portfolio includes well-known brands from four distilleries: Bardstown, Kentucky-based Lux Row Distillers, home of Ezra Brooks, Rebel, Blood Oath, David Nicholson and Daviess County; Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery, maker of Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey and Bowling & Burch Gin; Jalisco, Mexico-based Destiladora Gonzalez Lux, producer of 100% agave tequilas, El Mayor, Exotico and Dos Primos; and Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Rossville Union Straight Rye Whiskey are produced. The innovative and high-quality brand portfolio also includes Penelope Bourbon, Everclear Grain Alcohol, Pearl Vodka, Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream, The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey, Green Hat Gin and other well-recognized brands. For more information about the company and its brands, visit luxco.com

OCTOBER AUCTION NOW LIVE!

Almost time to turn the clocks back, so a fitting time to take a look at a few vintage bottlings in our LIVE October auction, like this 1980 Ardbeg Kildalton. With only 1300 bottles produced, this is a rare beast indeed!

Or how about this bottling, distilled in 1977 by the now closed Lowland distillery Inverleven. Aged for 26 years then drawn from a single Cask #3095 and bottled by Duncan Taylor for their Rare Auld range at Cask strength. Bottle 165 of only 168 produced!

Another rare find is this bottling, distilled at the Glencraig Distillery in 1975 then bottled in 1999 by Elgin based independent bottlers Gordon & MacPhail. Expressions like these are a great example of bottlings under the ‘Connoisseurs Choice’ label of distilleries which are unfortunately now closed.

Released in the late 2000’s the Macallan Ghillies Dram celebrates the River Spey, which provides superb Salmon fishing to anglers and is part of the boundary to the Easter Elchies Estate, home of the Macallan Distillery. Named ‘Ghillies Dram’ in recognition of Willie Bremner, ghillie to the beat or stretch of river owned by the Macallan which attracts keen anglers from all over the world, not only to this famous stretch of river but to the distillery too, where they can sample different whiskies from the distillery itself. Funds from the sale of this expression were made available to the restocking of young fish to the river. This lot is accompanied by a watercolour picture of the beat owned by the estate, depicting images of pools known for good Salmon fishing. Bottle number 776 of only 800 bottles produced!

These are only a few of the bottles featured in our October 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 20th October from 8pm BST.

We have some exciting news! Our 50th Anniversary Cask Club is back by popular demand, with three additional distilleries added: Society casks from distilleries 10, 11 and 123 are now available in addition to the last few from distilleries 8 and 42. So whether you’re a peat freak, a sherry buff or a lover of Highland malts, you’ll find a cask tailored to your taste among our 50th Anniversary selection.

There are very few of each available, so don’t miss out! This is an unmissable opportunity to own a piece of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s future and embark on a whisky’s remarkable journey, witnessing its transformation from new-make spirit to 10-year-old whisky in 2033.

The idea is simple – you, by yourself or together with friends, can share in the experience of selecting a cask of new-make spirit from five celebrated, and very different, Scottish distilleries. You’ll be able to monitor the cask’s maturation through to 2033. Then, on the Society’s 50th anniversary in 2033, you’ll be able to bottle your own whisky with a specially customised label and share the delights of your 10-year-old dram.

Don’t miss this chance to join the 50th Anniversary Cask Club and be part of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s story through to 2033. Visit the website now to discover more.​​​​​​​

JOIN THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CASK CLUB TODAY

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

Arran 2010 13 Year Old Small Batch Port Pipes

Distilled in 2010, then matured in ex-Port Pipes. This exclusive bottling has been hand-selected by their Distillery Manager, Stewart Bowman, from some of the most unique casks in Lochranza’s warehouses.

Bottled exclusively for the UK market.
Matured in Port Pipes.
Distilled in 2010.
Aged for 13 years.

£102.00

TyndrumWhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop
Tyndrumwhisky, Tyndrum
Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8RY
United Kingdom

George Dickel 15 Year Old “K&L Exclusive 96.2 Proof” Barrel #06E31-13009 Single Barrel Tennessee Whisky (750ml) $54.99 View

Origin: United States| Type/Varietal: Bourbon | Alcohol Content: 48.1%

ralfy review 1048  – Glenfarclas 15yo @46%vol: (2024)

WATERFORD DISTILLERY REVIVES 19^th CENTURY GOLDTHORPE BARLEY FOR NEW HERITAGE WHISKY

Waterford Distillery has launched their latest bottling in their Heritage Barley Series, Heritage: Goldthorpe

Heritage: Goldthorpe will be the first time the barley variety has been used in drinks production in over 100 years

The barley used in this release is part of the distillery’s exploration of old and lost varieties of barley that blend with Ireland’s terroirs – creating rarer, more complex flavours

A limited number of Heritage: Goldthorpe whisky is available worldwide from today

23^rd September 2024: Waterford Distillery, producer of the most naturally flavoursome single malts, has today launched its latest bottling in its Heritage barley series – Heritage: Goldthorpe.

Heritage: Goldthorpe is part of a limited release of 4,000 bottles and marks the first time that the barley variety – Goldthorpe – has been used for drinks production in over 100 years.

The new single malt whisky is the latest milestone in Waterford Distillery’s journey to uncover whisky’s most unique and complex flavours through different agricultural techniques and represents single malts crafted from resurrected barley varieties.

Heritage: Goldthorpe was originally discovered in 1889 as a single, fortuitous mutation in a field but vanished from the agricultural landscape decades ago, to be replaced by higher-yielding, less flavoursome barley varieties.

Working alongside Minch Maltings and the Irish Department for Agriculture, Food and Marine Waterford Distillery have spent the last three years upscaling the remaining 50 grams of Goldthorpe to create enough barley to sow the seeds in Irish fields and climate – its terroirs.

This landmark release offers whisky connoisseurs the first opportunity to taste the flavours of Goldthorpe as a single malt whisky in a century, with the first year’s distillation yielding only 162 barrels.

Pioneering plant breeder, Dr Hebert Hunter, who inspired the first Heritage bottling by Waterford Distillery using the 1959 Hunter variety, declared that the Goldthorpe variety had been “one of the best quality varieties in existence”.

This latest heritage release blends the best of modern technology to bring the old flavours back to life, matured fully in a mixture of 40% first-fill US Oak, 24% Virgin US Oak, 18% Premium French Oak and 18% Vin Doux Naturel casks.

Providing historic flavours to a new generation of whisky connoisseurs, the whisky has aromas of lush vegetation, rich granola bar, berry compote, red apple, green tea, melon, roast beef gravy and prunes, with hints of sweet orchard fruits, apples and pears, cream, light spiciness, red berries, honey, cloves and raisins, giving the whisky a long dried fruit finish.

This limited yield contributes to the exclusivity of the whisky, making it a one-of-a-kind offering in the market.

Neil Conway, Head Brewer at Waterford Distillery, explains: “Our scientific investigations into the terroir of Irish barley uncovered a flavour uniformity in modern strains, leading us to revive lost historical varieties for their rich, distinctive profiles.

“The passion driving our latest limited edition is rooted in a deep respect for tradition and a bold curiosity for innovation. By reviving the 19th-century Goldthorpe barley, we’re not just crafting whisky; we’re reviving a piece of agricultural heritage. Each bottle from this batch is a celebration of history, a tribute to the craft, and a gift to the future of whisky-making.”

Heritage: Goldthorpe is bottled at 50% ABV. As with every Waterford Distillery release, a unique TÉIREOIR CODE on each bottle provides unprecedented validation and verification of its individual journey from barley to bottle – harvested, stored, malted, distilled and matured. Every meaningful detail of the whisky is offered for full transparency.

Heritage: Goldthorpe is available to purchase now from waterfordwhisky.com, Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange and worldwide at key retailers, priced at approx. 92/$102/£77 respectively.

About Waterford Whisky

Waterford Whisky produces the most naturally flavoursome single malts.

It is the world’s largest producer of organic and biodynamic whiskies.

It is agricultural produce, not a manufactured product.

Unashamedly influenced by the world’s greatest winemakers, Waterford Whisky obsessively brings the same intellectual drive, methodology and rigour to barley – the very source of malt whisky’s complex flavour.

Extolling a hundred exclusive farms of Irish-grown barley, the distillery searches for natural flavours via three paths: its Single Farm Origins pursue the individualism of terroir-derived flavour; its Arcadian Farm Origins express the intensity of flavour from alternative philosophies and long-forgotten varieties; whilst its Cuvée Concepts revel in the ultimate complexity, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

For more information, visit www.waterfordwhisky.com.