NEW IN AT
THE WHISKY EXCHANGE

Our latest exciting whiskies include the new Ardrary blended Scotch whisky from the minds of Suntory’s blending team in Japan, a smoky and maritime Talisker single malt finished in ex-Cognac casks and presented in a bottle made from 100% recycled glass from biofuel, and a 15-year-old sherried single malt from Glenfarclas bottled at a higher strength of 95° proof – 54.2% abv – exclusively for The Whisky Exchange.

We’ve also welcomed new expressions from Glenglassaugh that showcase different aspects of the distillery’s character, drawing inspiration from the local landscape, including the nearby town of Portsoy and the picturesque Sandend Bay.

  SHOP NEW ARRIVALS 

Say hello to Whisky Baba, the latest release from our award-winning series of small-batch blended malts. This intensely fruity beauty will have you basking in the heat of the Jamaican sunshine with an explosion of rum-soaked pineapple along with gentle spices, like whisky baba in a glass.

To create it, we took some French oak barriques previously used to mature Jamaican rum in the Cognac region of France. We filled them with a selection of Speyside malts for 28 months of additional maturation, then blended selected casks together to create this unmissable dram – which has already won a Double Gold medal in the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

DISCOVER MORE

Price: £75.00 ABV: 58.6% Age: 12 years

On the nose, golden syrup and honey on to wheat biscuit breakfast cereal. Some indulged in chocolate-coated marzipan and slices of rich madeira cake, while others baked a golden syrup sponge that was heavy on orange peel and dried papaya. The taste was an explosion of rum-soaked pineapples while the French oak contributed spices such as anise and cinnamon. A satisfying toasty oak note evolved into vanilla pods, mace, nutmeg, orange oil and mango. With a splash of water, we could smell a bowl of sugar-coated puffed rice, varnish and resinous oak, ginger cake, orange zest and barley sugars.

Grab a bottle now and share enjoy it in good company, before it’s gone forever.

WHISKY BABA

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

New independent whisky bottler Halcyon Spirits unveils its inaugural release

— A 30 Year Old Macallan (matured in a first fill sherry cask) will be the first whisky released by the independent bottling brand —

A new family-owned independent whisky bottler, Halcyon Spirits, has launched today and debuted its first-ever release – a single cask Macallan 30 Year Old which was distilled in 1993.

The independent bottling brand, which is based in Aberdeenshire, was developed by brothers Daniel and Craig Milne, who also co-founded global auction platform Whisky Hammer and whisky e-retailer Still Spirit.

The Macallan 30 Year Old has been matured in a first fill sherry cask and bottled by Halcyon Spirits at 49.8% ABV cask strength. Priced at £2,950 per bottle, only 238 bottles are available for purchase online via the Halcyon Spirits website.

The whisky has been described by David Robertson, an independent whisky expert and former Macallan Master Distiller, as “a superb example of a well matured Spanish oak sherry vintage whisky, displaying many of the classic characteristics of a 25–35-year-old Macallan.”

To support global action on climate change, Halcyon Spirits will fund the planting of ten trees for every bottle sold, meaning this inaugural release alone will result in 2,380 trees being planted.

Daniel and Craig Milne launched Halcyon Spirits following the recent completion of a state-of-the-art cask warehouse housing over 2,000 casks – a decision that allows the brothers to securely store, mature, and bottle whisky from Scotland’s most sought-after distilleries.

The casks selected by the Halcyon team are bottled on site in Aberdeenshire. As single cask releases, only a few hundred bottles will be available from each cask, with this inaugural release marking the first of just a few must-have releases from Halcyon Spirits planned for this year.

Daniel Milne, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Halcyon Spirits, said: “Launching Halcyon Spirits has been a true passion project for my brother Craig and I. As whisky fanatics ourselves, our goal is to be able to find and share incredible whiskies with others.

“The name ‘Halcyon’ encapsulates our dedication to bottle exceptional whiskies which, when enjoyed, can allow our customers to relive memories of joy and nostalgia. The name also has deep significance to our family as it pays homage to our grandfather’s fishing boat, Halcyon BF187.

“We are in a fortunate position to have direct access to a fantastic selection of quality maturing whisky casks, which makes the journey of selection and bottling incredibly exciting.”

To find out more about Halcyon Spirits, visit www.halcyonspirits.com

Tasting Notes

By David Robertson, independent whisky expert and former Macallan Master Distiller

Colour – Mahogany with rich red highlights. Terrific beading and viscosity.

Nose – Rich dried fruits – prunes, dates, figs and raisins. Intense old-style orange zest marmalade. Treacle and vanilla toffee sweetness. A cornucopia of redolent spices – cloves, cracked black pepper, aniseed and liquorice. Roasted tropical fruits – pineapple and mango – and polished antique oak.

Taste – Deliciously powerful, intense, tannic Spanish oak. Spices of cloves, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. Sweet treacle and vanilla toffee and fudge.

Finish – Lingering, long, beautifully drying and moreish. Mature oak spices with dried fruits and a late fresh orange marmalade finish. 

About Halcyon Spirits

Halcyon Spirits is a family-owned independent bottling brand based in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was incorporated in 2020 by Daniel and Craig Milne, two brothers with an enduring passion for whisky, before launching its inaugural release in June 2023.

As founders of the Whisky Hammer auction platform and Still Spirit online whisky e-retailer, and having recently completed the build of a state of the art cask warehouse, releasing their own independent whisky bottler was the next step in a long-held ambition.

To find out more about Halcyon Spirits, visit www.halcyonspirits.com

Our June auction is now LIVE!

Now is your chance to discover your next dram.
Head online now and see what bottles you are missing out on!

Auction closes from 8pm (BST) Tuesday 27^th June

www.speysidewhiskyauctions.co.uk

Dallas Dhu
33 Years Old 1974

The Dallas Dhu distillery was one of the unfortunate distilleries to close in 1983 and has been a highly sought after commodity since. This single malt was first distilled in 1974 and was aged for 33 years before being bottled in 2007 by Historic Scotland, the current caretakers of the distillery. Being one of only 100 bottles, this whisky is unlikely to show up often, so get online and bid while you can!

Interested in Selling Whisky?

   We are already collecting for our next auction
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Two French Oak ex-Tawny
Single Cask Whiskies

On Monday we release two 14 year old single cask whiskies. We welcome back the rich and decadent French Oak ex-Tawny in a double release, each with a unique character. One brings savory, herbal, and briny flavors with juicy brightness, while the other combines confectionery sweetness and fruity notes with the intriguing depths of the oak. Two whiskies, both 14 years old, both matured in 300L French oak ex-Tawny barrels, yet uniquely different. That’s the beauty of single cask whisky.

French Oak ex-Tawny TD0287

Combining the complexity of earthy oak driven chocolate and warm spices, with confectionary sweetness. A satisfying finish of oaky maple syrup sensations. Matured for 14 years, in a first-fill 300L French oak ex-Tawny cask, yielding just 418 bottles of Sullivans Cove single cask whisky.

Read the full tasting notes here

French Oak ex-Tawny TD0323

A delightful blend of dark chocolate, herbal notes, and a touch of tobacco and coffee.

As for the play between spirit and oak?
“A tight-rope walker level of balance.”
– Sullivans Cove tasting panel

Matured for 14 years, in a first-fill 300L French oak ex-Tawny cask, yielding just 421 bottles of Sullivans Cove single cask whisky.

Read the full tasting notes here

These whiskies will be released via ballot. The ballots will open for 24 hours from 10am Hobart time on Monday 26th of June. Further details will be sent via email prior to the ballots opening. A note on our ballot system. Our policy is one entry per person, per household, per ballot. Our fraud detection algorithm detects multiple entries and removes them to ensure our whisky lands in the hands of our genuine supporters, so to ensure your entry counts, please enter each ballot once only.If you have any questions around our ballot process, you can email us at info@sullivanscove.com Successful entries will be notified shortly after the ballots close.

Dates announced for 2024 

If you like to plan ahead, you’ll be pleased to know we’ve published the 2024 dates for the in-person Diploma in Single Malt Whisky & Diploma in the Art of Tasting Whisky at Arniston House. Plus, we’ve added (another) extra date in November this year due to popular demand.

Diploma in Single Malt Whisky

16 & 17 November 2023

23 & 24 May 2024

23 & 24 September 2024

26 & 27 September 2024

Diploma in the Art of Tasting Whisky

25 September 2024

Space is limited to 16 per course. Pay upfront or spread the cost over 3, 6 or 9 months with a payment plan. Prefer to study at home? The online course is waiting for you. With anytime access to the seven modules, you can learn to your own schedule, approaching the interactive material on-demand, at your leisure.

Save 20% when you enter the code EWA2306 at checkout – but hurry, you only have until midnight on Friday 30 June.

Browse Dates

STORYMAN

ANNANDALE

70cl | 46% ABV 

Renowned Scottish actor and raconteur James Cosmo has teamed up with Annandale Distillery to create Storyman Blended Whisky. Inspired by the art of storytelling, Annandale have crafted a truly convivial blend, that includes their award winning Single Malts.

Each batch is personally selected by James Cosmo, who is famous for his roles in Game Of Thrones, Braveheart, Highlander and Trainspotting. The resulting whisky is deliciously mellow and made for sharing.

NOSE Creamy toffee and caramel lead into vanilla and black pepper. A tiny hint of peat smoke lingers lightly in the background.

PALATE Fruity notes, including pear drops, give way to luscious tones of apricot yoghurt, creamy vanilla, and a gentle hint of smoke.

£54.95

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Heaven Hill Distillery Launches Square 6 Wheated Bourbon

Square 6 Wheated Bourbon is the third Evan Williams Bourbon Experience craft product of its series.

LOUISVILLE, KY (June 12, 2023) – Today, Heaven Hill announced the launch of Square 6 Wheated Bourbon, the latest innovative product to come from the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. This is the third Square 6 product produced exclusively at the artisanal distillery located at 528 W Main Street in Louisville, just steps from the site of Williams’ original distillery founded in 1783.

The Square 6 Wheated Bourbon is comprised of two distinct Wheated Bourbon mashbills which were carefully blended post-aging. The first mashbill consists of 74% Corn, 16% Wheat, and 10% Malted Barley, and the second mashbill consists of 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, and 12% Malted Barley. Unlike its predecessors in the Square 6 line which were bottled at 95 proof, the Square 6 Wheated Bourbon has been bottled at 105 proof, which further highlights the wheated taste profile.

With initial aromas of caramel, vanilla, figs, bing cherries and oak, the Square 6 Wheated Bourbon follows with tasting notes of sweet confectioners’ sugar and walnuts on the palate. The finish boasts of walnuts, oak tannins, baking spices cinnamon and cola. Artisanal Distiller Jodie Filiatreau and team distill one barrel of American Whiskey per day at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience and is continually crafting innovative mashbills and tweaking the hand-crafted pot still process for each new recipe.

“Blending two Wheated Bourbon mashbills gives Square 6 Wheated Bourbon a completely unique taste which differentiates it from others in the market,” says Filiatreau. “We are excited for fans of the Square 6 line to try this latest release and we hope Wheated Bourbon lovers will want to add this to their collections as well.”

The initial release of the Square 6 series in May 2021 featured a new mashbill for Heaven Hill, a High Rye Bourbon consisting of 52% corn, 35% rye and 13% malted barley. In October of 2022, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience released the Square 6 High-Rye Rye Whiskey featuring a mashbill consisting of 51% Rye, 35% Corn and 14% Malted Barley. The continuation of the Evan Williams Square 6 series distilled in the one barrel per day, hand crafted, copper pot still facility is a testament to Heaven Hill’s commitment to quality, craft, innovation, and tradition.

The limited release of Square 6 Wheated Bourbon will be available in small quantities as a unique offering at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience and available at select Kentucky retailers for a suggested retail price of $89.99.

 ABOUT THE EVAN WILLIAMS BOURBON EXPERIENCE: The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience® (www.EvanWilliamsBourbonExperience.com) celebrates the legacy of Evan Williams, Kentucky’s first commercial distiller, through an immersive visitor’s center experience which brings to life the history and tradition of Kentucky’s native spirit. An official stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, the facility offers guests a historical glimpse back in time to see Evan Williams’ original distillery through high-definition video recreations of the Louisville wharf and Main Street in the late 18th Century, plus recreations of Whiskey Row building facades along Main Street from the 1890’s through the present. Meanwhile, visitors learn the essential differences between distilling during Evan Williams’ era and Heaven Hill Distillery’s modern Bernheim Distillery operations.

KENTUCKY DISTILLERS CELEBRATE

NATIONAL BOURBON DAY MARKING INDUSTRY’S IMPORTANCE TO THE COMMONWEALTH

Launch of Bourbon Builds Kentucky campaign highlights the signature industry’s impact locally and statewide

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Distillers’ Association celebrates National Bourbon Day with the launch of bourbonbuildskentucky.com, a new campaign that showcases all the ways that Bourbon and Kentucky are stronger together.

From growing local economies to working side-by-side with Kentucky farmers to attracting tourists from across the world, Bourbon continues to expand its role in building Kentucky.

“In Kentucky, National Bourbon Day is more than just enjoying a glass of Bourbon with friends and family. We love that, but it’s not all that we’re about,” said Eric Gregory, president of the non-profit trade group founded in 1880.

“Kentucky is the birthplace of Bourbon and home to some of the oldest distilleries in the world. Today we celebrate the people behind our timeless craft – the families, farmers, bartenders, servers, distillers and more – who have made Kentucky Bourbon the signature industry that it is today.”

Year after year, Bourbon pours money and support into the state and local communities through jobs, taxes, capital projects, agriculture, tourism and more.

As a $9 billion signature industry, Bourbon generates more than 22,500 jobs with an annual payroll topping $1.23 billion, boasting an average annual pay of $74,000 for those in the industry.

Based on completed and planned projects from the world’s leading Bourbon companies and new craft distilleries that call Kentucky home, Bourbon will account for an astounding total of $5.2 billion in capital projects by the end of 2025.

Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted the signature industry’s importance to Kentucky and beyond.

“Kentucky has more than 200 years of history and heritage in perfecting America’s spirit, creating 95% of the world’s bourbon – and 100% of the bourbon worth drinking. I am proud to celebrate National Bourbon Day, highlighting the past, present and future of this important industry here in Kentucky,” Gov. Beshear said.

Kentucky distillers are proud of the generations of families involved in Kentucky’s agriculture industry who provide the crops needed to make Bourbon and give it a distinct flavor. Each year, distilleries use between 15 and 20 million bushels of corn and other grains to make the world’s finest Bourbons.

Each year, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® adventure and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® experience bring an influx of out-of-state tourists who spend hundreds to thousands of dollars per trip. Recent survey data show visitors come from all 50 states and across the world, they’re arriving in larger groups and staying longer in Kentucky’s communities. Last year, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® recorded a record 2.13 million visits.

As the one, true and authentic home for Bourbon, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association raises a glass to all those who help make the industry a success. As always, enjoy like a true Kentuckian: responsibly.

Visit bourbonbuildskentucky.com to learn more about how Bourbon builds the economy, supports farmers, and drives tourism in communities across the Commonwealth.

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is the legendary voice for Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from historic, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s landmark economic engine and its thriving, timeless craft. Member benefits include media relations, international trade development, private sampling events, technical assistance, economic development support, networking, legal defense, marketing strategies, governmental and regulatory advocacy and innovative tourism experiences through the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® adventures. A 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, the KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. Learn more at www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com