VCL Vintners unveils Highland 30-Year Single Malt from Ledaig as its limited-run Coronation whisky

London, 05 May 2023: VCL Vintners today announces its much-anticipated bottling line to commemorate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. The Highland single malt Scotch whisky was filled on March 5, 1993. With a limited run for purchase, this bottling line will be available on VCL Vintners’ website from 02 May 2023.

The bottling line is made up of 249 bottles, distilled at the Ledaig distillery and bottled by VCL Vintners. The spirit was aged for 30 years. The bottling line will commemorate the first coronation in almost 70 years and embodies the life and passions His Majesty has enjoyed in his many decades of public service.

A special bottling to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III single malt scotch whisky:

ABV: 42.3%

AYS: 05/03/1993

Cask number: 252

Hailing from Ledaig distillery, this particular whisky represents the Royal Family’s steadfast commitment to serving the nation, highlighted through the pageantry and sophistication of the Coronation.

It contains depth in abundance and stays true to its roots of being a single malt from the much- loved Hebridean town of Tobermory. With a mellow nose feel and a dry prickle, the whisky accentuates an immediate hit of maritime nostalgia. Your mind is filled with memories of long summer days at sea, surrounded by family and loved ones. Your soul fills with the delicate notes of salt crystals, warm sand and the full-bodied crescendo of edible seaweed.

Beneath this, you’ll find lighter, fruitier notes, as if cascading through a pergola in the summer heat, promenading past white grapes and apples in the British countryside. A balanced and complex finish awaits. A concoction of both sweet and salty notes with a trace of white pepper followed by a lingering aftertaste of green apple for the palate. The fading of fruit leaves the connoisseur wanting more.

The Ledaig distillery, founded by John Sinclair, is based in the town of Tobermory, on the Hebridean island of Mull, where it has been operating since 1798. The distillery is still active under its current owners, Distell and has a capacity of 1 million litres. Now more widely known as its namesake ‘Tobermory’, the distillery’s water source is the stunning Gearr Abhainn, meaning ‘short river’ in Gaelic, giving Ledaig its unique complexity across the generations.

Throughout its history, Tobermory has undergone several closures since it became licensed in 1823, most notably in 1930 due to the drop in demand because of the prohibition in the USA. The distillery re-opened in 1972 but closed for three years as it needed more storage space to keep up with the newfound demand. Since re-opening in 1975, the distillery predominantly distils black label scotch. Bespoke batches of peated whisky have also been bottled here, produced under the name Ledaig, aptly translating to ‘safe haven.’

The bottles will retail at £495 (including VAT) on VCL Vintners’ website, available from 02 May 2023.

Discussing the limited-run bottling launch, Director and co-founder of VCL Vintners, Stuart Thom, said: “His Majesty’s Coronation is a once-in-a-lifetime moment that we wanted to celebrate. King Charles III is a great lover of Scotland and Hebridean whisky, and we believe this bottling line is an ode to his character as a public figure. We wanted to offer something that serves as a valuable memento for this great occasion, crafted by the soil and water of the land he protects. Whisky represents togetherness, craftsmanship and unity like no other spirit, and we want to commemorate that and put meaning at the heart of its creation.”

Purchase your piece of Islay whisky royalty

This weekend sees the coronation of the new King, and if you’re a fan of that plus a whisky enthusiast and collector, then this extremely rare release will have you excited. Three 70cl vintage expressions of Laphroaig bottled as a trio in a limited edition presentation case. Pretty amazing stuff. Pre-order your set now!

Pre-Order this rare release→

Laphroaig Trio Coronation Edition

Crafted to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III this weekend, this cracking trilogy of Laphroaig expressions has been dutifully matured by Duncan Taylor, consisting of three sherried Laphroaig 70cl bottles aged for 18, 23 and 26 years respectively. This is a highly limited and sought-after collectors item of just 150 expressions!

£3,900.00
PRE-ORDER NOW

Laphroaig 32 Years

Coronation Of King Charles III – 6th May 2023

Commemorating the Coronation of King Charles III on 6th May 2023. Hunter Laing & Co. has selected a rare 1990 vintage single cask from Laphroaig distillery on Islay. Laphroaig distillery was granted a Royal Warrant by the (then) Prince of Wales in 1994. 456 bottles from a single sherry butt released May 2023.

This light gold coloured whisky is beautifully complex on the nose with gentle Islay peat, sea-spray, medicinal notes, lemon zest and leather notes. Beach bonfire, seaweed, more citrus and wonderfully delicate Islay peat notes on the palate, leading into a long, lingering satisfying finish.

Shop – Laphroaig 32 Years – Coronation of King Charles III

Laphroaig 32 Year Old 1990 vintage Islay single malt Scotch whisky. Single sherry butt bottled 2023 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Old & Rare series Commemorating the Coronation of King Charles III on 6th May 2023. 456 bottles.

Laphroaig Distillery was established in 1815 on the rocky south coast of the Isle of Islay off the west coast of Scotland. This malt whisky distillery continues to malt barley using its traditional malting floors and malt kiln. In 1994 the distiiley was awarded the Royal Warrant. The core range is quite extensive and supplemented by limited releases including a 21 year old was issued in 2015 to celebrate 21 years of Friends of Laphroaig. Independent bottlings are also available from Signatory, Cooper’s Choice and Hunter Laing. Laphroaig distillery also participates in Feis Ile, the Islay Festival of Malt and Music.

WIN a bottle of Royal Salute

27 Years Old with BlockBar

The blockchain-authenticated marketplace is offering one reader the chance to win a bottle of Royal Salute 27 Years Old – read on to find out more

Founded in October 2021 by Dov and Sam Falic, BlockBar offers a blockchain-authenticated online marketplace with exclusive wines and spirits. The company also provides its buyers with storage, insurance, and on-demand global shipping or convenient pickup at over 250 duty-free America locations. Best of all, as all products sold by BlockBar are sourced directly from producers, the bottles are always guaranteed to be authentic.

In less than two years, BlockBar has collaborated with luxury wine and spirits brands including Moët Hennessy, Diageo, Rémy Cointreau, Bacardi, Treasury Wine Estates, Pernod Ricard and William Grant & Sons, and its 29 whisky releases to date have included exclusive bottlings of Ardbeg, The Dalmore, Midleton Very Rare and Royal Salute.

What’s more, one of the industry’s most respected authorities on fine and rare wines and spirits, Jamie Ritchie, is to join BlockBar as its chief operating officer. Ritchie, who has been with Sotheby’s for nearly 33 years and was most recently the auction house’s worldwide chairman of wines and spirits, will start with the tech startup in July.

BlockBar is offering one Whisky Magazine reader the opportunity to win a bottle of its Royal Salute 27 Years Old. Currently selling for US$965, this exceptional blended Scotch whisky was expertly crafted by Royal Salute master blender Sandy Hyslop, exclusively for BlockBar.com.

Once matured and blended, the expression was fully finished in an individual cask; a first-fill hogshead which has held a rare oloroso for 18 months, before being filled with the venerably aged blended Scotch and left to mature for a further six years.

To enter, simply sign up via the link below. The competition is now live and ends at 8pm on 21 May 2023. T&Cs apply.

ENTER HERE

Rock Island 14 Years Old

Sherry Edition

Rock Island 14 Years Old Sherry Limited Edition is a remarkably rich and robust encapsulation of predominantly Sherry cask matured single malts from Orkney, Arran, Jura & Islay. This Small batch release was bottled at 46.8% ABV, at natural colour and no chill filtration.

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NOSE Bursts of oceanic freshness, followed by wafts of peat smoke with sweet red grapes.

PALATE Waves of sea salt, baking spices and maple-cured bacon.

FINISH Subtle notes of bonfire ash, Manuka honey and rich dark fruits.

ABV: 46.8% | AGE: 14 Years Old | COUNTRY: Scotland | WHISKY TYPE: Blended Malt |CASK TYPE: Sherry Casks | BOTTLING COMPANY: Douglas Laing |COLLECTION: Rock Island

Maclean’s Nose

A nod to whisky legend and mentor to the team at Adelphi, Charles Maclean. This bottling is also a nod to the landmark that can be found on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula. Blended to have a West Coast Character with both a high malt content (70%) and a high proportion of ex-sherry casks.

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ralfy review 975 Extras – 51 versions of one malt in 2023

BECOME PART OF A LEGACY IN THE MAKING WITH BALLANTINE’S 40 YEAR OLD MASTERCLASS COLLECTION

Ballantine’s, the world’s number 2 Scotch whisky, and believers of investing in time, unveils its stunning new 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection; a precious series that will see the annual release over five years of five exceptional expressions of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old whisky.

Serving as a tribute to past and present Ballantine’s Master Blenders, the collection celebrates the five essential skills that Jack Goudy, Master Blender between 1959 and 1994, passed on to his then apprentice and now world-renowned Master Blender Sandy Hyslop. Every drop in the expressions which form the Masterclass Collection, will come from casks laid down by Jack Goudy, including rare whiskies from now ghost distilleries, and expertly blended by Sandy Hyslop. To preserve the authentic touch of both men’s hands, each chapter from the collection will be bottled at the natural strength after 40 years maturation in oak casks.

The first release in the collection, launched this year to mark Sandy Hyslop’s 40th anniversary in the industry, is named ‘The Remembering’. The blend is both complex and harmonious, with a carefully crafted influence from whisky of now closed Dumbarton Distillery, where Sandy Hyslop first learned from Jack Goudy in his journey to becoming a Master Blender. The distillery was also where traditional Coffey stills were used, resulting in a creamy smooth character enriched with an opulent sweetness from being matured in the finest American Oak casks. Inspired by the skill of sensory memory, and sensations evoked living on in the mind, ‘The Remembering’ is a perfectly balanced whisky, rich and complex, and bursting with flavours of spiced red apple and notes of warming clove spice and lavish toffee.

Commenting on the first release from the Masterclass Collection, Sandy Hyslop, said:

“This is an incredibly special and poignant collection to work on, as I was taken back to my early days spent in the warehouse with Jack. The fact that Jack nosed these whiskies holds special significance, and this first chapter is a tribute to the distinctive character of Ballantine’s and the guidance and inspiration on which I’ve built my own skills. The art of whisky crafting is fascinating, with many rules written long ago. The lessons I learnt from Jack are repeated to my own team now, and they’ll be continued to be passed on in years to come.”

Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Remembering’ is presented in individually numbered bottles, with a design reflecting the exceptional rarity of this 40 Year Old blend, decorated by hand and infilled with gold. The stunning bottle is housed inside an elegant presentation box, dressed in a delicate 3D paper art piece, created exclusively for the Masterclass Collection by celebrated Scottish artist, Kyla McCallum.

The launch of ‘The Remembering’ also celebrates Ballantine’s first NFT release in partnership with BlockBar.com, the global marketplace selling wine and spirits authenticated via blockchain directly from luxury brands. Exclusive to BlockBar, 24 of the 108 physical bottles are engraved with “The Remembering” and “1st NFT Release”. Each bottle stored in BlockBar’s state-of-the-art facility in Singapore comes with a digital certificate of authentication. The owner may sell or gift the NFT at any time from purchase, or redeem the physical bottle from April 2024.

Only 108 bottles of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Remembering’ will be made available for purchase globally from April 2023, to celebrate Ballantine’s Master Blender Sandy Hyslop’s 40th year in the industry, at specialist retailers and on BlockBar.com for RSP $11,000 USD. The fifth and closing chapter of the collection will be released in 2027 to mark the iconic Scotch’s 200th anniversary.

For more information, visit ballantines.com or follow @ballantines on social media

lievers of investing in time, unveils its stunning new 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection; a precious series that will see the annual release over five years of five exceptional expressions of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old whisky.

Serving as a tribute to past and present Ballantine’s Master Blenders, the collection celebrates the five essential skills that Jack Goudy, Master Blender between 1959 and 1994, passed on to his then apprentice and now world-renowned Master Blender Sandy Hyslop. Every drop in the expressions which form the Masterclass Collection, will come from casks laid down by Jack Goudy, including rare whiskies from now ghost distilleries, and expertly blended by Sandy Hyslop. To preserve the authentic touch of both men’s hands, each chapter from the collection will be bottled at the natural strength after 40 years maturation in oak casks.

The first release in the collection, launched this year to mark Sandy Hyslop’s 40^th anniversary in the industry, is named ‘The Remembering’. The blend is both complex and harmonious, with a carefully crafted influence from whisky of now closed Dumbarton Distillery, where Sandy Hyslop first learned from Jack Goudy in his journey to becoming a Master Blender. The distillery was also where traditional Coffey stills were used, resulting in a creamy smooth character enriched with an opulent sweetness from being matured in the finest American Oak casks. Inspired by the skill of sensory memory, and sensations evoked living on in the mind, ‘The Remembering’ is a perfectly balanced whisky, rich and complex, and bursting with flavours of spiced red apple and notes of warming clove spice and lavish toffee.

Commenting on the first release from the Masterclass Collection, Sandy Hyslop, said:

“This is an incredibly special and poignant collection to work on, as I was taken back to my early days spent in the warehouse with Jack. The fact that Jack nosed these whiskies holds special significance, and this first chapter is a tribute to the distinctive character of Ballantine’s and the guidance and inspiration on which I’ve built my own skills. The art of whisky crafting is fascinating, with many rules written long ago. The lessons I learnt from Jack are repeated to my own team now, and they’ll be continued to be passed on in years to come.”

Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Remembering’ is presented in individually numbered bottles, with a design reflecting the exceptional rarity of this 40 Year Old blend, decorated by hand and infilled with gold. The stunning bottle is housed inside an elegant presentation box, dressed in a delicate 3D paper art piece, created exclusively for the Masterclass Collection by celebrated Scottish artist, Kyla McCallum.

The launch of ‘The Remembering’ also celebrates Ballantine’s first NFT release in partnership with BlockBar.com, the global marketplace selling wine and spirits authenticated via blockchain directly from luxury brands. Exclusive to BlockBar, 24 of the 108 physical bottles are engraved with “The Remembering” and “1^st NFT Release”. Each bottle stored in BlockBar’s state-of-the-art facility in Singapore comes with a digital certificate of authentication. The owner may sell or gift the NFT at any time from purchase, or redeem the physical bottle from April 2024.

Only 108 bottles of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Remembering’ will be made available for purchase globally from April 2023, to celebrate Ballantine’s Master Blender Sandy Hyslop’s 40^th year in the industry, at specialist retailers and on BlockBar.com for RSP $11,000 USD. The fifth and closing chapter of the collection will be released in 2027 to mark the iconic Scotch’s 200^th anniversary.

For more information, visit ballantines.com or follow @ballantines on social media

Bimber unveils its largest and oldest small batch single malt whisky release

London’s Bimber Distillery today announced the worldwide release of Ex-bourbon Oak Casks Batch 4 – the distillery’s largest and oldest small batch single malt to date.

The upcoming single malt whisky has been crafted from a vatting of the distillery’s oldest 1^st fill American Oak ex-bourbon casks laid down in 2017 – Bimber’s second year of product.

Batch 4 is bottled at 51.2% ABV and consists of 7,000 bottles. It will be available at an RRP of £68 directly from the distillery from Thursday 20th April 2023 and also in a wide number of overseas markets (see notes to editors for full availability details)

The expression has been crafted to Bimber’s rigorous standards. The spirit was produced from the distillery’s single farm barley and malted on a dedicated floor at Warminster Maltings before being fermented for seven days in bespoke, on-site constructed American oak washbacks. Distillation took place in Bimber’s customised alembic pot stills which possess an increased copper surface area, and produce a fruit-forward, textural and layered new make spirit.

Following maturation, each cask was disgorged into the distillery’s in-house constructed American oak marrying vat for a period of resting. During this resting cycle the complexities of each individual cask mingle, creating an ensemble which possesses balance and depth whilst retaining the character of Bimber’s distinctive spirit.

Speaking of the new Small Batch release, Bimber spokesperson Matt McKay said: “Whilst the number of Bimber enthusiasts continues to grow, as a small craft distillery we have struggled to keep up with the exponential demand for our products. As our largest ever release, we hope that Ex-bourbon Oak Casks Batch 4 will quench some of the continued global demand that we’re seeing for our London single malt whiskies.“

He added: “Similarly to our other Small Batch releases Ex-Bourbon Oak Casks Batch 4 continues to offer an insight into our maturing single malt whisky stock – as we look toward the 7^th anniversary of our spirit, this new release is not only a perfect entry point into Bimber, it’s also a milestone for the developing style and quality of single malt whiskies that you’ll be seeing from us going forward.”

Bimber Ex-bourbon Oak Casks Batch 4

 A vatting of carefully selected first fill American oak ex-bourbon barrels

7,000 bottles

70cl

51.2% ABV

RRP £68

Distribution: Available directly from Bimber from Thursday 20^th April 2023 and also from:

About Bimber

Bimber Distillery produces world-class single malt whisky, handcrafted with passion in West London. As a leading distiller of English whisky, we combine generations of rich distilling heritage, with the finest quality ingredients to create the ultimate craft whisky experience.

Pre-Order Laphroaig Coronation Trio Now

Crafted to commemorate the ascension of King Charles III, this trilogy of Laphroaig expressions have been matured and bottled by Duncan Taylor. The three magnificent 70cl bottlings have been aged for 18, 23 and 26 years respectively. Extremely limited to just 150 numbered releases – secure yours now! We expect to ship mid July.

Pre-Order Now →

Duncan Taylor Laphroaig Coronation Trio

18YO: Restrained smoke gives way to gentle baked green fruits and a lingering sherried texture.
23YO: Chocolate dipped fruits mingle with earthy hints of smoked salty almonds and ripe cherries.
26YO: Ginger is accented by charred sherry oak and spice, maritime air compliments a subtle smokiness.

£3,900.00
PRe-Order Now

Laphroaig Trio Coronation Edition Description