KILLOWEN TRIAIL – EXPERIMENTAL POITÍN SET

This newsletter is to introduce you all to an upcoming, highly experimental, Killowen release known as Trial. Among all our many experiments in Killowen, we also like to play with yeast.

This is a controlled experiment where mashbill, fermentations, distillation cuts and ABV are all kept the same allowing one variable, Yeast. The aim is to see if yeast has an influence on flavour and you the consumer will be apart of this live experiment. There is also a sensory card in each box which will require you to record all the flavours you find, record them as live data then email a photo of your findings back to us, you will also get the opportunity to name a new yeast strain. Please do not be daunted by the flavour analysis as there are no wrong answers and everyone’s opinion matters.

Although we had most eagerly awaited this release for some time, the social media group ‘Friends of Irish Whiskey’ requested it be released with their members. As this group have been so kind to us in the past we eventually agreed first refusal to them.

This is a great opportunity for those with an open mind who are in search for big, bold and fantastic flavours. There are only 130 of these Poitín sets, each set contains 3 x 375ml bottles, so over a litre of liquid, All bottled @ 60% abv.

If you are curious about the Poitín and all the fantastic flavours that it has to offer, then this is for you. These 144 sets are exclusive to the Friends of Irish Whiskey group and the cost is £75 per set plus postage. The sets will be sold through the Killowen website after the link is released on Friends of Irish Whiskey social media pages.

As sensory data is required these sets need to be opened and tasted as a condition of sale. Gentleman’s agreement

***THESE SETS ARE NOT FOR COLLECTING***

Release Date – Tuesday 18th April 2023 – 4pm (GMT)

Sláinte

The Killowen Distillery Team

We are proud and privileged to announce that we have partnered with Highgrove Gardens on a limited release release of whisky to mark the coronation of His Majesty the King Charles III.

Highgrove Coronation Single Malt Whisky was created using Plumage Archer barley grown on the Highgrove Estate and was distilled, matured, and bottled exclusively by The Cotswolds Distillery.

Just 340 bottles have been produced and each bottle is adorned with a commemorative coronation label and is presented in a bespoke box to mark this historic occasion.

This release is available to purchase exclusively from The Highgrove Shop at Highgrove Gardens. All profits from sales of the whisky will support The Prince’s Foundation for its charitable delivery of education and training initiatives.

We are pleased to provide Distillery Club members with first access to this very special limited release.

50.2% l £295.00 

BUY NOW

Cotswolds Distillery Phillip’s Field, Whichford Road Stourton Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire CV36 5EX

TOP 10 WHISKIES

Discover our favourite fruity and full-bodied sherry cask-matured single malt Scotch whiskies, offering rich layers of dark fruit and sweet spice. Our top 10 whiskies focus on our favourite bold and fruity single malts that have been matured or finished in ex-sherry casks, including rich and sherried Speysiders from Glenallachie and Aberlour, a peaty and fruity Ledaig which has spent 13 years in a single sherry butt, and impressively-aged drams finished in sherry casks from Tobermory and Royal Brackla.

Heaven Hill Distillery Wins Distiller of the Year, Top Awards from 2023 American Icons of Whisky

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof named World’s Best and Best Kentucky Small Batch Bourbon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky Awards announced Heaven Hill as Distiller of the Year at their annual awards banquet in Louisville last Thursday. Heaven Hill also took home top honors for all its nominations including Sustainable Distiller of the Year, Lynn House as American Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year, Connor O’Driscoll as Highly Commended Master Distiller, World’s Best Small Batch Bourbon and Best Kentucky Small Batch Bourbon for Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C922. As winners and finalists for these categories, Heaven Hill will be considered for the upcoming World’s Best competition in London in late March.

“This year’s awards were hosted with a difference, bringing the industry’s great and good to Louisville, Kentucky’s The Brown Hotel to announce the winners and commend the people, places and products that stood out from the crowd,” said Phoebe Calver, Editor of American Whiskey Magazine. “It is no mean feat to achieve these accolades and as always it is a joy to share in those moments of success.”

The World Whiskies Awards are the global awards selecting the very best in all the international recognized styles, awarding and promoting the world’s best whiskies to consumers and trade across the globe. In 2022 the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience won Visitor Attraction of the Year along with Director of Kentucky Visitor Experiences Jeff Crowe winning Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year. Brand Ambassador Bernie Lubbers is also a past winner having taken home the prize for American Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year three previous times.

Recognized as 2023 American Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year, Lynn House adds to her long list of accomplishments in the spirits industry. As Heaven Hill’s National Spirits Specialist and Portfolio Mixologist, Lynn is responsible for supporting the entire Heaven Hill Portfolio with emphasis on on-premise focused brands. Among Lynn’s many awards, last year she was also named “Best U.S. Brand Ambassador” at the 16^th Annual Spirited Awards by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.

Master Distiller Conor O’ Driscoll was recognized as Highly Commended in the Master Distiller Category. He joined Heaven Hill Distillery as Master Distiller in 2019, then a fifteen-year veteran of Kentucky’s Bourbon industry. Conor leads the distilling and warehousing teams at the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, the largest independent, family-owned Bourbon distillery in the world. Conor also oversees Heaven Hill Distillery’s portfolio of historic brands, which reflects the rich heritage and tradition of American Whiskey.

Heaven Hill was also honored with the award for Sustainable Distillery of the Year. Director of Environment and Sustainability Rachel Nally and Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel Jes Pendergrass accepted this exciting award which acknowledged the already impressive strides made towards Heaven Hill’s 2030 Sustainability Goals. These goals will be an integral part of the Heaven Hill Springs Distillery set to open at the end of 2024. The $135 million-dollar, state-of-the-art distillery will augment Heaven Hill’s distilling capacity to meet increased global whiskey demand and marks the company’s return to distilling in Bardstown. It has been designed to create a more environmentally conscious distilled spirits industry and ensure a thriving environment for generations to come. Heaven Hill Springs Distillery has been engineered to minimize water use to below industry benchmarks and reuse certain water streams. The site will use native plants and natural systems to manage stormwater runoff and improve habitat on the property. The distillery will also include a wastewater pretreatment system to ensure discharged water exceeds environmental standards and greatly reduces the load on the city’s treatment plant. Heaven Hill also will plan to utilize energy creation and recovery, lessening the distillery’s demand on the city’s electrical grid.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL BRANDS: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY -based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and led spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Larceny, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Deep Eddy Vodka; Admiral Nelson’s Rum; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul Tequila; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur, plus the newly-acquired Samson

Jack Daniel’s® and Coca-Cola®  Ready-to-Drink Launches in the U.S. 

LYNCHBURG, TN/ATLANTA, GA – Mar. 30, 2023 – Jack Daniel’s will today debut the iconic Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola cocktail as a ready-to-drink (RTD), pre-mixed cocktail option for the first time in the United States.

Made with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Coca-Cola, Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTD is inspired by one of the most popular “bar-calls” – a cocktail ordered with specific brand names – in the world. This pre-mixed cocktail with two of the largest household brand names in the U.S. first hit shelves last fall in Mexico and will continue to expand to other global markets throughout 2023.

“We are excited to introduce the quintessential Jack & Coke cocktail to consumers in a consistent, convenient and portable format,” said Dallas Cheatham, Jack Daniel’s RTD Brand Director. “While Jack & Coke is a cocktail consumers have known and enjoyed across the world, with origins dating back more than a century, we are proud to officially launch Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTD and bring these two iconic brands together in a RTD format for the first time in the U.S.”

“This launch is a milestone moment for both Coca-Cola and Jack Daniel’s – it is following what people have been doing with these two iconic brands for generations and demonstrates our commitment to innovation from the simple to the complex,” said Dan White, Chief of New Revenue Streams for The Coca-Cola Company. “We are really excited about this classic cocktail being offered in a new and exciting way through our relationship with Jack Daniel’s and their distributor system.”

The can and packaging, which features two of the world’s most recognized trademarks in “Coca-Cola” and “Jack Daniel’s,” will include clear responsibility symbols stating that the beverage is to be enjoyed responsibly and only by consumers of legal drinking age. Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTD will adhere to responsible marketing practices held by Jack Daniel’s and The Coca-Cola Company.

The alcohol beverage volume (ABV) is 7% in the US and a version featuring Coca-Cola Zero-Sugar will also be available beginning in May. Both will be available at retailers nationwide for a SRP of $12.99 per 4-pack.

Jack Daniel’s was established in 1866 in Lynchburg, Tennessee. The Coca-Cola brand was established in 1886 in Atlanta.

About Jack Daniel’s

Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery is the first registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Jack Daniel’s is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Double Mellowed Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye, Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select and Jack Daniel’s RTDs. Today, Jack Daniel’s is a true global icon found in more than 170 countries around the world and is the most valuable spirits brand in the world as recognized by Interbrand.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our hydration, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

EXCLUSIVE MAC-TALLA FÈIS ÌLE 2023 PX BOTTLING

SNEAK PEAK!

We are taking Mac-Talla back to its roots and we are bring something special with us – a Mac-Talla Fèis Ìle Ltd Edition, launched on Islay during the iconic festival as an official festival bottling and available in selected markets shortly afterwards. This expression aims to unveil something a little more complex, representing the equilibrium between the bold rock formations found on Islay and the soft peat, famous in most Islay whiskies.
Keep your eyes peeled for more info soon…

JOIN MAC-TALLA AT FÈIS ÌLE 2023

This year Mac-Talla is at Fèis Ìle and we have 3 extra special events showcasing our core range and NEW Mac-Talla PX Fèis Ìle Limited Edition! For those not familiar with the festival it is dedicated to hosting events, honouring the spirit and culture of Islay. Fèis Ìle is well-known and named by many as the ultimate whisky festival. Islay whisky fans travel from across the globe to attend the wide variety of events held, celebrating the island’s whisky and heritage. For whisky lovers, it’s the perfect week of learning, laughter and drams. In every event Mac-Talla delivers, we aim to take you on a journey of taste, showcasing the variety of flavours captured in Islay whiskies, from powerful and smoky to rich and balanced, we have something for everyone. Take a look below for details on our key events.

Journey of Taste Festival with Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers are delighted to host a ‘Journey of Taste’ Whisky Festival in the Machrie Luxury Golf Hotel Courtyard.
Join us for a complimentary welcome dram at the bar before discovering a range of Mac-Talla Islay Single malt Whiskies, including the Mac-Talla PX Fèis Ìle Limited Edition, while enjoying festival lawn games and an Islay BBQ with live music from Islay Scottish folk band ‘Tàlan’. Ticket price includes: Welcome dram, branded glass, BBQ meal and games for prizes.

Date: 01/06/23
There are 2 sessions for this event:
Session 1: 1pm – 3pm | Session 2: 4pm – 6pm

Click here for tickets
The event is suitable for over 18’s only.

Journey of Taste Dinner with Mac-Talla Whisky & Christine Logan

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers are delighted to host a ‘Journey of Taste’ Whisky Dinner at the Machrie Luxury Golf Hotel with special guest Christine Logan. Join us in the Stag Lounge where you can enjoy a welcome whisky hiball, followed by a dram of our Mac-Talla PX Fèis Ìle Limited Edition while our Sales Director Niel Hendriksz and the ‘Lady of the Isles’, former Bowmore Distillery Tour Guide Christine Logan, take part in a Q&A session, discussing the company’s Islay legacy and what they have in store for the future.

Following the Q&A, we’ll move on to the Kildalton Room, where we’ll enjoy a 5 course dinner, complimented by 4 special single malt whiskies, including a limited edition and Morrison Family Cask sample.
Join us for an evening of delicious drams and food, immersing yourself in the world of Mac-Talla Islay Single Malt Whisky. Ticket price includes: Welcome hiball and dram, 5 course meal with 4 whiskies and tea/coffee.

Date: 30/05/23
Starts: 6:15pm – 11pm (approx).

Click here for tickets
The event is suitable for over 18s only.

Whisky & Curry Night with Mac-Talla Islay Whisky at the Ballygrant Inn

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers are delighted to join the Ballygrant Inn & Restaurant for a whisky & curry pairing meal. We’ll take you through our range of Islay Single Malts, expertly paired with the Ballygrant’s legendary curries, finishing off the meal with a dram of our Mac-Talla PX Fèis Ìle Limited Edition. A donation from both Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers & the Ballygrant Inn will be made from the proceeds of this event to the Kilmeny Senior Citizen’s Christmas Lunch. Ticket includes a dram pairing whisky dinner including the Mac-Talla range and our Fèis Ìle Limited Edition.

Date: 31/05/23
Starts 7pm – 10pm (approx).
Click here for tickets
The event is suitable for over 18s only.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Want to come along to an event or tasting? See exactly where we will be over the next few weeks.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is an iconic celebration of Scotland’s national drink. We are hosting some tastings throughout the week and there are a few tickets left. Make sure to grab one quick before they all go. To buy a ticket to one of our events click here. Location: The Whisky Shop Dufftown Date: 27/04/23

WHERE HAVE WE BEEN?

Over the last few weeks we have been very busy with our team attending whisky shows, hosting tastings and other fun events. From Asia, to Denmark and back to the UK we have been getting the word out about our fantastic brands. We hope to see you at an event soon! Slàinte.

KEEP IN TOUCH

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter. For more regular updates on our latest bottlings and other news, follow us on Instagram or Facebook. You can also email us with any questions or suggestions at info@morrisondistillers.com

We’ve passed many milestones since the first spirit flowed from the stills back in January 2013, but this is perhaps the most significant: today we are hugely proud to announce the launch of Wolfburn 10 Year Old single malt whisky – our first permanent age-statement release.

It’s been a rollercoaster ten years since the distillery was commissioned, but this moment from planned from the beginning: the very first casks filled in January 2013 were top-quality Oloroso sherry butts and every year since we have been fortunate enough to source dozens more near-identical casks – all with a view to one day producing age-statement whiskies. Lovers of our single malts will be relieved to hear that we haven’t used all those sherry butts for our 10 Year Old and further age-statement releases will follow in years to come.

Please keep an eye on our social media channels where there’ll be a chance to win some bottles of 10 Year Old and other goodies in the very near future.

Away from the excitement of the new release the distillery has continued to quietly grow, with additional staff joining both the bottling and production teams – and new distributors in the United States and Poland. 2022 was a record year for sales and the trend looks set to continue in 2023 and beyond.  Our heartfelt thanks to all our friends and supporters far and near. We couldn’t do it without you.

 Slàinte Mhath
The Wolfburn Team

This 10-year-old single malt marks a significant milestone in the history of the distillery: it is our first ever permanent age-statement release. Crafted from spirit fully matured in hand-selected second-fill Oloroso sherry casks, a full decade in Spanish sherry oak has resulted in a delightfully sweet and sumptuous whisky – a fitting testament to the skill, dedication and patience of Wolfburn’s master distillers.

ON THE NOSE:
Soft sherry sweetness melds with figs and raisins. There’s a lovely hint of vanilla and oak present too.

ON THE PALATE:
The depth of flavour is tremendous.
Bold chocolate and dark fruit flavours abound, with overtones of caramel and vanilla, all accompanied by gentle hints of nutmeg and oak smoke.

THE FINISH:
Silky tannins make for a beautifully textured finish; there’s a residual sweetness with dried fruit and caramel flavours lingering to the very end.

NON-CHILL FILTERED / NATURAL COLOUR
70cl  /  46% ABV

GlenWyvis Single Malt Batch 2018

Batch 20/18 is the second release from the 2018 vintage and the first ‘major’ bottling. Half-tonne mashes of entirely local Concerto barley were fermented for an average of 96 hours before being distilled in the squat 2500L wash still and 1700L spirit still. An uncompromising hearts cut was then filled into a variety of wood: – 15 First-Fill Ex-Tennessee Whiskey barrels from America add complex sweetness, – 5 First-Fill Ex-Oloroso hogsheads from Spain bring rich fruit, – 3 Refilled Scotch whisky hogsheads highlight the fragrant, spicy character of the unique new make. This single malt is chill-filtered and bottled at natural colour. 8000 bottles produced worldwide.

NOSE Soft white grapes, giving way to a jammy sweetness.

PALATE Vanilla fudge, sherbet fizz and pear drops.

FINISH Initial dark chocolate with lingering summer berry.

£59.95

Check out some of our exclusives:

Deanston 2008 Single Cask

One of only 255 bottles. This gorgeous 14 year old bourbon cask Deanston offfers notes of green apples, grapefruit, vanilla shortbread, Tunnocks coconut caramel log, and a waxy, oily finish with notes of of ginger and Lindt white chocolate.

£87.49 >

Ben Nevis 2012 9YO Single Cask

One of only 324 bottles. Initially matured in a bourbon hogshead before spending 3 and a half years in a Premier-Cru Classe cask. Expect notes of chocolate, currants & spice.

£72.90 >

Sneak Preview: Old Pulteney, Ardnamurchan and Queso

Update: Tickets went on sale a week ago, and with more than half sold it seems that you’ve missed us as much as we’ve missed you. Bless.

If you haven’t bought your tickets we still have space for you in our Masterclass Series, though Dunville’s and Michter’s are now sold out (and rightfully so given what will be poured.)

With an expanded offering at this year’s show, I’m making time to send out weekly previews of what you can expect come Saturday May 6, and maybe some of the outtakes, just for fun.

Keep reading to whet your palate, or feel free to unsubscribe if you prefer a good surprise!

Slainte,

Johanna Ngoh
Founder and Executive Producer