Ballantine’s Finest Moxxi’s Bar Edition Borderlands

Blended Scotch Whisky

70cl / 40%

£22.95

A collaboration between Ballantine’s and Gearbox Entertainment’s Borderlands franchise, one of the most popular first-person shooter games in the world. This limited-edition Ballantine’s Finest champions Borderlands’ Mad Moxxi, a bold and daring non-playable character who owns a bar on Pandora – one of the planets in Borderlands. The striking label features Moxxi herself and embodies her colourful style, as well as a QR code that gives fans of the game access to exclusive gameplay skins.

Royal Brackla 18 Year Old

https://youtu.be/qj1NgYtQq9Q

I’ve never had a falling out with rye whisky, I’ve always enjoyed it, but it’s something I tend to forget about in the world of American whiskies.

Willet is a distillery that I also haven’t paid that much attention to, much to my discredit. Having gone through several ownership changes and historical speed bumps, the distillery has been producing its own bourbon and rye whiskies for a few years now.

This 4YO release blew my mind away the first time I tried it. It had all the hallmarks of a well made rye spirit with heavenly helpings of butterscotch and fresh mint alongside each other.

Is it pricey? Yes, for a young, cask strength spirit, it does have a price tag of just under £100 a bottle. But it isn’t that different in price to younger Scottish, Irish and definitely English whiskies. And it’s on the shelf, I can physically buy it without needing to chase auction houses and retailer. This is a quality spirit from a very exciting distillery.

FETTERCAIRN’S WAREHOUSE COLLECTION UNVEILS 4^TH RELEASE

The experimental series explores Fettercairn’s distinctive tropical house style born from the unique copper cooling ring distillation

Warehouse Collection has been crafted by pioneering Whisky Maker Gregg Glass

Batch No.004 born in Warehouse 2 delivers cracked pepper on the nose, and sweet Hungarian Oak on the palate

Fettercairn Distillery has announced the much anticipated fourth release of its hugely popular and sought-after Warehouse Collection, created by Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass to celebrate the hidden gems within its 14 dunnage warehouses and to showcase a commitment to truly innovative and progressive maturation.

Distilled in 2014, Fettercairn Warehouse 2 Batch No. 004 has been matured in handpicked first fill ex-Bourbon barrels, alongside re-charred Hungarian wine oak casks. This unconventional selection of casks was selected from the treasure trove of aging stock in Warehouse 2, where high humidity combined with a relatively cool and temperate environment make its mark on the maturing spirit and tropical house style.

Natural golden honey in colour, non-chill filtered and bottled at 48.8% ABV to intentionally amplify the flavours of the maturation journey, this definitive character begins on the nose with Madagascan vanilla, poached pears and cracked pepper, leading to flavours of toffee, honey and rich nuttiness.  With a vibrant yet elegant balance of honey dew melon, passion fruit, burnished citrus and sweet oak wood, this is a surprisingly tropical treat with soft spice for added depth.

Born in Warehouse 2, a personal favourite of Gregg Glass, Batch No.004 was matured in a unique environment – humid, cool and temperate – which allowed the whisky maker to enhance specific aspects of Fettercairn’s tropical character and balance the influence of each cask.

The Warehouse Collection celebrates the unconventional approach to whisky making pioneered by Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass and the whisky making community at this unique distillery:

“At Fettercairn we have had an opportunity to take a different perspective on whisky making.  The ingenuity of our unique copper cooling ring produces a brilliant and tropical new make spirit.

“Each warehouse is unique too, which allows myself – as whisky maker – to play with the influence on the whisky as it matures.

“Our Warehouse Collection offers a window into the unconventional approach that we take here at Fettercairn. In many ways we are still exploring different aspects of Fettercairn’s tropical distillery character. Each experiment we lay down plays with the balance of nature, nurture and the character of each unique warehouse. Batch No.004 is a one-off expression that showcases Fettercairn in a new, unexpected way, which we hope will delight admirers of our distillery”.

Fettercairn Warehouse 2 Batch No.004 will be available at an RSP of £60 in key global markets including  the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France from September.

Discover Fettercairn :  Rare, Pure & Enlightened

Tasting notes

Nose: Notes of Madagascan vanilla, poached pears and cracked pepper

Taste: Toffee, honey and rich nuttiness. Vibrant yet elegant balance of honey dew melon, passion fruit, burnished citrus and sweet oak wood.

www.fettercairnwhisky.com

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Twitter @FettercairnWh

About Fettercairn

Driven by an enlightened ethos at the heart of our distilling philosophy since 1824, today Fettercairn Distillery lives by a long-standing commitment to unfettered thinking.

We’re not like other distilleries and we’ve never been afraid to tread our own path.  It’s only by defying convention, tradition and expectation, we can adopt an enlightened and progressive approach.

Take our cooling ring, our home grown Scottish oak and single estate whiskies, the special collaboration with 200 local farmers, the Warehouse 2 Collection. And not forgetting the unicorn on our bottle!

Our vision is future facing, so we don’t need to look back to move forward.  But ultimately, all of this leads to an unwavering commitment to a prosperous and sustainable future for whisky making.

We are Fettercairn; the home of enlightened whisky making. 

www.fettercairnwhisky.com

About Gregg Glass- Master Whisky Maker

Respected whisky maker Gregg Glass joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016, where he has been a leading light in the rejuvenation of Fettercairn alongside Distillery Manager Stewart Walker.

Gregg enjoyed a childhood in the heart of whisky making country, the Black Isle. With 22 years in industry notably 11 years at innovative whisky maker Compass Box, Gregg joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016 to work alongside renowned Master Distiller Mr Richard Paterson OBE.

Gregg has enjoyed 15 years career as a blender and whisky maker. At Whyte and Mackay Gregg has led whisky development for Fettercairn Single Malt Whisky, Jura Single Malt Whisky and in 2017 launched Whisky Works – an independent innovation wing of Whyte and Mackay.

Gregg is devoted to his craft and believes in flavour-led hands-on whisky making. Gregg is passionately involved in every aspect of the whisky making process from ‘acorn to glass’ and since 2020 leads whisky making across the Whyte and Mackay portfolio. 

Award-Winning Whisky Makers Whyte and Mackay

Whyte and Mackay is home to a collection of multi-award-winning Single Malt Whiskies including The Dalmore, Jura and Fettercairn. With a premium spirits portfolio that includes contemporary whisky brands Shackleton, Woodsman and John Barr, alongside popular alcohol brands Wildcat, Fundador and Harveys Bristol Cream and Aperitivo. In the UK the company produce Whyte & Mackay, an award-winning ever-popular Blended Whisky, which recently launched the market-leading ‘Whyte & Mackay Light’ – a lighter spirit drink from Scotland, bottled at a lower ABV.

In 2020 the company were publicly recognised by the First Minister of Scotland for their support of the national pandemic response. Whyte and Mackay are official partners to SAMH – Scottish Association for Mental Health, which saw Whyte and Mackay employees worldwide complete a virtual-race-around-the-world to raise awareness for the charity.

Founded in Glasgow 1844, the whisky makers celebrated their 175 year anniversary in 2019. Today Whyte and Mackay have offices from New York to Singapore. In Scotland, Whyte and Mackay operate a state-of-the-art Bottling Hall and Distribution Centre in Grangemouth and a Whisky Production and Warehousing Centre in Invergordon.

Whyte and Mackay’s whisky making is led by Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE and pioneering Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass.

New UK exclusive

STAUNING RYE
SWEET WINE CASK

This UK-exclusive Danish rye whisky has just arrived from Stauning. A complex and tasty dram matured in virgin American-oak and finished in a combination of first-fill Marsala, Gewürtztraminer and Ramandolo casks.

A limited-edition Danish rye whisky from Stauning that was initially matured in virgin American oak, before being finished in a combination of first-fill Marsala, Gewürtztraminer and Ramandolo casks. Aromas of orange zest, lemon, raspberry, strawberry and apple fill the nose, complemented by notes of vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, caramel, malt and peppery rye throughout the palate.

£84.95

 SHOP NOW 

Bladnoch 19 Years

2022 release matured in PX sherry casks, a first for the distillery. Rich with spices and decadent warmth. Bladnoch 19 Year Old Lowland single malt Scotch whisky. Matured in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks, the first release of its kind by the distillery. The flavourful casks have imparted delectable notes of dark liquorice sticks, dried apricots and warming nutmeg into the golden-hued whisky.

Buy Bladnoch 19yo»

NOSE: Dark liquorice sticks and aged oak with a floral background.
PALATE: Liquorice sticks with dried apricots, almonds and nutmeg.
FINISH: Long with a dry sweetness.

Brothers John and Thomas McClelland opened Bladnoch Distillery in 1817 on the northern bank of the River Bladnoch at Bladnoch Bridge just upstream from Wigtown in south west Scotland. Bladnoch Distillery is a small Lowlands single malt whisky distillery equipped with two small stills. Having closed once again in 2009 it is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment with re-opening planned for late 2016. Bladnoch whisky is available from independent bottlers including the Gordon & MacPhail the Old Malt Cask range from Hunter Laing.

Dewar’s 15 Year Old

Aromas of toasted nuts, Granny Smith apples, and baking spices

£46.00
BUY NOW

This 15-year-old dram from Dewar’s blends together whisky that has matured in both bourbon casks and sherry casks. The result is a wonderfully sweet and nutty expression. Expect aromas of toasted nuts, Granny Smith apples, and baking spices. The palate brings fresh vanilla, thick toffee, malt loaf, and walnut whip before leading into the sweet and satisfying finish.

Our Gathering Outturn has landed, bringing 20 new bottlings PLUS a pair, trio and case special sharing offer. We’ve created this NEW collection specially to bring our members together to share our love for all things Society and of course, exceptional single cask whisky.

These new bottlings are available online now and at our Members’ Rooms. Click over to our website to buy or get your whisky shoes on and join as at the bar later for a dram.

SHOP BOTTLES NOW

READ NEW 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

ralfy review 942 Extras – What Independent bottlers do !

Highland Park adds new whisky to award-winning Cask Strength series 

— Cask Strength Release No.3 celebrates the harmonious balance of traditional whisky-making and modern flavour exploration — 

EMBARGOED: LONDON, UK – 01.09.2022: Orkney-based single malt distillery, Highland Park, has added a new whisky to its award-winning Cask Strength series, designed to challenge whisky drinking norms. The range strikes a harmonious balance between the traditional whisky-making craft, while encouraging flavour exploration to suit individual palates.

Launching as a permanent addition to the Highland Park range and created using the traditional ‘straight from the cask’ method, Highland Park Cask Strength Release No.3 is whisky in its purest form. No water is added after maturation which delivers a robust and intense flavour with a greater depth of finish.

Cask Strength Release No.3 uses whisky made with a higher proportion of Orkney peated malt resulting in a smokier style compared to the other single malts in the series. It has been matured predominantly in first-fill sherry seasoned American and European oak casks and a small quantity of refill casks. The result is an extraordinary combination of contrasting yet perfectly balanced flavours of charred oak, tropical fruits, aniseed, heather honey, vanilla cream, aromatic violet, sponge cake and peat smoke.

Highland Park, Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion champions this style of whisky as an opportunity for flavour discovery. Gordon explains:

“With Cask Strength, you are at a great place to start exploring the taste that best suits your palate by adding water, ice or your preferred serve. It’s your whisky and should be enjoyed your way. 

“For me, a Cask Strength whisky really celebrates that balance between old and new and I look forward to seeing how consumers enjoy the new whisky.”

The Highland Park Cask Strength series, a prestige offering within the portfolio, has been created by bringing together dozens of single casks. The whisky is at full strength, straight from the cask, and has only been gently filtered before bottling.

The releases within the Cask Strength range share the same underlying character but with each batch featuring different flavours coming to the fore based on the cask make-up. The ABV will also vary from batch to batch.

Release No.1 was matured predominantly in sherry seasoned American oak casks of different ages, delivering a harmonious contrast of flavours of toffee, heather, honey, and peat smoke. Release No. 2 was matured predominantly in sherry seasoned European and American oak casks and a small quantity of ex-bourbon casks, producing tastes of pear and almond cake, toasted oak, liquorice, cracked black pepper, aromatic peat.

Highland Park Cask Strength Release No.3 will become available globally from 1^st September across specialist whisky retailers, including The Whisky Exchange, Master of Malt, and The Whisky Shop, and from the Highland Park online shop, distillery, and Albert Street store in Orkney. The UK RRP is £65.

About Highland Park Cask Strength Release No.3:

UK RRP: £65

ABV: 64.1%

Volume: Available in 70cl and 75cl depending on region

Tasting notes:

Appearance: Natural deep golden

Taste: Lightly charred oak, honey-glazed lemons, crushed aniseed, ripe mango, cloudy heather honey, whipped vanilla cream, aromatic violet, pink grapefruit zest, rich sponge cake, smouldering peat smoke. 

Key differences between the whiskies of the Cask Strength series: 

Cask Strength Release No.3:

Highland Park Cask Strength Release No.3 has been matured predominantly in first-fill sherry seasoned American and European oak casks and a small quantity of refill casks using a higher proportion of Orkney peated malt for a smokier flavour profile. 

Cask Strength Release No.2:

Highland Park Cask Strength Release No.2 was matured predominantly in sherry seasoned European and American oak casks and a small quantity of ex-bourbon casks. Which delivered tastes of pear and almond cake, toasted oak, liquorice, cracked black pepper, aromatic peat. 

Cask Strength Release No.1:

Highland Park Cask Strength Release No.1 was matured predominantly in sherry seasoned American oak casks of different ages which delivered tastes of toffee, heather honey, nutmeg, citrus fruits and aromatic peat smoke.

Recent awards:

• Double Gold at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
• Gold medal at the Scotch Whisky Masters
• Scored 95/100 as a finalist at the 2021 Ultimate Spirits Challenge

What is a cask strength whisky?

Most whiskies are diluted with water prior to bottling to reduce the alcohol-by-volume (ABV) strength, typically to 40% or 43%. Cask strength is a term used to describe a whisky that has not had water added when it is bottled after maturation in casks. Highland Park Cask Strength Release No.1 and Cask Strength Release No.2 has been created by bringing together dozens of single casks. The whisky is at full strength, straight from the cask and has only been gently filtered prior to bottling.

About Highland Park:

We’ve been crafting our award-winning whisky at the Highland Park Distillery in Kirkwall, Orkney since 1798. Now, 224 years later, we are one of the ten oldest working distilleries in Scotland. Age, experience and respect for tradition may define our whisky but it’s Orkney that differentiates it. Something magic happens here and we call it A Wild Harmony.

It’s not just the influence of the finest sherry seasoned oak casks on our whisky at it matures, it’s the salty sea winds that batter Orkney’s rugged coastlines, the intensely floral character of our treeless but heather-rich peat, and the fiercely independent Viking spirit that drives us. These are the elements that go, untamed, into our whisky-making to create a wild harmony of sweet-smoky flavours that is, uniquely, Highland Park. www.highlandparkwhisky.com