WhistlePig reveals the latest ‘piglet’ in its Rye Whiskey family:

PiggyBack 100% Rye

Award-winning rye whiskey distillery from Vermont – WhistlePig – is unveiling its latest spirit to the UK this 4^th July: PiggyBack 100% Rye – its youngest and most playful whiskey in its rye family.

Aged for 6 years and bottled at 48.28% with an RRP of £45, PiggyBack 100% Rye offers the perfect flavour profile for cocktail curation and mixology.

The whiskey is several years in the making and a culmination of the distillery’s late Master Distiller, Dave Pickerell’s passion for Rye, showcasing its youthful, vibrant mixability and playful profile. 

PiggyBack 100% Rye was created by Pickerell to ensure that the very best aged rye whiskey could be used in both classic cocktails and contemporary serves. He chose the name PiggyBack to express the love and respect he had for the bartending community. The Pig on the bottle is not wearing a traditional Top hat, but a Stetson. The hat was Dave’s trademark, and he rarely was seen without it. The bottle has been adapted from the distinctive WhistlePig shape to give a more tactile and pour-friendly design, for ease of handling by bartenders and whiskey-lovers who want to try their hand at cocktail curation at home.

Jeff Kozak, CEO of WhistlePig said: “On behalf of Dave Pickerell, and all of us here at WhistlePig, we are proud to share the latest expression in our unparalleled offering of aged rye whiskies to the UK, one of Dave’s final creations. PiggyBack 100% Rye is a gift from our late legendary distiller to his friends across the country and around the world, and of course, the bartenders who helped forge the WhistlePig brand from the very beginning.”

The UK launch takes place on American Independence Day, Monday 4^th July – a key date in the WhistlePig calendar for the brand to celebrate its heritage – and off the back of WhistlePig’s inaugural national cocktail competition that has been staged across the UK over the past three months, with the final taking place in London on the same day as the launch.

PiggyBack 100% Rye is being driven into the on trade as a priority, with the main aim to win over the hearts and bars of some of the UKs leading mixologists in year one, followed by specialist retailers and independents within year two of launch.

Dan Priseman, UK & European Steward of the Brand said: “We are excited to reveal PiggyBack 100% Rye to the UK, particularly across the on trade where we’re building advocacy and support for the brand across some of the UK’s most influential and exciting bars. Our first ever cocktail competition culminates at the launch event allowing us to put the liquid in front of 12 of the most creative bartenders in the UK, whilst immersing them in the world of WhistlePig and our approach to mixology.”

PiggyBack 100% Rye will be available from mid-July via selected specialist retailers (RRP: £45) and in leading on trade accounts across the UK. For trade enquiries, please contact Moët Hennessy UK on tel: 020 7808 4400. 

WhistlePig PiggyBack 100% Rye Tasting Notes: 

On the nose: fresh cinnamon and black peppercorn mingle, with a hint of tangerine and grapefruit zest.

On the palate: powerfully spicy, with cocoa, cardamom and cured leather flavours enhancing the grain forward character of this classic rye.

The finish: wonderfully lengthy, with baking spices, oak, and vanilla lingering, and hints of citrus throughout.  

About WhistlePig:

Founded in 2008, WhistlePig is the premier aged rye whiskey, featuring the bold and often untapped flavour of rye. WhistlePig is leading a surge of innovation in the emerging field of North American whiskey. As the most decorated rye whiskey – having received the coveted ‘Best in Show Whiskey’ title from the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, WhistlePig is widely viewed as the world’s finest Rye. With the opening of its distillery on its 500-acre Vermont farm in the fall of 2015, WhistlePig has also become one of the leading farm-to-bottle rye whiskeys in the world.

Hibiki Blender’s Choice Japanese Whisky (700ml)

(Japanese Import)

$379.99

View

The famously controversial Blender’s Choice was released quietly after the discontinuation of the famous 17 year old Hibiki in the Japanese market. While sometimes billed as that wonderful whisky’s replacement, it actually represents a very different place in the pantheon of Suntory products. A blend of Suntory’s finest stocks from 12 to 30 years of age with an average around 15 years, this whisky stands alone in showing the incredible prowess of the Suntory Blending team. Normally for sale only in Japan, it’s presence on our shelves is a glorious and welcome consequence of the changes to TTB regulation allowing the importation of 700ml bottles. Suppliers are extremely limited. ****PRESENTATION BOX NOT AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES. BOTTLES DO NO NECESSARILY INCLUDE THE BOX.

Balblair Golden Dram closes this Sunday!

This Golden Dram is a 2005 vintage from Balblair showcasing notes of chocolate, maple syrup, candied lemon peel, and orange blossom before floral spice. That sounds delightful, right? We will choose one lucky winner from any order of the four selected Balblair core expressions below up until Sunday 17th July and send them the prize bottle!

Read our Balblair blog →

Purchase any of these bottles before Sunday 17th July

Balblair 12 Year Old

Balblair 15 Year Old

Balblair 18 Year Old

Balblair 25 Year Old

Our July Auction ENDS SOON, follow the link below to browse and bid!! 

Only 8.5% buyer’s commission! 

Auction ends Friday 15^th July. 

www.highlandwhiskyauctions.com

A fine example of just some Springbank bottlings this month.  

Click here to register as a user.  

Looking to sell in our next auction?

0% Sellers commission.

We offer FREE valuations to give you an idea of what your whisky may sell for at auction.

We also offer FREE* bottle collections across the UK.

Contact us to arrange a valuation or collection. 

www.highlandwhiskyauctions.com

Loch Lomond | The Open

Celebrating the 150th Open Golf Championship at the
Old Course, St. Andrews

Loch Lomond Single Malt 150th Open Gift Pack

As The Open Championship tees off this week, just along the road from TWB at the Home of Golf in St. Andrews, there is no better time to add a Special Edition Loch Lomond single malt to you collection and to enjoy while watching the competition.

Matured in American oak cask before double maturation in Claret Red wine casks presented in a gift pack featuring The Open branded whisky tumblers.

Buy – Loch Lomond 12yo | Oosthuizen- £44.80 / $44* / €44*

Loch Lomond 12yo Louis Oosthuizen 

Celebrating both the 150th Open Championship and Louis Oosthuizen’s victory in 2010. Distilled in 2010 and matured in three types of American oak casks. Limited edition release.

Buy – Loch Lomond | The Open- £46.84 / $45* / €47*

Loch Lomond Single Malt 150th Open Edition

Raise a glass to celebrate the Open Championship at St. Andrews commemorating 150 years.

Buy – Loch Lomond | The Open – £47.59 / $44* / €43*

1995 Cragganmore 26 Year Old “Hunter Laing Old & Rare” First Fill Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) $250.00 View

This stupendously rare and delicious cask from one of Diageo’s most prized distilleries is a true diamond in the rough. The last time the owners of this special distillery released a malt of equivalent age, they asked over $500. Now we’re offering single first fill sherry butt from this famed, yet under valued distillery for just nearly half that price. This special pre-arrival price will not remain in place on arrival and we expect the price on the shelf to be easily $50+ and still well worth the price of entry. A similar sister cask was on sale, now seemingly sold out, in the UK last year for nearly $400 and that sold out very quickly from the top retailers. We’re extremely lucky to have access to this incredible sherry butt from this exceedingly rare and undervalued distillery thanks to our good friends at Hunter Laing. This well matured malt offers all the classic sherry bomb flavors – spiced plums, antique oak, raisins, wild honey and more. We very rarely come across barrels like this and have never ever been offered Cragganmore of this quality and character. All who appreciate the majestic quality that the highest quality sherried malts can offer must consider this outstanding deal before any other.

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 451: Westward Belgian Ardennes Trappist Ale vs The Belgium Edition 2021

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, puts two US single malts head-to-head. From the first time Mark tasted a Westward bottling, he was a fan. When they then release a club bottling called Belgian Ardennes Trappist Ale – after the Ardennes  farmhouse yeast used by Culmination Brewing from Portland – he couldn’t help but beg Cinoco, the Belgian importer, to bring it to Belgium. And so it happened. At the same time as the Belgian Trappist Ale edition, a veritable Belgium Edition was also released, so Mark most certainly could not allow this to pass him by either. It is a single barrel that was cut to 50%. The barrel – barrel #780 – was specially selected by Stephan De Bolle and his Cinoco team.

https://youtu.be/EPsWzrON09A

Talnua Distillery Releases First-ever Bottled-in-Bond American Single Pot Still Whiskey

Arvada, Colorado, July 7, 2022 – Talnua Distillery released the world’s first Bottled-in-Bond American Single Pot Still Whiskey on Independence Day weekend, 2022. The release was a single barrel presented exclusively at the Irish Whiskey Fans of America meetup which was hosted at the distillery.

The release marks a hallmark moment in the revival of Single Pot Still Whiskey. The important bond between Ireland and America that has lasted for centuries inspired this release and the collaboration with Barry Chandler who is the creator of Irish Whiskey Fans of America and the Stories and Sips whiskey club.

As a friend of Talnua, Barry was asked to help select the Single Barrel that would be the first representation of Bottled-in-Bond Single Pot Still Whiskey in America.

The whiskey from a select few casks crossed the Atlantic to the ancestral home of Single Pot Still Whiskey where one was hand picked for its unique qualities.

This release is a milestone in American whiskey and was immortalized on the weekend of our nation’s Independence Day in accordance with the Federal Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897.

The whiskey features a mashbill of un-malted and malted barley, which was triple distilled following old world customs, and aged 4 years in charred virgin American white oak casks. The release was bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV) in sophisticated gold foil labels, paired with certificates of authentication, and enclosed in attractive birch tubes secured with red ribbon.

Supply of the single barrel was limited to less than 250 bottles, a handful of bottles remain at the distillery post-event and are available for pickup only at the distillery. No online sales or shipping available.

About Talnua Distillery

Talnua Distillery is an artisan small batch distillery that proudly hand crafts each of our spirits. Established in 2017, we embarked on a mission to define a new chapter of whiskey history with the introduction of our American Single Pot Still Whiskey.

True to gaelic-style distilling practices, and unique to the new world, our spirits are produced using a mashbill of un-malted and malted barley and triple distilled in copper pot stills. Located on the Front Range of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, the altitude, changing seasons, crystal clear mountain spring water, and local barley all lend a uniquely American terroir to our products.

We are honored to carry on the traditions of our Irish ancestry and are proud to be leading the way as America’s First Single Pot Still Distillery.

It all began with husband and wife team Patrick and Meagan Miller. In a Galway pub on their honeymoon, they sat watching the 2011 Ireland vs. USA Rugby World Cup Match. An eager bartender was thrilled to share with them the first single pot still whiskey to be released in decades. He regaled them with the history of this nearly extinct style of whiskey and with the passion that one day, single pot still would regain its rightful place on the world stage. The love affair was instant, and the couples’ passion was forever ingrained in the story of single pot still whiskey.

With family history rooted in Irish ancestry, the couple returned to Ireland every year and knew that single pot still whiskey would forever be a part of their story.  Knowing that single pot still whiskey was not yet available in the US they set out to create the first Single Pot Still distillery outside of Ireland. They wanted to bring this style of whiskey to America and imbue it with the nation’s terroir while honoring Gaelic distilling traditions, the immigrant soul, and the pioneering spirit of the American people.

Our whiskeys and gins are produced using Single Pot Still distillation methods with a mashbill of 50% un-malted / 50% malted barley and triple distilled in copper pot stills. We age in the finest oak casks to mature every drop.  For more information on Talnua Distillery, please visit www.talnua.com, www.facebook.com/TalnuaDistillery, or www.instagram.com/talnuadistillery

Dive straight in, enjoy the whisky swirl and summer feel-good flavours!

GOLDEN SUMMER PEACH GAZPACHO

LIMIT ONE BOTTLE PER MEMBER

FIRST RELEASE FROM DISTILLERY 19 FOR SMWS CANADA

CASK NO. 19.66

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  18 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Sweet, fruity & mellow

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Empire biscuits and glaze cherries next to a caprese salad while on the palate a golden summer peach gazpacho and chocolate cinnamon tuile.”

SLAP ON SUNSCREEN AND SLOW DOWN*

CASK NO. 28.64

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  7 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Sweet, fruity & mellow

BOTTLE NOTE:  “This evokes summertime relaxation – bright, exotic fruits and citric zest, boiled sweets and sunscreen; leather, walnuts and oak to finish.”

*GIVING SPIRIT BOTTLE – 100% of SMWS Canada’s profits from the sale of this bottle will go to Food Banks Canada

 AY, CARAMBA CARAMBOLA

CASK NO. 113.58

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  11 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Vanilla ice cream with mango slices and star fruit, then caramelized carambola with green Sichuan pepper ice cream was added – ay, caramba!”

INSUPERABLE ENJOYMENT

CASK NO. 80.31

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  1st fill Oloroso hogshead

AGE:  11 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Juicy, oak & vanilla

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Sweet, fruity, sun-soaked raisins and candied roasted nuts, while to taste a Jamun Cooler. After reduction, strawberry tarts and custard slices.”

APPEALINGLY CRISPY AND CRUNCHY

CASK NO. 44.146

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  2nd fill Oloroso hogshead

AGE:  14 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Deep, rich & dried fruits

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Beef tenderloin in a chili chocolate sauce accompanied by dark sweet cherries. After reduction, the crispy crackling skin of a duck l’orange.”

SOOTY MERINGUE

LIMIT ONE BOTTLE PER MEMBER

CASK NO. 4.301

INITIAL CASKS:  Ex-bourbon hogsheads

FINAL CASK:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  13 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Peated

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Floral aromas wafted over dried herbs, liquorice and chimney soot. Single malt originally from an ex-bourbon hogshead, married in this cask.”