DOUGLAS LAING REVEALS ROCK ISLAND MEZCAL CASK EDITION

Independent Scotch Whisky distillers, blenders and bottlers, Douglas Laing & Co, today unveil a new Limited Edition: Rock Island Mezcal Cask Finished Island Malt Scotch Whisky.

Strictly limited to no more than 1,500 bottles, the new release is said to be “perfect for summer” and carries vibrant green, blue and orange colourways complemented by warm gold foil detail. Bespoke agave plant illustrations feature alongside the classic Rock Island oyster, symbolising the meeting of contrasting cultures: “From the idyllic shores of Scotland’s west coast” to “the sun-drenched Mezcal distilleries located in the heart of Mexico”.

The original Rock Island Malt Scotch Whisky is a marriage of Single Cask Single Malts distilled only on Scotland’s Whisky islands of Orkney, Arran, Jura and Islay. The resulting spirit is said to “boast a complex balance of maritime flavours, revealing waves of sweet, salty, smoky and earthy notes”, and accordingly has been decorated with a number of high-profile industry awards over the years, including Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

In creating the new Rock Island Mezcal Cask Finish, the family firm subjected the classic Rock Island recipe to a secondary maturation period in ex-Mezcal casks. Meaning “oven-cooked agave”, Mezcal is a Mexican spirit derived from the agave plant. The heart of the plant is first cooked underground, then the smoked juices are left to ferment, before being double distilled and matured in oak casks to create the final, smoky spirit.

Commenting on the new innovation, Brand Manager Rebecca Fennell said:

“In 2019, an amendment to the Scotch Whisky Technical File was published, and for the first time ever, casks which had previously held Mezcal were permitted for the maturation of Scotch Whisky. Rock Island has a naturally smoky character, so for us, it was a fascinating experiment to subject the classic American Oak-aged recipe to a secondary maturation in these exotic casks. The resulting spirit has exceeded all of our expectations – it’s retained that archetypal Scottish sea salt and honeycomb quality, yet taken on an unmistakable roasted agave note, running to a signature lightly smoked finish.”

In line with the Douglas Laing family’s “as natural as it gets” ethos, Rock Island Mezcal Cask Edition is offered without added colouring or chill-filtration, and at a high alcohol strength of 46.8%. It is expected to retail at £60.00 / €70.00 and will be available from specialist retailers and online across Europe, Americas and Asia Pacific.

Tasting notes:

Nose: Opens with Scottish sea salt and roasted Mexican agave balanced by tangy gooseberries and fresh floral notes.
Palate: Barley-sweet and super smooth moving to an earthy, light smoked style alongside barbecued meats.
Finish: Oceanic and elegant, with citrus fruits, juicy blackberries and honeycomb.

ABOUT ROCK ISLAND

Instagram: @rockisland_whisky

Facebook: /dlrockisland

Rock Island joined Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts range in 2015, offering consumers the opportunity to taste the ultimate distillation of Scotland’s Whisky Islands, in one delicious glass. The multi award-winning Small Batch Scotch is a marriage of Single Cask Single Malts from Orkney, Arran, Jura and Islay. The truly unique spirit is celebrated for its beautifully complex flavour profile. The sweet, salty, smoky and earthy notes earn this maritime Malt the reputation of being the ultimate dram to pair with seafood. Rock Island is offered at high alcohol strength and always without colouring or chill-filtration. Since 2015, the core range has grown to encompass a 10 Years Old and Sherry Edition offering for specialist retail, plus occasional limited releases.

ABOUT DOUGLAS LAING & CO.

www.douglaslaing.com

Douglas Laing & Co. is a leading independent Scotch Whisky distillery, blender and bottler specialising in the selection and release of Single Cask Single and Small Batch Malt Scotch Whiskies.

The company was founded by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948 and is still owned and run by the Laing family – Fred Laing Jr and his daughter Cara Laing.

The company philosophy is to bottle the way the distiller intended – at a high strength and without chill-filtration to preserve the robust and unique character of the Whisky. Douglas Laing’s industry reputation and many awards is testament to this ethos.

Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts, the Ultimate Distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions, encompasses The Epicurean Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky, Timorous Beastie (Highlands), Scallywag (Speyside), The Gauldrons (Campbeltown), Rock Island (Islands) and Big Peat (Islay).

Beyond its Blended Malts expertise, the award-winning Douglas Laing portfolio also includes Provenance, Premier Barrel, Old Particular, Xtra Old Particular and XOP Black, collectively known as the firm’s “Exceptional Single Casks”.

Holyrood Distillery Launch New Cask Programme For 2022

This year, HOLYROOD DISTILLERY has launched a unique cask programme which includes two distinct ‘peated’ expressions, chosen to emulate the smoky past of Edinburgh’s cityscape. Both casks showcase the interplay between tradition and innovation, utilising different techniques of production to create two unique distillates; Heavily Peated and Rauch Malt.

Smoke once encapsulated Edinburgh, large clouds hung above the city and inhabitants woke to the smell, taste and the sight of smoke, as a result the city became known as ‘Auld Reekie’ (Old Smoky). Holyrood has a strong connection with this time in Edinburgh’s history; the distillery building once housed the old goods shed of the innocent railway, back in 1813 which transported coal that powered Edinburgh’s fires.

Through this year’s cask programme, Holyrood Distillery is keen to bring certain elements of Auld Reekie back to the whisky world with its use of smoked brewers malts and the traditional whisky style of Islay. The first of the two casks, Heavily Peated uses Islay peated malt in a sherry wood. Head Distiller, Marc Watson commented:

“Today, peated whiskies have a symbolic home — Islay. Among distillers and drinkers alike, Islay and its distilleries have reached legendary status. We aim to pay homage to Islay with a heavily peated expression that remains true to ourselves as distillers. Our goal is not to emulate the great distilleries of Islay, but to celebrate them. What would ‘made by Edinburgh’ be if it was instead made by Islay?”

Holyrood distillers found using the Norwegian ale yeast, Kviek, alongside their malts gave a balance of smoke, orange, and a fuller texture to the expression. For maturation they’re using 250 litre Spanish sherry hogsheads, with a choice of either first fill Cream sherry or first fill Pedro Ximénez sherry.

The second cask in the 2022 programme, the Rauch Malt is a true brewer’s whisky, created with smoked brewer’s malt and aged in a lightly toasted port wood. Softening these smoky flavours, the addition of Caramalt has imparted a subtle sweetness to the distillate, finished with small amount of Heavy Peat (50ppm) to create the characteristic coal smoke flavours. For maturation, Holyrood is using 225 litre lightly toasted first fill port barriques.

“We continue to build upon traditional methods of production from brewing to innovate the Scotch Whisky industry. Our lightly peated expression for 2022 builds upon our previous New Make releases, utilising a rich catalogue of brewing malts and speciality yeasts. Our experimentation with smoked malts started a journey of exploration and refinement, culminating in a new way to create and experience lightly smoked whisky.”

At Holyrood Distillery the past inspires, but it never dictates, and their iterative approach means the team are persistently exploring, constantly learning and always building on the Scotch whisky legacy that has come before. Taking inspiration from the city that surrounds them, as well it’s rich brewing heritage; ancient recipes, malts, and fermentation ideas that time has left behind.

Purchasing one of these casks is a rare opportunity to be part of Holyrood’s Scotch journey as they carve out their identity as whisky makers, ahead of the inaugural single malt release later this year. Anyone who purchases a cask will receive a sample spirit on its first, third and tenth birthday.

Peated Cask priced at £5,000 and Smoked at £3,500
www.holyrooddistillery.co.uk/cask-programme/
@holyrooddistillery

Notes 

10 years maturation for any chosen casks. Insurance is included in cask price and covers damage or loss due to fire, explosion, flooding or other cause.

Holyrood Distillery is a modern distillery in the heart of historic Edinburgh. Established in 2019, Holyrood is Edinburgh’s first single malt distillery since 1925. The distillery is conveniently tucked away off the back streets of the city centre and on the outskirts of Holyrood park.

Both the brand’s juniper-led gin and new make spirit range, which launched in 2021 use experimental methods and bold new approaches to flavour. Height of Arrows gin was developed with a whisky in mind, using only a handful of ingredients to let juniper take centre stage. The innovative range of new make spirits the ‘Brewer’s Series’ uses specialty malt ratios and local yeasts, draws on Edinburgh’s illustrious distilling and brewing history.

Glen Moray 15 Years Old

The Periodical is a brand of North Star spirits created to use all those casks that yield a small amount of whisky, named from the frequency of the releases.  This particular release was distilled at Glen Moray Distillery, located in the Speyside region of Scotland. It was aged 15 years in an Oloroso hogshead and bottled at 50% ABV without chill-filtration or artificial colouring. Only 300 bottles were produced.

£49.90

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Great Old Grain Whisky

Big vintages. Big age statements. Great value

North British 30 Year Old

A 1991 vintage TWB exclusive bottled by our chums at The Golden Cask.  A single bourbon barrel #CG001 bottled at 49.0%. Packed with flavour and character. Dried sweet fruits, herbs, spices galore.

Buy – North British 30 Year Old 1991- £99 / $103* / €97*

North British Distillery was established on farmland to the west of Edinburgh in 1885 by Andrew Usher, John M. Crabbie and William Sanderson. Since then the city has expanded ever outwards and now the distillery resides in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh. North British opened in 1887 to guarantee supplies of grain whisky for its owner’s cordials and scotch whisky blending businesses. It is equipped with four Coffey stills to produce grain spirit at 94.5% alcohol and multi-million litres of spirit annually. Whilst most of its whisky matures in racked warehouses in the central Lowlands, a small number of casks spend at least eight years at the distillery in dunnage Warehouse No.1. Official releases are very few but excellent independent ones are available from Hart Brothers and Hunter Laing.

An Absolute Rarity in 10-Year Scotch and an Unbeatable Steal
Longmorn 10 Year Old “Hart Brothers Finest Collection” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Single Sherry Butt Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) ($74.99)
“This is nearly the perfect Speysider for me. … There isn’t a better $75 malt on the market today in my humble estimation.” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

Our recent haul of exclusive casks from Scotland has delivered us some truly wonderful whiskies, but this thrilling, 10-year-old Speyside unicorn from the beloved Longmorn distillery might just take the cake so far. First, we can’t overstate how difficult it’s been to source this distillery on the independent market, so even at a “mere” 10-year age statement, we’re dealing with true rarity. Moving to the actual quality of the spirit, it’s a jaw-dropping expression in its category that “exemplifies the dichotomy of elegance and complexity that the region’s best malts are known for,” as spirits buyer David Othenin-Girard puts it. The first-fill sherry butt will no doubt thrill fans of the style, as “it’s perfectly matched to the medium body of Longmorn’s profile,” according to David’s colleague Andrew Whiteley. Finally, factor in the unbelievable price, and we have a legitimate contender for whisky buy of the year. As part of the Chivas stable, Longmorn plays a critical role in the blended whiskies of that giant brand, but any serious aficionado knows that when the chance comes along to experience this malt in its pure, singular form, it’s not to be missed.

Longmorn 10 Year Old “Hart Brothers Finest Collection” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Single Sherry Butt Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) ($74.99)

K&L Notes: Even at this young age, a cask of Longmorn is a real rarity. Arguably the crown jewel of the Chivas portfolio, this wonderful distillery was once rather plentiful on the independent bottlers market. Gordon & MacPhail has been the most prolific bottler of this special distillery, likely owing to the fact that they still own the original trademark for the label, but in the last 10 years we’ve seen very little. Located outside the city of Elgin and a stone’s throw from their rival BenRiach, we only see the occasional distillery release stateside. The distillery was built in 1894 and just barely survived the subsequent crash in the whisky market. It likely owed its survival to immediate interest in the quality from blenders. It has four pairs of onion-shaped stills that produce a pure and complex spirit with great texture. Add an excellent sherry butt and you’ve got one of the deals of the year here. One of the most approachable and overtly enjoyable whiskies in the store at any price or age. This whisky was bottled without coloring or chill-filtration at an ABV of 56%.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: June 02, 2022

I love Longmorn, and I’m always surprised how difficult it is to get. I guess Chivas is aware of how dang good this stuff is, and you just can’t make that much blended scotch without the stuffing from these gems. So anyway, we jumped on the chance to own a cask of Longmorn, and we’re all the more excited to see it was aged in sherry cask. Now this sherry cask isn’t very dark, but my god it has a ton of character—indeed, color and character are not always correlated. The color is pale gold. This one pops immediately with a huge apple orchard fruit character. It’s so pungent it can’t only be the fruit of the malt at this age, but rather that gorgeous, high-quality sherry coming through. After that we get a big vanilla bean, wild honey, candied citrus peel, honeydew, and a bit of candle wax. On the palate, it’s very rich and oily. More apricot and honey, but also now some earthy malt and hints of fragrant heather. With water the nose becomes darker and maltier, which is very unusual and welcome. A bit more sherry funk comes out as well, losing its absolutely pristine nose in favor of even more intensity. The palate is downright thick now, a strange trick of water and whisky, where by the perceived density increases despite the obvious physical fact that you’ve diluted the product. Absolutely unparalleled vibrancy adds to the picture with countless fruit and botanical aromas flowing freely now. This is nearly the perfect Speysider for me. It exemplifies the dichotomy of elegance and complexity that the region’s best malts exhibit. There isn’t a better $75 malt on the market today in my humble estimation. For those who want elegance and depth over power and punch, this is the real deal.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: June 02, 2022

We rarely get to bottle Longmorn these days. While the world loves to talk about single malt, the fact is blends are still king, and Longmorn has been prized for over 100 years as a top-notch ingredient to add the stuffing to famous blends, from VAT 69 to Dewar’s and Chivas. In fact, due to its quality, Longmorn was one of the distilleries Nikka’s Masataka Taketsuru did a stint at in his legendary visit to Scotland. For years, you could find Longmorn without looking too hard at the independent bottling market, but it seems less and less is available today, certainly at reasonable prices. Official bottlings are hardly to be found, although they do exist. Fortunately for us, the Hart Brothers were able to come up with a first-filled sherry butt of 10-year-old Longmorn that checked all of our boxes. Bottled just shy of 11 years and with a beautiful golden amber hue, this famous malt offers a bushel of stone fruits and a full peck of apples, both fresh and baked. The slightest rancio notes sit behind all that fruit provided from a quality sherry butt. While not a bomb or wildly dark, it is listed as a first-fill butt, and frankly, it’s perfectly matched to the medium body of Longmorn’s profile. A warm and soft waxy character runs throughout, giving this a lovely texture and confirming the distillery’s critical role in the blending world. At 56% ABV it’s no slouch. With a little water, it almost louches so much oil comes out. The palate gets sweeter, and the texture is elegant and silky. The finish shows a dry tannin like the best red wines yet doesn’t lose that beautiful fruit from the first nosing. It’s a splendid cask and a screaming deal in the burning hot whisky market.

Hinch Blended Whiskey, 43%

https://youtu.be/ojeiaMrlUgc

Hinch are one of the new Irish distillers on the block, looking to make their mark in a vastly and ever expanding industry. A distillery that has a huge range of products, from 5YO and 10YO releases, Pot Still whiskies, sherry maturation, peated expressions, and this, their entry level blended whisky at 43% ABV. A mix of first fill bourbon matured stocks of both malt and grain, presented in a very memorable bottle and label. Does it make a dent in the entry level category of Irish whiskey? We shall see.

JOURNEYMAN DISTILLERY MAKES HISTORY IN GOLIATH BLIND TASTING COMPETITION

THREE OAKS, MI – In a historic, game-changing victory, Journeyman’s Corsets, Whips and Whiskey single-grain, cask-strength wheat whiskey has won three of the highest honors bestowed at the 2022 ASCOT Awards, including Double Platinum, Best Wheat Whiskey, and Best in Class: Whiskey of the Year. Additionally, Journeyman’s Silver Cross Four Grain Whiskey earned a Gold Medal in this year’s awards.

Journeyman Distillery’s victory is a landmark in more ways than one. Besides this whiskey outshining more than 800 submissions for Best in Show—including spirits from some of the most acclaimed distilleries in the world—wheat whiskeys are often overlooked. To be honored with this accolade having been tasted alongside bourbon, scotch, and Irish and Tennessee whiskeys emphasizes the colossal achievement. In laymen’s terms:

“This is like a minor-league team beating the Yankees at the World Series…this is Rich Strike winning the Kentucky Derby,” says Fred Minnick, founder of the ASCOT Awards. “For the first time in any major spirits competition, a wheat whiskey was judged to be best.” 

Corsets, Whips and Whiskey showcases the quality and terroir of the organic Michigan wheat used to produce it, offering a soft, sweet smoothness brought to you by the golden hour sunsets overlooking the wheat farm directly behind the distillery and aquifer flowing just beneath the Featherbone Factory. The distillery’s fervent commitment to hand-made quality is precisely what made this victory possible. As one of the few certified organic distilleries in the nation, Journeyman works hard to ensure every one of their grain-to-bottle spirits reaches full potential.

“Journeyman started in 2010 and was built on the core principle of ‘Always a Journeyman.’ A mindset of never a Master but always in pursuit of distilling excellence,” says Bill Welter, founder of Journeyman Distillery. “It’s amazing to have competed with some of the true Masters of the trade and to have fared so well!” – Bill Welter, Founder of Journeyman Distillery.

To commemorate the accolades, the Corsets, Whips and Whiskey Summer Celebration will take place at the Distillery in Three Oaks, Michigan from June 23-26 including a multi-course dinner hosted by founder Bill Welter, backyard BBQs with live music as well as special distillery tours and features at Staymaker, the distillery’s on-site family-friendly restaurant. The distillery will also be releasing a limited Corsets, Whips and Whiskey bottle that was finished in Schramm’s Mead barrels at the celebration.

Screenshot from Fred Minnick’s Instagram

The competition created by famed spirits personality Fred Minnick, the ASCOT Awards highlight spirits from across the globe. Submissions underwent a blind taste test by a panel of industry-leading experts, who then determined winners for both individual categories and the Best in Show. See all category winners here.

Judges include Minnick; author, bar owner, and educator Martin Cate; the world’s first female Master Bourbon Taster and founder of the nationwide organization Bourbon Women Peggy Noe Stevens; educator, influencer, and highly sought-after special events bartender Tiffanie Barriere; world-renowned mixologist and spirits industry educator Francesco Lafranconi; craft cocktail entrepreneur Denaya Jones; and author and bourbon columnist Susan Reigler.

World Whisky Forum Sets Sights on Sustainability

The fourth World Whisky Forum, taking place from 21^st to 23^rd June at Stauning Whisky Distillery in Denmark, will turn its attention to the importance of sustainability in the whisky industry.

The Forum, which brings together distilleries and stakeholders from around the world, is dedicated to building bridges in the whisky community, sharing open-minded thinking, insights and innovations.

The programme will focus on sustainability and its impact on the whisky industry; from how sustainability can impact production, distribution and consumption, to the sustainability of cereal crops and supply of wood, to the design of next-generation whisky distilleries and the future of packaging.

Following an opening day of introductions, scene setting and a keynote speech from Tommy Rahbek Nielsen of sustainable energy provider Vestas Wind Systems, day two will feature two special study sessions exploring the future of sustainability within global whisky.

‘The Use of Finite Resources’ will feature Whyte & Mackay Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass, Magali Picard from Demptos Cooperage Research and James Brosnan from the Scotch Whisky Research Institute.

Gregg Glass comments: “The World Whisky Forum offers an exciting opportunity to meet with likeminded individuals across our industry from around the globe.

“It’s an honour to have been invited to discuss the use of finite resources. Last year, at Whyte & Mackay we announced our Scottish Oak Programme, through which we’re helping to establish the use of native oak across distilleries in Scotland. It’s an ongoing and rewarding project and I’m proud to be able to share our insights at the World Whisky Forum.

“Dave Broom, one of the co-founders of the World Whisky Forum, has been key within in the industry in supporting my journey as a whisky maker, as well as our Scottish Oak programme in particular. His perspective is truly unique in our industry.”

The second session, ‘Building Sustainable Distilleries and the Financial Upside of Sustainable Production’ will involve Annabel Thomas from Nc´nean Distillery, Alex Bruce from Adelphi Distillery, Todd Leopold from Leopold Bros., Oskar Bruno from Agitator and Bastian Heuser from Stork Club Whiskey / Spreewood Distillers.

The final panel sessions on the third and final day of this year’s Forum will include Joanna Watchman from Content Coms, Ryan Chetiyawardana from Mr Lyan and Peter Kreiner from Noma, who will discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding ‘Communicating with the Consumer’.

The World Whisky Forum was co-founded by Jan Groth, Ingvar Ronde and Dave Broom, the latter of which will moderate all panel discussions.

Dave Broom comments: “The role of the World Whisky Forum is to be a place where anyone working within the category can come, listen, debate, learn, and share. It is an example of the industry at its best, a collegiate space where everyone’s opinion is valid, no matter how big or small your operation may be.

“No topic is more important than sustainability and navigating this complex area successfully will only be achieved by collective action and debate. I am looking forward eagerly to see what emerges at Stauning and encourage anyone interested to either attend in person – or virtually.”

The three previous World of Whisky Forums have taken place at High Coast Distillery in Sweden, Cotswolds Distillery in the UK and Westland Distillery in the USA. The fourth meeting will be held on the beautiful west coast of Denmark at Stauning Whisky Distillery, a pioneer in the New Nordic whisky movement.

For the first time, attendees can also participate virtually, to watch panel discussions and even tour the distillery. Tickets can be purchased via the World Whisky Forum website – https://worldwhiskyforum.org/tickets/

Aberdeen Whisky Shop
Price
£30.00

Join our virtual mystery dram tasting on Friday the 24th of June at 7 pm. A fun and informative evening showcasing some more unusual and overlooked drams. A great way to discover new flavours and find a new favourite.

Your tasting set will include 6 x 20ml drams and will be hosted by Bryan Roberston of Aberdeen Whisky Shop. Please note to join the tasting you will need a device with access to zoom.

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SUPERHERO WHISKIES

Whether it’s for sharing, gifting or raising a glass, don’t forget Father’s Day NEXT Sunday (19 June). We’ve hand picked a special selection of 12 whiskies to celebrate our heroes on the day. Fly on over to our website now to view the selection OR keep on scrolling for some superhero highlights.

DAD DAY DRAMS

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