Digging Into Scotland’s Whisky History

Thousands of illicit distilling sites exist around Scotland. Derek Alexander and his team of archaeologists at the National Trust for Scotland have barely scratched the… Read More

Thousands of illicit distilling sites exist around Scotland. Derek Alexander and his team of archaeologists at the National Trust for Scotland have barely scratched the surface of the country’s bothys, but their recent digs have uncovered some rare artifacts of illicit distilling’s past. We’ll catch up with Derek on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, The Balvenie’s longtime Malt Master, David Stewart, is standing down after 47 years in the post. The UK, Australia, and New Zealand all raised liquor taxes this week, and Suntory is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a “tiny house” tour of America. 

Episode 1016: August 6, 2023

Links: National Trust for Scotland | The Balvenie | Scotch Whisky Association | Heaven Hill | Watershed Distillery | Suntory Whisky | Legent Bourbon | Gordon & MacPhail | The Glenlivet | The Macallan | The Irishman | Douglas Laing & Co. | Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery | Hood River Distillers | High West | Hardin’s Creek

Photo courtesy National Trust for Scotland.

Hardin’s Creek Clermont Bourbon Tops the Week’s New Releases

Beam Suntory is out with the first of three releases in the Hardin’s Creek range of small batch Bourbons. Hardin’s Creek Clermont is named for… Read More

Beam Suntory is out with the first of three releases in the Hardin’s Creek range of small batch Bourbons. Hardin’s Creek Clermont is named for the town of Clermont where the James B. Beam Distilling Company is located, and this whiskey was matured in the rickhouses at Clermont. Later this summer, Hardin’s Creek releases for the other two Kentucky sites in Boston and Frankfort will be released, with Frankfort coming on August 1 and Boston rounding out the Kentucky Series on September 1.

Master distiller Freddie Noe says all three were distilled 17 years ago on the same day. “Probably the most unique part of this is that the barrels from that same couple of fermenters and distillation were dispersed among these three facilities at infancy…there wasn’t no movement afterwards, and that just doesn’t happen,” he said in a Zoom call with whisky writers.

Hardin’s Creek Clermont will be available starting this month with a recommended retail price of $169.99 a bottle.

Also from Bourbon Country…Wild Turkey is releasing its third annual batch of Russell’s Reserve 13 year old. It’s a barrel proof, unfiltered Bourbon selected by Eddie Russell that made its debut two years ago, and will be available starting this month with a recommended retail price of $150 a bottle.

Woodford Reserve has released its annual Batch Proof bottling as part of the Master’s Collection series. It’s the first batch proof release since Elizabeth McCall was promoted to master distiller several months ago, and is bottled at 62-point-3 percent ABV. It’ll be available in select U-S and global markets with a recommended retail price of $129.99 a bottle.

Texas’s Milam and Greene is out with a new small batch Bourbon of their own…in fact, it’s a very small batch of just 75 barrels finished with French Oak staves. It’s the first core addition to the Milam and Greene lineup in more than two years…and part of their partnership with Bardstown Bourbon Company. Milam and Greene Very Small Batch Batch number one will be available in limited amounts with a recommended retail price of $69.99 a bottle.

Meanwhile, Bardstown Bourbon Company has a new release of its own, the 10th expression in the Discovery Series, which blends whiskies from around the U.S. Discovery Number 10 combines Bourbons from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia. It’ll be available online at Seelbach’s dot com and at retailers in 24 U.S. states with a recommended retail price of $139.99 a bottle.

Blue Run Spirits is releasing a new Double Oak Single Barrel Rye…with 10 different barrels available. It’s finished in new charred oak barrels, and is available now through Blue Run’s web site and starting next month at retailers in Kentucky, California, Illinois, Florida, and Michigan for $199.99 a bottle. 

There’s a new expression of Bib and Tucker Bourbon coming soon from Deutsch Family Wines and Spirits. Bib and Tucker Double Char is a 6-year-old Tennessee Bourbon finished in a new heavily charred oak barrel that’s also been smoked with sugar maple charcoal in an homage to the Lincoln County Process of charcoal filtering. It’ll be available starting in August with a recommended retail price of $54.99 a bottle.

Ireland’s Teeling Whiskey Company has released the second edition in its Wonders of Wood series. The single pot still whiskey was matured in Virgin Portuguese Oak barrels and carries a $99.99 price tag. Part of the proceeds from each bottle will go to help reforest an acre of woodland near Dublin with native Irish Oak trees.

Crown Royal has released what may well be the oldest flavored whisky on record. Crown Royal Golden Apple Aged 23 Years is part of a partnership with multimedia artist Solange Knowles, and will carry a recommended retail price of $249.99 a bottle.

On the Scotch front, Whyte and Mackay has released this year’s bottling of Fettercairn 18 Year old. It’s finished in locally sourced Scottish Oak barrels, and will be available in the U-K, France, Germany, and other countries for around $275 a bottle.

Finally, Italy’s Puni Distillery has released its third bottling in the Aura range, a cask-strength bottling aged for eight years in virgin French Oak casks. It’s available through the Puni web site for €179 a bottle.

Published June 4, 2023

Hardin’s Creek Clermont Bourbon Tops the Week’s New Releases

Beam Suntory is out with the first of three releases in the Hardin’s Creek range of small batch Bourbons. Hardin’s Creek Clermont is named for… Read More

Beam Suntory is out with the first of three releases in the Hardin’s Creek range of small batch Bourbons. Hardin’s Creek Clermont is named for the town of Clermont where the James B. Beam Distilling Company is located, and this whiskey was matured in the rickhouses at Clermont. Later this summer, Hardin’s Creek releases for the other two Kentucky sites in Boston and Frankfort will be released, with Frankfort coming on August 1 and Boston rounding out the Kentucky Series on September 1.

Master distiller Freddie Noe says all three were distilled 17 years ago on the same day. “Probably the most unique part of this is that the barrels from that same couple of fermenters and distillation were dispersed among these three facilities at infancy…there wasn’t no movement afterwards, and that just doesn’t happen,” he said in a Zoom call with whisky writers.

Hardin’s Creek Clermont will be available starting this month with a recommended retail price of $169.99 a bottle.

Also from Bourbon Country…Wild Turkey is releasing its third annual batch of Russell’s Reserve 13 year old. It’s a barrel proof, unfiltered Bourbon selected by Eddie Russell that made its debut two years ago, and will be available starting this month with a recommended retail price of $150 a bottle.

Woodford Reserve has released its annual Batch Proof bottling as part of the Master’s Collection series. It’s the first batch proof release since Elizabeth McCall was promoted to master distiller several months ago, and is bottled at 62-point-3 percent ABV. It’ll be available in select U-S and global markets with a recommended retail price of $129.99 a bottle.

Texas’s Milam and Greene is out with a new small batch Bourbon of their own…in fact, it’s a very small batch of just 75 barrels finished with French Oak staves. It’s the first core addition to the Milam and Greene lineup in more than two years…and part of their partnership with Bardstown Bourbon Company. Milam and Greene Very Small Batch Batch number one will be available in limited amounts with a recommended retail price of $69.99 a bottle.

Meanwhile, Bardstown Bourbon Company has a new release of its own, the 10th expression in the Discovery Series, which blends whiskies from around the U.S. Discovery Number 10 combines Bourbons from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia. It’ll be available online at Seelbach’s dot com and at retailers in 24 U.S. states with a recommended retail price of $139.99 a bottle.

Blue Run Spirits is releasing a new Double Oak Single Barrel Rye…with 10 different barrels available. It’s finished in new charred oak barrels, and is available now through Blue Run’s web site and starting next month at retailers in Kentucky, California, Illinois, Florida, and Michigan for $199.99 a bottle. 

There’s a new expression of Bib and Tucker Bourbon coming soon from Deutsch Family Wines and Spirits. Bib and Tucker Double Char is a 6-year-old Tennessee Bourbon finished in a new heavily charred oak barrel that’s also been smoked with sugar maple charcoal in an homage to the Lincoln County Process of charcoal filtering. It’ll be available starting in August with a recommended retail price of $54.99 a bottle.

Ireland’s Teeling Whiskey Company has released the second edition in its Wonders of Wood series. The single pot still whiskey was matured in Virgin Portuguese Oak barrels and carries a $99.99 price tag. Part of the proceeds from each bottle will go to help reforest an acre of woodland near Dublin with native Irish Oak trees.

Crown Royal has released what may well be the oldest flavored whisky on record. Crown Royal Golden Apple Aged 23 Years is part of a partnership with multimedia artist Solange Knowles, and will carry a recommended retail price of $249.99 a bottle.

On the Scotch front, Whyte and Mackay has released this year’s bottling of Fettercairn 18 Year old. It’s finished in locally sourced Scottish Oak barrels, and will be available in the U-K, France, Germany, and other countries for around $275 a bottle.

Finally, Italy’s Puni Distillery has released its third bottling in the Aura range, a cask-strength bottling aged for eight years in virgin French Oak casks. It’s available through the Puni web site for €179 a bottle.

Published June 4, 2023

Old Pulteney Shutting Down for 8 Weeks to Protect Water Supply

With some parts of Scotland facing another long, dry summer, distilleries are making plans to cope with expected water shortages from the lochs and rivers… Read More

With some parts of Scotland facing another long, dry summer, distilleries are making plans to cope with expected water shortages from the lochs and rivers that provide essential water for distilling. Wick’s Old Pulteney Distillery has already announced plans to shut down production for eight weeks this summer after losing much of the last two summers to drought. We’ll talk with distillery manager Malcolm Waring on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Balmenach Distillery has received a £4 million upgrade to make the distillery more energy-efficient, a bottle of the rare 81-year-old The Reach from The Macallan is up for grabs in British Columbia, and there’s a host of new whiskies being released in time for Father’s Day.

Episode 1007: June 4, 2023

Links: Old Pulteney | Russell’s Reserve | Woodford Reserve | Hardin’s Creek | Milam & Greene | Bardstown Bourbon Company | Blue Run Spirits | Bib & Tucker Bourbon | Teeling Whiskey Company | Crown Royal | Fettercairn | Puni Distillery | Ardbeg | Lagavulin

Old Pulteney Shutting Down for 8 Weeks to Protect Water Supply

With some parts of Scotland facing another long, dry summer, distilleries are making plans to cope with expected water shortages from the lochs and rivers… Read More

With some parts of Scotland facing another long, dry summer, distilleries are making plans to cope with expected water shortages from the lochs and rivers that provide essential water for distilling. Wick’s Old Pulteney Distillery has already announced plans to shut down production for eight weeks this summer after losing much of the last two summers to drought. We’ll talk with distillery manager Malcolm Waring on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Balmenach Distillery has received a £4 million upgrade to make the distillery more energy-efficient, a bottle of the rare 81-year-old The Reach from The Macallan is up for grabs in British Columbia, and there’s a host of new whiskies being released in time for Father’s Day.

Episode 1007: June 4, 2023

Links: Old Pulteney | Russell’s Reserve | Woodford Reserve | Hardin’s Creek | Milam & Greene | Bardstown Bourbon Company | Blue Run Spirits | Bib & Tucker Bourbon | Teeling Whiskey Company | Crown Royal | Fettercairn | Puni Distillery | Ardbeg | Lagavulin