Islay - BourbonSphere

Bowmore’s ARC-52 Decanter Raises Funds for Islay Charities

A one-of-a-kind “Mokume Edition” ARC-52 Bowmore single malt brought a high bid of $283,988 (Including taxes) at Sotheby’s in London Friday. The decanter designed by… Read More

A one-of-a-kind “Mokume Edition” ARC-52 Bowmore single malt brought a high bid of $283,988 (Including taxes) at Sotheby’s in London Friday. The decanter designed by Aston Martin comes with a special experience at the distillery on Islay, and proceeds from the auction will benefit the Islay community.

“Over the next couple of months, what we’ll work on is where these funds go and what causes they go towards, because it is about giving back,” Beam Suntory Global Private Client Director Daryl Haldane told WhiskyCast in an interview for this week’s episode.

The concept for the ARC-52 decanter comes from the Japanese metalworking technique “Mokume-Gane” which produces a mixed-metal laminate with layered patterns. Aston Martin’s designers recreated the technique using carbon fiber for the top of the decanter, which resembles the black rocks of Loch Indall on Islay near the distillery. The whisky inside the decanter came from a special blend of 1960’s-vintage Bowmore casks created by Master Blender Ron Welsh.

The winning bidder was not identified.

Published May 28, 2023

Another New Distillery for Campbeltown

At one time, Campbeltown was Scotland’s whisky capital with more than 35 distilleries. That number dwindled to just three over the years, but now, planning… Read More

At one time, Campbeltown was Scotland’s whisky capital with more than 35 distilleries. That number dwindled to just three over the years, but now, planning approval is being sought for up to three new distilleries. The latest project is the Witchburn Distillery to be built on the former RAF Macrihanish site, and we’ll talk with project manager and master distiller Andrew Nairn on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. We’ll also hear from Beam Suntory’s Daryl Haldane following the auction Friday of a one-of-a-kind Bowmore single malt to raise money for projects on Islay. In the news, Stirling Council has rejected plans for the proposed Wolfcraig Distillery for a second time, Scotch Whisky Association leaders continue their push to reserve an excise duty hike planned for August, and Jack Daniel’s lost a trademark infringement case in the U.K. to a pair of comedians.

Episode 1006: May 28, 2023

Another New Distillery for Campbeltown

At one time, Campbeltown was Scotland’s whisky capital with more than 35 distilleries. That number dwindled to just three over the years, but now, planning… Read More

Episode 1006: May 28, 2023

Ardbeg Releases Heavy Vapours

Islay distillery Ardbeg has released a limited edition single malt – Heavy Vapours – to celebrate the 2023 Fèis Ìle music and malt festival. Ardbeg is known for their normally peat-y whiskies, however, Ardbeg Heavy Vapours has been distilled without a purifier – the device on a still responsible for maintaining the brand’s balance between […]

Islay distillery Ardbeg has released a limited edition single malt – Heavy Vapours – to celebrate the 2023 Fèis Ìle music and malt festival.

Ardbeg is known for their normally peat-y whiskies, however, Ardbeg Heavy Vapours has been distilled without a purifier – the device on a still responsible for maintaining the brand’s balance between extreme peat and floral fruitiness – and, as a result, is said to offer notes of cardamom, dark chocolate and peppermint.

Ardbeg Heavy Vapours has been released in conjunction with the 2023 Fèis Ìle Festival, which runs from May 26 to June 3, 2023 – with Ardbeg Day held on the last Saturday of the event (June 3).

Ardbeg Heavy Vapours is being made available for $150 per bottle from the official website [ardbeg.com] and from the distillery visitor center.

Review / Kilchoman Loch Gorm (2023 Edition)

This whisky is the latest in the annual Loch Gorm limited edition bottling from the family-owned Islay farm distillery of Kilchoman. As with each of the previous editions of Loch Gorm, the 2023 Edition is matured entirely in ex-Oloroso sherry casks and remains the only such bottling by Kilchoman. The 2023 Edition is a vatting of just 22 casks - these were originally sourced from Spain and then hand selected by Anthony Wills, the founder of Kilchoman. Eight of these were distilled and filled in 2013, six in 2014 and the other eight in 2015. The combination of casks has created a batch of 18,000 bottles.

Kilchoman is one of Scotland's smaller single malt distilleries and is named after the local church parish. It is located on Rockside Farm on the remote west coast of the island of Islay. The first spirit was produced in June 2005 and the first single malt was released in November 2009. Kilchoman is independently owned and now has a production capacity of just over 350,000 litres a year, following a recent ambitious expansion of the facilities. It is one of the few distilleries in Scotland to grow some of their own barley and to have a traditional floor malting in operation.

The Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2023 Edition is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. The whisky will initially be available in the UK and then via specialist retailers in selected world markets shortly. A bottle will cost £80.

"Rather than dominating, Loch Gorm’s oloroso maturation works in harmony with the natural character of Kilchoman. The 2023 Edition has a fantastic spectrum of flavour."
Anthony Wills.

Our tasting notes

The colour is deep gold and the nose is big, bold and sweet. Aromas of honey, vanilla and golden syrup work in harmony with those of barbequed brisket, bonfire ash and smoked ham. There is also plenty of freshness and this is most reminiscent of sea spray and damp seaweed. Interesting aromas of marshmallow and old leather furniture also come through later.

On the palate this whisky is as big and bold as the nose suggested. The confected sweetness remains, especially the honey and golden syrup, but it is also more drying and acrid than expected. The initial sweetness fades and becomes more caramelised - this is now reminiscent of grilled peach and apricot jam or compote.

The result of this fading sweetness is that the drying peat smoke becomes more prominent. This also elevates the distinct maltiness - this has a biscuity and almost burnt or charred toast note. It also becomes more bready and yeasty with time. The peat smoke is distinctly ashy and medicinal with a hint of dried seaweed.

The finish is on the surprisingly short side and becomes quite peppery and hot quite quickly. The ashy and charred smokiness and bread-like malty and yeasty notes combine to give a slightly chalky and dirty mouth feel. The sweetness has all but disappeared, which does not help either.

What's the verdict?

The Kilchoman Loch Gorm has become one of the annual releases that we look forward to each year. The 2023 Edition promises much with a wonderfully expressive nose. The early to mid-palate are also good, but then it seems to lose its way a little. The key to this drop off is the sweeter characteristics fading away. This leaves the savoury and smoky elements to express themselves. The finish is disappointingly short and hot.

If only it had carried on the promise of the nose, then this would have been a stunner. As it is we were left somewhat underwhelmed, especially by the finish. That said, we could happily sniff this whisky in the glass all day long and think of Islay.

Experiments in Whisky (Episode 1001: April 23, 2023)

Dr. Bill Lumsden has been experimenting at both Ardbeg and Glenmorangie distilleries. His latest Ardbeg release, Heavy Vapours, involved taking part of the distilling system out of the picture just because he wanted to see what would happen if he did. At Glenmorangie, he has a whole year’s worth of projects for his experimental Lighthouse distillery. We’ll catch up with whisky’s mad scientist on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Scotland’s controversial alcohol marketing restrictions have been sent back to the drawing board, while the equally controversial deposit return scheme for bottles has been pushed back to next March. Read More »

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Thanks a Thousand! (Episode 1000: April 16, 2023)

We’re celebrating a major milestone this week with the 1000th episode of WhiskyCast! To mark the occasion, Mark went back through the archives to pick some memorable moments and interviews from the past 18 years for this special episode. You’ll hear from legends like the late Parker Beam and Michael Jackson, along with Jimmy Russell, Jim McEwan, Maureen Robinson, Fawn Weaver, and Richard Paterson…just to name a few. This episode is a lot longer than usual, and there’s plenty more that we could have included. In the news, Scotch Whisky Association leaders are hoping to persuade Parliament to reject a Read More »

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Glen Grant Unveils New 21-Year-Old Single Malt

March 26, 2023 – Glen Grant has introduced the oldest permanent addition to its range with a new 21-year-old single malt. The whisky was matured in a combination of Oloroso Sherry butts and hogsheads along with ex-Bourbon barrels, and is bottled at 46% ABV with no chill filtering. “The 18-year-old was our oldest one before, and it was mainly Bourbon wood which gives you much more floral notes to it,” said Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm. The 62-year veteran of the Scotch Whisky industry was on hand this week at an event in New York City to introduce the new whisky. Read More »

March 26, 2023 – Glen Grant has introduced the oldest permanent addition to its range with a new 21-year-old single malt. The whisky was matured in a combination of Oloroso Sherry butts and hogsheads along with ex-Bourbon barrels, and is bottled at 46% ABV with no chill filtering.

“The 18-year-old was our oldest one before, and it was mainly Bourbon wood which gives you much more floral notes to it,” said Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm. The 62-year veteran of the Scotch Whisky industry was on hand this week at an event in New York City to introduce the new whisky. “We’re using Oloroso Sherry butts, hoggies, and barrels married together, and it’s got these wonderful rich fruity notes to it,” he said.

The 21-year-old will be an annual release with a recommended retail price of $360 per bottle.

“It’s the gateway to many more expressions in the future, which we’ll be able to share with you as they’re being launched,” Malcolm teased. The entire interview with Dennis Malcolm can be heard on this week’s WhiskyCast podcast.

Other new whiskies announced this week:

Maker’s Mark has released the fifth and final expression in its Wood Finishing Series. BEP is a tribute to the distillery’s traditional 55% ABV (110 proof) barrel entry proof, and used ten virgin toasted American Oak finishing staves in the maturation process. It is available throughout the U.S. with a recommended retail price of $69.99 per bottle.

Ardbeg has unveiled this year’s limited edition release. BizarreBQ comes from three different types of barrels: Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks, double-charred oak, and a special extra-charred barbecue cask.

It will go on sale at the distillery and in Germany starting next Monday, and will be available worldwide later this year, likely around Islay Festival time at the beginning of June.

Scapa Distillery is opening a new tasting room next week, and is launching a new Distillery Reserve Collection edition…the Scapa 19-year-old Pedro Ximenez hogshead finish. It is available at the distillery and online to U-K residents only for 185 pounds a bottle…

Bruichladdich has released two new whiskies. The Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2014 uses barley grown on eight farms within 15 miles of the distillery, and is available in the U-S with a recommended retail price of 85 dollars a bottle…

The second release is more unusual…it’s Islay’s first rye whisky. Local farmer Andrew Jones started growing rye in 2017 as a cover crop in between his annual barley crops after Bruichladdich agreed to buy his entire rye crop for making whisky. It’s a single grain whisky dubbed “The Regeneration Project, and is available through the Bruichladdich web site for 125 pounds a bottle.

Finally, 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s historic Triple Crown, and while Woodford Reserve’s annual Kentucky Derby bottle features a painting of Secretariat, the family who raised the horse is teaming up with another distillery.

The Chenery family is endorsing Ragged Branch Distillery’s Secretariat Reserve Bourbon. The Virginia distillery used corn grown on the farm where Secretariat was born to make the five year old Bottled in Bond whiskey.

It will go on sale April 22nd in Virginia state liquor stores and at the distillery, with limited availability in the Mid-Atlantic region and online.

The GlenAllachie Unveils Lum Reek Batch

The GlenAllachie Distillery has released the second batch of their Lum Reek 10-year-old cask strength blended malt whisky – which derives its unique name from the old Scottish toast to a long and healthy life, ‘lang may yer lum reek’, translating to ‘long may your chimney smoke’ – and is offered via MacNair’s boutique. The […]

The GlenAllachie Lum Reek 10 Year Old combines single malt whiskies from Islay and Speyside then, once blended, is matured in a trio of sherry, red wine and virgin oak casks before it is bottled at 55.8% alcohol by volume [111.6 proof] and is said to offer notes of smoke and spice.

The GlenAllachie Lum Reek 10 Year Old Cask Strength Batch 2 is being made available for $75 per bottle.

Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2013

Smoky and coastal exactly as I expected, quite mealy and herbal in places and some sweetness and nutty nature, perhaps from the finishing? 86/100