Inbox | The Week’s Whisky News | November 8, 2024

Welcome to Inbox – our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to the WFE email. We started Inbox several years ago as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from arou…



Welcome to Inbox - our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to the WFE email. We started Inbox several years ago as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/ piece of news/ PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 
 
Here is a round-up of this week's whisky news.
 
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The independent Islay farm distillery of Kilchoman have announced a new limited edition bottling - the Kilchoman Sanaig Cask Strength. The new whisky follows exactly the same recipe as the core range version of Sanaig, which was first released in 2016 and features a heavy influence of ex-Oloroso sherry casks sourced from José y Miguel Martín bodega in Spain. 
 
The Kilchoman Sanaig Cask Strength has been released at the natural barrel strength of 57.8% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. The exact number of bottles has not been revealed but they will be available in the UK and Europe. A bottle will cost £77.



The Macallan has concluded its 200th anniversary celebrations with one final release - The Macallan: A Night on Earth in Jerez de la Frontera. The bottling is the third release into the A Night on Earth series. The new whisky features both American and European oak ex-sherry casks and is inspired by the sherry producing town of Jerez in southern Spain. 
 
The packaging features a collaboration with María Melero, an artist native to Jerez. She has used her hometown and its Christmas and New Year festivities as inspiration. The whisky is released at 43% ABV and the exact number of bottles has not been revealed. It is initially available in the UK before receiving a limited world release in selected markets. A bottle will cost £110.



The independent London-based bottler and retailer Milroy's of Soho has announced its first ever core product to help celebrate its 60th birthday. The Milroy's Heavily Peated 13 years old is a Scotch single malt and will be on continual release. It was distilled at the island distillery of Jura in the Hebrides and features a finish in first-fill ex-rum casks sourced from the Monymusk distillery in Jamaica. 
 
The brand is hosting a series of tasting events at its 3 Greek Street bar to celebrate the launch. The Milroy's Heavily Peated 13 years old is bottled at 48% ABV and will be available via the Milroy's of Soho website. A bottle will cost £60.


Inbox | The Week’s Whisky News | October 4, 2024

Welcome to Inbox – our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to the WFE email. We started Inbox several years ago as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from arou…



Welcome to Inbox - our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to the WFE email. We started Inbox several years ago as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/ piece of news/ PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 
 
Here is a round-up of this week's whisky news.
 
________
 
 

The Northern Irish distillery of Bushmills has announced the fifth batch of their highly-acclaimed Causeway Collection. The series of single malts are inspired by The Giant's Causeway, which is located on the Co. Antrim coast and just two miles from the distillery. The 2024 edition features eight whiskies, which include some of Bushmills' rarest spirits, that are aged between 10 and 23 years of age.

The Bushmills Causeway Collection 2024 features three firsts for the brand with the 10 years old Barolo Cask, 2010 Double Moscatel Cask (finished in two different ex-Moscatel casks) and 22 years old Mizunara Oak. Other highlights include the 2011 Oloroso Sherry Cask and 23 years old Madeira Cask. All eight whiskies are bottled at their natural cask strength and are non-chill filtered and of natural colour. Prices range from £76 to £385/ US$100 to US$505. They will be available in selected world markets including China, France, Germany, Ireland, the UK and the USA, plus travel retail.


Bushmills have also announced the latest addition into their travel retail exclusive World Wood Series range - the Bushmills 12 years old PX Casks. It follows 15- and 21-year old expressions released in 2023. This, like the Causeway Collection, has been created by Alex Thomas - the Master Blender for Bushmills. This new whisky has matured for 11 years in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels before a one-year in first and second-fill ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. It is bottled at 46% ABV and will be available in airports throughout Asia. A bottle will cost US$70.


 

The north Highland distillery of Dalmore has revealed the second trio of whiskies in its Cask Curation Series. The Dalmore Cask Curation Series Port Edition showcases three rare single malts in partnership with Symington Family Estates, the makes of Graham's Port. It features bottlings at 27-, 30- and 43-years of age. Each has been finished in different rare vintage single harvest Tawny Port barrels from Graham's. Further additions to the series will appear in 2025 and 2026.
 
The Dalmore Cask Curation Port Edition 27 Year Old 1997 Cask Finish has been matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks and then finished in Cask No. 2 – a very rare 1997 Single Harvest Graham's Tawny Port cask. It is bottled at 49.3% ABV. The Dalmore Cask Curation Port Edition 30 Year Old 1994 Cask Finish has been matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks and then finished in Cask No. 3 – a very rare 1994 Single Harvest Graham's Tawny Port cask. It is bottled at 43.9% ABV. 
 
The Dalmore Cask Curation Port Edition 43 Year Old 1952 Cask Finish has been matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks and then finished in Cask No. 1 – a 1952 Single Harvest Graham's Tawny Port cask. It is bottled at 41.8% ABV. All are non-chillfiltered and of natural colour. The trio will only be sold as a set, and this will cost £35,000.



The independent Scottish distiller of Eden Mill has partnered with a local salt company to create a sugar syrup aimed at cocktail aficionados and bartenders. The Eden Mill Smoked Salt Sugar Syrup sees the Lowland distillery collaborate with fellow Fife business East Neuk Salt Company to create an ingredient to add depth to your favourite cocktail or mocktail. 
 
The hand-harvested sea salt flakes, which are 100% organic, were smoked on former Eden Mill single malt whisky barrel staves. The staves were also used to smoke the sugar used to make the syrup. The syrup is available from Eden Mill's two retail stores in Edinburgh and St. Andrew's, plus via www.edenmill.com - here there is a deal where each bottle of The Guard Bridge blended malt will come with a free bottle of the syrup for a limited period.
 
 

The Islay farm distillery of Kilchoman has launched a new limited that has been fully matured in ex-Port casks. The Kilchoman Port Cask Matured is the third such release and the oldest such release to date. The inaugural Port Cask Matured was released in 2014 and the second in 2018. The 2024 edition has been matured for a minimum of six years in re-fill ex-Port barrels. This new bottling will be available in selected specialist whisky retailers worldwide. The whisky is released at 50% ABV and a bottle will cost £88.



The Lowland distillery of Kingsbarns has bottled its oldest ever single malt to date with their latest limited edition release. The Kingsbarns Distillery Reserve 2024 is bottled at 8 years old and has been fully matured in ex-Oloroso sherry casks. It is released in its purest form - at the natural cask strength of 58.2% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural colour. There will be just 3,000 bottles and these will be available via the brand website www.kingsbarnsdistillery.com and the distillery shop in Fife from October 16. A bottle will cost £75.
 
 

The Kentucky distillery of Michter's has launched two expressions into its rare Legacy Series - the Bomberger’s Declaration Bourbon and Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash. In 1753, Swiss farmer John Shenk founded Shenk’s distillery in Pennsylvania. This distillery was later renamed Bomberger’s distillery in the 1800s before its name changed again to Michter’s in the mid-20th Century. This heritage is what the Michter’s Legacy Series honours. 
 
Bomberger’s Declaration Bourbon (pictured, above right) is a Kentucky straight bourbon with a high malted rye percentage in the recipe and is aged in rare Chinquapin oak barrels. It is bottled at 54% ABV. Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey (pictured, above left) is a Kentucky rye whiskey that has matured in French oak casks. It is bottled at 45.6% ABV. Both whiskeys are now available in limited quantities and cost £120.




Inbox | The Week’s Whisky News | April 26, 2024

Welcome to Inbox – our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to the WFE email. We started Inbox several years ago as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from arou…



Welcome to Inbox - our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to the WFE email. We started Inbox several years ago as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/ piece of news/ PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 
 
Here is a round-up of this week's whisky news ... 
 
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The Islay distillery of Kilchoman have launched their annual release of Loch Gorm. The expression, which is named after a small, dark loch near the distillery is the only regular expression matured solely in ex-sherry casks. The Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2024 Edition consists of 23 ex-Oloroso sherry butts filled with spirit distilled in 2014. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV and will be available worldwide in specialist whisky retailers. A bottle will cost £82.
 


The peated Highland single malt of Cù Bòcan, which is made at the Tomatin distillery near Inverness, has announced the sixth bottling in its Creations Series - the Cù Bòcan Creation #6. The series uses unorthodox cask combinations to create unique flavour profiles. In this case these are 9-year-old ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and 10-year-old ex-Jamaican rum casks, which have been fused together. There are just 8,400 bottles and they will be available in selected world markets. It is released at 46% ABV and will cost £60.
 


The Lowland distillery of Bladnoch has launched the Bladnoch 2024 Single Cask Collection, a series of six single cask single malts curated by Dr. Nick Savage, the Master Blender for the brand. It marks the final set in a five-year series. The details of the bottlings are listed below. The whiskies are available from www.bladnoch.com and in selected world markets including Australia, Germany and Taiwan.

  • Single Cask 2024/01 - distilled 2017/ ex-sherry butt/ 57.6% ABV/ 219 bottles/ £160
  • Single Cask 2024/02 - distilled 2007/ ex-bourbon barrel/ 52.6% ABV/ 170 bottles/ £160
  • Single Cask 2024/03 - distilled 2017/ peated/ ex-canasta cask/ 58.3% ABV/ 676 bottles/ £160
  • Single Cask 2024/04 - distilled 2008/ ex-bourbon barrel/ 51.2% ABV/ 237 bottles/ £160
  • Single Cask 2024/05 - distilled 2006/ ex-sherry butt/ 49.9% ABV/ 660 bottles/ £160
  • Single Cask 2024/06 - distilled 2001/ ex-Amontillado sherry hogshead/ 50.1% ABV/ 281 bottles/ £450
 
 

The award-winning Glen Scotia distillery has launched its annual limited edition for the forthcoming Campbeltown Malts Festival, which will be held in May. The Glen Scotia Campbeltown Malts Festival 2024 Edition is a 9-year-old unpeated single malt that has seen initial maturation in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels. It has then been finished in rare ex-Fino sherry casks for six months. 
 
The bottling has been created by Michael Henry, the Master Blender for Glen Scotia. The new whisky is released at the natural cask strength of 56.2% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It will be available in limited quantities through whisky retailers globally and at the festival in Campbeltown. A bottle will cost £65.


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Inbox | The Week’s Whisky News | April 5, 2024

Welcome to Inbox – our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to the WFE email. We started Inbox several years ago as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from arou…



Welcome to Inbox - our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to the WFE email. We started Inbox several years ago as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/ piece of news/ PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 
 
Inbox has taken a two-week break while we were away on a much needed holiday. Here is a round-up of the whisky news that has landed since the last edition ...
 
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The independent bottler of Gordon & Macphail has launched the fourth whisky in its Mr. George Legacy series. The series honours George Urqhart, a legendary figure in Gordon & Macphail's history and widely regarded as 'the father of Scotch single malt'. The bottling features a single first-fill ex-sherry butt that was filled at Glen Grant distillery in 1958, nurtured by G&M for 65 years and then bottled in November 2023. It is released at 56.5% ABV and will cost £7,500.
 


The Spirit of Yorkshire have announced their first special release of the year - the Filey Bay Porter Cask. The new limited edition features spirit distilled in 2018 and filled to ex-bourbon casks that had previously held Rip Curl porter from the brand's sister brewery, Top Wold. In turn, Rip Curl had been matured for 15 months in ex-Filey Bay casks. There are just 2,000 bottles. It is released at 50% ABV and will cost £80.
 


The Irish single pot still brand of Redbreast has released the fourth whiskey into its Iberian Series - the Redbreast Cuatro Bariles Edition. The new bottling will be exclusive to the travel retail sector. It features a combination of four distinct cask types - ex-bourbon, Spanish oak ex-sherry butts, ex-Tawny Port hogsheads and European virgin oak. It is bottled at 46% ABV and will cost €108.
 


The Islay farm distillery of Kilchoman have announced a new addition to their core range - the Kilchoman Batch Strength. It joins the Machir Bay and Sanaig expressions. The whisky has been matured in a combination of re-charred ex-red wine casks, ex-Oloroso sherry butts and ex-bourbon barrels. It has been bottled at 57% ABV and will be available worldwide. A bottle will cost £65.
 


The Highland distillery of Dalmore has launched the second bottling of its prestigious Luminary Series. The Dalmore Luminary - The Rare 2024 Edition has seen Gregg Glass, Master Whisky Maker at Dalmore, and Richard Paterson OBE, Master Distiller at Dalmore, collaborate with Melodie Leung, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects. Leung created the extraordinary sculptural housing for the bottle. 
 
The Rare comprises of a 49-year old whisky, matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks and finished in a blend of Port Colheita 1963, Apostoles sherry, ex-bourbon and a unique 1951/virgin oak hybrid cask. Just one bottle exists and will be auctioned by Sotherby's in May. All proceeds will go to the V&A Dundee.


Alongside The Rare bottling, another has been released for worldwide distribution. The Dalmore Luminary - The Collectible 2024 Edition features a small percentage of rare peated Dalmore spirit. The whisky is bottld at 16 years old and has been matured in ex-bourbon and ex-Apostoles sherry casks, plus ex-Tawny Port pipes. There are 20,000 bottles and each will retail for £275.
 


The Speyside distillery of Glenallachie has released a trio of ex-sherry cask whiskies in its Wood Collection series. A second trio will be released later in 2024. The Glenallachie 'Sherry Series' Wood Collection features three single malts at nine years of age - the Fino Cask Finish, Amontillado Cask Finish and Oloroso Cask Finish. All are bottled at 48% ABV and are both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. Each will cost £60.
 


The Danish whisky brand of Stauning has launched a new hybrid whisky featuring single malt and rye. Stauning HØST (pronounced 'hurst' and meaning 'harvest' in Danish) pays homage to the turning seasons and local cereals used to produce the whisky. The single malt and rye whiskies have been matured in ex-bourbon casks with a small percentage of ex-Port barrels. The new expression is bottled at 40.5% ABV and is expected to retail for £45.


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Inbox | The Week’s Whisky News (November 10, 2023)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisk…



Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 
 
Here is this week's whisky news ... 
 
________
 
 

Benromach
The Speyside distillery of Benromach has released the latest bottling into its Contrast series - the Benromach Double Matured Bordeaux Wine Cask Finish. The new whisky began life maturing in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred to ex-Bordeaux red wine casks for a five year secondary maturation. The final casks were selected by Keith Cruickshank, the Distillery Manager. The release is a limited edition, although the exact number of bottles was not revealed in the press release. The Benromach Double Matured Bordeaux Wine Cask Finish is bottled at 46% ABV and will be available globally. A bottle will cost £60.
 
 
Eagle Rare
 

The American bourbon brand of Eagle Rare has announced its oldest ever bottling, which is the first release in the new and experimental Warehouse P series. The Eagle Rare 25 years old has been maturd in Warehouse P, one of two purpose built innovation warehouses at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Within this sit many experiments in maturation and ageing - these include barrel char and toast levels, temperature, humidity, light levels, airflow and barrel placement. This is overseen by Harlen Wheatley, the Master Distiller.

Eagle Rare 25 has been bottled after a quarter of a century of maturation and there are just 200 bottles. To signify this the whiskey has been packaged in a sterling silver adorned hand-blown decanter and custom built display casket. It is bottled at 50.5% ABV (101 Proof) and will be available in selected global whisky and luxury retailers. Each decanter will cost $US10,000.

 
Kilchoman
 

The Islay farm distillery of Kilchoman has released their oldest general release bottling to date - the Kilchoman 16 years old. The new whisky is created from just 21 casks, most of which are ex-bourbon with a small percentage of ex-Oloroso sherry, some of which are some of the earliest casks produced at Kilchoman in 2006 and 2007. 
 
The casks were selected by founder Anthony Wills and Robin Bignal, the distillery's Production Manager. The Kilchoman 16 years old is available from selected whisky retailers worldwide and is bottled at 50% ABV. It is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. The price was not revealed in the press release.
 
"This is a landmark release for the distillery, the oldest global bottling we have done to date at 16 years of age. I look forward to Kilchoman fans around the world tasting this outstanding whisky and experience the evolving character of our single malt."
Anthony Wills.

 
Leith 
 

Bottlers and distillers The Leith Export Co. have announced the release of two new bottlings into its whisky portfolio - the Perpetuity Batch #2 and Table Whisky. Perpetuity is inspired by the infinity bottle concept, blending whiskies from across Scotland into a perpetual vat of liquid. Housed in its contemporary wine-inspired bottle, the label depicts the story of a 15th Century Leith cooper, Henry Douglas - nicknamed the ‘Cursed Cooper’. Perpetuity Batch #2 (pictured, above) consists of just 3,000 bottles and is released at 46% ABV. A bottle will cost £45.
 
 

Table Whisky (pictured, above) is the company's first ever single grain release and is designed to be used in cocktails. There are just 3,000 bottles in the release and it is bottled at 43% ABV. Each bottle will cost £35 and are currently only available via the Leith Export Co. website or in the Port of Leith distillery shop.


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Kilchoman – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask Matured 2023

This latest release from Kilchoman Distillery is a full sherry maturation. Their PX sherry casks containing this fine liquid are matured for a minimum of five years. These casks were previously used...
thanks for reading Whisky Boys Whisky …

This latest release from Kilchoman Distillery is a full sherry maturation. Their PX sherry casks containing this fine liquid are matured for a minimum of five years. These casks were previously used...

thanks for reading Whisky Boys Whisky Blog

Inbox / The Week’s Whisky News (October 13, 2023)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisk…



Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 
 
Here is this week's whisky news ... 
 
________
 
 
Jack Daniel's
 

The famous American whiskey brand of Jack Daniel's has launched its first ever single malt made from 100% malted barley. This was ground, fermented and distilled in Lynchburg, Tennessee. It is the first ever whiskey from the distillery to feature a 100% malted barley mash bill and has been matured in charred new American oak barrels, before a finishing period in ex-Oloroso sherry casks.

Jack Daniel's American Single Malt Whiskey is bottled at 45% ABV (90 Proof) and will be initially available in travel retail outlets worldwide. A one litre bottle will cost $US100. As part of the launch, the brand is hosting 40 activations in airports around the world which will see them offer 60,000 tasting samples.
 
"When we began experimenting with a 100% malted barley grain bill back in 2012, we knew it would be critical to put our own stamp on timeless single malt traditions and craft something that was uniquely Jack Daniel’s. We have achieved that and are excited for this release."
Chris Fletcher / Master Distiller at Jack Daniel's.

 

Kilchoman
The Islay farm distillery of Kilchoman has released its first ever single malt to be fully matured in ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. The Kilchoman PX Sherry Cask Matured has seen maturation for a minimum of five years in casks sourced from Bodega José y Miguel Martin in Jerez, Spain. It is a vatting of 61 such casks and these have yielded 23,000 bottles. These will be available in selected specialist retailers worldwide. The Kilchoman PX Sherry Cask Matured is bottled at 50% ABv and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. A bottle will cost £90. 
 
"Some might consider five years to be a short maturation, but these PX hogsheads give such a rich and sweet character, that it is the only option to maintain a good balance of flavour."
Anthony Wills / Founder of Kilchoman.

 
Midleton
 

The premium Irish whiskey brand of Midleton Very Rare has released a new bottling, which is planned to be an annual release. The Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais is a fusion of Irish and French luxury and craftsmanship, and is the result of a collaboration that began in 2017. This saw Kevin O'Gorman, the Master Distiller for Midleton, travel to France on a cask procurement project.

This saw O'Gorman discover the rare T5 cask, which is made from French oak grown in the legendary Forêt de Tronçais ('Tronçais forest' in English). This supplies some of the finest oak and is used by prestigious wine and Cognac makers. The casks were specially airdried and built for Midleton at the Taransaud cooperage in France from hand-selected Tronçais oak casks.

The blend features single grain and single pot still whiskeys from the 1980s to 2000s, which had matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks. These were then blended together and filled to the T5 Tronçais oak casks for a further three years of maturation. The Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais is bottled at 48% ABV and will be available in selected world markets including China, France, Ireland, the UK and the USA, plus travel retail. A bottle will cost €5,000/ $US5,000/ £4,400. 
 
 
Timorous Beastie 
 

The Highland blended malt brand of Timorous Beastie has revealed a new limited edition - the Timorous Beastie Meet The Beast. As with all expressions of Timorous Beastie the whisky features only Highland single malts including some from Glengoyne, Glen Garioch and Blair Athol amongst others. These have been matured in ex-bourbon casks before being married together. 

Timorous Beastie Meet The Beast is bottled at the natural cask strength of 54.3% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. The packaging features an 'illusion design' that only reveals its full detail when viewed through special glasses, which are contained in the presentation tube. It is available via specialist retailers worldwide and will cost £55/ €64 per bottle.


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Inbox / The Week’s Whisky News (September 22, 2023)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisk…



Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 
 
We were away last week for a much needed holiday and we returned to find our inbox full of news about new releases. There are many so we have slightly altered the format to accommodate the many new bottlings that have been announced. Here we go ...
 
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The independent bottling company of Douglas Laing & Co. have been busy announcing two different sets of new releases. First is the XOP Single Cask Diamond Anniversary set, a selection of six single casks chosen to commemorate the company's 75th anniversary. The bottlings include Blair Athol 30 years old, Macallan 35 years old, Port Ellen 40 years old, Cameronbridge 45 years old, Port Dundas 45 years old and Speyside's Finest 55 years old. A price for the set was not given in the press release. 
 

Douglas Laing have also released two seasonal limited editions - the Big Peat Christmas 2023 Edition and Scallywag Winter Edition Batch #4. The Scallywag is made from only Speyside single malts that have been matured in 100% ex-sherry casks, both Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez. It is bottled at 52.5% ABV and will cost £65. The Big Peat is bottled at the natural cask strength of 54.8% ABV and features only Islay single malts. It will cost £60. Both are of natural colour and non chill-filtered.


The Torabhaig distillery on the isle of Skye has launched a limited edition - the Torabhaig Allt Gleann Batch Strength. The whisky is a cask strength version of their popular Allt Gleann bottling and was distilled in 2017 and 2018. It forms part of The Legacy Series, is bottled at 61.1% ABV and has been matured in ex-bourbon barrels. A bottle will cost £75/ €85/ $US89. 
 
Elsewhere, Fife distillery Eden Mill have released a blended malt named The Guard Bridge. This features single malts from the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland, including some from Eden Mill, that have been matured in a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. It is bottled at 46% ABV and will cost £45.


The Islay distillery of Bowmore have added two further expressions to its rare Timeless Series - the Bowmore 29 years old and 33 years old. The 29 years old features whiskies distilled and filled to cask in 1991 and 1992. These casks were a combination of European oak ex-sherry and American oak ex-bourbon. It is bottled at 53.7% ABV and will cost £1,500/ $US1,800 in domestic markets. The 33 years old has been matured in ex-bourbon barrels and undergone a finish is a selection of ex-sherry casks. It is bottled at 45.5% ABV and will be available in global travel retail, costing £2,300/ $US2,800. Both have just 3,000 bottles available.


The independent bottler of Gordon & Macphail have released the latest bottling in their Private Collection range - the Gordon & Macphail 1949 from Glenlivet Distillery. The whisky is 74 years old and was filled to a single re-fill ex-sherry butt on New Year's Day 1949 and bottled in March of this year. It is released at 49.3% ABV and there are just 192 bottles. These will sell for £35,000 each.
 
The closed Lowland distillery of Littlemill has also released a very old whisky - the Littlemill 45 years old - Chapter 1. The bottling is the first of four planned for the new Vanguard Collection.  The collection will celebrate the pioneers of of Scotland's oldest licensed distillery. The whisky was distilled and filled to a re-fill American oak cask in October 1977, before undergoing a five-year finishing period in a first-fill ex-Oloroso sherry hogshead. It is released at 50.5% ABV and there are just 250 bottles. Each will cost £12,500.



The leading Scotch blended brand of Johnnie Walker has revealed a limited edition of its popular Blue Label - the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami. The whisky has been created by Master Blender Emma Walker in collaboration with renowned Japanese chef Kei Kobayashi and is designed to show the enigmatic flavour of umami. It is bottled at 43% ABV and will cost £285/ $US350. 
 
Elsewhere, the Highland distillery of Glendronach has released the latest bottling in its premium Grandeur series. The Glendronach Grandeur Batch 12 is over 29 years old and features rare Spanish oak ex-Oloroso sherry casks married together by Master Blender, Dr. Rachel Barrie. It is bottled at 49.2% ABV and will cost £870.


The Irish single pot still brand of Redbreast has launched the third bottling in its Iberian series of whiskeys. The Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition has been finished in ex-Tawny Port casks sourced from the Douro Valley in Portugal, and created by Master Blender Billy Leighton. The initial ageing was in ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks. It is bottled at 46% ABV and will cost £79/ €100/ $US100. 
 
The Islay distillery of Kilchoman has released the 13th edition of their 100% Islay bottling. The Kilchoman 100% Islay Batch 13 features only barley grown on the distillery farm that were harvested in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and then matured for a minimum of eight years. There are 13,000 bottles and it is released at 50% ABV. A bottle will cost £85.


The east Highland distillery of Fettercairn has announced the fourth annual bottling of its 16 years old expression. The Fettercairn 16 years old 2023 Edition features whisky matured in first-fill ex-Port pipes and ex-bourbon casks. It has been created by blender Gregg Glass and is released at 46.4% ABV. It is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. A bottle will cost £82. A one-litre bottle will also be available in global travel retail.

Independent bottler Elements of Islay has released a former Feis Ile limited bottling to the global market. The Elements of Islay Beach Bonfire has been created by blender Oliver Chilton and features several different Islay single malts. It is bottled at the natural strength of 54.5% ABV and will be available in selected world markets including Asia, Europe and the USA. A bottle will cost £80/ $US115.00/ €85.


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Inbox / The Week’s Whisky News (June 2, 2023)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisk…



Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 
 
Here is the round-up of the news from this week.
 
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Fettercairn
The Highland distillery of Fettercairn has announced the second batch of its innovative 18 years old expression. As with the inaugural version from last year, the 2023 edition has been finished in casks made from locally sourced Scottish oak. The whisky was initially matured in ex-bourbon barrels made from American white oak and was crafted by Gregg Glass, who was named Global Master Distiller of the Year at the recent Icons of Whisky Awards. It has been bottled at 46.8% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. 
 
The Fettercairn 18 years old 2023 Edition will be available from luxury and specialist whisky retailers in selected world markets including France, Germany, the UK and USA. A bottle will cost £200/ $US275.

 

Kilchoman
The family-owned farm distillery of Kilchoman have launched their annual Fèis Ìle bottling that is exclusive for the Islay Festival. The Kilchoman Fèis Ìle 2023 Edition was created by Anthony Wills, Founder & Managing Director, who selected just three casks for the release - 1x 11 years old ex-Oloroso sherry butt and 2x 10 years old ex-bourbon barrels. All barley used was harvested from the distillery's farm resulting in a 100% Islay single farm single malt. There are just 1,159 bottles and these will only be available at the distillery shop from June 1 - the Kilchoman open day. It is bottled at the natural cask strength of 55.3% ABV. The price was not given in the press release.
 
"Selecting casks for our annual Fèis Ìle release is the highlight of my year. I’ve always enjoyed the balance of character achieved by combining both bourbon and sherry casks, the bourbon barrels enhance and exhibit the character of the Kilchoman spirit whilst the sherry butt adds layers of richness and complexity."
Anthony Wills.

 

Scallywag
 
Douglas Laing & Co. have announced the release of a new limited edition of their Scallywag blended malt. Scallywag The Chocolate Edition 2023 is the sixth bottling in The Chocolate Edition series and sees only whiskies that have been matured in ex-Oloroso or ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks included. As with all expressions of Scallywag, only Speyside single malts have been used. The new whisky is bottled at 48% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. There are just 4,200 bottles and these will be available in selected retailers in Asia and Europe. A bottle will cost £60/ €68.


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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…


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.