BenRiach is issuing its latest batch of single cask bottlings this week. Available worldwide, Batch 7 maintains BenRiach’s reputation for encapsulating both perfection and rarity in a glass.
The 1976, a classic Speyside
The new release celebrates the sixth anniversary of the first bottling of BenRiach under its new independent owners. Back in August 2004, its ‘Heart of Speyside’ core range of 12, 16 and 20 yo malts became available for the first time. Fast forward six years, and Master Distiller Billy Walker has selected ten highly distinctive casks from 1976 to 1993 for BenRiach aficionados.
These vintage malts are immense and full of character – from pineapple, coconut, honey, and spicy vanilla to treacle toffee, cloves and chocolate coated fruits. And the range of exceptional vintages is enhanced by their prolonged maturation in different casks – from a Virgin American Oak and a Gaja Barolo Finish to a Tokaji and a Peated Tawny Port Finish.
The ten, in ascending chronological order, are:
| Year |
Number |
Strenght |
Age |
Cask Type |
Style |
| 1976 |
8795 |
53.2% |
33yo |
Hogshead |
Classic Speyside |
| 1977 |
1033 |
52.2% |
33yo |
Pedro Ximinez Hogshead |
Pedro Ximenez Sherry Finish |
| 1978 |
4417 |
50.4% |
32yo |
Tokaji Hogshead |
Tokaji Finish |
| 1979 |
7511 |
47.9% |
30yo |
Bourbon Barrel |
Classic Speyside |
| 1980 |
2532 |
51.1% |
30yo |
New Wood Oak Barrel |
Virgin American Oak |
| 1981 |
2589 |
51.6% |
28yo |
Bourbon Barrel |
Classic Speyside |
| 1984 |
493 |
54.1% |
25yo |
Hogshead |
Classic Speyside |
| 1984 |
4052 |
51.7% |
25yo |
Tawny Port Hogshead |
Peated/Tawny Port Finish |
| 1991 |
4389 |
54.9% |
19yo |
Virgin Oak Hogshead |
Virgin American Oak Finish |
| 1993 |
7420 |
56.7% |
17yo |
Gaja Barolo Hogshead |
Gaja Barolo Finish |
Bottled in July 2010, the ten are all bottled at cask strength, with natural color and non chill-filtered. They are individually numbered by hand and presented in a gift tube.
Tagged as:
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collectors item,
Speyside,
virgin oak
This little beauty is the latest crème de la crème from Johnnie Walker and it’s called…John Walker. You may not have known before but Johnnie’s real name is actually John.
The John Walker represents the top notch of the Blue Label bottlings. The John Walker is created from a small number of fine whiskies, chosen from over seven million casks. Only nine distilleries (six malt and three grain whiskies) made it into The John Walker, some of which hailed from remaining casks from distilleries that have already closed, such as Glen Albyn and Cambus.
The first bottle, bearing the signature of Master Blender Jim Beveridge, will be auctioned off, with bids starting from $3,000 and proceeds going to The Smile Train charity, which is dedicated to offering free surgery to poor children from developing countries suffering from cleft lips and palates.
According to the press release, the taste will reveal notes of fresh citrus slowly replaced by mature fruits on the nose. On the palate, you will be able to recognize the classic Walker Speyside whiskies – Mortlach and Dailuaine – with hints of vanilla oak sweetness, finally capped off by a smooth and mellow finish in rich smokiness.
Tagged as:
Blend,
John Walker,
Johnnie Walker,
whiskie,
whisky
I am 37 years old. That’s 7 years older than the latest release from Old Pulteney. The single malt whisky has announced the launch of their oldest and most exclusive super-premium whisky. This rare 30 year old single malt was distilled at the most northerly distillery on the UK mainland and embodies the wind-swept and rugged character of the far north.
Matured at the distillery for 30 years in American White Oak, it offers connoisseurs of fine spirits and luxury scotch whisky enthusiasts an intensely complex single malt.
Already renowned for its 12, 17 and 21 year old whiskies, Old Pulteney’s 30 year old is perfect as an after dinner dram or to celebrate a special occasion. It is presented in a lacquered walnut burr box which is lined with sailcloth, reflecting the brand’s unique maritime heritage.
Old Pulteney’s senior brand manager, Iain Baxter: “We are really excited about the launch of our oldest ever Old Pulteney. This whisky has been looked after at the distillery for 30 years and the age contributes a huge amount of complexity. It has all the hallmarks of Old Pulteney; spice and green apples, and sweet vanilla and coconut notes from the American Oak. But unusually for such an old whisky there’s a remarkable touch of tropical fruit on the nose – some people have picked up guavas and mangos! I’d say that for a malt whisky with so much age and depth, it’s still incredibly approachable.”
To tie in with the launch of the whisky, Old Pulteney is running an online competition where visitors can win a bottle of this exclusive whisky. Each month for the next six months, visitors to the Old Pulteney website can guess where they think bottles of a missing crate of the 30 year old went missing around the coast of Wick where the distillery is based. You can find the competition at the Old Pulteney website.
Old Pulteney 30 year old retails at £250 in the UK, and due to limited supply it will be available from specialist stores only.
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Ever heard of Single & Single. I hadn’t until Yossi Schwarts, the founder, messed me on Facebook. A couple of minutes later my mouth was watering.
Single & Single is the brainchild of armchair bottler Yossi Schwarts that believes whisky is for ‘fun and for friends’. Yossi has set out to find casks that are not due for high-volume mainstream releases. That according to Yossi is the first step in discovering magic. Instead of using these casks for blends, great effort is taken to bottle the whiskies as naturally as possible, often with very limited quantities and with each bottle being individually numbered. Once bottled, units are stored and distributed from location in London. Units are available exclusively through the Single & Single network, and distributed across Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan and South Africa.
Judging from the label and packaging of the first bottling – The Glencadam 16yo 1991, it’s clear Single & Single understands how to market their product. The label features a beautifully balanced typed label with only a red ‘&’ sign, breaking the classical shape, inspired by Japanese signs. The Japanese sign also serves as the intro for the Single & Single website.
Yossi says “Becoming an independent bottler gave me all the right reasons to find that perfect, limited, single malt whisky, and to share it with friends and connoisseurs”
Single & Singles first release started it’s journey into the bottle in December 2007 when Yossi bought 14 barrels of the finest, untouched whisky from A D Rattray Ltd, Scotland. Keeping the whisky as pure and natural as possible, the casks where poured into a single vat before being bottled in a non-chill-filtered process, without tinting or the adding of caramel. The result as described by Phillip Kirk, Milroy’s of Soho, London: “This Single & Single Glencadam 1991 has a most attractive bouquet of vanilla, mandarin and hint of caramelised ginger”
For an independent review on the Glencadam 16yo 1991, visit MaltMadness.
This first Glencadam expression will be joined during 2008 by a Bowmore and Bunnahabhain bottling.
This is the description of all three bottlings:
Glencadam
Age: 16 years
Year: 1991
Region: Highlands, Scotland
Year of bottling: 2007
Alcohol volume: 46%
Bottle volume: 750 ml
Release volume: 3,840 units, individually numbered
Release date: June 2008
Description: A highly sophisticated, soft, gentle single malt from the Scottish Highlands. Mellow.
Bowmore
Age: 8 years
Year: 2000
Region: Islay, Scotland
Year of bottling: 2008
Alcohol volume: 46%
Bottle volume: 750 ml & 700 ml
Release volume: 1,000 units, individually numbered
Release date: Late 2008
Description: A young hard-core whisky from Islay with medicinal remnants of a salty sea breeze and peat smoke.
Bunnahabhain
Age: 32 years
Year: 1976
Region: Islay, Scotland
Year of bottling: 2008
Alcohol volume: Cask strength at 47.1%
Bottle volume: 750 ml & 700 ml
Release volume: 500 units, individually numbered
Release date: Late 2008
Description: Dark in colour with a deep taste. A thick, single malt compared to drinking honey. Truly the rarest of the rare.
Visit Single & Single’s website to keep track of future bottlings.
Tagged as:
bowmore,
Bunnahabhain,
glencadam,
independent bottler,
malt madness,
single & Single,
single malt whiskey,
single malt whisky,
yossi schwarts
For you whisky lovers out there who are curious to try something new, this Flavour Map from Malts.com should give you some hints on what to try out next.
An extra golden star for the greatness of adding non Diageo brands to the map. Sharing is caring as we say in the blogosphere. Even better is that they will keep on adding whiskies to the map.
Visit Malts.com for more info on how to read the map.
