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Highland Park Saint Magnus Single Malt

Filed under: Spirits

Whisky connoisseurs know Highland Park for its virtually unsurpassed richness and complexity of flavor, consistently rated among the best single malts to come from Scotland. Last year Hebridean distillery released the Earl Magnus, a particularly strong expression celebrating the legendary Earl of Orkney – the 11th century ruler of the archipelago which Highland Park calls home.

Now Highland Park is following up with the much-anticipated second release in the Magnus collection – itself a homage to the distillery's founder Magnus Eunson. Called Saint Magnus, this latest expression is named after one of the six canonized Norsemen during Orkney's Norwegian rule in the 11th and 12th centuries. More than 20 churches bear his name, and now the second in a series of three special Highland Park expressions bares his name.

The Highland Park Saint Magnus is bottled at an exceptionally strong 55% abv, matured in Spanish oak casks for over twelve years. Only 11,994 bottles will be produced, and offered to the public at £85 per bottle.

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Tags: highland park, highland park saint magnus, saint magnus, scotch, scotch whisky, single malt, whisky

Glenmorangie's New Finealta To Help Open London's Savoy

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Glenmorangie has launched a new whisky in its Private Edition line: The Glenmorangie Finealta, pronounced "Finalta." The word translates as "elegant" from the Scottish Gaelic. It is a recipe with historic significance as it is a recreation of a Glenmorangie recipe dating back to 1903.

The century-old recipe was uncovered in the distillery's archives. Dr Bill Lumsden, head of distilling and whisky creation, said: "Glenmorangie decided to recreate this recipe so that we, and whisky connoisseurs, could have a taste of this historic Glenmorangie expression. We followed the recipe meticulously, which included marrying whiskies of different ages and from different cask types. The final result is a whisky of such depth and distinction that we selected it as the second release in Glenmorangie's exclusive Private Edition."

Archives show that this Glenmorangie expression was served in the American Bar of The Savoy, London, during La Belle Époque and at the height of Art Nouveau, the first modern art movement of the 20th century. The packaging design for Glenmorangie Finealta, not surprisingly, is inspired by Art Nouveau, which had a style for incorporating elements from nature such as floral and plant motifs into artwork. And, unusual for Glenmorangie, the taste profile involves a bit of peat.

The release of the whisky coincides nicely with the The Savoy's reopening on October 10, 2010. Bottled at a strength of 46% ABV, and non chill-filtered, Glenmorangie Finealta will be made available to global travel retail from early September, and in fine whisky shops in North America in early 2011. Price $85.00.

Tags: Bill Lumsden, Finealta, Glenmorangie, Savoy Hotel, scotch, scotch whisky, single malt, Single-malt whisky, whiskey, whisky

Highland Park Releases 1970 Orcandian Vintage Single Malt

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Scotland plays host to dozens upon dozens of whisky distilleries, but only one on the isle of Orkney: Highland Park, which currently stands as the northernmost distillery in Scotland. Highland Park is rated as one of the top whiskies in the world, but even at the pinnacle there is room for distinction.

Last Fall, Highland Park launched The Orcadian Vintage Series, and following the releases of the 1968 and 1964 vintages has now announced the third in the series: the 1970 Vintage. To emphasize the whisky's natural intricacies, Highland Park opted to use refill casks to age the vintage, releasing just 1,800 jet-black bottles at cask strength. Each sells for £2,250.

Tags: highland park, highland park 1970, orcadian vintage series, scotch, scotch whisky, single malt, the orcadian vintage series, whisky

Ardmore Releases Exceptional 25-Year Old Single-Malt

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Scottish Highland distillery Ardmore has been coming on strong the last few years with a terrific non-age-stated single-malt whisky it markets as Ardmore Traditional Cask. Now, it has complimented its portfolio with a cask strength 25-year old.

Ardmore has long been the principal single-malt contributor to Teacher's blended whisky. But a few years ago, seizing the popularity of single-malts, it started distributing its own expression. Previously it also released a highly regarded 30-year old, priced about $450.

Ardmore is a unique player in Scotland in that it is the only Highland distillery still using peat in its malting. Rather than coming through strong like an Islay malt, though, Ardmore's peatiness is more leathery than smoky. It is an utterly unique flavor among Scotch whiskies.

The 25-year old carries through the Ardmore signature but the spiciness and citrus that aren't s much in evidence in Traditional are incredibly well done in this older expression. And then there is the streak of smoke and leather jetting through. A first-class job.

Look for Ardmore 25-year old in duty-free and some of the better whisky shops in major cities. Price: About $195.

Tags: ardmore, Ardmore 25-year old, Ardmore 25-year old whisky, Ardmore whisky, scotch, Single-malt Scotch, whiskey, whisky

Loch Dhu: The Black Whisky

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

You've heard of the Black Irish? Now feast your eyes on the black scotch. It's called Loch Dhu – gaelic for black lake – and it's only available in extremely limited quantities.

It's common practice in whisky craft to char the barrels in which the malt will be aged; Loch Dhu is unique because the distillers charred their casks twice, giving the product a velvety black color and a distinct flavor.

The whisky was produced for a few years in the mid 90s at the Mannochmore distillery in Scotland, which alternates its production year by year with the Glenlossie distillery nearby with which it shares its staff. As a result demand is quite high: The last stock has just become available courtesy of a private collector in England, with each bottle selling for approximately $300 once overseas shipping is factored in.

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Tags: black whisky, loch dhu, mannochmore, scotch, scotch whisky, single malt, single malt scotch whisky, the black whisky, whisky

The GlenDronach 2010 Batch 2 Single Cask Bottlings

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Scotch whisky enthusiasts enamored of sherry wood finishes should be well acquainted with The GlenDronach Distillery. Founded in 1826 and recently revived, GlenDronach produces a range of "richly sherried" single malts at 12, 15 and 18 years old. But in addition to the core range, the distillery also offers a selection of limited-edition expressions, the latest of which has just hit the market.

The seven special malts in this Batch 2 release range from 17 to 39 years old, aged in Oloroso sherry butts and Pedro Ximinez sherry puncheons, bottled at between 48.8 and 60.5 percent, the concentration inversely correlated to the age. In addition to local markets, they're being exported to more than 20 overseas markets, so check with your local stockist to get your hands on one.

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Tags: glen dronach, malt, oloroso, pedro ximinez, scotch, sherry, single malt, whisky

Kilchoman Spring 2010 Release

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Starting a scotch whisky distillery is a difficult and painstaking undertaking, if for no other reason than because you have to wait years before you can even begin selling your product, let alone seeing a return on your investment. Take, for example, Kilchoman. Founded in 2005, the upstart distillery is still years away from releasing the 12-year-old malts that many consumers take as the starting point. But banking on newfound enthusiasm for younger whiskies (and for a new Islay malt especially), Scotland's westernmost distillery has already begun releasing limited quantities bottled at 3 years old – the minimum age for a scotch whisky according to established industry standards.

These releases have already begun drumming up excitement for the new single malt, and have been selling out quickly. The Spring 2010 release is the latest, and among other retailers, the UK's Master of Malt has it on offer at £49.95 for a 70-centiliter bottle at 46% alcohol by volume. But if buying a bottle without tasting it leaves you hesitant, Master of Malt also offers 3cl sample bottles.

[Source: Master of Malt]

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Tags: islay, kilchoman, malt, scotch, single malt, whisky

Auchentoshan Releases 1998 Limited Edition for 2010 Whisky Festival

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events

Last summer, Scottish whisky distillery Auchentoshan held a grand festival that drew some 2,600 malt aficionados and connoisseurs from near and far. This year the festival is marking its return as an annual event, featuring whisky tastings, live music and cooking classes.

Specially for the event, the distillery has released a limited edition single malt, a 12-year-old bottling from 1998, matured in Sherry casks and bottled at cask strength. Only 200 bottles will be offered at £50 apiece, each individually numbered and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by head distiller Jeremy Stephens. Visitors will also have the opportunity to bottle their own directly from a specially selected cask.

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Tags: auchentoshan, auchentoshan whisky festival, festival, malt, scotch, single malt, whisky festival

Aberlour Gets a Make-Over

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

They told us when we were kids not to judge a book by its cover. But when buying a bottle of scotch, many customers don't have much else to go by than its packaging.

Aberlour, for example, has had a rather staid label and packaging. But in a bid to make their quality product stand out amidst an ever-growing selection on liquor-store and duty-free shelves, parent company Chivas Brothers has given the brand a new look.

The new design updates on the old one with a more contemporary look. As it stands Aberlour claims the mantle as the top selling single malt in France, the largest market for scotch in the world. Who knows how much of the worldwide market it can capture with its fresh duds.

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Tags: aberlour, chivas, chivas brothers, highland, pernod ricard, scotch, single malt, speyside, whisky

Whyte & Mackay Presents Special Blends to Force India F1 Drivers

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Being an F1 driver undoubtedly has its perks, from the jetset lifestyle to the million-dollar salaries. Add to that list a specially crafted scotch and it's looking even better.

To celebrate its sponsorship of the Force India F1 team, Whyte & Mackay's master distiller Richard Paterson created a special blend for each of the team's drivers: Adrian Sutil, Tonio Liuzzi and Scottish test driver Paul di Resta. Each blend was matched to the drivers' personality, specially bottled and presented during this past weekend's British Grand Prix.

Gallery: Whyte & Mackay Scotch for Force India

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Tags: f1, force india, force india f1, formula 1, formula one, richard paterson, scotch, whisky, whyte and mackay, whyte mackay

The Tweeddale Blend Returns After 70 Years

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Single malts may be all the rage nowadays, but not so long ago blends were the mainstream. And though there are many quality blends on the market from such labels as Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal and Famous Grouse, some have been lost to the pages of history.

The Tweeddale Blend is one such lost scotch. It was produced from 1820 until the start of the Second World War, after which it disappeared. But after a 70 year absence, the great grandson of its former proprietor has relaunched the blend using his great grandfather's original recipe book.

Named for the Tweed river that runs by the facility along the Scottish Borders, the Tweeddale Blend features a particularly high proportion of malt whisky – drawn from the Lowlands, Highlands, Speyside and Islay, some as old as 21 years – blended 50/50 with grain whisky no younger than 10 years.

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Tags: scotch, stonedean, stonedean limited, the tweeddale blend, tweed, tweeddale, whisky

Chivas Brothers Launches Scotch Age Awareness Campaign

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Even amongst casual celebrants, most consumers know that – amongst myriad other factors – an older whisky is generally a better one. In fact, in a recent market study, Chivas Brothers found that some 94% of consumers knew that. But far fewer – only 10% – knew that the age stated on a bottle of scotch indicates the youngest whisky in the bottle, not the average age (48% of those polled) or the oldest (35%).

Based on its findings, Chivas Brothers is undertaking a new awareness campaign to highlight the significance of age statements in scotch whisky. The Chivas group – part of Pernod Ricard, one of the largest liquor companies in the world – is among the world's foremost scotch distillers, encompassing such blend brands as Chivas Regal, Ballantine's and Royal Salute as well as a range of single malts including The Glenlivet, Abelour, Longmorn, Strathisla, Scapa and Tormore.

Most (if not all) of these labels feature age statements, and a range of marketing initiatives will aim to educated consumers as to their importance.

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Tags: chivas, chivas brothers, chivas regal, guaranteed age whisky, know the age know the whisky, look for the number, pernod ricard, scotch, scotch whisky, whisky

NATO Chief's Single-Cask Ardbeg Sells Out in Days

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Ten years ago, during his tenure as Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Lord George Robertson visited the Ardbeg distillery. Not such a remote trip for the world leader, as Islay – the Scottish island where Ardbeg is made – is also his home, carrying as he does the honorific of Baron of Port Ellen (the island's largest town). But it was a big deal for the distillers at Ardbeg, who laid down a cask in his name.

That cask has now been bottled as a special edition, bearing the same age as the standard non-chill-filtered Ardbeg, but each bottle specially labeled and hand-signed by Robertson himself. All 202 bottles of it, each of which sold within days of its release for a handsome £220.00 apiece, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Erskine foundation to support military veterans with medical care.

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Tags: ardbeg, erskine, lord robertson, port ellen, robertson, scotch, scotch whisky, single cask, single malt, whisky

Royal Salute Whisky Launches 62 Gun Salute in Bespoke Gold & Crystal Bottle

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Royal Salute, part of the Chivas Brothers luxury whisky stable, is releasing a new limited edition Scotch in a gold and crystal decanter to honor the Queen of England. Dubbed 62 Gun Salute in homage to the fusillade fired at the Tower of London every June to mark the Queen's official birthday and accession to the throne, the exclusive Scotch was created with the input of four generations of master blenders and each whisky used is at least 40 years old. Presented in an exquisite hand crafted Dartington Crystal decanter decorated in 24 carat gold and crowned with a cut crystal stopper, the result of 40 hours of artisanal craftsmanship, it will go on sale at the end of the year priced at $2,200 per bottle. The most prestigious expression within Royal Salute's permanent collection, it is available in limited supply due to its exceptional age and extraordinary rarity.

Gallery: 62 Gun Salute

Tags: Chivas Regal, crystal, decanter, gold, London, Queen of England, Royal Salute, Scotch, Scotland, whiskey, whisky

Dewar's Leather Cased Sampler for Father's Day

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Men's Style

For dads who are discerning drinkers Dewar's is offering a gift pack sampler of their most exclusive Scotch blends in a stylish leather case in time for Father's Day. Priced at $100, the gift pack contains 200 ml bottles of Dewar's 12 Year Old Special Reserve, a full-bodied whisky with notes of heather and honey; Dewar's 18 Year Old Founder's Reserve, a mellow, mature spirit available in strictly limited quantities; and Dewar's Signature, the ultimate expression of the Dewar's Blended Scotch Whisky range, married from exceptionally rare whiskies of great distinction selected by Dewar's' Master Blender. The Gift Pack is available at fine spirits retailers nationwide, including the Park Avenue Liquor Shop in New York City.

Tags: leather, Park Avenue Liquor Shop, Scotch, whisky

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