this has been a very busy week with lots of interesting releases from the ultra expensive (some say too expensive) Dalmore bottles selling for almost 1 million pounds, to Wemyss single cask release, a new Kilchoman , Hankey Bannister , and also very old and expensive releases from Glendornach and The Benriach
Wemyss Malts release 6 new single casks
Edinburgh based boutique Spirits Company Wemyss Malts is delighted to announce the release of their latest single cask single malt Scotch whiskies.
Of the 6 casks released this month, 2 of them were distilled in 1991 – the year which saw the dissolution of the USSR, the first website go on line, Dublin become European Capital of Culture, and Silence of the Lambs win Best Picture in the Academy Awards.
Each cask is a celebration of the unique and contrasting appeals of the different Scotch whisky regions. Wemyss whiskies are each identified by their natural taste and aroma and the full cask list of this release comprises:
“Apple Pastry” – 1991 single cask from Linkwood, Speyside
“Salted Caramels” – 1991 single cask from Glen Scotia, Campbeltown
“The Smokery” – 1980 single cask from Caol Ila, Islay
“Maritime Embrace” – 1989 single cask from Bunnahabhain, Islay
“Melon Cocktail” – 1994 single cask from Aberfeldy, Highlands
“Spiced Chocolate Cup” – 1997 single cask from Clynelish, Highlands
Each cask has been selected and named by the Wemyss tasting panel, under the watchful eye of industry aficionado Charlie Maclean. There are only a few hundred bottles from each cask and the suggested retail prices range from £67 to £125. These bottlings will be available in selected retailers in the UK, EU and key Asian markets.
William Wemyss, Founder and Managing Director at Wemyss Malts, commented: “As always we have selected casks from a range of Scottish distilleries which showcase some of the best single casks the industry has to offer. From the delicate smoky subtlety of the 33 years old “The Smokery” to the pair of 1991 single casks, we are confident that this selection will give Wemyss Malts fans another hard choice of which bottle to buy!”
Kilchoman release its latest edition – 100% Islay 
Kilchoman, is proud to release the latest edition to its popular 100% Islay range.
100% Islay is unique in that it is the only Single Malt in Scotland where every stage of the whisky making process, from the barley grown in the surrounding fields to the malting, distillation, maturation and bottling, takes place at the distillery.
As the 3rd Edition of Kilchoman’s 100% Islay, the Single Malt is a vatting of four and five year old fresh bourbon barrels. Only 10,000 bottles of the limited edition will be available worldwide and are expected to sell quickly.
With a delicate and floral nose of soft fruits and pear drops, 100% Islay goes on to explode with peat smoke in the mouth, complimented by a long, sweet and lingering finish that blends with the softer tones of peat smoke.
Anthony Wills, managing directorof Kilchoman,said: “The previous two editions of the 100% Islay range were extremely well received and we’re delighted with the way the Single Malt’s character is developing. The range is unique in that every stage of production, from barley grown to the hand-bottling takes place at Kilchoman. As a traditional working-farm distillery, 100% Islay epitomises what we’re all about.”
As with the two other core ranges in Kilchoman’s portfolio, Machir Bay and Loch Gorm, a new edition of 100% Islay is periodically released as the whisky matures. A number of limited edition single casks are also released each year.
With an ambition to take whisky production back to its traditional roots, Anthony Wills built and founded Kilchoman Distillery in 2005 on a farm situated on the rugged west coast of Islay. The first distillery on the island for 124 years, Kilchoman is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland and one of only a handful left that still practice the traditional floor malting method.
100% Islay is bottled at 50% ABV and is now available from specialist drinks and whisky stores, priced at RRP of £59.95, 70cl. Available from www.kilchomandistillery.com UK stockists include RoyalMileWhiskies, The Whisky Shop andThe Whisky Exchange.
A rare expression from the 1920s inspires Hankey Bannister
Hankey Bannister Blended Scotch Whisky celebrates its illustrious and rich history today by
launching the Heritage Blend, a faithful recreation of the 1920s style of Hankey Bannister.
In 2012 a British couple discovered they were in possession of a very rare bottle of Hankey
Bannister Fine Old Liqueur Scotch Whisky dating from between 1924 and 1928. They approached the brand which purchased the find with a view to add it to the archives. As it turned out, the seal on the bottle was intact and the liquid inside was perfectly preserved.
First decades of the 20th century were the golden era of Hankey Bannister, at the time the favourite tipple of many celebrities and politicians, but until recently the brand had no liquid from that period suitable for analysis. This made the discovery of the old bottle all the more significant.Slightly sweeter and noticeably smoky, the 1920s classic inspired the company Master Blender Stuart Harvey to recreate the style of the long-forgotten blend using currently available stock. Mr Harvey used Hankey Bannister Original Blended Scotch Whisky as the starting point and carefully transformed it into a faithful recreation of the historic liquid with the use of older whiskies and peated malts. The result is a rich and full flavoured blend bursting with sweet and fruity aromas of burnt oranges and green apples followed by vanilla, caramel and hints of spice, with a whiff of smoke adding to its darker and more complex character. The blend has a high malt content is bottled at 46% ABV.
Hankey Bannister Brand Manager Lynne Buckley commented: ‘The colourful history of Hankey Bannister is of great interest to our team and also to our drinkers, so to have the opportunity to bring to life an authentic part of the whisky’s history has been an enormous
pleasure. We are very fortunate that someone back in the 1920s decided to store this bottle for posterity – and that it was in such good condition 90 years after bottling. Stuart Harvey has done a great job in creating a blend that is true to the taste and style of the antique
whisky whilst also being a wonderful dram for modern day whisky drinkers.’
In line with the meticulous work carried out in the blending lab, the design team took inspiration from the original packaging. The result is a beautiful and striking black bottle, created using a pioneering glass colouring technique, graced with period lettering and the iconic Hankey Bannister logo.
For a discerning whisky drinker Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend is a rare opportunity to
experience first hand a piece of the whisky industry history and sample liquid which George V, Sir Winston Churchill, Evelyn Waugh and many of their contemporaries would instantly recognise. 5000 cases of Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend will be available globally. The recommended retail price in the UK is £25.
LIQUID HISTORY: OLDEST BENRIACH AND GLENDRONACH SINGLE MALTS IN EXISTENCE RELEASED
DESCRIBED proudly by The BenRiach Distillery Company’s Managing Director Billy Walker as “an iconic moment in the history of BenRiach and GlenDronach”, the two award-winning distilleries today announced the release of their oldest whiskies.
BenRiach Distillery, located in Speyside, has released “Vestige”, a 46 year-old single malt Scotch whisky, which was distilled and filled to cask on the 21st of September, 1966.
When BenRiach became independent in 2004, the new owners inherited a handful of casks from 1966 – the oldest stock in the distillery’s warehouses. By the end of 2012, just two of those casks remained, and Billy Walker has selected one of those casks, BenRiach 1966 cask # 2381, to be bottled as “Vestige”.
This whisky is ‘classic Speyside’ in style, and was matured in a traditional hogshead. It is bottled at cask strength (44.1% vol). After 46 years of maturation, the cask generated just 62 bottles, which will be sold worldwide. The UK retail price is £3999.99.
“Vestige” has been so named because it represents a moment in time, a small trace of something very special that, once lost, can never be replaced. The BenRiach 1966 cask # 2381 truly is a piece of the distillery’s history.
GlenDronach Distillery, which was acquired by The BenRiach Distillery Company in 2008, is proud to release “Recherché”, a 44 year-old Highland single malt, which was distilled and filled to cask on September 24th , 1968.
The ’68 stock represents the oldest whisky in GlenDronach’s vast warehouses, and GlenDronach 1968 cask # 005, an Oloroso sherry butt, was hand-picked to be bottled as “Recherché”. The name “Recherché” has been chosen because it means “carefully sought-out”.
This expression is sublime; a full-bodied, richly-sherried single malt (bottled at a cask strength of 48.6% vol), with all the traditional characteristics you would expect of a GlenDronach…and indeed one of which enigmatic founder James “Cobbie” Allardice would heartily approve!
This is a limited release of just 632 bottles, which will be available worldwide. GlenDronach “Recherché” will retail in the UK at £2749.99.
Billy Walker added: “A combination of barley, water, excellent oak and the passage of time have combined to create liquid history. These special bottlings, which represent our oldest mature stock, are in impeccable condition, and are testament to the enormous attention to detail applied by the current and the previous custodians of our distilleries. Together, “Vestige” and “Recherché” are a celebration of the phenomenal craft of two distilleries over a period spanning more than four decades.”
Harrods and The Dalmore Create World’s Rarest Whisky Collection
The world’s leading luxury retailer has teamed up with one the world’s finest malt whisky brands to create a truly unique collection of rare whiskies.
The Dalmore Paterson Collection – the only one of its kind in the world – goes on sale and will take pride of place in the newly refurbished Fine Spirits Room at Harrods from 16 July 2013 for £987,500.
One Man’s Lifelong Passion
Consisting of twelve bottles, each rare expression has been individually assessed, nosed, tasted and selected by Richard Paterson, master distiller of The Dalmore, from some of the rarest, oldest and most valuable stock in the world. But he was not alone in this enviable task as Nick Fleming, wine and spirits buyer for Harrods, used his unrivalled expertise to help choose the whiskies.
Richard has chosen to name each of these whiskies, dating from 1926 up to the 1990s, in honour of those people who have influenced and inspired him throughout his career, from his own father and grandfather to the founders of The Dalmore’s parent company, James Whyte and Charles Mackay.
The personality of Richard Paterson has also been imprinted on the Collection through the creation of a personal and unique hand written ledger, spanning more than 200 pages and taking more than 1000 hours to write, capturing Richard’s every thought and step on the way to creating the collection.
The ledger has been created by John Watson & Company Ltd, one of Glasgow’s oldest printers and long serving suppliers to the whisky industry. Each of the pages have been hand folded and individually foiled in silver with Richard’s signature before being bound in a bespoke book made of the finest calfskin leather.
Each of the twelve expressions is presented in a hand crafted full lead crystal decanter, produced by Glencairn, one of the world’s leading crystal houses. Luxury jeweller Hamilton & Inches have crafted and hand engraved the silver that adorns each bottle.
The collection itself is housed in a bespoke wooden cabinet, created by one of Britain’s leading cabinet makers, Gavin Robertson through more than 700 hours of design and craft.
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