Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. Inbox features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Here is this week’s whisky news…
Lodestar
The American whiskey brand of Lodestar has launched its inaugural bottling. Simply named, Lodestar American Whiskey, the new product is a blend of high rye bourbon and American single malt from unnamed sources, and comes with the tagline ‘All Flavor, No Fuss’.
The brand was co-founded last year by cousins Anna Axster and Wendelin von Schroder in Los Angeles with the aim of creating an ‘inclusive and approachable whiskey’. Lodestar American Whiskey is bottled at 45% ABV and is initially available in selected states of the US. It will retail at $US45 per bottle.
“As we began developing the brand, it is important to us that our whiskey is approachable, and can be enjoyed neat or in a cocktail. We wanted it to be inclusive and inviting to those who are new to the whiskey community while also satisfying those who enjoy whiskey regularly.”
Anna Axster | Co-Founder Lodestar.
Longmorn
The Speyside distillery of Longmorn has announced two rare cask strength expressions that will initially be exclusive to the American market – the Longmorn 18 years old and Longmorn 22 years old.
Both have been matured in a combination of American oak first-fill and re-fill ex-bourbon barrels and hogsheads. The releases commemorate the 130th anniversary of the distillery being founded by John Duff in 1894.
Both whiskies show a contemporary new look and packaging that features a purple and gold livery. The Longmorn 18 years old is bottled at the natural strength of 57.6% ABV and will retail for $US280. The Longmorn 22 years old is bottled at 54.5% ABV and will retail for $US440. The pair will be available in selected states throughout the US.
Macallan
The famous Speyside distillery of Macallan have announced the first bottling designed to celebrate their 200th anniversary this year – Tales of the Macallan Volume II.
The new whisky is the second in a planned series of remarkably rare single malts. It has been created by Euan Kennedy, the Lead Whisky Maker at Macallan, and was distilled in 1949 and bottled in 2022.
The whisky is housed in a bespoke handcrafted crystal decanter designed by renowned French crystal maker Lalique. The decanter is presented in a book that conceals it within its 800 pages. This was created by London-based bookbinders Shepherds, Sangorski & Sutcliffe and Zaehnsdorf. Each volume of the series is designed to tell the story of Alexander Reid, Macallan’s founder, and he features on the packaging in the form of illustrations by British artist Andrew Davidson.
The Tales of the Macallan Volume II is limited to just 344 decanters and is bottled at 44.8% ABV. It is available at the Macallan distillery in Speyside, Macallan Boutiques worldwide and selected luxury retailers including Harrods, Selfridge’s and Berry Brothers & Rudd. Each decanter will cost £77,400/ $US89,000/ €89,000.
