Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round-up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way into 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.
Arran
The island whisky brand of Arran, distilled at the Lochranza distillery, have announced two new bottlings – the Arran 14 Years Old and Arran 30 years Old. The 14 Years Old is the reimagining of a previous release from 2010 which disappeared from the range several years ago. The maturation features a combination of ex-bourbon barrels and ex-Palo Cortado sherry casks. It is bottled at 46% ABV and is non-chill filtered and of natural colour. A bottle will cost £70.
The 30 Years Old follows a previous limited edition distillery exclusive from last year that celebrated Arran’s 30th anniversary. This bottling has spent three decades maturing in rare ex-sherry hogshead casks. It is also released at 46% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. Each bottle will cost £695. Both new whiskies are available from arranwhisky.com and selected specialist retailers in the UK and beyond.
Eden Mill
The Lowland distillery of Eden Mill in the Kingdom of Fife has announced a new series of single cask releases, and the first bottling in that series. The Eden Mill Distiller’s Cask Release #1 has been chosen by Scott Ferguson, the Head Distiller who has filled and laid down every single cask at the distillery. Release #1 is an 8-year-old lightly peated single malt matured in an ex-Amarone red wine cask from northern Italy. The spirit was made from 100% peated malted barley, with peat sourced from Aberdeenshire. The phenol level was 20-30 PPM.
The Eden Mill Distiller’s Cask Release #1 is launched at the natural strength of 53.1% ABV. It is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. Only 5% of all production is peated spirit, making it extremely rare. The single cask has yielded just 311 bottles. Each will cost £115. They are only available via edenmill.com and the distillery shop in St Andrews.
Old Pulteney
The north Highland distillery of Old Pulteney, based in the former fishing port of Wick, is celebrating its bicentenary this year. To commemorate, they have released an exclusive bottling that will only be available at the distillery. The Old Pulteney 200th Anniversary Distillery Edition is bottled at 10 Years Old and has been matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks. The whisky has then undergone a finishing period in both ex-Manzanilla and ex-Oloroso sherry casks.
The 10 Years Old whisky is bottled at 48% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It is available now from Old Pulteney’s brand home in Wick and to members of Old Pulteney’s mailing list. This is free to sign up. The exact number of bottles in the batch was not revealed in the press release. Each bottle will cost £99.
‘Reaching 200 years is a significant milestone for Old Pulteney and a proud moment for everyone connected to our distillery, both past and present. For two centuries, the distillery has remained deeply rooted in its coastal home of Wick, with its location and maritime climate playing an integral role in shaping the distinctive character of our whisky. This special anniversary release is both a celebration of that rich heritage and a reflection of the skill, care and dedication passed down through generations of craftspeople.
Malcolm Waring | Distillery Manager at Old Pulteney.
