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.
Ardnahoe
The family-owned Islay distillery of Ardnahoe have partnered with the Celtic rock band Skerryvore to celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary. The Ardnahoe Skerryvore XX is a limited edition five year old peated single malt that has been matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. The partnership will also see the band become brand ambassadors for Ardnahoe.
The Ardnahoe Skerryvore XX is bottled at 50% ABV and will be available from the distillery shop or via www.ardnahoe.com from October 9. The band will also be hosting several ‘whisky sessions’ during their commemorative American tour this Autumn. This will feature stories, songs and whisky tastings for fans. There will be just 2,000 bottles available with each costing £65.
Maker’s Mark
The iconic Kentucky wheated bourbon brand of Maker’s Mark has released arguably its most refined whisky yet – the Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2025 Edition. This new releases features the oldest Maker’s whiskey ever bottled, a ultra-rare 14 years old spirit. This sits alongside other whiskeys at 11- and 13-years of age. The Cellar Aged Collection is an annual release, which was launched in 2023. This is the third bottling.
The limestone cellar at Maker’s Mark’s historic Star Hill Farm Distillery plays a defining role in this whiskey’s final profile. Carved into the Kentucky hillside, the cellar has a consistently cool climate. This slows maturation, allowing the bourbon to evolve with poise and balance. After the traditional six years in rick-houses, the whiskey rests for an additional five to six years in the limestone cellar.
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2025 Edition is released at 56.5% ABV (113 Proof) and features the classic Maker’s mashbill of 70% corn, 16% red winter wheat, and 14% malted barley. It is available in selected spirits retailers in selected world markets. A bottle will cost £145/ US$195.
Witchmark
The B-Corp certified craft English distillery of Witchmark, which is located in the county of Wiltshire, has given an insight into its future whisky style. They have released the Witchmark Single Origin New Make Spirit: Distiller’s Cut. This has been taken directly from their stills and bottled at 60% ABV. The spirit is crafted entirely on-site from barley grown in the fields of the 9,000-acre Fonthill Estate, where the distillery is built. The water is drawn from Wiltshire’s chalk aquifers.
Witchmark’s whisky will continue to mature in oak casks and will not be ready for release until 2027. There are just 300 bottles of the New Make Spirit. These are available in selected specialist retailers and the distillery website. Each bottle will cost £54.
