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 …
Glasgow 1770
The G;asgow Distillery Co. has announced a trio of limited edition single malts under their Glasgow 1770 brand. The three whiskies have all been finished in rare wine casks and form part of the ongoing Small Batch Series. They are designed to showcase the distillery’s commitment to experimentation and diversification within its single malt whisky range.
The Glasgow 1770 Constantia Wine Cask Matured is unpeated single malt and finished in South African ex-Constantia dessert wine casks. It is bottled at 56.6% ABV, with just 980 bottles available. The Glasgow 1770 Syrah Wine Cask Matured is falso unpeated and finished in Greek Sex-yrah red wine casks sourced from the island of Evia. It is bottled at 59.3% ABV and is limited to just 652 bottles.
The Glasgow 1770 Pineau des Charentes Wine Cask Matured, is made using malted barley infused with mainland peat smoke. After initial maturation in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, it was transferred to a French ex-Pineau des Charentes wine cask. This is bottled at 58.7% ABV with just 303 bottles available. The trio are available now in selected specialist whisky retailers in Germany and the UK, and via www.glasgowdistillery.com. Each bottle will cost £59/ €70.
Glencairn
Glencairn Crystal have been awarded The King’s Award for Enterprise. The family-owned company is one of a handful in the UK to win the award this year. It represents the fourth time in Glencairn’s history that they have been honoured in this way, which was previously The Queen’s Award for Enterprise. This year’s award, which is in its 59th year, was in the Innovation category.
While the company is best known for their market-leading Glencairn whisky glass, they are also renowned for its pioneering design, craftsmanship and manufacturing. Glencairn Crystal creates luxury, high-end bottles and decanters, often featuring intricate metalwork, unique application processes and state-of-the-art engraving techniques. It has successfully scaled up artisan techniques for commercial production, blending hand-crafted artistry and ground-breaking technical innovation. They have worked with some of the world’s leading spirits brands and distilleries.
As a family run business for more than 40 years, we have a valued team of talented employees and have innovation at the core of everything we do. This award is a testament to the passion, creativity, and dedication of everyone here at Glencairn Crystal. And to our mission of pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for our customers in crystal and glass.
Scott Davidson | Director of New Product Development at Glencairn Crystal.
McConnell’s
The Irish whiskey brand of McConnell’s have released a new whiskey. The McConnell’s 5 Years Old Cognac Cask Finish is a blend of Irish single malt and grain whiskeys. The new expression was aged for five years in first-fill Bourbon casks before undergoing a finishing period in ex-Cognac casks. These were selected by Graeme Millar, the Master Distiller for McConnell’s.
The Cognac Cask Finish is the final bottling in their 5-Year-Old series. It joins the first-fill ex-bourbon cask-matured Signature and the Sherry Cask Finish. The new whiskey is released at 46% ABV and will initially be available from the McConnell’s distillery in Belfast. A wider introduction to the Irish and UK markets will follow later in May. A bottle will cost £45/ US$60.
Sullivans Cove
The Tasmanian distillery of Sullivans Cove has released what is believed to be the oldest ever Australian single malt. The Sullivans Cove 24 Years Old #HH0005 was originally aged in a single 300-litre American oak cask in 1999. It was later transferred to an ex-Apera cask in 2017 for a seven-year secondary maturation. Apera is a fortified wine like sherry that is produced in Australia. The whisky was bottled in October 2024 and is released at the natural cask strength of 51.1% ABV.
The single cask was hand-selected by Heather Tillott, the Distillery Manager at Sullivans Cove. The cask has yielded just 324 bottles. Purchase of this historic bottling is via ballot only. This is live on the Sullivans Cove website until May 20. Each bottle will cost AU$2,275/ US$1,460. Whisky fans will also be able to taste the single malt on 17 May for one day only. The experience will take place at Casa De Vinos in Melbourne and cost AU$24 for a sample.
