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…
The Dalmore
The Highland distillery of The Dalmore has announced a pair of bottlings released into its annual Vintage Collection – The Dalmore Vintage 2009 and Vintage 2006. The ever-expanding collection is designed to showcase some of the best whiskies currently maturing in the Dalmore warehouses. The new whiskies have been created by Gregg Glass, The Dalmore Master Whisky Maker.
The Dalmore Vintage 2009 is a 15 years old single malt and has been initially matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels before a double finishing period in ex-Matusalem sherry and ex-Tawny Port casks. It is bottled at 48.9% ABV and will cost £175 per bottle.
The Dalmore Vintage 2006 is an 18 years old single malt and has been matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels with a dual finish in ex-Matusalem sherry and ex-Amoroso sherry casks. It is bottled at 47.2% ABV and is £405 per bottle. Both are of natural colour and non-chill filtered, and will be available in specialist whisky and luxury retailers in selected world markets.
Gordon & Macphail
The independent bottler of Gordon & Macphail has announced the bottlings in the third installment of its Recollection Series. The latest releases include six bottlings from closed or long-time silent distilleries. These include single malts from Convalmore and Imperial in Speyside, Port Ellen from Islay, Glenlochy from the Highlands (pictured, below) and Rosebank from the Lowlands, plus a single grain from North Port in Brechin.
The packaging also features new designs created by award-winning animation director and illustrator Bruno Mangyokyo. All will be available from www.gordonandmacphail.com and selected retailers worldwide. The details of the new whiskies are:
- Convalmore 1984/ 40 years old/ 51.1% ABV/ £2,300
- Glenlochy 1979/ 45 years old/ 53.2% ABV/ £4,000
- Imperial 1990/ 34 years old/ 52.7% ABV/ £1,650
- North Port 1981/ 43 years old/ 50.9% ABV/ £3,850
- Port Ellen 1981/ 43 years old/ 52.5% ABV/ £10,000
- Rosebank 1991/ 33 years old/ 51.2% ABV/ £2,100.
Glasgow 1770
The Glasgow Distillery Company has announced the latest batch of its award-winning Cask Strength series – the Glasgow 1770 The Original Cask Strength Batch 02 and Peated Cask Strength Batch 02. Both releases consist of just three casks and are designed to show off the two spirit types in their most natural form. The Original Cask Strength Batch 02 is bottled at 59.2% ABV and there are just 750 bottles available. It will cost £64.
The Peated Cask Strength Batch 02 is bottled at 60.2% ABV and there are just 1,000 bottles. It will cost £66. Both bottlings are non-chill filtered and of natural colour. They will be available in selected whisky retailers in the UK and via the www.glasgowdistillery.com. A very small amount of bottles will be available in selected Asian and European markets.
Midleton Very Rare
Irish Distillers have announced the second bottling of their limited edition Midleton Very Rare influenced by French oak – the Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais Edition Two. The new whiskey again marries the skills of Ireland and France.
The single grain and single pot still whiskeys have been matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels before a finishing period in French oak sourced from the fabled Forêt de Tronçais (Tronçais Forest). It is bottled at 48% ABV and will be available in selected world markets including Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Singapore and the UK. A bottle will cost €5,000/ £4,388.
Scotch Malt Whisky Society
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) have announced a new premium series, The Creators Collection, and the first batch of whiskies in that collection – The Peat Plants Collection. It features four high-aged and limited edition peated Scotch whiskies, with the wider series concentrating on unique flavours found within the SMWS portfolio of casks.
The four whiskies are Moss & Mist, a 25-year-old from Islay (cask number 29.293), Heather Ember, a 25-year-old from Orkney (4.396), Fern & Flame, a 26-year-old from the Highlands (66.297), and Peat Bloom, which is described as ‘a blend of smoke and maritime saltiness’ and comes from Islay (53.495). The full collection will be available from November 22, either as a full collection (£1,300) or individually – prices range from £195 to £425. For more info, or to buy, please visit www.smws.com.
