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…
Big Peat
The award-winning blended malt of Big Peat, which is part of Douglas Laing & Co’s Remarkable Regional Malts range, has revealed a limited-edition bottling to celebrate the brand’s 15th anniversary. Big Peat first hit the market in September 2009 and this commemorative whisky has seen a predominant maturation in ex-red wine casks.
As with all Big Peat releases, the whiskies in the blended malt are all single malts from the famous whisky island of Islay. Big Peat 15th Anniversary Edition is bottled at 50% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. The new release will be available globally with a bottle costing £65/ €75.
Bladnoch
The Lowland distillery of Bladnoch has announced changes to its two core ranges. Two new age statements – Bladnoch 13 years old and Bladnoch 16 years old – will join the existing 19- and 30-year olds to form the new Bladnoch Heritage Collection. As a result the current 11- and 14-year olds will be discontinued. Both new whiskies have been created by Dr. Nick Savage, the Master Blender for Bladnoch.
The Bladnoch 13 years old has been matured in ex-bourbon barrels while the Bladnoch 16 years old has been matured in ex-Oloroso sherry casks. They are priced at £85 and £110 respectively. Both are released at 46.7% ABV and are non-chill filtered and of natural colour. They will be available globally. In another move, the distillery has renamed its core no age statement range as The Twinned Cask Collection to reflect the fact that two cask types are married together to create each whisky in the range.
Glenmorangie
The north Highland distillery of Glenmorangie has announced the fifth bottling in its annual Tales series of single malts – the Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream. The new limited-edition whisky is inspired by trips to the ice cream parlour. It features spirit initially matured in ex-bourbon casks before a finishing period in high-vanillin virgin American oak barrels. These barrels have been lightly charred to bring out extra vanilla notes from the wood.
A Tale of Ice Cream has been created by Gillian Macdonald, the Master Blender for Glenmorangie, and Dr. Bill Lumsden, the Director of Whisky Creation for the brand. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It is available via www.glenmorangie.com and the distillery shop in Tain, plus through selected whisky retailers worldwide. A bottle will cost £76.
“By ageing Glenmorangie in bourbon and high-vanillin casks we have magnified the sweetest, creamiest side of our whisky. Sipping A Tale of Ice Cream is like sinking your spoon into a carousel of flavour. We invite whisky lovers old and new to indulge their sweet tooth and enjoy this ultimate treat.”
Dr. Bill Lumsden.
Glen Scotia
The Campbeltown distillery of Glen Scotia has announced the second bottling in its five-part Icons of Campbeltown series, which is inspired by etchings on the town’s famous Market Cross. The Glen Scotia Icons of Campbeltown No.2 is bottled at 14 years of age and was created by Michael Henry, the Master Blender for Glen Scotia.
It has undergone maturation in ex-bourbon barrels before a six-month finishing period in ex-Barolo red wine casks from Italy. The packaging features artwork from renowned Marvel and Disney illustrator Joel Holtzman. The whisky is released at 56.8% ABV and will be available in limited numbers in selected world markets. A bottle will cost £98.
Thresh & Winnow
The American distillery of Koval has announced a new range of premium limited edition organic spirits – Thresh & Winnow. The range kicks off with two whiskeys – a 10 year old rye and an 8 year old American single malt – and will be followed later in the Autumn by two gins. Both whiskeys are from single barrels, released at 50% ABV and are bottled-in-bond.
The range is packaged in a bespoke luxury bottle designed by Dando Projects, which shows some of the key ingredients in the spirits. The two whiskeys are available at Koval’s store and tasting room in Chicago and will see limited distribution in selected other states and cities. No indication of price was given in the press release.
