News — Page 103 — Malthound

Edencroft October Whisky Offer

October 4, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

EDENCROFT FINE WINES - TALISKER DISTILLERS EDITION

Edencroft Fine Wines & Spirits has a great October offer with the Taliskers Distillers Edition available at a saving of £9.50.

The Distillers Edition is unique: after its usual aging process in American oak casks, the whisky undergoes a second maturation in casks previously holding sherry. The result is older, sweeter and richer than the regular bottlings.

STRENGTH: 45.8% ABV
APPEARANCE: Chestnut brown
NOSE: Sharp and well focussed; no lingering, rambling smoke here. A sultana sweetness. One of the most tantalising sherry noses – certainly the cleanest
BODY: Full
PALATE: Crisp peat then softens to great richness in the mouth. Sweet, roasty malt with heathery dryness. Sherry notes keep back some pepper. In its place is luscious, slightly oily sweetness with juicy fruit and vanilla.
FINISH: Some very deep cocoa notes, vanilla and lingering quite earthy peat. An enormously chew-able single malt, with sweetness having the edge on dryness.
DISTILLED: 1999
BOTTLED: 2010

NORMAL PRICE: £49.50
OCTOBER OFFER PRICE: £40.00

But, be warned, when it’s gone it’s gone! The good news is you can now buy the Taliskers Distillers Edition (and any of their other wide range of malts) online.

Just click on the link!

More information can be obtained from Mark at:-
EDENCROFT FINE WINES
8-10 Hospital Street
NANTWICH
Cheshire
CW5 5RJ

www.edencroft.co.uk

Tel: 01270 629 975
Mob: 07974 650 998

Laphroaig Live 2011

September 29, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

Laphroaig Live 2011 - Coming to a computer near you!

Laphroaig Live 2011
Sydney, Australia
Thursday 6th October
10:00am (UK)

Join the Laphroaig Team for Laphroaig Down Under!

Log in to a computer near you and be their special guest, as they retrace the footsteps of Laphroaigs’ founders with a tasting broadcast live and interactive from Australia.

Laphroaigs’ Live broadcasts have been enjoyed by over 100,000 whisky fans over the past half-decade, with this year’s 5th annual show set to be the biggest and most exciting yet.

Laphroaig Live 2011 will be broadcast live from Sydney, against a stunning harbour-side backdrop with views of the iconic Opera House.
Views that have no doubt changed somewhat since they were enjoyed many years ago by one of the founders of Laphroaig, Alexander
Johnston.

Alexander Johnston and his brother, Donald Johnston, founded Laphroaig back in 1815 and together they developed the unique flavour of Laphroaig that is adored by whisky fans throughout the World.
Then in 1836, Alexander sold his share of the distillery to Donald for an unthinkable sum of £350 and he and his family set sail for Australia where they began a new life.

Alexander’s great-great-great granddaughter, Lin Johnston, will be joining the team in Sydney along with current Distillery Manager, John Campbell, Master Blender, Robert Hicks and author, Rebecca Varidel for an unforgettable tasting experience.

During the live show they will be tasting the Quarter Cask and the newly launched Triple Wood. They’ll also be reunited with a very old member of the Laphroaig family, not seen for over 50 years …

During this year’s live show the lucky Laphroaig lot will be opening and tasting a historic Laphroaig 10 year old, distilled back in the 1950s in one of the last batches ever to be bottled by Lin Johnston’s ancestors.

Very few of these bottles remain today and those that do are collectors’ items, so tasting this ancient liquid really will be a momentous occasion.

For more information visit www.laphroaig.com/live

And you can listen Live right here on the day – just go to our Diary Page.

You can buy Laphroaig Malt Whisky from:-

The Whisky Exchange
Master of Malt
Edencroft Fine Wine & Spirit Specialists
Abbey Whisky
The Drink Shop

Master of Malt Release Christmas Bitters Made With 23 Carat Gold!

September 27, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

A Fine Drawing Of The New Christmas Bitters!

Master of Malt has teamed up with whisky blog CaskStrength.net to launch a very novel product to celebrate Christmas 2011: cocktail bitters made with Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh!

The “Christmas Bitters” were designed as the perfect seasoning for any winter cocktail made with rum, whisky or brandy, and are flavoured with festive spices such as cinnamon, clementines, nutmeg, cloves and, of course, 23 carat Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh!
These flavours add depth and complexity to rich winter-warmers such as an Old-Fashioned, a Hot Toddy or a heady Irish Coffee.

Perfect for a crisp December evening …

The bitters, which will have a retail price of £12.95, are available to pre-order from Master of Malt and are currently ageing in a top quality oak cask that previously held 38 year old Glen Grant single malt.

You can also literally watch the bitters ageing via a live webcam feed on Master of Malt’s site, where you’ll notice a striking festive scene replete with a cheap plastic Christmas tree, some USB-powered fairy lights, the cask containing the bitters, and a small cardboard cut-out angel in the form of Brian Blessed as Prince Vultan from Flash Gordon. (!)

The Christmas Bitters will be bottled on the 31st October 2011, and make the perfect Christmas gift for anyone into their rich, spicy cocktails.

About The New Christmas Bitters
– Made with 25 different botanicals, include 23 Carat Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh.
– Aged in a barrel that once held 38 year old Glen Grant single malt whisky
– The perfect addition for rich, spicy Winter warmer cocktails and drinks

The Dalmore Sinclair 62-year-old breaks another record

September 26, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

The Dalmore Sinclair 62-year-old

So, as the Euro heads for fiscal armageddon it’s nice to know that there are still people with a bit of loose change in their pocket.

Dalmore’s Diary page has just announced that The Dalmore Sinclair 62-year-old single malt has been sold at Changi airport in Singapore for an astonishing £125,000. (To be honest, that’s quite a lot of loose change.)

This makes it the most expensive bottle of Scotch whisky ever sold in retail.

This was the last of only 12 bottles created by Master Distiller Richard Paterson, this expression was named after Andrew ‘Drew’ Sinclair, who was Distillery Manager for many of his 40 years at The Dalmore.

David Robertson, Dalmore’s Director of Rare Whisky, is one of the select few to have tasted the whisky.
“Flavours of honey, Seville oranges, coffee, bitter chocolate, cardamom, cloves, ginger and almonds are all prevalent. This is a magnificent malt, and I can’t help but feel that the buyer has got a bargain!”

I can’t see anyone getting a chance to argue with that!

Indeed, The Dalmore 62 has appreciated in value by £100,000 in ten years and leading specialists have The Dalmore as being one of the malts that are likely to continue this trend.

The buyer of this expression is an anonymous Chinese businessman.

They should be easy to spot though. Just look for someone carrying something wrapped in an awful lot of bubble-wrap …

Dream Drams at the Whisky Exchange Whisky Show

September 25, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

As The Whisky Exchange (TWE) Whisky Show gets ever closer (7th and 8th October 2011), the folks at the Whisky Exchange are now able to release their most up to date list of Dream Drams that their exhibitors will be providing for tasting at the Show.

And what a list it is!

So, here’s a quick reminder of how the Dream dram tokens system works:-

• All Visitors will be given two Dream Dram tokens on arrival at the Show.
• Additional Dream Dram tokens can be purchased during the day at £10 each
• These tokens can be exchanged for Dream Drams at participating stands throughout the Show
in the following way:-

1. For whiskies with an RRP of up to £1000 = 1 Dream Dram token
2. For whiskies with an RRP of up to £2000 = 2 Dream Dram tokens
3. For whiskies with an RRP of £2000+ = 3 Dream Dram tokens

Well that’s the technical details over with but the question on everyone’s dramming tasting lips are:

“Which to choose?”

Here’s the list of confirmed Dream Drams so far:-

Brand Dream Dram RRP Tokens
Required

Auchentoshan Auchentoshan 1957 50yo £2550 3

Balblair Balblair 1965 £1195 2

Balvenie Mystery Dram Balvenie Mystery Dram £n/a 1

Benriach Benriach 1971 £409 1

Benromach Benromach 1969 Sherry £395 1

Bowmore White Bowmore 1964 £2425 3

Bunnahabhain Bunnahabhain 1980 £325 1

Chieftain’s Chieftain’s Springbank 1968 40yo £950 1

Dalmore Dalmore Astrum £1500 2

Dalmore Dalmore Aurora £3000 3

Drambuie Drambuie Jacobite £3500 3

Fettercairn Fettercairn 40yo £750 1

Glendronach Glendronach 1971 £429 1

Glenfiddich Glenfiddich 1974 £500 1

Glenglassaugh Glenglassaugh 1966 45yo £1499 2

Glenglassaugh Glenglassaugh 1968 Legacy £440 1

Glengoyne Glengoyne 40yo £3750 3

Glenlivet Glenlivet 1964 Cellar £899 1

Glenlivet Glenlivet 1959 Cellar £1999 2

Glenrothes Glenrothes John Ramsay £699 1

Highland Park Highland Park 40yo £815 1

Isle of Jura Isle of Jura 1976 £499 1

Isle of Skye Isle of Skye 50yo £950 1

Johnnie Walker The John Walker £2250 3

Macleod’s Macleod’s Glen Grant 1954 £3000 3

Midleton Midleton 1973 30yo £1200 2

Old Pulteney Old Pulteney 40yo £tbc 2

Tomatin Tomatin 1973 £499 1

Brand	Dream Dram	RRP	Tokens Required
Auchentoshan	Auchentoshan 1957 50yo	£2550	3
Balblair	Balblair 1965	£1195	2
Balvenie Mystery Dram	Balvenie Mystery Dram	£n/a	1
Benriach	Benriach 1971	£409	1
Benromach	Benromach 1969 Sherry	£395	1
Bowmore	White Bowmore 1964	£2425	3
Bunnahabhain	Bunnahabhain 1980	£325	1
Chieftain’s	Chieftain’s Springbank 1968 40yo	£950	1
Dalmore	Dalmore Astrum	£1500	2
Dalmore	Dalmore Aurora	£3000	3
Drambuie	Drambuie Jacobite	£3500	3
Fettercairn	Fettercairn 40yo	£750	1
Glendronach	Glendronach 1971	£429	1
Glenfiddich	Glenfiddich 1974	£500	1
Glenglassaugh	Glenglassaugh 1966 45yo	£1499	2
Glenglassaugh	Glenglassaugh 1968 Legacy	£440	1
Glengoyne	Glengoyne 40yo	£3750	3
Glenlivet	Glenlivet 1964 Cellar	£899	1
Glenlivet	Glenlivet 1959 Cellar	£1999	2
Glenrothes	Glenrothes John Ramsay	£699	1
Highland Park	Highland Park 40yo	£815	1
Isle of Jura	Isle of Jura 1976	£499	1
Isle of Skye	Isle of Skye 50yo	£950	1
Johnnie Walker	The John Walker	£2250	3
Macleod’s	Macleod’s Glen Grant 1954	£3000	3
Midleton	Midleton 1973 30yo	£1200	2
Old Pulteney	Old Pulteney 40yo	£tbc	2
Tomatin	Tomatin 1973	£499	1

We’re sure you’ll agree that the above list represents an astonishing selection of some of the finest liquids ever distilled. There’s brand new or unreleased exclusives such as Old Pulteney 40yo, Glenglassaugh 1966, Glenfiddich 1974 and Drambuie Jacobite (made with 45 year-old Speyside malt, this is surely the poshest whisky liqueur ever released).

Meanwhile, they also have a range of classic older bottlings from the yesteryears of some of the world’s greatest distilleries, including Bowmore, Glenlivet, Auchentoshan and Midleton, plus arguably the greatest blended whisky ever released: The John Walker.

Finally, visitors to the previous events will be delighted to hear that plenty of favourites from previous events will be returning for 2011, including 40 year-old drams from Highland Park, Springbank and Glengoyne – the latter of which won Dram of the Festival at last year’s Whisky Show.

More details and a full list of exhibitors at the Show are available at whisky-show.com.

THE WHISKY EXCHANGE WHISKY SHOW 2011
Vinopolis, 1 Bank End, SE1, LONDON
7th and 8th October 2011

Design a label and win a £250 shopping spree at Master of Malt!

September 22, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

St Isidore, St Isidore ... show me your label!

Calling all Graphic Designers! Master of Malt has recently launched a competition to design the label on a very exciting new whisky, and the winning submission will receive £250 worth of vouchers to spend at Master of Malt!

The label will be used for the winning blend from a competition aimed at whisky bloggers, in which Master of Malt asked ten of the top spirits bloggers to create their own blended whiskies, and then asked the public to vote for the best one.

The blend which was chosen will be called “St Isidore” after the patron saint of the internet, and Master of Malt is calling on graphic designers to come up with label designs for the new bottle, and the brief is simple: create a label which sums up St Isidore, the blend, and the whisky blogging community. Try and make it as amusing and as creative as possible.

Not only will the winning design receive a £250 spending spree at Master of Malt, they will also be credited on the back of what will certainly be an incredibly popular new whisky!

The competition closes on the 5th October 2011, and the winning submission will be announced that same day.

To enter, simply email your label design to labeldesigns@masterofmalt.com

Technical Specifications for the label.
Please ensure your submissions meet the following criteria:
Dimensions: 10.5cm by 9.2cm
3mm Bleed
Resolution: 300 DPI
CMYK Colour

Tasting Notes for St Isidore

Nose: Sweet creamy aromas that meld well with a cool, oily, almost coastal wood smoke. It instantly transports you to Islay, whilst offering just a hint of plum wine, wood shavings and lapsang souchong tea. Time in the glass brings out notes of guava, warm custard and rhubarb crumble.

Palate: Thick, warming and balanced as it hits the tongue, it offers notes of really good vanilla ice cream, black pepper, and rum spices, whilst retaining a solid backbone of sweet woodsmoke and freshly-sawn timber. Hold it on the tongue for just a touch of salty popcorn and crème caramel.

Finish: Beautifully warming and spice. It fades away on freshly grated cinnamon and sugared peels. A faint flutter of pear juice on the very tail.

Overall: A perfect smoky blend. This is a very old school whisky, combining the smoke of Islay, and the rich, honeyed tones of the Highlands. A superb winter fireside dram if ever there was one.

Edencroft Malt Whisky Tasting Event

September 20, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

Mark from Edencroft Fine Wine & Spirit Specialists has let us know about a great event this weekend.

It is the annual Nantwich Food & Drink Festival and Edencrofts will be holding an instore tasting of some great whiskies, namely Dalmore and Jura (a full list of whiskies being tasted is listed below).

The tasting will take place at the following times:

Friday September 23rd – 10am until 4.30PM
Saturday September 24th – 10am until 4.30pm
Sunday September 25th – 11am until 3pm

The Whiskies to be tasted:-

Dalmore 12 Year Old. The Dalmore spirit benefits from longer than typical maturation – 12 years, instead of the more regular 10. Judicious selection and the precise balance of American white oak and Oloroso sherry wood, delivers their most vibrant expression – robust yet elegant, with an aftertaste of brilliant complexity.
Dalmore 15 Year Old. Time, different cask types, varying sizes, and warehouse conditions can all influence the maturity of a single malt. For this Dalmore, 15 years in bespoke Matusalem, Apostoles and Amoroso sherry butts from Jerez de la Frontera have been elemental. The redolence of these vessels delivers the perfect balance between spirit, wood and maturity.
Dalmore Castle Leod 1995/Bordeaux Finish. This limited edition bottling celebrates the ancient and historic seat of Clan Mackenzie and is the second in a series crafted by Master Distiller Richard Paterson in homage to Clan Mackenzie.
Dalmore King Alexander III. Over the course of their history The Dalmore’s remarkable spirit has been filled to French wine barriques, Madeira drums, sherry butts from Jerez, Sicilian Marsala barrels, port pipes from the Douro and bourbon barrels from Kentucky.
Isle of Jura 10 Year Old. Off the west coast of Scotland lies a magical island of soft sea breezes, freshly caught lobster and a bank that comes once a week. As good as life used to be. One shop, one pub, one community. One fine malt whisky distillery. A gift from nature.
Isle of Jura 16 Year Old. For sixteen years in beachside warehouses, the gentle sea breezes have combined to make a whisky that truly expresses the magic of the island. A great age to drink Jura according to the locals. The rich colour of golden sun rays combine with a taste of strong butter notes, tinged with oranges and spices, leaving a sweet toffee and honey finish.
Isle of Jura Prophecy. Prophecy is a single malt whisky that Jura have created to honour this tale of the third eye. Meticulously crafted from a selection of the finest and rarest aged Jura single malt whiskies, Prophecy is a profoundly peated spirit.
Jura Superstition. The people of Jura are superstitious. From the prophecy of the one-eyed Campbell to an aversion to cutting peat before May, age-old island beliefs resonate to this day. Drawing on our finest older malts and spring-peated younger whiskies, Jura Superstition is a tribute to the people, the traditions and the mystical heritage that make Jura island life unique. Visit the island, meet the people, explore the past.

I think it promises to be a great event and includes some great malt whiskies.

More information can be obtained from Mark at:-
EDENCROFT FINE WINES
8-10 Hospital Street
NANTWICH
Cheshire
CW5 5RJ

www.edencroft.co.uk

Tel: 01270 629 975
Mob: 07974 650 998

The Laddie 10 Launched by Bruichladdich

September 15, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

Bruichladdich 'The Laddie 10'

The Laddie 10 – the first 10-year-old whisky distilled by the men who brought Bruichladdich Distillery back from from oblivion – has gone on sale.

A weekend of celebrations was held for a select group of shareholders, distributors, barley farmers and international guests who gathered on a gale-beaten Islay for a luncheon, a presentation of the provocative new website and an emotionally charged ceremony to acknowledge the first bottles coming off the bottling line.
One thousand bottles of The Laddie 10, sporting a commemorative “I was there!” back label (for this one day only) sold out in three hours to a scrum of enthusiastic islanders and whisky fans.

Sir John Mactaggart Bt., Bruichladdich chairman, revealed in an defiantly upbeat speech, that there were top whisky industry players who warned him that the project was doomed to fail. But they underestimated the “passion and reason” of the Bruichladdich set-up.

He went on to highlight the successes, trials and tribulations of the decade which included being spied on by the CIA looking for WMDs, liberating the Ugly Betty still, fuelling race cars with X4, flying health & safety inspectors, and lost Royal Navy yellow submarines.

The coming of age is a landmark moment for the company that set out in 2001 to renovate the old Victorian distillery that had been closed down in 1994, having only operated part-time for a decade before that.

Managing director Mark Reynier, said: “It’s a very proud and highly emotional moment for all of us.
“This is the first spirit we distilled, once we got it all going again. It’s not been easy. This is the hard-won fruit of 10 years of unrelenting blood, sweat and tears by the whole team.”

The Laddie 10, a dram created by whisky legend Jim McEwan, is designed to show off the timeless Bruichladdich qualities of elegance, balance, purity and fruit, with that famous sea breeze tang.

The company has a reputation for the unconventional, particularly the packaging, and the Laddie 10 in its bright, aqua livery is no different.

Reynier explains: “As progressive Hebridean distillers, we have a different way of doing things to the rest of the industry – it’s why we are still here – and that includes modern packaging.”

“We don’t do flags, crests, illustrations, Highland glens; nor engravings, Celtic typefaces, Gaelic scrolls, or Monarch of the Glen. We do Bruichladdich.”

You can buy Bruichladdich 10 Year Old Malt Whisky from:-

The Whisky Exchange
Master of Malt
Edencroft Fine Wine & Spirit Specialists
Abbey Whisky
The Drink Shop

Benromach successfully shares the secret with Arts Aficionados

September 13, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

Left to right: Aly Macrae, Madeleine Worrall, Andrew Clark, David McKay (Photo: Drew Farrell)

Benromach’s first major venture into the arts has proven to be a huge success as its partnership with The National Theatre of Scotland’s production of The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart, sold out at two venues in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The show, which opened at the Òran Mór in Glasgow before transferring to the Ghillie Dhu for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011 was seen by over 4,000 people of whom more than half enjoyed a tasting of Benromach expressions.

More than 2,500 people sampled Benromach 10 Years Old, Benromach Organic or Benromach Peat Smoke at the bar after the performance with all attendees receiving a miniature of Benromach Traditional to take away.

A highly original performance created by writer David Greig and Wils Wilson and inspired by the Border Ballads, Robert Burns and the poems of Robert Service, The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart takes theatre into pubs and other unlikely venues where stories are told, re-told, sung and passed on in an evening of supernatural storytelling, music and theatre.

Benromach 10 Year Old

The show won five star reviews and sold out in Edinburgh two days after the festival started. It also won a Herald Angel award and was nominated for Best Ensemble and Best Actress for the Stage Awards for Acting Excellence at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Commenting on the success of the sponsorship, David Urquhart Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail, owners of the Benromach Distillery in Forres, said:

“The sponsorship between Benromach and The Strange Undoings of Prudencia Hart has been a huge success raising awareness of and helping the brand reach a wider audience, enabling us to grow in an area which we never had much presence in before.

“We are proud to have shared the Benromach secret with art aficionados and festival goers, and I’d like to thank the National Theatre of Scotland for giving us that opportunity.”

Elly Rothnie, Development Director, National Theatre of Scotland had this to say: “2011 is a milestone year for us as we celebrate five years of being Scotland’s National Theatre and the partnership with Benromach has been a wonderful birthday present. “

“The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart went down a storm at the Fringe and our audiences appreciated the chance to sample one of Scotland’s finest malt whisky as part of the experience.”

You can buy Benromach Malt Whisky from:-

The Whisky Exchange
Master of Malt
Edencroft Fine Wine & Spirit Specialists
Abbey Whisky
The Drink Shop

About Benromach
Located on the outskirts of the ancient market town of Forres, the Benromach Distillery is one of Scotland’s best-kept secrets. From Speyside’s smallest whisky distillery emerged a single malt with distinctive qualities reflecting its exclusive hand-made credentials as well as encapsulating the self-reliance, sophistication and modern values of Scotland today.

Just two experienced distillers create Benromach using the finest Scottish barley and the purest spring water from the nearby Romach Hills. They personally ensure that only the highest quality spirit is filled into sturdy oak casks before being left to mature at Benromach Distillery for many years.

Benromach expressions include:
Benromach Ten Years Old
Benromach Ten Years Old is created from the finest Scottish barley and pure spring water from the nearby Romach hills. After being matured for at least ten years, it emerges golden in colour and displays rich fruit, sweet chocolate and delicate spicy aromas. With a rich sherry influence, the mouth-watering palate coats the senses with exotic fruit flavours, toasted malt and a delicate hint of smoke.

Benromach Traditional
A rich and mellow single malt with fruit and malty tones, balanced with a hint of smoke.

Benromach Peat Smoke
Full bodied, intense and challenging with a smoky character, yet balanced with the fruity elegance of Speyside.

Benromach Origins
A series of special bottlings crafted to highlight how small changes in the art of whisky-making can help to shape the character of the final single malt.
Please visit www.benromach.com for details.

About the National Theatre of Scotland
The National Theatre of Scotland is supported by the Scottish Government. Since its launch in February 2006, the National Theatre of Scotland has been involved in creating 137 update productions in 125 update different locations. With no building of its own, the Company takes theatre all over Scotland and beyond, working with existing and new venues and companies to create and tour theatre of the highest quality. It takes place in the great buildings of Scotland, but also in site-specific locations, airports and tower blocks, community halls and drill halls, ferries and forests. The company has performed to almost 600,000 people, across three continents. www.nationaltheatrescotland.com

More On Diageo’s Classic Malts Special Releases 2011

September 12, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

This years Brora 32 year old is in a limited edition of only 1,404 bottles

Diageo’s prolific collection of single malt Scotch whiskies, the Classic Malts Selection, is augmented every year by the issue of a small portfolio of limited edition single malts, under the heading of Special Releases.

The series has always aimed to intrigue, delight and sometimes surprise whisky connoisseurs and collectors, by presenting unusual, rare, collectable – but always deeply enjoyable – expressions of single malt whisky, all from original distillery stocks.

Some are affordable, others enjoy a rarity that imposes frankly aspirational prices. Many enjoy striking, specially designed packaging that enhances the pleasure of ownership and sharing.

Familiar distilleries are often present, but in unusual expression or ages. Other bottles are drawn from the precious and dwindling stocks of distilleries that ceased production last century. Most are bottled at natural cask strength and all without chill filtration. There are eight Special Releases this year; five are from closed distilleries; and the whole production is less than 60,000 bottles.

Diageo’s Nick Morgan explains:

“We set out to include one or two really unexpected bottlings in the 2011 Special Releases collection. Very few whisky connoisseurs – possible none at all – will ever have encountered anything like the 20 year old glorious Port Dundas single grain whisky that we are offering this year, and since the distillery closed two years ago, it’ll be a rare experience for those who who get to try it now.

“By contrast, the 25 year old Knockando from first-fill ex-sherry casks might astonish those who thought they know this malt: this bottling is rich, deep-flavoured and very complex. The Glenury Royal at 40 years old is a very venerable (and inevitably expensive) bottling, an old-style after-dinner experience; but it shows no fatigue and is packed with flavour. Lovers of the Lowland style will be charmed by the Rosebank 21 year old.”

Older & Rarer

As in previous years, Brora and Port Ellen will be a focus for committed devotees of these irreplaceable single malts.

The Brora 32 year old is in a limited edition of only 1,404 bottles: compare the first release in this series, in 2002, which ran to 3,000 bottles.

The Port Ellen, also at 32 years old, comes in an edition of 2,988 bottles (compared with 12,000 bottles in 2002!). Rarer and older as the years go by, both are priced at £300.

Here’s a quick summary:-

2011 Release	Quick Facts	Price Range
Brora 32 Year Old 1978 (54.7% abv)	Diageo’s oldest Brora to date. 1,404 individually-numbered bottles available.	£300
Caol Ila Unpeated 12 Year Old 1999	6,000 bottles available.	£55
Glenury Royal 40 Year Old 1970	Second oldest release of Glenury Royal from Diageo. 1,404 bottles available worldwide.	£525
Knockando 25 Year Old 1985	Knockando has never before been featured in the Special Releases range. Fewer than 4,500 numbered bottles.	£135
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength	The tenth time Lagavulin has been featured in the Special Releases series.	£63
Port Dundas 20 Year Old 1990	First ever Special Release of grain whisky! There are just 1,920 numbered bottles from the now closed distillery.	£110
Port Ellen 32 Year Old 1978 (53.9%)	Oldest ever official release of Port Ellen. 2,988 bottles available from this legendary distillery which closed just a few years after this was distilled in 1978.	£300
Rosebank 21 Year Old 1990	5,604 numbered bottles worldwide. The distillery closed almost two decades ago and stocks are becoming heavily depleted.	£160