TWO BEASTS HIT THE SCOTCH ROAD

 May is the month of the beasts in scotland

PEAT'S BEAST

A single malt with inimitable taste and distinctive strength, the Beast is a unique whisky ‘not for the faint hearted’. Straight from the Scottish Highlands, you’ll find a distinctive nose of spicy cinnamon with undertones of pear and apple. The taste is just as strong, with a hot and spicy edge that will warm the throat. To deliver full force, the Beast is never chill filtered.

Peat’s Beast, created in 2011, wasn’t just the brainchild of one person, but the collaboration of many great minds. Like any great drink, it’s the combination of key ingredients that makes all the difference. The makers think their team makes a pretty good dram.

Eamonn Jones was a regional director at Whyte & Mackay, responsible of the sales of Dalmore, Jura and other great brands. Gerald Erdrich was his importer, distinguished in the business. Together these two great minds decided to come together and use their expertise and ingredients to make a brand, a beast. Who could make their beast come alive? For that, a creative genius was needed. Their dear departed friend Mark Graham assumed the role of creator. In collaboration with LA-based Brazilian artist Dough Alves, the iconic Beast was born.

Now, it fell to more great minds to ensure the Beast would pack a punch. Lighting your senses with smoke and fire from the start, untamed and ferocious. Industry legend, Richard Paterson, also known as “The Nose”, confirmed that the attributes of the dram was never any less than awesome. Eamonn Jones’ business partner and 30-year industry colleague, Aidan Smith, ensured quality was maintained at every single step.

There you have it. A blend of great minds, great brains and great friends have created a fantastic single malt. The Beast was born!             

As the years have passed, the Peats Beast family has grown. Along with the Standard 46% single malt whisky un-chillfltered, no additives no colouring......the range now includes: a Batch strength version finished for 9 months in Pedro Ximinez casks.

The first bottling standard 46% single malt whisky, un chillfiltered, no additives, no E150A.

Colour: Straw yellow with glittering highlights.

Nose: A rugged fusion of sea spray, bonfire smoke, damp earth and spicy cinnamon immediately arouses the senses.

Taste: Strong and bold with plenty of backbone and structure as this great monster unfolds its fiery fangs on your palate. This is not for the faint hearted. Take a generous mouthful with a biting wind blowing furiously in your face. Hold it long in your mouth allow the thick tar, peat smoke and creamy liquorice to penetrate every part of your tongue. Time will tame it.

Finish: These powerful aromas of peat moss and wet grass must be fully respected before seductive notes of crushed pear, apple and freshly baked bread provide the perfect finish to this memorable melody.

A recent addition is a 25 year old Islay single malt, now available in the market from an undisclosed Islay distillery. The bottle is presented non-chill filtered at cask strength of 52.2 % and with a label that is far from a design classic. Let's look beyond the cover for the much more important contents.

Colour: copper-gold

On the nose: Lovely mellowed iodine, a nice subtle smoky peat, perhaps a hint of burnt hay. There is a definite coastal element, smoked seaweed. There is a fruity sweetness too, of overripe berries. A nose that requires plenty of time to appreciate.

Palate: A toffee sweetness up front which combines well with the dense oily spirit. The peat then comes through: ashy and drying, but not overly so. A world away from the more brutish young Islay malts of this day. Dry spice and black pepper kicks in and lasts into the finish, which is satisfyingly long.

Peat’s Beast is enjoyable, tamped down for a whisky whose retail price approaches £200. Therein lies the problem: the increasing cost of whisky, Islay malts and older expressions.

Why peat? What's it got to do with Whisky?

Until relatively recently, Peat was the primary source of domestic fuel in Scotland. Easily accessible and with what seemed like in infinite supply, it is the soft, spongy earth composed of decayed vegetation such as moss, plants and tree roots.

When burnt, it is extremely smoky and produces an extremely aromatic smoke; hence when peat was used to dry the malted barley in the nascent whisky industry, the phenolic characteristics it  gave became highly prized. The distilled spirit was imbued with rich notes of tar, iodine, smoke and briny sea spray.

BUT WHAT’S DEFINITE IS THAT PEAT’S BEAST IS A CLASSIC PEATY WHISKY WHICH EMBODIES ALL THAT’S GOOD ABOUT USING PEAT SMOKE…

Peat’s Beast might be from Islay; it might not be... Peat Smoke was, and is used at distilleries in the Highlands, Islands and Speyside as well; many large distilleries will distill once or twice a year using peat dried malted barley in order to be able to compare and contrast their spirits distilled and matured in different ways or using different ingredients or maturation techniques.

Product Description:

A limited release from the Peats Beast team, this time, a complex, full-bodied, punchy Islay beauty aged for 30 years in oak casks and bottled at 50.6% ABV. Don't let the terrifying monster on the label put you off – a magnificent balance coastal smoke, floral heather, and bright citrus awaits.

Nose - Enticing peat, medicinal, citrus, fruity, aniseed, soft floral and cereal top notes

Palate - Sweet and savoury, peat and sea salt, citrus fruits and toffee balanced with woody spice

Finish - Long with peat, heather and oak with delicate herbal and citrus notes

TIMOROUS BEASTIE UNLEASHES “MEET THE BEAST” CASK STRENGTH LIMITED EDITION

MEET THE BEAST

Douglas Laing & Co, the family firm behind the “Remarkable Regional Malts” Scotch Whisky range, unleashed Timorous Beastie “Meet the Beast”, a limited edition of the sleekit dram to amplify the flavour experience of their Highland Malt brand end May 2021.

Offered at a natural cask strength of 54.9% and matured exclusively in ex-American Bourbon barrels, the spirit is said to be a “massive amplification” of the original.

Packaged in a black bottle with red capsule and premium gift tube, the striking livery features the brand’s trademark mouse character and monochromatic colourways, complemented by flashes of bold red. With tasting notes including “complex oak”, “buttery pastry” and “rich spices”, the team behind Timorous Beastie Meet the Beast say it is “bound to appeal to an adventurous whisky drinker with an appetite for big flavours”.

The original Timorous Beastie may look cute and unassuming, but the spirit inside is a seriously credible Highland Malt, offered at high alcohol strength and without colouring or chill-filtration. This new limited edition “Meet the Beast” is designed to unleash Timorous Beastie’s wild side in line with a repositioning for the core brand, which seeks to enthuse and excite consumers via premium, credible messaging with a feisty edge. It’s true what they say – beware of the quiet ones!

Timorous Beastie Meet the Beast is expected to retail at £50 and will be available from selected specialist retailers globally from May 2021. Just 3,600 bottles are available.

Tasting notes   

Nose: expect a burst of sweet vanilla, complex oak and orchard fruits.

Taste: The beast of a palate delivers wonderful notes of candyfloss, creamy honey and buttery pastry,

Finish: Satisfyingly long with spices that go on and on…

ABOUT TIMOROUS BEASTIE

Established in 2014 by Douglas Laing & Co, Timorous Beastie represents “ultimate distillation of the Highlands” in a small batch marriage of Single Malts distilled at Glengoyne, Glen Garioch, Blair Athol and Strathearn Distilleries, amongst others. The multi award-winning Scotch is distributed in over 50 markets globally and has amassed a loyal following.

Douglas Laing & Co. is a leading independent Scotch Whisky distillery, blender and bottler specialising in the selection and release of Single Cask Single and Small Batch Malt Scotch Whiskies. The company was founded by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948 and is still owned and run by the Laing family – Fred Laing Jr and his daughter Cara Laing.

Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts, the Ultimate Distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions, encompasses The Epicurean Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky, Timorous Beastie (Highlands), Scallywag (Speyside), The Gauldrons (Campbeltown), Rock Island (Islands) and Big Peat (Islay). Beyond its Blended Malts expertise, the award-winning Douglas Laing portfolio also includes Provenance, Premier Barrel, Old Particular, Xtra Old Particular and XOP Black, collectively known as the firm’s “Exceptional Single Casks”.

LAPHROAIG'S 15 BOOK LIBRARY OF 30 YEAR OLD WHISKIES

 Laphroaig’s 30 Year Old SERIES ON The Ian Hunter Story

WHISKIES AS LEGENDARY AS THE MAN WHO MADE LAPHROAIG WHAT IT IS TODAY

In 2019, Laphroaig released a new Scotch whisky, The Ian Hunter Story Book One: Unique Character. It was presented in a novel manner, in the form of a heavy tome that, after a few pages, revealed a neat slot with a bottle holding liquid 30 years old nestled therein. It was also the first chapter of a series of rare and collectable aged whiskies that honour the legacy of Ian Hunter. He was the last of the Johnston family to own and manage the Laphroaig distillery, between 1908 and 1944. 15 such books were planned. Each release was to contain an aged Laphroaig, set into a crafted book that would document a part of Ian’s legacy. Every year, a new chapter would be told, uncovering the history behind Laphroaig and the characters who created it.

THE STORY- BOOK ONE: A UNIQUE CHARACTER is at 46.7% ABV. Aged in first-fill bourbon barrels, this non-chill filtered whisky is rounded with a combination of sweet, zesty and medicinal notes, the company says. This is Hunter’s influence, as it was his decision to introduce American white oak barrels into the maturation process of Laphroaig. Over time, the original smokiness of this 30-year-old whisky has become less of an assault on the senses. Married with the sweet vanilla notes enhanced with aging, the whisky develops into a more mature, well-rounded dram. The Ian Hunter Story Book One: Unique Character is available for a suggested retail price of approximately $560 per 750-ml. bottle. 

The first edition of the new, fifteen part series The Ian Hunter Story celebrates the legacy of Ian Hunter, a character as unique as their whisky. Unique. Distinctive. Not for everyone. You could be describing Ian Hunter as much as you could the taste of Laphroaig. Despite his polarising personality, Ian Hunter made Laphroaig what it is today: a whisky enjoyed the world over by a wide and diverse range of people.

Laphroaig is born out of the ancient soil of Islay, the art of distillation and the iconic nature of the people of Islay (‘The Ileachs’). It is thanks to Ian Hunter’s management of the Laphroaig distillery from 1908 to 1944 that these characteristics were brought together to create the whisky that we hold in front of us today.

Ian Hunter’s story still resonates across so many aspects of Laphroaig. In celebration of that fact, each release in this 15 Book series will tell the story of his unique character and his inspiring legacy—a legacy that lives on in their liquid.

In honour of the legacy of Ian Hunter, each release will contain a rare and aged Laphroaig®, set into a beautifully crafted book that will document a part of Ian’s rich legacy. making this a collection unlike any other, and one that is treasured by Laphroaig fans across the world.

TASTE PROFILE

Colour: Burnished gold.

Nose: Sweet and medicinal with manuka honey, light peat smoke, cooked apple and rosemary vanilla. Orgeat syrup and a hint of lemon peel complete the aroma.

Palate: Peaty and peppery with notes of herbs, cedar, kumquat zest and gorse flower. A sweetness of custard cream and vanilla pods.

Finish: Coastal with subtle iodine, sea salt and seaweed notes. A touch of coffee and oaky character.

Maturation: 30 Years in first-fill American white oak bourbon barrels.

THE STORY - BOOK TWO: BUILDING AN ICON is at 48.2% ABV but aged for 30 years in Spanish Oak Oloroso Sherry oaks.

The second release of Ian Hunter’s series has come in 2021, a non-chill filtered whisky with sweet sherry notes underscored by Laphroaig ‘s characteristic peatiness. This second release is a tribute to the Icon that Ian Hunter built more than 100 years ago. Because no one thing is more important to the creation of Laphroaig® than the place it comes from Islay and the ‘hollow by the bay’ where Laphroaig® first came into being. It might seem obvious to state, but their whisky could not be recreated in any other place than this.

Set into a beautifully crafted book that will document a part of Ian’s rich legacy which will unfold across 15 years, with every year seeing a new chapter, uncovering the extensive history behind Laphroaig® and the characters who created it, making this a collection unique, and one to be collected by Laphroaig® fans across the world.

Distinctive. Not for everyone This second release, a 30 year old non-chill filtered whisky, is matured in Spanish Oak Oloroso Sherry cask, which makes this second book a unique peated single malt whisky.

The second book starts with Warehouse No.1. With the different cask types being brought by Ian Hunter, including ex-bourbon barrels and sherry cask, Ian recognised the need for more capacity to house them. Ian selected the location by the Atlantic shore that would have its influence on the casks and planned a five-phased extension between 1910 and 1924. It is this icon that is celebrated in Book Two.  

TASTE PROFILE

Colour: Burnt umber.

Nose: Dried dates and figs, cigar box with toffee and dark chocolate, liquorice with medicinal notes, pink peppercorns and all spice. Adding water brings out pipe tobacco and orange peel.

Palate: Manuka honey; sweet, smoked stone fruit.

Finish: Long and mouth drying.

Maturation: 30 Years in Spanish Oak Oloroso Sherry oaks.

In over 20 years of tasting at least 15 expressions from this distillery, this is probably my favorite Laphroaig release of all time. After 30 years in a sherry cask, this whisky is decidedly dark, almost coffee brown in colour, easily the darkest Laphroaig release I can recall. Intensely nutty on the nose, it comes across with more of a Pedro Ximenez character than oloroso, immersive and rich with notes of black tea, some pepper, and the essence of my leather flying jacket.

It wasn’t until I fully savoured the first sip that I really became aware of the peat; the smokiness is so well-integrated with the other aromatics, giving it a lovely, gently smoldering character. It’s soothing and comforting, but also incredibly decadent, that sherry evoking clove-studded oranges, honeyed nuts, and some nutmeg dusted atop. The finish continues the theme, intensely winey and nutty, with chocolate notes emerging in time. It’s absolutely gorgeous and literally impossible to stop drinking, and now that I have no more, I find myself intensely, terribly sad.

THE STORY- BOOK THREE: SOURCE PROTECTOR 70 Cl ABV 49.9%, matured in refill ex-bourbon barrels. The third instalment in the Laphroaig ‘Ian Hunter Story’ series will be a 33 Year Old, bottled at 49.9% ABV. This third book is called ‘Source Protector’. It is a vintage 1987 distillation, fully matured in refill ex-bourbon barrels, showing hints of peaty aniseed and creamy liquorice. More details will be available when the Book is released, later this year.

Prices have skyrocketed. Book One is available at select sites for $1,250.

UPDATE

Laphroaig has launched the third whisky in its Ian Hunter Story series, the 33-year-old single malt Book Three: Source Protector. The Beam Suntory-owned brand launched the second Scotch in the collection October 2020.

The single malt charts the history behind the Kirkbride stream. Following a long-running dispute, Hunter purchased the land leading up to the source of the stream to ensure the distillery would be powered by steam. On the nose, the Scotch offers notes of pears, peaches and apricots. The palate delivers aniseed and liquorice.

The limited edition whisky is available from Laphroaig’s official website and specialist retailers for£920, $1,250 USD, and €990.

Addenda: In July this year, Laphroaig unveiled the 2021 editions of its 10-year-old and 25-year-old cask strength single malts. Part of batch 13, both whiskies have matured in ex-Bourbon casks. In March, Laphroaig had added a 10 Years Old Sherry Oak whisky to its core range.

THE COMMEMORATIVE SCOTTISH FUSION MALT WHISKIES

Indian Amrut is not the only fusion whisky

THE SCOTTISH FUSION WHISKIES STORY

The Glover Fusion Whisky Ltd. was originally formed as a small enterprise- TBG & Co- with the aim of producing a Scotch whisky to raise awareness of entrepreneur Thomas Blake Glover’s role in shaping modern Japan and celebrate Scotland’s historical, economical, cultural and social links to Japan. They then realised that if Glover and Japan were to be feted by the ceremonial release of a specially created whisky, Japanese malt whisky would have to be included and the outcome could never be a Scotch whisky, but an international blended malt.

Late 2014, the board of TBG & Co contacted Alex Bruce, managing director and master blender at Adelphi, with the intent of creating a designated Fusion whisky by 2015 to celebrate Glover’s life. In the end, and despite the challenges of international procurement and production, they produced not one but three Glover whiskies, the first two in 2015, all of which sold out. The Glover Fusions gave the board the opportunity to highlight the unique flavours of both countries, and create a blend that was even more than the sum of its parts.

In the summer of 2016, they embarked on an ambitious programme to bring out a series of new fusion whiskies, something that has never been done before. They changed names from TBG & Co to Fusion Whisky Ltd to better represent their aims, and, in the autumn of 2016, released the second title in the fusion whisky series, The Kincardine. This blended malt whisky is a fusion of the Indian Amrut single malt whisky and Scotch from Glen Elgin and Macallan distilleries. It honours the life of the “Walking Viceroy” Victor Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin and 13th Earl of Kincardine, who spent a lifetime in public service and whose legacy lives on in both Scotland and India. Incidentally, Adelphi’s Alex Bruce is the great-grandson of the 9th Earl of Elgin.

With very strong international interest in this pioneering approach to blended malt whisky, Fusion Whisky Limited moved forward with its series of innovative fusion whiskies. Working with partner Adelphi, they have produced blended malts in partnership with a Dutch and Australian distillery and are in discussions with other international distilleries in countries where Scots have had a profound influence and where exceptional craft whisky is being produced.

Fusion has since won a major award from Scotland Food & Drink for the innovative collaboration with Adelphi, and continues to attract interest from whisky lovers around the world.

Thomas Blake Glover was born in the thriving fishing port of Fraserburgh on the north-east coast of Scotland and educated at The Chanonry House School in Old Aberdeen. After school he joined the largest British company trading in the Far East, Jardine Matheson, and in 1857 was sent to work in the company’s Shanghai office. Two years later he was appointed as the company’s agent in Nagasaki – a brave move, since there was considerable resistance to Westerners in Japan at the time.

Indeed, until 1858 Japan was closed to all foreign trade and external influences – a policy which had been followed since 1639, with the exception of a tightly controlled Dutch trading station on the island of Dejima. By the mid-19th century, however, a powerful faction grew in the Japanese central administration, which was aware of the power of western technology and frustrated by the government’s extreme conservatism, which blocked attempts to modernise Japan.

It was against this background of political and social turmoil that Thomas Glover began to operate, initially for Jardine, Matheson and Co. and then as an independent merchant. He learned Japanese and initially traded green tea out of Japan, arms which he bought in Shanghai or Hong Kong and ship broking, the latter through his brothers, James and Charles, ship brokers and builders in Aberdeen. Between 1863 and 1867 the Glovers sold twenty ships to Japan, including the first modern warship in the Imperial Japanese Navy.

In the early 1860s he was also involved in arranging an (illegal) trip to Britain for five senior members of the Choshu Clan, and later fifteen members of the powerful Satsuma Clan, based in the south of the country. These men would play an important part in promoting Western technology and ultimately became very senior members of the government which overthrew the old regime with the restoration of the Emperor Meiji in 1868.

The new government was dedicated to learning from the West, encouraging trade and directly supporting business and industry and Thomas Glover soon became a leading figure in the industrialisation of Japan.

Among many other ventures he developed the first modern coal mine in the country at Takashima, had a dry dock built in Aberdeen and shipped to Nagasaki, founded the shipbuilding company which would later become the Mitsubishi Corporation and backed the establishment of the Japan’s first large-scale brewery, becoming head of the Japan Brewery Company in 1894. In recognition of these achievements, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, the first non-Japanese to be so honoured.

The Whiskies

To honour the achievements of a unique man, Thomas Blake Glover, and the historical relationship between Scotland and Japan, independent bottler, Adelphi Distillery Ltd., was asked to create a blend of Japanese and Scotch malt whiskies.

To this end, Adelphi was offered the chance to select a single refill ex-sherry hogshead from one of the few remaining casks from Hanyu Distillery. It was disgorged and shipped to England for marrying with a carefully determined volume of Scotch whisky from two single casks: 35% from an American oak ex-sherry hogshead distilled at Longmorn, and just a drop from a Spanish oak ex-sherry butt distilled at Glen Garioch.

The final ratio was assessed through extensive trial vattings by Alex Bruce and Charles MacLean. "We wanted the final whisky to present the unique flavours of both casks, but also to be even more than the sum of its parts. We added a drop of whisky from Glen Garioch Distillery in homage to Thomas Glover’s home in Aberdeenshire, to complete the flavour profile," they said. It was launched as a 22 year old malt whisky in 2015 at an ABV of 53.1%.  

The Glover whiskies edition was completed with the Glover 18 of 2017. It followed the launch of The Glover 22 and The Glover 14, both in 2015 & The Glover 18 of 2016, but is said to have a “a little more Sherry cask influence” than its predecessor. In line with the rest of the range, the whisky is composed of liquid from Scottish distilleries and the Hanyu distillery in Japan.

“Both mouth filling and teeth coating (waxy), it’s initially tangy with decadent marzipan and milk chocolate leading to a very well balanced finish warmed by a hint of fresh pepper and the slightest hint of distant smoke,” Alex Bruce, MD & Master Blender at Adelphi Distillery. The Glover whiskies are blended at Adephi Distillery and released under the Fusion Whisky company. There is every likelihood of a fifth edition of the Glover Fusion series.

THE GLOVER 14 YO 44.3% (2015)   18 YO 48.6% (2016)            18 YO 49.2% (2017)            22 YO 53.1%(2015) 

THE FOLLOW UP

The Kincardine: Fusion of Indian and Scotch Whisky

The Kincardine is a fusion of Amrut single malt whisky from India and Scotch from Glen Elgin and Macallan distilleries. It honours the life of the “Walking Viceroy” Victor Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin and 13th Earl of Kincardine, who spent a lifetime in public service and whose legacy lives on in both Scotland and India. The edition consists of two blended malts, the Kincardine 7 YO and the E&K 5 YO.

Victor Alexander Bruce was the 9th Earl of Elgin and 13th Earl of Kincardine. Incidentally, he is Adelphi’s Alex Bruce’s great-grandfather. In 1894, Queen Victoria, the Empress of India, granted him the most prestigious appointment in the British Empire – Viceroy of India. As Viceroy, Victor Bruce had responsibility for the entire sub-continent and its population of 320 million people, who were covertly hostile towards the foreigners who they considered marauders out to loot India, and who ultimately plundered £43 trillion.

Unrest, famine and colonial politics all reared their head; the north-west frontier and border with China were sources of tension too. In 1895, he took decisive action to lift the siege of Chitral. Two years later he authorised a force of more than 35,000 troops to recover the Khyber Pass. The boundary line that his government negotiated with the Chinese in the Eastern Himalayas – India’s Line of Actual Control – remains a source of tension today.

To cope with the pressures of office, Victor took regular early morning walks, accompanied only by a solitary detective and his trusted walking stick. These walks, often incognito, gave Victor an invaluable but Anglo-biased insight into India and its people and earned him the nickname “the Walking Viceroy”. After his return to Scotland in 1899, Victor returned to public service.

The Kincardine 7 YO Blended Malt Whisky, 52.9% ABV

Created using whisky matured in American oak hogsheads from Glen Elgin in Speyside and Amrut Distillery in Bangalore, The Kincardine is a fusion of burnished copper and summer gold, of honeyed sugars and tropical fruits.

Perfected by Adelphi’s master blender Alex Bruce, The Kincardine is a majestic whisky that brings together the best of Scotland and India. it is believed to be a fitting tribute to the “Walking Viceroy”.

The E&K 5 YO Blended Malt Whisky, 57.8%

The E&K 5 YO Blended Malt is a unique fusion of Scotch whisky from Ardmore and Glenrothes distilleries and malt whiskies from Amrut Distillery in India. The E&K is an exquisite tribute to a remarkable Scot, the “Walking Viceroy” Victor Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin and 13th Earl of Kincardine.

The Winter Queen: A Majestic Blend of Scotch and Dutch Whisky

The Winter Queen is the third in the series of iconic blends from Fusion Whisky and Adelphi, created in honour of the Scottish princess, Elizabeth Stuart. A blend of Scotch malt whisky from Longmorn and Glenrothes distilleries and malt whisky from Zuidam Distillery in the Netherlands, only 866 bottles of the iconic whisky were produced.

Elizabeth Stuart was born in Falkland Palace in Fife in 1596, the eldest daughter of King James VI of Scotland and Queen Anne of Denmark. By the time of her death in 1662, she had been heir to the crowns of England, Scotland and Ireland, survived murderous plots and bloody sieges, borne 13 children, been crowned Queen of Bohemia, took domicile in the Hague and revolutionised cultural life in the Dutch Republic, her adopted home of forty years.

The teenage princess modelled herself on her famous godmother, Queen Elizabeth I. She clearly had aspirations, and her wedding to Frederick V, Elector-Palatine of the Holy Roman Empire, was a lavish event, even by royal standards. In 1619, the couple left their home in Heidelberg for Prague after Frederick was elected King of Bohemia. But rebellion erupted and they were deposed after barely a year, earning Elizabeth the sobriquet the “Winter Queen”.

The Brisbane: A Heavenly Blend of Scotch and Australian Malt Whisky

The Brisbane 5 YO Blended Malt 57.5% ABV

The Brisbane is the fourth in the series of iconic blends from Fusion Whisky and Adelphi, created in honour of the Scottish soldier and astronomer, Thomas Makdougall Brisbane.

Born near Largs in Scotland in 1773, Thomas Brisbane was a distinguished officer in the British Army, and served as Governor of New South Wales from 1821-25. As well as the city that bears his name, Brisbane opened the door to the foundation of Melbourne, enabled a free press, and worked to improve conditions for colonists and secure compensation for Aboriginals who lost land.

A unique fusion of Scotch malt whisky from two Spanish oak ex-sherry hogsheads distilled at Glen Garioch, Highland, part of an ex-sherry butt distilled at Glen Grant, Speyside and three ex-Apera casks distilled at Starward Distillery, Melbourne, The Brisbane is a heavenly tribute to a remarkable Scot.

Mahogany with amber lights. initially nose drying, with freshly baked croissants topped with butterscotch sauce, pecan pie, ginger, runny honey, chocolate éclairs and banoffee.

Chocolate éclairs in the taste with stone fruits in the development: ripe plum, apricot and tinned prune juice.

Sweet overall in the finish; creamy mouthfeel, bitter chocolate and more toffee to finish.

The Glover Fusion Fifth Edition 2020

The Glover 5th Edition Fusion By Adelphi 4 YO Cask Strength 54.7% ABV

The 5th release of the innovative and sought after 'Fusion whisky', named after Thomas Blake Glover, who opened up trade between Japan and Britain in the 19th Century and was awarded the Order Of The Rising Sun (the first foreigner to receive this) took place in 2020.

This bottling contains two of the most exciting single malts in the world: Chichubu from Japan and Adelphi's own Ardnamurchan Distillery. Two young 4 YO casks from each were blended together and the result is a dram of excellent balance and depth despite it's youth. This particular bottling has not been dedicated to any one, deceased or alive.

Official Tasting Notes: This is the 5th Glover in the series and all derives from 1st fill bourbon barrels. 2 from AD & 2 from Chichibu. This whisky has a lovely colour of summer gold. On the nose one finds honeycomb, melon, clementine, panatone, flaky almonds & Sour Plooms. The palate delivers a great balance of pineapple cake, mandarin and barley juice & lemon bonbons. Becoming maritime with a light peat smoke to finish, very moreish.

RARE RELEASE TO COMPLEMENT BRORA REOPENING

 Ultra-rare Brora Triptych release

TO COINCIDE WITH DISTILLERY REOPENING THIS MAY

                        After three years of renovation spearheaded by owner Diageo,                                                                          Scottish silent distillery Brora, which ceased operating in 1983,                                                                          is set to reopen this May. The spirits group is releasing the Brora                                                                     Triptych rare whisky collection in 50cl bottles to mark the occasion

                             Timeless Original                       Elusive Legacy                                Age of Peat

Brora today revealed a one-off special release of three extremely rare Single Malt whiskies, each representing a distinct style of Brora’s proud and storied heritage. From mid-May, upon the completion of the restoration of Brora distillery, the Brora Triptych will be available, in celebration of its return.

The Brora Triptych, a £30,000 collection of rare single malt Scotch whiskies from Highlands distillery Brora (Diageo), consists of three expressions – Elusive Legacy (48 years old), Age of Peat (43 years old) and Timeless Original (38 years old). They will be sold in 500 ml bottles!

The whiskies are housed in handblown decanters (Glencairn Crystal Studio) made from 30% lead crystal – the glass distribution and fill level was carefully calculated to be the same across all three decanters in each set. Hand-engraved and infilled, the decanters feature the Brora emblem on the facing and coloured detail that echoes the stoppers. Indeed, this project marks the first time Glencairn used a new — and confidential — decoration process to colour coat to the metal stopper components. The colours are meant to replicate stone effects: amber with a gold polished brass top for the Elusive Legacy 48 years old, for example, and turquoise featuring a copper top for the Timeless Original 38 years old.

In 1983, a small Highlands distillery fell silent and the doors of the stillhouse locked. The distillery workers that had crafted spirit within it put down their tools and walked away, for what they thought would be for good. A distillery suspended in time for thirty-eight years, Brora will soon open its gates once again, after three years of meticulous brick by brick restoration.

Each collectible set of the Brora Triptych will be accompanied by a personal invitation from Brora’s Master Distiller Stewart Bowman to visit and experience Brora first-hand. Born in the town of Brora and with a long family connection to the distillery, Bowman worked alongside a host of artisans, whisky-makers and archivists in the restoration of the distillery buildings and its whisky and will carefully oversee the creation of new Brora spirit upon its return.

A three-piece whisky set, intended to be appreciated together, this Brora Triptych is a showcase of the distillery’s most famous three styles. Master Blender Dr. Craig Wilson has selected the vintage Single Malt whiskies in the Triptych. These whiskies are some of the very last precious relics from a Brora of bygone age. Each one represents a moment in time at the distillery and tasting these superb whiskies is to be part of a special moment in history. When selecting the casks for these rare bottlings, Brora wanted to celebrate those distinct characteristics that defined it, and those sought to uphold as a new chapter in its story is launched.

The first in the Brora Triptych, Elusive Legacy, is a 48-Year-Old and the oldest ever public release from the distillery. A very rare style from casks of 1972, this whisky represents an earthy expression of Brora, much sought after as it was only created in short periods throughout the distillery’s history. Warm chestnut in colour, there is a delicate aroma which blends wood spice with hints of peach tarte tatin, amidst a powerful rich maltiness.

The second, Age of Peat, is a 43-Year-Old heavily peated expression drawn from casks of 1977. This is a classic Brora style from the late 70’s, and one of the only examples of a highly-peated Highland whisky from that era. The few casks that were left from this phase matured remarkably well and the whisky is multi-layered and complex. Intensely deep and golden, this expression is elegant on the nose with creamy vanilla invigorated by freshly cut green apples and hints of beeswax, before a long, sweet finish of peat-fired smokiness.

Finally, Timeless Original, is a 38-Year-Old, from limited stocks of 1982 and represents the distinct waxiness that made Brora famous. This more modern and refined style returns to lower peating levels, reflective of Brora whisky before the Age of Peat. Glowing yellow gold in hue, sherberty lemon peel, and a touch of fresh green grass dance on the nose.

The three Single Malt whiskies are presented in one beautiful presentation case, inspired by Brora’s surrounding coastlines. Each crystal bottle is completed with Glencairn crystal stoppers, and the cabinet, built from ash wood all sourced in the UK, was crafted by Master Cabinetmaker and Royal Warrant Holder N. E. J. Stevenson.

Never before have three styles of Brora been released in one collector’s set and the Brora Triptych is an unparalleled capsule of the original and historic Brora stocks. Released at the same time as the distillery reopens, this once-in-a-generation collector’s set will be available globally for purchase directly from the distillery, Brora.com and specialty retailers starting in mid-May 2021.

MR CONSISTENT: CAOL ILA FROM ISLAY

 CAOL ILA: THE SUM OF MANY PARTS

A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE WALKER FAMILY

Caol Ila, pronounced “Cul-EE-lah” is the Gaelic name for the Sound of Islay, which separates the island from Jura. For some, the distillery’s pronunciation is as remote as its location, sitting as it does on the rugged eastern coast, where it has remained hidden from view since 1846. What ever you say, the fine, smoky whisky produced by generations of islanders is worth exploring.

Caol Ila is often termed 'Mr Consistent'. It is, I believe, a fair assessment. The largest distillery on Islay in terms of volume, Caol Ila always seems to manage to hit the perfect balance between maturity and distillery character, no matter whether it is in official or independent bottlings.

Caol Ila is an interesting phenomena where a ‘brand’ is a victim of the twin forces of its own ubiquity and quality. One can’t help but love its punchy, distillate-forward style. What’s more, it’s one of those extremely rare names that have always sheltered quality from the first known bottled examples hailing from the old distillery, right through to the present day make. Perhaps these ultra-lean modern examples aren’t as majestic as their 1960s counterparts, but then again, few spirits on this whole planet are. Today sees a healthy jumble of diverse expressions, from a never ending stream of new distilleries!

CAOL ILA DISTILLERY: ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

Caol Ila's distillery character manages to combine a fresh pear note, grassiness, a hint of juniper and distinct notes of the seashore – lobster shells, crab creels and gentle smoke. Although it receives the same spec of malt as sister distillery Lagavulin, Caol Ila’s distillation regime – longer fermentation, higher cut point, taller stills – helps to reduce the heavy phenols. Located just feet from the salty ocean waters, four large pot stills operate at 50% capacity 24 hours a day. This low fill allows for high copper contact and plenty of interaction time within the still.

With 34 ppm of phenols, Caol Ila is not the most heavily peated of Islay malts, but – on paper at least – it’s no shrinking violet. However, it’s moderated here by the exclusive use of ex-bourbon barrels, and they lend a subtlety and distinction to this very well mannered islander. The wood regime is also evident in the light colour of the spirit. Maturation for the single malt is in refill casks. The unpeated variant is equally delicate, with a fresh, estery and almost floral lift.

Its importance for blends meant that, until 2002, when a 12-year-old was released, malt lovers had to seek out independent bottlings. Now there is a range including the NAS Moch, 18-year-old and 25-year-old, a finished Distiller’s Edition and annual special releases.

In 1846, one Hector Henderson, who owned the old Camlachie distillery in Glasgow, decided to build a small distillery in a tight bay next to Port Askaig, on Islay’s east coast. He named his venture Caol Ila, Gaelic for the Sound of Islay, the stretch of water which it overlooked.

In 1857, Henderson was bought out by blender Bulloch Lade, who improved the site by building a substantial pier. Ever since, Caol Ila has its own pier where early day steam ships or coal fired puffers and today’s barges can unload supplies and load up on whisky for sale on the mainland. Caol Ila has seen many owners. Consecutive owners included Henderson, Lamont & Co, Norman Buchanan (1863-1879). According to the 1871 census, Duncan Johnston was the Distillery Manager at the time. Duncan was the nephew of John Johnston of Lagavulin and cousin to the Laphroaig Johnstons and so the family were involved with yet another distillery on the island. By the 1880s over 147,000 imperial gallons (670,000 L) of whisky were produced there each year. Caol Ila was liquidated by Bulloch Lade and sold to J. P. O'Brien Ltd in 1920, who in turn sold it to a consortium –Caol Ila Distillery Co Ltd. the same year.

It was absorbed into DCL (now Diageo) in 1927. DCL and transferred Caol Ila to Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd in 1930 - who then shut it down again. The Caol Ila distillery was silent until 1934 and after some activity, restrictions on people, power and barley mean the distillery had to close again in 1941, during part of the second World War. It then ran continuously until 1972, when the old distillery was demolished and a new, significantly larger one was built with six stills rather than two, by 1974. This transformed Caol Ila into Islay’s largest producer in order to meet increased demand from the blenders. Only the warehouses (filled with maturing whisky) were spared. After 1974, Caol Ila started to buy their malted barley from the Port Ellen maltings. The pure spring water is from the nearby Loch nam Ban. Some people make a clear distinction between the heavier 'old' Caol Ila that was produced before 1972 and the lighter, cleaner spirit that was distilled after the expansion in 1974.

The Caol Ila distillery became part of the United Distillers conglomerate in 1986. In 1989, the first 'semi-official' bottling was released in the 'Flora & Fauna' range. This would be the only official bottling for quite some time (not counting releases in the 'Rare Malts' series).

These days official bottlings are widely available. In 2002 Caol Ila introduced a complete 'core range'. Apart from the fairly standard 12yo, 18yo and Cask Strength bottlings, Diageo also releases occasional single cask bottlings as well.

Independent bottlings have become easier to find as well. When casks of Lagavulin and Laphroaig became harder to acquire after the year 2000, independent bottlers started to release more private and 'bastard' bottlings too.

Although the profile of Caol Ila as a single malt has been enhanced in recent years, the main function of the distillery is still the production of malt whiskies for the Johnnie Walker blends. Among single malt whisky lovers, Caol Ila is known as a relatively clean peated whisky - but the whisky that is used for blends is actually UNPEATED.

Unbeknownst to many, the Caol Ila distillery actually started with trial runs with unpeated whisky in the 1980's. These tests were deemed successful, so this 'Highland' Caol Ila became part of the regular production process. (For circa two decades this unpeated whisky was used almost exclusively for blends, but in 2006 it was introduced as an 8 years old single malt. Three years later a 10yo Cask Strength variety was added.)

These were still the days before the single malt market had really taken off, and its make was destined for a huge array of blends across the whole whisky industry – most notably within its parent company, it filled massive requirements for Johnnie Walker.

When the downturn came in the 1980s, Caol Ila began running unpeated ‘Highland style’ for blends. Not only did it have capacity, but doing so allowed the distillery to stay open. Unpeated is still made every year, with volumes dependent on the forecasts of Diageo’s blending team. In 2011, another major revamp took place with a new mash tun and more washbacks being installed, which resulted in capacity increasing to 6.5m litres per annum. During the silent period when contraction was taking place, Bunnahabhain made the peated requirements.

ARTIST'S IMPRESSION OF REWORKED VISITOR CENTRE

In 2018, Diageo revealed plans to spend £150m on upgrading tourism facilities, including a new brand home for Johnnie Walker in Edinburgh, and improved visitor centres at Caol Ila, plus Clynelish, Cardhu and Glenkinchie, representing regional styles present in Walker. At Caol Ila, a new visitor centre will be created in the distillery warehouse, including a footbridge entry, new car parking and a bar with views across the Sound of Islay to Jura.

CAOL ILA – OTHER DETAILS

Caol Ila is the largest distillery on Islay by far, producing roughly a quarter of all the malt whisky that is distilled on the isle of Islay. As such, Caol Ila's capacity dwarfs better known malt whisky brands like Longmorn, Glenfarclas and Laphroaig and Lagavulin. Caol Ila is widely open to visitors between April and October - and slightly less so in November and December.

The location of the distillery is relatively remote, but the nearby historic site at Loch Finlaggan provides another reason to make the trip. From a small island in the lake, the ‘Lords of the Isles’ ruled Scotland for centuries.

Although there is a three storey warehouse on the distillery grounds, these days the entire production is sent to the mainland via tanker trucks. So, the young Caol Ila spirit is not filled and matured on Islay.

 These days, Caol Ila is the largest distillery on Islay by far. With an annual production capacity of 6.5 million litres of pure alcohol per year it was one of the top 10 distilleries in Scotland in 2015.

By 2013 roughly a third of Caol Ila’s production consisted of unpeated whisky.

UNPEATED EXPRESSIONS

Caol Ila has 10 washbacks - 8 made out of wood; 2 from stainless steel.

After the distillery was remodelled and expanded in 1974 to better suit the needs of blenders Caol Ila introduced a novel new whisky for blenders in the mid 1980's: unpeated malt whisky known as 'Caol Ila Highland'. This product was intended for blending and most (if not all) casks would thus have gone to blenders. However, in 1999 Caol Ila resumed production of unpeated whisky for the 'single malt' market. These bottlings became available in 2006 or 2007 when Diageo released the first bottling of the Caol Ila 8 Years Old 'Unpeated'. Since most blenders were not in the habit of storing their casks for very long (with the exception of Douglas Laing, perhaps) there probably are not that many casks of the unpeated Caol Ila Highland around - if any at all...

Caol Ila was the first distillery on Islay that switched from direct firing of the stills to indirect heating via steam. They were also the first to trade in their traditional worm tubs for shell and tube condensers.

In The New Millennium

2002 - Caol Ila has been one of Diageo's 'volume' distilleries for quite some time. The only (semi-) official releases were a 'Flora & Fauna' bottling and a few 'UD Rare Malts' expressions. However, at the start of the new millennium Diageo wanted to strengthen the Caol Ila brand. They introduced a range of official bottlings; the "standard" 12 years old whisky, an 18yo and a cask strength version without an age statement.

2005 - Caol Ila is added to the 'Classic Malts' range of Diageo. This range used to contain only six different single malts (Cragganmore, Dalwinnie, Glenkinchie, Lagavulin, Oban & Talisker) when it was introduced in the late 1980's, but in 2005 a bunch of other single malts suddenly became classic - including Cardhu, Clynelish and Glen Elgin.

2006 - The Caol Ila "Unpeated" (formerly known as ‘Caol Ila Highland’ to blenders) is released as a 8yo OB.

2014 - As it turns out, Diageo had their eye on the future when they released the unpeated variety to the general public in 2006. They kept enough maturing casks in stock to keep releasing older expressions regularly. A 15yo bottling of unpeated Caol Ila was released in 2014 - as well as a 30yo peated bottling. 

2009 - A ten years old version of the unpeated variety is released at an higher ‘cask’ strength than the 8yo.

2011 - Diageo keeps expanding Caol Ila’s portfolio, this time with a 12yo version of the unpeated variety and a new version without an age statement called “Moch”.