September’s Whisky News

Lots of new whiskies AND new distilleries in this month’s whisky news round-up, so let’s get stuck in…

Industry Updates
R&B Distillers’ Raasay Distillery has officially opened (BBC News).

Community owned distillery, Glenwyvis, is running a second share offer in the hope of raising £750,000, with the first of its new make spirit due in November (The Coop News).

Plans submitted by the Cabrach Trust to create a distillery and heritage centre have been approved (Press & Journal). Whisky distilling is set to return to Newry in Norther Ireland for the first time in 200 years, after plans for a new distillery were submitted (The Spirits Business).

Scotch whisky distilleries attracted a record-breaking 1.7 million visitors in 2016 – up 8% on the previous year (The Spirits Business).

Perth-based Whisky Auctioneer has launched a new wine site, offering an accessible way to trade fine, old rare and collectable wines (The Herald).

Isle of Harris Distillers – which is more famous for its gin – is increasingly its single malt stocks, having secured a £1.7m financial support package (BQ Live).

A rare collection of all 16 Port Ellen releases are due to go under the hammer, with an estimated worth of between £23,000 and £25,000 (The Herald). Ardnamurchan Distillery is offering buyers of its whisky key information on the bottling, thanks to a tie-up with arc.net (The Herald).

And Renovo has had a super-sleek road bike created from old Glenmorangie whisky casks (Road CC).

New Releases

  • The Arran Malt James MacTaggart Anniversary Single Malt – celebrating James’ 10th year as master distiller and 40th year in the Scotch whisky industry (The Spirits Business)
  • Benromach Triple Distilled – has been distilled in the wash still one and the spirit still twice (The Whisky Business)
  • Benromach Château Cissac Wood Finish 2009 – has been finished in the French wine barrels for 25 months (The Spirits Business)
  • Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky – the inaugural release will comprise just 4,000 bottles (The Drinks Report)
  • Cù Bòcan 2006 Vintage – the peated expression from Tomatin is limited to just 9,000 bottles (The Whisky Business)
  • The Glen Grant Collection from Gordon & McPhail – the six vintage bottles are priced at £10,000 (Scotch Whisky)
  • Glenfiddich Winter Storm – the third botting in the Experimental Series has been finished in French oak Ice wine casks (The Whisky Business)
  • Glen Scotia 18 Year Old – finished in Oloroso sherry casks a year before bottling (The Drinks Report)
  • Highland Park Dragon Legend – the new expression uses a higher percentage of peated malt than the core 12 year old (The Spirits Business)
  • Johnnie Walker Black Label: The Director’s Cut – launched to mark the release of Blade Runner 2049 (Fortune)
  • Jura All And One – the 20 year old has been created to celebrate Jura’s community and the team at the distillery (The Drinks Report)
  • Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2017 – 6,000 bottles have been released to tie in with the annual music festival (Scotch Whisky)
  • Loch Lomond Inchmoan 10 Year Old – available exclusively in trade retail (The Drinks Report)
  • North of Scotland – the first official release from the distillery since its closure 37 years ago (Scotch Whisky)
  • Scotch Malt Whisky Society ‘The Vaults Collection’ – the first two expression in a new range of rare whiskies has been unveiled (The Whisky Business)
  • Speyburn 15 Year Old – released to coincide with refreshed packaging (The Drinks Report)
  • Strathearn Cask 028 and 044 – the second batches of the Perthshire distillery’s single malt (Scotch Whisky)
  • The Balvenie Peat Week Aged 14 Years – the first addition to the core range in five years (Imbibe)
  • The Macallan Edition No. 3 – the third release in the series is a collaboration between Bob Dalgarno and perfumist, Roja Dove (The Drinks Report)

And it might be a while off, but it’s been announced that The Glenlivet 12 Year Old is expected to return in three years, following a recovery in stocks (Scotch Whisky).

And finally…
If you’ve deep pockets, then you can count down to Christmas with this £10,000 whisky advent calendar (Daily Record).