THE MACALLAN RELEASES FINAL LALIQUE DECANTER IN ITS SIX PILLARS COLLECTION

The Macallan has announced the launch of the 6th and final Lalique Decanter in its luxury Six Pillars Collection.

The Macallan 65 Year Old ‘Peerless Spirit’ Lalique Decanter (46.3% ABV) which is said to deliver notes of honey-dipped Madagascan vanilla pods, cinnamon and Moroccan dates on the nose and notes of cracked black pepper, cloves and toasted cocoa beans on the palate, is one of the oldest and rarest ever released by the distillery.

The Macallan 65 Year Old 'Peerless Spirit' Lalique Decanter

This final release from in The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection, represents the concluding chapter in the story of The Macallan’s foundation stones, the elements that define the character of its single malt.  It also showcases the strength behind the decade long partnership, which has seen The Macallan and Lalique united by an unwavering commitment to craft, mastery and beauty.

Commenting on the launch, Ken Grier, Brand Director for The Macallan, said: “This stunning collection of decanters is the result of two kindred spirits, rooted in a shared passion for craftsmanship, detail and mastery. This sixth and final release continues to showcase the unwavering commitment of both the masters of Lalique and The Macallan to create beautiful and desirable objet d’art.”

He went on to say: “With the collection now complete, it is time to reflect not only on the exquisite whiskies that have been brought to the fore by The Macallan’s Master Whisky Maker, but also on the extraordinary skills of the Lalique craftsmen carrying on the legacy of René Lalique, the man whose talent continues to inspire and influence.  It is the heritage, customs and traditions of both The Macallan and Lalique that have united to create this ultimate collectable collection.”

Since its launch in 2005, The Macallan in Lalique Collection has proved extremely popular with collectors across the world. In 2014, according to a report in Whisky Magazine, The Macallan accounted for the top ten priced bottles sold at auction; eight out of ten of these sales were decanters from The Macallan in Lalique Collection.

The Macallan 65 Year Old ‘Peerless Spirit’ Lalique Decanter, is limited to just 450 individually numbered decanters, and will be available from July 1st through specialist retailers for a RRP of £23,500.

Posted by Steve Rush

BEAM SUNTORY LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION BOOKER'S AND KNOB CREEK BOTTLINGS

Beam Suntory has announced the launch of two limited edition bottlings, which pay homage to Booker Noe, the Beam Family's 6th Generation Master Distiller and founder of The Small Batch Bourbon Collection.

Booker's Rye Whiskey (68.1% ABV) has been aged for 13 Years, 1 months and 12 days, and has been made from a never before released rye mash bill, bottled uncut and unfiltered at its natural proof, which is said to be the way Booker preferred his whiskey.

Booker's Rye Whiskey and Knob Creek 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon

Knob Creek 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon (50% ABV) has been aged for 14 years, using barrels that Booker laid down in 2001 and finished by Fred Noe in honour of all he learned from his father and stays true to the pre-prohibition standards that Booker sought to restore when he introduced Knob Creek Bourbon.

These limited releases are each made from some of the last barrels laid down by the late Booker Noe in the final years of his life and will each be available as limited, one-time offerings. As the first rye whiskey ever offered from Booker's Bourbon, Booker's Rye Whiskey was made from a very limited number of barrels of a previously unreleased rye mash bill in Booker's signature uncut and unfiltered1 style. Knob Creek 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon debuts as the longest-aged expression ever released from Knob Creek.

Commenting on the launch of the two limited releases, Fred Noe, said: "When Dad helped pioneer the small batch movement nearly 30 years ago, he introduced a whole new way of thinking about how whiskey could be made -- introducing small batch, high quality whiskies like Booker's Bourbon and Knob Creek Bourbon with flavour like nobody had tasted before.  Now, all of these years later, we're excited to keep this tradition alive by giving our fans something really special with these two limited releases made from some of the last barrels Dad laid down. Dad knew exactly what he wanted when it came to making whiskey, and I know these releases would make him proud."

Booker's Rye Whiskey and Knob Creek 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon are available across the US from specialist retailers for the respective RRP’s of $299.99 and £129.99.

Posted by Steve Rush

INCHDAIRNIE DISTILLERY IN FIFE OFFICIALLY OPENS ITS DOORS

John Fergus & Co. Ltd have officially opened the doors on their new technology and innovation driven InchDairnie Distillery in Fife.

Founded by whisky industry veteran, Ian Palmer, the distillery is located in the outskirts of Kinglassie, Fife. The build took around 18 months and it will produce two million litres of whisky in its first year and as such, it steps away from the recent surge in ‘micro’ distilleries.

John Fergus & Co Managing Director Ian Palmer

Over the coming years, InchDairnie Distillery will focus on laying down stock for the future and the creation of its first InchDairnie Single Malt Scotch whisky, which is expected to be available to consumers around 2029. In addition, the distillery will make a malt for blending to sell to other distillers such as its strategic partner MacDuff International.

From its striking contemporary architecture and deep grey colour, to a meticulously designed whisky-making process based on five flavour innovations, InchDairnie Distillery is taking a bold, forward-thinking approach to producing Scotch malt whisky, while remaining respectful of tradition.

The distillery incorporates five flavour innovations that, when combined are said to create a completely unique flavour:  Seasonal barley – the rare use of winter barley, as well as more traditional spring barley. Mash conversion techniques – using an unconventional mash filter and hammer mill, a combination which is very rare in Scottish distilling. Unique yeast recipe – the blend of yeast strains used is unique to InchDairnie Distillery. High gravity fermentation – higher than normal gravities allow for a more flavoursome spirit. Bespoke stills with double condensers – distinct still shape and double condensers ensures more copper contact and helps create a unique flavour profile. It’s believed to be the only distillery to use double condensers.

Commenting on the launch, Ian Palmer, said: “We are fortunate not to be under any commercial pressure to release our whisky so we will wait until the whisky is at its absolute best, which could be in 10, 12 or 15 years’ time, only time will tell.”

He went on to say: “I’m hugely respectful of whisky-making traditions, but at InchDairnie our vision is to use technical expertise to capture and nurture all of the flavours from the whisky-making process. That’s why, alongside traditional ingredients such as water, malted barley and yeast, technology and innovation will be important ingredients in our whisky. The contemporary look of the distillery is designed to reflect our approach.”

Despite the size of the distillery site, John Fergus & Co have confirmed that they currently do not have plans to open a visitors centre at InchDairnie.

Posted by Steve Rush