LAGAVULIN CELEBRATES 200 YEARS WITH A LIMITED EDITION 25 YEAR OLD

Diageo has announced the launch of a limited edition 25 Year Old Lagavulin bottling, as part of its continued celebrations’ of its 200th Anniversary year.

Lagavulin 25 Year Old - 200th Anniversary Edition (57.2% ABV) is the distillery’s first 25 Year Old to be matured exclusively in sherry casks.

Lagavulin 25 Year Old - 200th Anniversary Edition

This latest release from the iconic Islay distillery, has been released in recognition of its distillery managers and the contribution they have made in crafting their single malt whisky across the years.

200 years ago, John Johnston & Archibald Campbell oversaw the first new make spirit distilled. Since that day the distillery managers have carried on the Lagavulin legacy, creating its acclaimed spirit on the shores of the Hebridean Isle.

Commenting on the launch, Dr Nick Morgan, Diageo’s Head of Whisky Outreach, said: “To continue this special birthday we wanted to release a brand new bottling to Lagavulin enthusiasts worldwide. The 25 Year Old is a sublime expression of Lagavulin, I couldn’t think of a better way to pay homage to the distillery managers. This year our aim is to bring as many people to Islay and Islay to as many people from around the globe as possible to celebrate years of craft and passion.”

Limited to just 8,000 bottles, this special bottling follows the release of Lagavulin 8 Year Old, in March, which marked the start of the distillery’s 200th anniversary celebrations.

Lagavulin 25 Year Old - 200th Anniversary Edition, will be available from specialist retailers next month, for a RRP of £799.00.

Posted by Steve Rush

SUNTORY ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF NEW NORTH AMERICAN EXCLUSIVE JAPANESE BLEND

Beam Suntory has announced the official launch of a new Suntory Japanese blended whisky expression, that will be exclusive to the US and Canada.

Suntory Toki (43% ABV) has been blended using constituent whiskies from the House of Suntory’s globally acclaimed Hakushu, Yamazaki, Chita distilleries.

Suntory Toki

This latest release is said to be respectful of its heritage but inspired by reinvention, and challenges whisky convention by rethinking the hierarchy of its components.

Suntory blends often use Yamazaki malts as their key component, but the House of Suntory’s fourth Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo took a fresh approach with Suntory Whisky Toki, selecting Hakushu American white oak cask malt whisky and Chita heavy-type grain whisky as the blend’s two main component parts.

Traditionally in Suntory blends, grain whiskies have played a supporting role, acting as a broth or dashi to accentuate key malts. But the unrivalled sophistication and wide range of grain whiskies produced at Suntory’s Chita distillery led Shinji Fukuyo to rethink that role.

Hakushu American white oak cask malt whisky, is said to bring a unique freshness and mellowness to the blend, with spectacular green apple notes. Chita heavy-type grain whisky is said to add clean, sweet and balancing vanilla notes to the blend.

To give the blend greater depth and complexity, Fukuyo carefully selected two Yamazaki malts; Yamazaki American white oak, to harmonize the Hakushu and Chita components, and Yamazaki Spanish oak, to add woody and bittersweet notes to the blend.

Suntory Toki, will be available in the US later this month and in Canada next month for a RRP of $39.99.

Posted by Steve Rush

WALSH WHISKEY OFFICIALLY OPENS ITS €25M DISTILLERY AT ROYAL OAK

Walsh Whiskey has today officially opened its €25 million distillery at Royal Oak, County Carlow in Ireland.

The new site which is now producing whiskey for Walsh Whiskey’s Irishman and Writers Tears brands, marks the return of distilling to County Carlow for the first time in over 200 years.

Walsh Whiskey officially opens its distillery at Royal Oak

Alongside husband and wife, Bernard & Rosemary Walsh, founders of Walsh Whiskey Distillery, the opening ceremony was officiated by Augusto Reina, Chief Executive of Illva Saronno Spa of Milan (owners of drinks brands Disaronno and Tia Maria) which has a 50% share in the Walsh Whiskey Distillery.

Located on an 18th century estate comprising 40 acres of pastoral land, the distillery is the only independent Irish whiskey distillery producing all three styles of Irish whiskey; pot still, malt and grain from its two production lines using both pot stills and column stills.

The new distillery has the capacity to produce 650,000 cases of whiskey annually which is 9.7% of the total Irish whiskey exports in 2014. The site will also include two maturation houses with capacity for 60,000 barrels. Work on these buildings will commence in 2017.

The company actually commenced distilling on Easter Sunday this year and is laying down stocks for release from 2019 onwards, after the minimum three-year maturation process has been completed.

Commenting on the distillery’s official launch, Bernard Walsh, Founder of Walsh Whiskey Distillery, said: “After 17 years in business, the opening of our own distillery is both the fulfilment of Rosemary and my own dreams and a game changing moment for the company. We are now in control of our destiny and have the capacity, variety and relationships to play our part in the continued revival of Irish whiskey which is one of this country’s great traditions.”

He added: “That we can do this in a place like Royal Oak which is blessed with an abundance of the best natural ingredients as well as being a place of beauty and tranquillity is idyllic. We look forward to sharing our whiskeys and Royal Oak with the world.”

Walsh Whiskey’s Irishman and Writers Tears brands are currently sold in 40 countries. In June the company signed a partnership agreement with Helsinki based drinks distributor Altia, to supply Nordic markets.

Posted by Steve Rush