GLENDRONACH LAUNCHES ITS 16TH BATCH OF SINGLE CASK BOTTLINGS

The GlenDronach Distillery, has announced the launch of its sixteenth batch of single cask bottlings, comprised of whiskies aged from 11 to 28 years in age.

The fifteen whiskies released in GlenDronach’s Single Cask Batch 16, ​were distilled between 1989 and 2006. In addition to 14 of the bottles that were finished in either a Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks, this latest batch also includes a bottle finished in a Portuguese port pipe.

GlenDronach Single Cask Batch 16

Glendronach’s Single Cask Batch 16, which is said to offer connoisseurs a rare opportunity to explore the powerful layers and complexity of the GlenDronach for themselves, is comprised of:

1989 Cask #5476 28 Year Old (49.9% ABV) PX Sherry Puncheon - 546 bottles
1990 Cask #7003 27 Year Old (55.3% ABV) PX Sherry Puncheon - 617 bottles
1990 Cask #1014 27 Year Old (50.9% ABV) PX Sherry Puncheon - 651 bottles
1990 Cask #7902 27 Year Old (52.1% ABV) PX Sherry Puncheon - 632 bottles
1992 Cask #127 25 Year Old (50.9 % ABV) Sherry Butt - 636 bottles
1992 Cask #103 25 Year Old (56.7% ABV) Sherry Butt - 513 bottles
1992 Cask #334 25 Year Old (58.5% ABV) Sherry Butt - 592 bottles
1993 Cask #55 24 Year Old (56.7% ABV) Sherry Butt - 567 bottles
1993 Cask #445 24 Year Old (52.4% ABV) Sherry Butt - 649 bottles
1995 Cask #3311 22 Year Old (50.3% ABV) PX Sherry Puncheon - 518 bottles
1995 Cask #4038 22 Year Old (55.1% ABV) PX Sherry Puncheon - 681 bottles
2002 Cask #4648 15 Year Old (54.7% ABV) PX Sherry Puncheon - 678 bottles
2005 Cask #1451 12 Year Old (56.1% ABV) PX Sherry Puncheon - 698 bottles
2004 Cask #3342 13 Year Old (55.4% ABV) Port Pipe - 643 bottles
2006 Cask #1979 11 Year Old (57.2% ABV) PX Sherry Puncheon - 679 bottles

Commenting on the launch, Rachel Barrie, Whisky Maker at GlenDronach, said: “The Batch 16 cask selection showcases facets of The GlenDronach house style; robust, elegant, fruity and full-bodied. Each cask individually demonstrates the finesse, powerful complexity and rich layers of sherry cask maturation found every GlenDronach expression.”

She went onto say: “All casks express The GlenDronach’s persistent dedication to the time-honoured methods and traditions since founding in 1826, a time when sherry and port casks were first imported and used to mature single malt. Revered for mastery of Spanish oak sherry cask maturation, The GlenDronach is synonymous with depth of cask colour and richness of taste, whether influenced by the sweet dark fruits of Pedro Ximenez or the dry nuttiness of Oloroso sherry. I am delighted to now be sharing the Batch 16 cask selection with connoisseurs across the world.”

All fifteen bottlings in GlenDronach’s Single Cask Batch 16, will be available next month from specialist retailers. RRP’s (tbc).

Posted by Steve Rush

J.J. CORRY IRISH BLENDED WHISKEY TO LAUNCH IN THE US

The Chapel Gate Irish Whiskey Co, has announced that its J.J. Corey ‘The Gael’ blended Irish whiskey expression is to launch in the US.

J.J. Corry, ‘The Gael’ (46% ABV) which launched in the UK and Ireland last year, has been blended using a combination of: 5% 26 Year Old single malt, 27.5% 11 Year Old single malt, 27.5% 15 Year Old single malt and 40% 7 Year Old single grain whiskey.

J.J. Corry 'The Gael'

The first batch of 7500 bottles has been imported by CompassPoint, a national importer of fine wines and spirits, who has appointed a dedicated team to roll out the brand across the US in 2018.

The Chapel Gate Irish Whiskey Co, was founded in 2015 by Louise McGuane, who has resurrected the lost art of Irish whiskey bonding under the JJ Corry brand name. The company is maturing whiskey in a purpose built bonded rackhouse on the McGuane family farm in Cooraclare, County Clare, on the West Coast of Ireland.

J.J. Corry, ‘The Gael’, which is named after a bicycle that whiskey Bonder J.J. Corry invented in the 1890s, is said to be a classic Irish whiskey, with full white stone fruit flavours, notes of lime with hints of pink peppercorns, dried grapefruit and apple.

Commenting on the brand, Louise McGuane, said: “Bonding Irish Whiskey was a lost art and business model which we have brought back to life. We are the first whiskey Bonder with in Ireland in 50 years and are proud to have brought this way of making Irish Whiskey back. Our first release, The Gael, has been greeted with great acclaim winning a Gold Medal in the Irish Whiskey Awards along with a medal in the World Whisky Awards.”

She went onto say: “Our farm has its own coastal micro-climate. We rack our casks in the traditional style and our purpose built Rackhouse has a clay floor for optimum humidity conditions. We are meticulous about the quality of new make spirit we buy and I personally source all of our casks. We have excellent quality spirit going into Grade A casks and those casks are maturing in a unique microclimate on the Wild Atlantic Way. We feel it is important to be 100% transparent about what we are doing. J.J. Corry, ‘The Gael’ is the beginning for us, a tribute to what has gone before us and a taste of what is to come.”

Earlier this month, the Chapel Gate Irish Whiskey Co, was named as a ‘Brand of Tomorrow’ on the Walpole Brands of Tomorrow programme.

J.J. Corry, ‘The Gael’, will be rolling out across the US from next month, and will be available from selected specialist retailers, for a RRP of $75.00.

Posted by Steve Rush

ARRAN TO RELEASE THE FIRST 700 CASKS FROM ITS NEW LAGG DISTILLERY SITE

The multi award-winning Isle of Arran Distillery, has announced that it will be releasing 700 casks from the first production run, at its new distillery site at Lagg.

With the construction of Arran’s second site on the south of the island at Lagg well underway, Master Distiller James MacTaggart, is giving whisky fans a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of single malt history on the Isle of Arran”.

Isle of Arran's Lag Distillery site due to open in 2019

Once filled, the ex-bourbon casks, will contain approximately 280 70cl bottles-worth of a new, heavily-peated (50ppm) single malt, that will be the style of whisky produced at the Lagg Distillery.

Each of casks, priced at £6,000, will remain at the distillery for a minimum of ten years of maturation under the careful eye of the Lagg Distillery team. The casks owners will then have the opportunity to bottle the spirit, complete with a limited-edition Lagg Cask society label, or pay an annual fee to continue the maturation process until the desired age is attained.

Every cask owner will also become a member of the exclusive Lagg Cask Society. Member-ship guarantees a bottle from the very first cask to be filled at Lagg which is reserved exclu-sively for the Society.

Commenting on the news, James MacTaggart said: “We have incredibly exciting plans for the Lagg Distillery and the Lagg Cask Society offers people the chance to be part of the journey from the very begin-ning. To own one of the first casks from a Distillery is a rare opportunity indeed and with my years of experience in the industry I firmly believe the Lagg Single Malt will mature into something truly magical”.

The new distillery site and visitor centre at Lagg is expected to open in 2019. Total visitor numbers to both distillery sites are expected to exceed 200,000 by 2020.

Posted by Steve Rush