KENTUCKY OWL LAUNCHES ITS LATEST BATCH OF 10 YEAR OLD RYE WHISKEY

Kentucky Owl, has announced the launch of the third batch of its 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.

Kentucky Owl 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Batch #3 (57% ABV) which will ne available later this month in limited quantities, is said by the brand to be “crafted with the same tradition and attention to detail as each of the batches of Kentucky Owl bourbon and rye that came before it.”

Kentucky Owl 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Batch #3

This latest release from the Bardstown, Kentucky based distillery, is said to deliver notes of citrus, oak, anise and barbeque spice on the nose. Followed by notes of caramel candy, creamy vanilla, toffee, hazelnut, liquorice, nutmeg and cayenne pepper on the palate.

Kentucky Owl, was founded in 1879 by C.M. Dedman and today is led by Master Blender, Dixon Dedman, who resurrected the brand and released his first batch in 2014, nearly 100 years after prohibition ended.

Commenting on the launch, Dixon Dedman, said: "There is a lot of older juice in Rye #3, but it's the 10-year old stocks that really give it the richer, thicker, syrupy mouthfeel, and bring the blend forward. This batch was a fun process because you have to look at it for what it will become, not what it is at barrel strength. I experimented deeply to find the right profile while adjusting the proof through blind tastings, but kept gravitating back to 114-proof – almost exactly where I started."

Kentucky Owl 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Batch #3, will be available later this month across the US, in limited quantities, for a RRP of $199.99 - 750ml.

Posted by Steve Rush

BIMBER DISTILLERY LAUNCHES ITS FIRST SINGLE MALT WHISKY

The West London based Bimber Distillery, has today announced the launch of its first single malt whisky.

Bimber ‘The First’ (54.3% ABV) has been produced using a hand-picked selection of the distillery’s Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks, which were laid down to mature in 2016.

Bimber 'The First'

This inaugural single malt whisky release, was produced from Bimber’s single farm barley, malted on their dedicated floor at Warminster Maltings, and fermented for seven days in bespoke, on-site constructed, American Oak washback’s.

Distillation took place in Bimber’s customised stills, which have an increased copper surface area, resulting in a light and fruity, but layered new make spirit. The five sherry casks which were selected to create ‘The First’ were all previously utilised in a Jerez solera for several decades as opposed to industry standard seasoned casks.

Limited to 1000 bottles, ‘The First’ comes presented in an individually numbered, hand-crafted, oak box created by Bimber’s on-site coopers.

Commenting on the launch, Darius Plazewski, Founder and Master Distiller at Bimber, said: “It’s an extremely proud day for Bimber to be finally able to share our single malt whisky with the world. We’re delighted that The First is not only an enchanting single malt, but that it also stands true to the style and character of the whisky that we’re committed to producing. There’s been an incredible amount of hard work put in behind the scenes and I want to raise a glass in thanks to both my team and the many enthusiasts who have supported us during our first three years.”

Bimber ‘The First’, will be available exclusively from The Whisky Exchange, from September 13th, for a RRP of £120.00. It will then be followed by a second American oak whisky bottling in October, which will retail for a RRP of £65.00.

Posted by Steve Rush

DIAGEO ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF 40 YEAR OLD BRORA EXPRESSION

Diageo, has today announced the launch of one of the oldest ever expressions, from its acclaimed ghost distillery; Brora.

Brora 40 Year Old 200th Anniversary Edition (49.2% ABV) has been produced using whisky which was drawn from a dozen American oak hogshead casks, distilled in 1978.

Brora 40 Year Old 200th Anniversary Edition

This latest limited-edition bottling, which was selected by Diageo’s Master Blender, Dr Craig Watson, has been released to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Highlands based distillery, ahead of its planned reopening in 2020, following its closure in 1983.

In October 2017, Diageo announced a £35 million investment programme to restore and recommission its Brora distillery in Sutherland and its Port Ellen distillery on Islay.

For this latest release, Dr Craig Watson worked alongside the Diageo archive team that had unearthed original Brora production records as part of their ongoing work to assist in the distillery restoration.

Commenting on the news, Dr Craig Watson, Diageo’s Master Blender, said: “Of all the stories of Brora, there is one that seemed particularly fitting to tell on its 200th Anniversary. From 1969-83, there was a new experimentation phase in production and the Brora distillers created a smoky malt used heavily-peated Northern Highland barley. Used primarily in blends at the time, the few casks that are left from this Age of Peat, matured remarkably well and what remains is a multi-layered and complex single malt of astonishing quality. Little did the craftsmen at the time know, they had created a masterpiece. It is emblematic of the varied past of the distillery that makes it so special to all that know it: a humble story of experimentation, craft and happy coincidence.”

Limited to 1,819 bottles, Brora 40 Year Old 200th Anniversary Edition, will be available later this month from specialist retailers for a RRP of £4,500.

Posted by Steve Rush