THE LAKES DISTILLERY LAUNCHES TWO NEW 'THE ONE' BOTTLINGS

The Lakes Distillery, has announced the launch of two new expressions as part of its ‘The One’ collection.

The One - Orange Wine Cask Finished Whisky (46.6% ABV) limited to 2,994 bottles, finished in first-fill American oak casks, which were seasoned with Vino de Naranja (orange wine). The One - Sherry Cask Finished Whisky (46.6% ABV) limited to 4,512 bottles, finished in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks.

The Lakes Distillery - The One Collection

Produced with Lakes single malt at its heart, and blended with select Scotch grain and malt whiskies from the Highlands, Speyside and Islay - The One collection is a showcase of maturation expertise, with each singular release demonstrating the different flavours that can be derived from the finest oak casks.

The Vino de Naranja wine used to season The One - Orange Wine Cask Finished Whisky casks, is made solely in Huelva, Andalusia, on the southern coast of Spain. This aromatised wine is produced in small quantities, usually for personal consumption. Seville orange peel is macerated into a grape-based spirit and gently aged in oak casks, creating a very elegant ‘Naranja Wine’ with texture, flavour, and nuances of orange peel.

Bottled at the natural colour, The One - Sherry Cask Finished Whisky, is said to be heavily influenced by Spanish oak characters, delivering notes of medjool dates, sun-dried raisins, sultanas, polished wood, macadamia nuts, dark chocolate and gentle smoke.

Commenting on the news, Dhavall Gandhi, The Lakes Whiskymaker, said: “To appreciate the art of whiskymaking you must first understand that flavour is created throughout the whiskymaking process. For The Lakes Whisky, it is the art of blending and the interaction between the spirit, air and oak which creates the layers of complexity and character. The oak type and the liquid used to season that oak add their personalities as they integrate with the whisky. Working in combination they produce a myriad of flavour combinations, which is precisely what The One collection seeks to reveal.”

The One - Orange Wine Cask Finished Whisky and The One - Sherry Cask Finished Whisky, are now available from lakesdistillery.com for a RRP of £48.00 each.

Posted by Steve Rush

THE MACALLAN LAUNCHES TWO NEW DOUBLE CASK BOTTLINGS

The Macallan, has today announced the launch of two new Double Cask, single malt Scotch whisky expressions.

The Macallan Double Cask 15 Year Old (43% ABV) and Double Cask 18 Year Old (43% ABV) have both been produced using whisky matured in a combination of American and European oak sherry seasoned casks.

The Macallan Double Cask Range

These two new releases now join the brands Double Cask 12 Years Old bottling, which launched in 2016.

Double Cask, is said to tell the story of a journey which brings together two different worlds. The voyage begins in the vast green forests of northern Spain and the French Pyrenees, where The Macallan sources its European oak.

New oak from the lush forests of Ohio, Missouri and Kentucky in America is also transported thousands of miles to Spain, where both types of oak are hand crafted into casks that are filled with sherry.

Once seasoned, the casks are shipped to The Macallan Estate on Speyside where they are filled with new-make spirit. Following years of slumber, The Macallan’s Whisky Mastery Team use their skill and expertise to select the best balance of spirit from both the American and European oak sherry seasoned casks to create Double Cask.

Commenting on the news, Kirsteen Campbell, Master Whisky Maker at The Macallan, said: “Bringing together American and European oak sherry seasoned casks to achieve the perfect balance of flavours is incredibly exciting for the Whisky Mastery Team, and we are proud to offer two new expressions to this distinctive range for The Macallan Double Cask fans to explore.”

She went onto say: “With Double Cask 15 Years Old, the delicate and indulgent flavours of American oak including honey, citrus and chocolate balance The Macallan’s more traditional characteristics of rich fruits, sherry and wood spice. The Macallan Double Cask 18 Years Old offers slightly more complexity, with rich raisin and sultana subtly balanced by warming oak spice. Oak influence is the single greatest contributor to the quality, natural colour and distinctive aromas and flavours at the heart of The Macallan’s single malts.”

The Macallan Double Cask 15 Year Old and Double Cask 18 Year Old, will be available later this month from specialist retailers, for the respective RRP’s of £100.00 and £250.00.

Posted by Steve Rush