LITTLEMILL UNVEILS THE SECOND RELEASE FROM ITS VANGUARDS COLLECTION, WHICH PAYS HOMAGE TO THE PIONEERING SPIRIT OF THE DISTILLERY’S UNSUNG HEROES
Scotland’s oldest licensed distillery, Littlemill, has unveiled its oldest aged assertion thus far, a outstanding 47 Yr Outdated single malt, which marks the second launch from its Vanguards Assortment.
The Vanguards Assortment was launched final 12 months as a brand new annual sequence from Littlemill, which, following the distillery’s premature closure in 1994, will draw on its most valuable reserves to launch a single expression annually for 4 years.
First distilled on the 4th of October 1976, this distinctive liquid was initially laid down in refill bourbon barrels, earlier than being recasked into refill American oak hogsheads in 1996. It was left to mature for an additional twenty-seven years, till Grasp Blender, Michael Henry, decided the optimum second for launch.
The result’s an awfully uncommon window into the previous, complemented by Littlemill’s signature fashion with bursts of elderflower, summer time hedgerow, delicate honey and nutmeg on the nostril with a silk-like mouthfeel of crisp apple, pears, and honeysuckle, adopted by lengthy layers of fruit and spice.
The Vanguards Assortment was created to rejoice Littlemill’s legacy and the trailblazers who labored at its helm; a sequence of vanguards who innovated with know-how and processes to depart an indelible mark on the whisky world.
Vanguards Chapter Two pays homage to Jane Macgregor, Littlemill distillery supervisor and believed to be one of many first girls in historical past to carry a license for a distillery of scale in 1823, the identical 12 months the Excise Act handed. Below her management, the distillery witnessed a big improve in manufacturing, and he or she unknowingly grew to become one of many first of many ladies who are actually shaping the world of whisky at present.
The newest launch will rejoice the ceilings she broke via in her pursuit of success. Her legacy might be revived by way of a brand new partnership with glass artist, Bethany Wooden, proprietor of Blowfish Glass, positioned on the coronary heart of the UK glassmaking neighborhood on the Stourbridge Crystal Mile.
Drawing inspiration from Jane’s story, Bethany has crafted 250 gorgeous glass bottle stoppers utilizing instruments from the identical period as Jane.
Utilizing a foot instrument – an implement employed by early glassmakers to provide wine glass ft – Bethany creates the disc base. She then attaches colored molten glass bubbles that, when uncovered to gasoline, develop stunning metallic hues. The bubbles are delicately bounced upon the disks, and the highest layer is deliberately smashed to disclose a mesmerising ripple impact. This deliberate smashing impact is a metaphor for Jane’s journey, symbolising the glass ceilings she shattered throughout her profession.
Through the use of conventional glassmaking methods and instruments, Bethany not solely honours Jane’s legacy but additionally bridges a connection to historic craftsmanship. This collaboration between Jane’s enduring spirit and Bethany’s inventive experience creates a strong narrative of perseverance, innovation, and overcome adversity.
Every stopper, no two alike, incorporates hanging metallic hues, impressed by Littlemill’s copper stills and the Scottish water which performs such an integral position in whisky making. It’s introduced within the door of an opulent picket show cupboard, fastidiously built-in into the design so it may be considered from the skin or displayed on the within.
The liquid is housed inside a Glencairn Crystal decanter with delicate cuts which take inspiration from the glass ceilings Jane and Bethany broke via. Every cupboard additionally homes a branded 50ml miniature and a hardback e book of the Littlemill story, so the only a few fortunate custodians of this distinctive single malt can discover and luxuriate in Scotland’s most fascinating whisky story with an beautiful dram.
Based in 1772 in Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, Littlemill was on the forefront of innovation for its time. It closed in 1994 earlier than it was misplaced to a hearth in 2004. Since then, Grasp Blender, Michael Henry, has held guardianship of the final remaining casks.
Michael Henry, Grasp Blender at Loch Lomond Group, house owners of Littlemill, mentioned:
“Between Littlemill’s founding and its lamentable closure, a outstanding story of innovation occurred. It’s a story not often advised however one which touches the entire world of whisky. By far probably the most fascinating half is the tales of the individuals who we all know had been quietly overturning traditions, shaping the distillery for what it will develop into.
“A narrative of that measure requires a whisky of outstanding high quality, so it’s becoming that now could be the time we launch our oldest aged assertion thus far. Like several whisky of this age, it takes time, persistence, and cautious monitoring to know when the second has come to launch it. I used to be impressed by my predecessors and their improvements which formed Littlemill’s character. With them all the time in thoughts, we’ve got crafted a dram filled with traditional Littlemill delicate, summer-like notes.”
Nick Bradley, Status Portfolio Supervisor at Loch Lomond Group, house owners of Littlemill, added:
“The unsung heroes of Littlemill handed into historical past lengthy earlier than the importance of their contributions might ever be applauded, which is why the Vanguards Assortment raises a dram to them, their entrepreneurial spirit and craftsmanship which helped to form the final valuable drops of this unimaginable distillery. At this time, the Vanguards Assortment presents a lucky few a uncommon glimpse into our legacy.
“When contemplating the Assortment, we needed to rejoice and revive the previous by bringing alive the spirit of Littlemill’s pioneers. There’s a actual pleasure find and collaborating with artists and kindred spirits who’re conserving their conventional crafts alive in at present’s age. Bethany Wooden is a champion of expertise together with her personal revolutionary fashion of artwork, making her the best collaboration to discover Jane’s legacy with us.”
Bethany Wooden, proprietor of Blowfish Glass, added:
“There are such a lot of fantastic parallels between our two crafts. Steeped in custom, I see glassmaking as a efficiency that has been very fastidiously deliberate – whisky has the identical necessities in artistry, precision and persistence. Each artwork varieties depend on the craftsmanship of individuals, and I like that our artistic interpretations are what make every output distinctive each time.
“Being a feminine in a conventional commerce, I used to be impressed by Jane’s story and the ceilings she broke via for her period. This paired with a brand new affection for Scotland’s west coast and all its magnificence supplied me with the imaginative and prescient to craft these stunning stoppers which can make an exquisite addition to this actually unimaginable whisky launch. These stoppers will not be simply useful items however inventive representations of Jane’s journey.”
Bottled at cask power of 44.9% ABV and pure color, solely 250 individually numbered bottles can be found worldwide, priced at £14,500.
Vanguard Chapter Two might be out there for buy by way of enquiry via the Littlemill web site and different specialist retailers. For additional info go to www.littlemilldistillery.com.
Tasting Notes
- Nostril: Begins coastal and saline, earlier than floral bursts of elderflower, early summer time hedgerow and
rose petals, with delicate honey sweetness and chic oak spice of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Palate: Silk-like mouthfeel, mouthwatering fruits, crisp inexperienced apple and pears, recent pineapple
with grapefruit and lime citrus, honeysuckle and mild nutmeg spice.
- End: Lengthy with layers of fruit and spice. Inexperienced fruits proceed into the end with gooseberry
and kiwi earlier than waves of warming cinnamon spice.
About Littlemill
The Littlemill distillery was established in 1772 on the positioning of an outdated brewery that had been based in the course of the 14th century in Bowling on the banks of the River Clyde close to Glasgow.
It’s rumoured that illicit distilling had taken place there since 1750 when the positioning was purchased by George Buchanan, a malt grasp, and in keeping with the famend whisky historian and author Misako Udo in her e book ‘The Scotch Whisky Distilleries’, distilling might have taken place there for hundreds of years earlier than.
After one 12 months, on the 2nd of November 1773, native magistrate information for Dumbarton present that ‘Robert Muir of Littlemiln’, an worker, was granted the first-ever license by the Authorities of King George III to “…retail ale, beer and different excisable Liquors”, thus making Littlemill Scotland’s first and oldest licensed distillery.
In 1931 Littlemill led whisky nonetheless innovation whereby its revolutionary design might create three types of spirit below the stewardship of the American Duncan Thomas, together with the sunshine fruit-forward triple-distilled character Littlemill is most identified for at present. It was these stills that impressed the stills that stay in place at Loch Lomond Distillery at present.
Littlemill fell into perpetual silence in 1994 after which the distillery was destroyed by hearth in 2004. The remaining casks have since been below the care of Loch Lomond Distillery, saved only a quick distance from the place the unique distillery as soon as stood. In 2015 Loch Lomond Group launched a restricted variety of its Littlemill Non-public Cellar Version. Since then, a mere handful of bottles have been launched yearly, which have develop into wanted by collectors and whisky lovers around the globe.
About Jane Macgregor
Data counsel Jane Macgregor adopted the place of distillery supervisor in 1823, inheriting the position after the doubtless passing of her husband, and enlisting the assist of her youngsters to assist guarantee its easy continuation. What is obvious is Jane was due to this fact the primary lady on report to handle a distillery of scale, however what’s extra 12 months on 12 months manufacturing information present that she took Littlemill to new heights in manufacturing (indicative of robust gross sales and demand). For that reason, Jane is a pioneer not only for the distillery, however arguably for girls within the business and past.
About Bethany Wooden
Bethany Wooden is an completed glass artist and the founding father of Blowfish Glass. She is a design graduate of De Montfort College, and it was right here the place her enthusiasm for glassblowing started. Throughout her research, she labored with metallic, wooden, and 3D printing, nevertheless, it was her work with glass and its infinite potentialities which sparked her ardour.
Bethany continued to hone her inventive imaginative and prescient, creating methods characterised by intricate layering and vibrant color integration. Following college, she co-founded a profitable glass studio together with her accomplice Elliot Wooden (the winner of the Netflix sequence ‘Blown Away’) earlier than launching Blowfish Glass, the place she diversified into educating and creating occasions that remember the artwork of glassblowing.
