Glen Scotia is out with the second launch in its Icons of Campbeltown collection, however the remainder of the scotch whisky world is considerably quiet, though Glenmorangie will quickly hit our shores with one other installment in its “Story” collection—this one known as A Story of Ice Cream, matured in bourbon barrels in addition to “excessive vanillin” casks that acquired a particular warmth remedy to deliver our as a lot vanillin as attainable within the wooden. We’ll have extra subsequent week, however pricing is at round $100 and it’s anticipated to hit the market on October 1.
On the bourbon entrance, we’ve got information that Basil Hayden is providing its 10 yr outdated as a everlasting member of the lineup—graduating from its earlier function as a restricted annual launch. We’ve been seeing many extra aged whiskies these days, a far cry from a decade in the past, when the great things was in very brief provide—certainly, better age appears to be the message way over it was once. Pinhook has a 9 yr outdated bourbon from its Vertical Collection— tapped from a inventory of barrels that started releasing in 2019 and has then been supplied at progressively older ages. Elsewhere, Widow Jane has a brand new version in The Vaults, its aged whiskey collection, whereas Keeper’s Coronary heart has a 21 yr outdated Irish whiskey completed in tokaji casks. These are simply a number of the highlights, so learn on.
Glen Scotia Icons of Campbeltown: Launch No. 2
ABV: 56.8%
SRP: $130
Availability: Nationally at choose U.S. retailers, and glenscotia.com
Single malt scotch maker Glen Scotia has unveiled the second version in its Icons of Campbeltown collection, a set impressed by the historical past and heritage of its dwelling, Campbeltown. This re-creation is a medium-peated 14 yr outdated whisky, matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and completed in wine casks from Barolo in northwest Italy. The label illustration is a fiery depiction of the legendary dragon slain by St. Michael, executed by artist Joel Holtzman, who has labored on characters for Lucasfilm, Marvel, and Disney.
The primary Icons of Campbeltown launch, which launched the collection final yr, was Icons of Campbeltown No. 1, Story of the Mermaid, aged 12 years in bourbon casks and completed in palo cortado sherry casks for 8 months. Its packaging was additionally the work of Joel Holtzman. Whereas that launch added the Mermaid title, Glen Scotia selected to not use one other title for Launch No. 2 to be able to preserve the give attention to Campbeltown and its historical past.
The tiny port city of Campbeltown is situated on the Kintyre Peninsula in western Scotland, mendacity between Arran to the east and Islay to the west. It’s designated as considered one of Scotland’s six scotch whisky areas, the opposite 5 being Highlands, Speyside, Lowlands, Islay, and Islands. It is by far the smallest of the 6 areas, however Campbeltown was as soon as dwelling to greater than 30 distilleries within the nineteenth century and was often known as “the whisky capital of the world.” Immediately solely three stay: Springbank, Glengyle, and Glen Scotia. (Final spring, R&B Distillers, which owns Isle of Raasay Distillery, acquired permission to construct a brand new distillery in Campbeltown, which is slated to be prepared subsequent yr.) However Campbeltown’s attraction and mystique reside on, as its three distilleries make a few of Scotland’s most sought-after whiskies.
Basil Hayden 10 yr outdated Bourbon
ABV: 40%
SRP: $85
Availability: Nationwide
This week Beam introduced that Basil Hayden 10 yr outdated, which was beforehand an annual launch, can be becoming a member of the principle lineup on an ongoing foundation. The liquid itself is unchanged from earlier years, sporting the identical high-rye mashbill and 80 proof level.
Basil Hayden 10 is the most recent instance of Beam together with older liquid in its releases. Years in the past the whiskey trade was caught off-guard by a rising demand for bourbon and rye, and subsequently confronted a scarcity of aged juice. Beam utterly ran out of liquid for Knob Creek in 2009, subsequently eradicating the age assertion from Knob Creek 9 yr outdated just some years after.
Beam has launched quite a few aged whiskeys lately. Outdoors the Basil Hayden label, it revamped its core-range Jim Beam Black as a 7 yr outdated and has launched a number of age-stated Knob Creeks. Even its higher-end labels have tapped older liquid too, with the newest Little Guide together with 20 yr outdated bourbon distilled by Booker Noe and Booker’s The Reserve mixing liquid starting from 8 to 14 years outdated.
Widow Jane The Vaults 2024 Mix of Straight Bourbons
ABV: 49.5%
SRP: $250
Availability: Restricted
Brooklyn-based Widow Jane has launched the most recent version of The Vaults, its collection of outdated, uncommon whiskeys made with distinctive cask finishes. For the 2024 iteration, head distiller and blender Sienna Jevremov labored with bourbons aged 15 to twenty years; after touchdown on a last mix, the whiskey was positioned into amburana casks from Brazil. Amburana is among the many extra unique woods getting used for cask ending lately, and it tends to imbue whisky with warming spices and tropicality.
As soon as it reaches the market in October, The Vaults 2024 might be distributed on a restricted foundation, with round 24,000 bottles obtainable. Widow Jane has been busy, popping out with a brand new core launch, Child Jane, this previous summer time, and persevering with to faucet into its inventory of aged barrels from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana for restricted editions.
Pinhook 9 yr outdated Vertical Collection Bourbon
ABV: 57.15%
SRP: $93
Availability: Nationwide
Pinhook has launched the sixth member of its Vertical Collection bourbon, which arrives at 9 years outdated. It was drawn from 100 barrels of MGP-distilled bourbon, which have been blended and aged at Fort & Key in Frankfort, Kentucky. The mashbill is 75% corn, 20.5% rye, and 4.5% malted barley.
The Vertical Collection bourbon is Pinhook’s approach of placing the artwork of maturation beneath a microscope. It began when Pinhook sourced 1,350 barrels from MGP, the entire similar mashbill, with a plan to launch them over time at completely different age statements. The purpose is to trace the development of the liquid because it ages from yr to yr: The primary launch was a 4 yr outdated that got here in 2019, and the ultimate one is slated to be bottled at 12 years outdated.
Rooster Cock Mizunara Japanese Oak Completed Bourbon
ABV: 52.5%
SRP: $250
Availability: Restricted; nationwide
Rooster Cock tapped Japanese mizunara oak to create its latest cask-finished expression. The brand new launch contains 10 barrels of the label’s flagship bourbon completed in virgin mizunara oak casks. Although it’s obtainable nationwide, that is Rooster Cock’s most restricted launch thus far.
Rooster Cock whiskey happened in 1865, when farmer/distiller James A. Miller based the model in Paris, Kentucky. It loved nice success over time—gaining sufficient steam to outlive by means of Prohibition—solely to fall silent within the Nineteen Fifties. The title was resurrected in 2012 as a steady for six month outdated flavored whiskey that was a far cry from the standard liquid related to the model of outdated. That every one modified in 2017 when trade veteran Gregg Snyder was introduced in to proper the ship; a part of the course correction concerned enlisting Bardstown Bourbon Co. as a distilling companion, and the model has since seen a bump in its scores with our tasting panel.
Revered for the intriguing notes it will possibly lend to whisky, mizunara oak casks have lengthy been a favourite of Japanese distillers, although in recent times different distillers have began utilizing them. The American gamers embody Angel’s Envy, Barrell Craft Spirits, and 4 Gate amongst others.
Wolves Flagship American Single Malt
ABV: 48%
SRP: $90
Availability: Nationwide
California-based Wolves Whiskey launched in 2019, and has been counting on sourced whiskey from both MGP or Charbay, the Ukiah, California-based distillery owned by Wolves grasp distiller Marko Karakasevic and his household. Charbay’s specialty is making “hopped” whiskeys from bottle-ready beer, and a lot of the Wolves whiskeys have been made that approach too. A few of these beer-based expressions have been launched as is, whereas others have been blended with completely different whiskey types corresponding to rye. However now Wolves has launched into a brand new course with the discharge of this flagship American single malt.
Made by an undisclosed distilling companion in Arizona (dwelling of Hamilton Distillers, makers of American single malt Whiskey Del Bac), Wolves American single malt was aged for five years in French oak California wine barrels, then completed in first-fill cognac casks. The brand new whiskey is a everlasting launch and might be obtainable nationwide, each in conventional retail and on-line.
Keeper’s Coronary heart 21 yr outdated Irish Single Malt Completed in Tokaji Barrels
ABV: 48.5%
SRP: $999
Availability: Restricted
When Minnesota-based O’Shaughnessy Distilling recruited Irish grasp distiller Brian Nation to make its Keeper’s Coronary heart whiskey within the U.S., there was loads of dialogue about what Nation would deliver to the get together. His a long time at Midleton Distillery, which is liable for so many nice Irish whiskeys together with Redbreast, Powers, the Spot labels, and Methodology & Insanity, in addition to the main Irish whiskey model Jameson, led us to suppose there can be loads of Irish affect within the O’Shaughnessy portfolio. We weren’t incorrect, as Irish whiskey may be very a lot within the image, the most recent proof being this launch, a 21 yr outdated Irish single malt completed in tokaji casks.
The whiskey, which hits the cabinets subsequent month, comes from a single cask sourced from Cooley Distillery in County Louth, Eire. That is the primary in what might be an annual collection.
Milam & Greene Unabridged Quantity 3: A Cask-Energy Mix of Straight Bourbons
ABV: 59%
SRP: $95
Availability: Restricted
For the third chapter of Milam & Greene’s Unabridged collection, grasp blender Heather Greene chosen 49 barrels of whiskey, starting from 3 1/2 yr outdated Kentucky bourbon made with malted rye to 10 yr outdated Kentucky bourbon. Whiskeys from Tennessee and Texas have been additionally included within the mix. The precise cask breakdown is as follows:
– 15 casks of three.5 yr outdated Kentucky bourbon made with malted rye
– 5 casks of 4 yr outdated Tennessee bourbon
– 5 casks of 4 yr outdated Texas bourbon made with malted rye
– 7 casks of 6 yr outdated Kentucky bourbon
– 13 casks of 9 yr outdated Kentucky bourbon
– 4 casks of 10 yr outdated Kentucky bourbon
Based on Greene, the Kentucky bourbons make up the flavour spine, whereas the Texas malted-rye bourbon provides sweetness, and the Tennessee bourbon brings each stability and a contact of vanilla. Simply 9,324 bottles of the whiskey can be found.
Thresh & Winnow Natural 10 yr outdated 100% Rye
ABV: 50%
Value: $98
Availability: Restricted; distillery retailer, Illinois, and different states to comply with
Thresh & Winnow Natural American Single Malt
ABV: 50%
Value: $101
Availability: Restricted; distillery retailer, Illinois, and different states to comply with
Chicago-based Koval Distillery has launched a brand new line of natural whiskeys beginning with a 100% rye and an American single malt, with the anticipation of future restricted releases inside the new assortment. Although Koval is thought for its uncommon mashbills, like 100% oat and 100% millet, they’ve caught to conventional grains for the primary two single barrel bottled in bond expressions beneath its new Thresh & Winnow label. The title is a nod to the method of constructing a grain edible. Step one “threshing” means to separate the grain from the stalk. “Winnowing” refers to separating the grain from the husk after threshing.
Although Koval has launched three 100% rye whiskeys beforehand, Thresh & Winnow Natural rye is its first 10 yr outdated rye. The only malt, alternatively, is the primary of its variety for Koval. It’s aged in 53-gallon charred oak barrels for simply over 8 years, marking a distinction from its core whiskeys that are aged in 30-gallon barrels for 4-5 years.
Tower 11 French Oak Completed Bourbon
ABV: 49.5%
Value: $50
Availability: AZ, CA, NV, WA, and tower11.com
Thunder Mesquite Completed Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Value: $50
Availability: AZ, CA, CO, FL, IL, MD, MS, NV, NJ, NY, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV, WI, and tower11.com
Metal String Completed Bourbon
ABV: 43%
Value: $50
Availability: AZ, CA, CO, FL, IL, MD, MS, NV, NJ, NY, TN, TX, VA, WV, WI, WA and tower11.com
Gardena, California-based Cali Distillery has unveiled its aptly named Jam Session Whiskeys, a trio of bourbons made in partnership with completely different nation musicians. All three are completed first in French oak, then obtain a definite secondary end. These expressions have been contract distilled at O.Z. Tyler Distillery (now Inexperienced River) in Owensboro, Kentucky utilizing a mashbill of 70% corn, 23% rye, and seven% malted barley, aged in Kentucky for 4-5 years, and completed on-site at Cali Distillery.
Tower 11 was made in collaboration with nation famous person Brett Younger. Its title is a nod to the Laguna Seaside lifeguard station the place Younger frolicked as a teen. It’s proofed to 99, which refers back to the yr he graduated highschool. This expression was initially completed in toasted French oak after which underwent a secondary end in charred French oak. The label depicts Brett’s surfboard, guitar decide, and tattoos.
Thunder Mesquite was created in partnership with rising nation rock musician KC Johns. This expression was initially completed in charred French oak, then transferred to an experimental barrel with charred Sonoran mesquite, and later returned to the French oak. The ultimate expression, Metal String, was made in partnership with Nashville-based nation singer Mark Taylor. Like Thunder Mesquite, it was first completed in charred French oak, then toasted French oak, and eventually infused with California wildflower honey.
