Review / Diageo Special Releases 2021

The arrival of Autumn is always signalled by Diageo, Scotland's largest whisky producer, announcing the line-up for their annual Special Releases programme. Each year these bottlings are designed to highlight rare or old whiskies from within Diageo's extensive portfolio of maturing stocks and are eagerly anticipated each year since the series was first started with just three expressions in 2001. The 2021 collection marks the 20th anniversary of the Special Releases.

This year is one of the smaller recent collections and sees just eight bottlings. The eight have been put together to show the stories of whisky from different environments and terrains across Scotland. This incorporates a set of mythical creatures that reside in the sea, lochs and mountains and  can be seen on the packaging. The 2021 collection is subtitled Legends Untold as a result. The striking artwork has been created by illustrator Ken Taylor.

Allotment Drams / Glenmorangie Lighthouse 12 years old & Redbreast Pedro Ximenez Edition

We have two more recent episodes from our Allotment Dram review series for you. Both are exciting and brand new releases. Firstly Matt discusses the Glenmorangie Lighthouse 12 years old, a distillery exclusive that he recently picked up when visiting. It has been created to celebrate the opening of the new experimental Lighthouse distillery that has been built next to Glenmorangie up in the north Highlands. Watch to find out more about the innovative project and the whisky, before Matt pops the cork and gives his thoughts and tasting notes.

Then on a very warm late September afternoon, Matt returns to the allotment and takes a look at the new Irish single pot still whiskey of Redbreast Pedro Ximenez Edition. Watch to discover more about the whiskey and the new range that it is joining, plus his thoughts and tasting notes.

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Review / Torabhaig Allt Gleann

The Allt Gleann is just the second ever single malt release from Torabhaig (pronounced tora-vaig), the newest distillery on the isle of Skye. This follows the inaugural Legacy Series 2017 bottling that was released earlier this year in February and sold out immediately. Allt Gleann, meaning 'old glen' in Gaelic, is the second of four planned releases for 2021 and 2022 in The Legacy Series. The new whisky has been created from just 30 first-fill and re-fill ex-bourbon barrels that were distilled and filled in 2017. It is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. Torabhaig Allt Gleann is available from the distillery shop and via selected specialist whisky retailers. A bottle will cost £50.

Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (September 24, 2021)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 

Distillery Visit / Glenkinchie

Despite having been to Edinburgh for work and pleasure on numerous occasions, we had somehow never got around to visiting Glenkinchie. For much of its recent history this unassuming distillery was the closest to Scotland's capital and attracted many visitors because of the fact. Now it has increasing competition with the Holyrood distillery built right in the centre of Edinburgh and a couple more new ones out in Leith. So what have owners Diageo done? Given it a major revamp and made it even more important than ever.

Glenkinchie is now the official Lowland home of Johnnie Walker, the world's best selling Scotch whisky of which its single malt is an important component. The distillery is one of four dotted around Scotland that each play a similarly influential role within the famous blended range. The other three official regional homes of Johnnie Walker that form Diageo's Four Corners of Scotland are Caol Ila on Islay, Cardhu in Speyside and Clynelish in the Highlands. Each has been renovated to tell each distillery's individual story within the wider Johnnie Walker tale.

Review / Glenturret Triple Wood, 10 years old Peat Smoked & 12 years old

These three new whiskies form part of the 2021 range of single malts from the Highland distillery of Glenturret, which is the oldest currently operating in Scotland. The range follows 2020's Maiden Release series and features the same six expressions - the no age statement Triple Wood, 10 years old Peat Smoked and then age statements at 12, 15, 25 and 30 years old. However, each whisky is different to its 2020 version. They have been created by Bob Dalgarno, the Whisky Maker for Glenturret. 

Review / Glenmorangie Lighthouse 12 years old

This new whisky has been released to celebrate the official opening of the new Lighthouse facility at the famous north Highland distillery of Glenmorangie. The Glenmorangie Lighthouse 12 years old is a combination of ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry casks, with a ratio of 80% to 20% respectively. It is exclusively available at the Glenmorangie distillery shop. The new single malt is the brainchild of Dr. Bill Lumsden, the Director of Whisky Creation at Glenmorangie, and is released at the strength of 48% ABV. It is also non chill-filtered. There are just 4,782 bottles in the limited batch and each will cost £85. 

Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (September 17, 2021)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 

Review / Aberfeldy 18 years old Côte Rôtie Finish

This new whisky is the third bottling in the French Red Wine Cask Collection from the Highland distillery of Aberfeldy. The series kicked off in 2019 with the 15 years old Pomerol Finish and was followed in 2020 by the 18 years old Pauillac Finish. This third release has been finished in Côte Rôtie wine barrels sourced by Stephanie Macleod, the Malt Master for Aberfeldy, from the famous Rhône Valley in France. The Côte Rôtie appelation is located in the northern Rhône and covers around 500 hectares. There are 60 vineyards with most growing the Syrah and Viognier grape varieties. The wines are known for their elegance and finesse with fruity and floral characteristics.

Review / Diageo Prima & Ultima Collection (2021 Edition)

This set of single malts form the second line-up for the annual Prima & Ultima Collection from Diageo, Scotland's largest whisky producers. The 2021 Edition consists of eight rare bottlings and shows the diversity of maturing stock across Diageo's portfolio, both from current and closed distilleries. The whiskies were selected by Maureen Robinson, Senior Blender at Diageo, who has taken over the reigns from Jim Beveridge OBE. He curated the inaugural set in 2020. 

Allotment Drams / Abasolo & The Whistler 'Mosiac' Marsala Cask

There are two more Allotment Drams, the series of short videos where we sit and review whiskies at our north London allotment, for you. And they are two slightly different ones too. Firstly, Matt takes a look at a new Mexican whisky called Abasolo, which is made from 100% Mexican heritage corn varieties and uses ancient techniques during the whisky making process. Watch to discover more about the groundbreaking distillery where it is produced and then Matt's thoughts and tasting notes.

Then he is back on a hot September afternoon and is back in Ireland for his next choice - The Whistler Marsala Cask from their small batch single grain range of whiskeys. Find out more about the brand and the Boann distillery that it is associated with and then discover Matt's thoughts and tasting notes.

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Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (Sept 10, 2021)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 

Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (Sept 3, 2021)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 

Allotment Drams / Starward Two-Fold & Power's John's Lane 12 years old

We have two more episodes from our Allotment Dram series. Within this we record whisky reviews in the surroundings of our north London allotment. For these two new episodes we have gone Australian and Irish. First, watch as Matt talks about the Starward Two-Fold - a whisky made from berley and wheat at the Melbourne-based distillery. Discover some background behind the distillery and bottling before finding our his thoughts and tasting notes.

Then on his next visit he takes a look at the Power's John's Lane 12 years old, a classic single pot still whiskey from the famous old Irish brand. Learn a bit about the history of Power's and its old distillery in John's Lane, Dublin. Then he pours a dram, so discover his thoughts and tasting notes.

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Review / Benriach Malting Season (First Edition)

This whisky is a very special new limited edition from the innovative Speyside distillery of Benriach. The Benriach Malting Season is the first in over a century that uses barley malted exclusively at the distillery using the traditional floor maltings that were restored in 2012. This First Edition has seen the spirit produced from the floor malted barley then matured in ex-bourbon and virgin oak casks. There are 23 casks in total and they were married together by Dr. Rachel Barrie, the Master Blender for Benriach, to create the final product. This inaugural release used a variety of barley called concerto. Benriach is one of only two distilleries in Speyside to have an operational floor malting. Balvenie is the other.