Review / Johnnie Walker Blue Label 'Ghost & Rare' Pittyvaich

This whisky is the fourth bottling in the Blue Label Ghost & Rare series from Johnnie Walker. The best selling Scotch whisky brand created the limited edition series to highlight old and rare whiskies from closed distilleries. This new release focuses on the 'ghost' Speyside distillery of Pittyvaich, which only operated from 1974 to 1993 and was located in Dufftown. The whisky's creator is Dr. Jim Beveridge OBE, the Master Blender for Johnnie Walker, and features two other 'ghost' closed distilleries of Carsebridge and Port Dundas. Other rare whiskies included come from the Highland and Speyside distilleries of Auchroisk, Cragganmore, Mannochmore, Royal Lochnagar and Strathmill.

Review - Diageo Special Releases 2020

 

 

It is that time of the year again - Diageo, Scotland's largest whisky producer, has announced the line-up for the 2020 edition of its Special Releases programme. The annual 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.

This year is one of the smaller recent collections and sees just eight bottlings with a theme of 'Rare By Nature' running through them. This includes the same eight brands as the 2019 selection and is designed to be 'an encore to what was a very successful and well received set of whiskies'. As with all previous years the whiskies are all bottled at their natural cask strength. This year's selection has been curated by Dr. Craig Wilson, one of the Master Blenders at Diageo.

Review - Diageo Special Releases 2019

It is that time of the year again - Diageo, Scotland's largest whisky producer, has unleashed the 2019 edition of its Special Releases programme. The annual 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 programme was first started with just three expressions in 2001.

This year is one of the smaller recent collections and sees just eight bottlings with a theme of 'Rare By Nature' running through them. As with all previous years the whiskies are all bottled at their natural cask strength. This year's whiskies have been selected by Dr. Craig Wilson, one of the Master Blenders at Diageo.

Inbox - The Week's Whisky News (July 26, 2019)

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.

Review - Diageo Special Releases 2018

The Special Releases are here again! The annual bottlings are designed to highlight rare whiskies from within Diageo's extensive portfolio of single grains and single malts, and are eagerly anticipated each year since the programme was first started with just three expressions in 2001. This year there are 10 bottlings and these cover the single malt, single grain and blended malt categories.

This year is also the first since the early years of the programme to see the absence of Brora and Port Ellen. These have both been stalwarts of the programme since it began, but stocks are now said to be critically low after both ceased production in the early 1980s. However, this has created space for other rare whiskies and kept the retail prices lower as a result.

Inbox Extra (April 14, 2018) - Diageo Special Releases 2018

Diageo have announced initial details of the whiskies in this year's Special Releases outturn. The biggest producer of Scotch whisky has revealed nine of the ten bottlings, with the tenth to follow later in the year. All are scheduled for an Autumn release. The Special Releases, which are designed to highlight rare whiskies from within Diageo's extensive portfolio of single grains and single malts, have been eagerly anticipated each year since the programme was first started in 2001.

Review - Diageo Special Releases 2015

The Diageo Special Releases are one of the biggest and most talked about annual whisky releases. Each Autumn, the largest producer of single malt in Scotland announces the line up.  The Special Releases programme has been running since the early 2000s and is designed to showcase some to the finest and rarest stocks in Diageo's portfolio, both from their current 28 single malt distilleries and those no longer in operation.  All the bottlings are at the natural cask strength, non chill filtered and limited edition.  The 2015 collection features nine whiskies.

Karen and Matt C were privileged to be invited to a small private tasting of the nine whiskies in London last month. The tasting was hosted by Dr. Nick Morgan, Diageo's Head of Whisky Outreach, and Maureen Robinson, one of Diageo's Senior Master Blenders. Both are part of the Special Releases selection panel. A huge thank you to both for the invite.

Dufftown - The whisky capital of Speyside

The Clock Tower, Dufftown

We recently visited the Spirit of Speyside festival, which is an event that celebrates whisky from the famous region at the beginning of May each year. We stayed in Dufftown, a town widely regarded as the whisky capital of the Speyside region. The reason being is that it is home to six working distilleries and a number of others that are now closed. Only the whisky island of Islay, well known and loved for the smoky style of whisky and home to eight distilleries, can rival Dufftown in the ‘Whisky Capital of Scotland’ stakes.

Here, we take a brief tour of the town and look at its history and the history of its whisky distilleries ...

Dufftown in a nutshell

Dufftown, and the area surrounding it, has been a site of human settlement for over 2,000 years. The earliest clues are a series of Pictish stones located in the Fiddich glen that are still able to be visited today, including an impressive six foot high stone cross. In 566AD, the Mortlach church was built by a group of Christians and this too is still standing today. It is one of the oldest remaining Christian settlements in Scotland and is located between the Dufftown and Mortlach distilleries. Another building of historical importance is Balvenie Castle, which was built in the 13th century by the Earl of Buchan. It has had famous visitors such as King Edward I and Mary Queen of Scots.

Balvenie Castle and Glenfiddich distillery

Dufftown as we know it today was founded in 1817 by James Duff, who was the 4th Earl of Fife. It was built to home those returning to the area from the Napoleonic Wars. The most recognisable building of this era is the clock tower, which was completed in 1839. It was originally built to be the town jail but today is the tourist information office. Interestingly, the clock itself was not part of the original building, but came from a similar building in the town of Banff. Over time, numerous whisky companies began to populate the town and build distilleries. This was due to the abundant water supply in the Fiddich glen and surrounding hills. As a result, Dufftown now raises more capital per head of population than any other place in the UK.

The distilleries

Balvenie

The Balvenie single malts are among some of the best selling in the world. The distillery was built in 1892 by William Grant, who was the owner of the neighbouring Glenfiddich distillery. The first spirit flowed from the stills in May 1893. Balvenie is almost unique in that all stages of the whisky making process still take place there. This includes even growing some of their own barley on nearby land and being one of only a few distilleries left in Scotland to practice their own floor malting – this is where the barley is laid out on a floor and turned regularly while germination takes place. It has a current annual capacity of 5.6 million litres and remains under the ownership of William Grant & Sons. The first Balvenie single malt hit the market in 1973 and the brand has gone from strength to strength since.

Dufftown

The Dufftown distillery was founded in 1895 by a group of four gentlemen – Peter MacKenzie, Charles MacPherson, Richard Stackpole and John Symon. The site was formerly a mill - this was converted and the first spirit flowed off their stills in November 1896. Dufftown is currently owned by multi national drinks company Diageo, who took control in 1997, and is their second largest distillery behind the recently opened monster at Roseisle. The annual capacity in 5.8 million litres and most of the whisky produced goes in to Diageo’s range of blends, especially Bell’s. A couple of single malts are available – the increasingly popular Singleton of Dufftown 12 years old and a travel retail exclusive 15 years old version.

Glendullan

The Glendullan distillery was founded in 1897 by William Williams & Sons. It was the last of the original seven distilleries from the 1800s to be opened and sits right down in the Fiddich glen, next to the River Fiddich. It is currently owned by Diageo and has an annual capacity of 3.3 million litres. The whisky is produced in a large still house, which was built in the 1972 and stands next to the old distillery. This old part of the distillery is now used for warehousing and training by Diageo. Single malts releases from Glendullan are scarce – the only one at present is a US exclusive Singleton of Glendullan 12 years old - and as a result the distillery is little known to a wider audience. Most of the whisky goes in to Diageo blends.

Glenfiddich

The iconic distillery of Glenfiddich is the most famous and largest of Dufftown's distilleries.  It is the biggest selling single malt whisky brand in the world and is the largest single malt distillery in Scotland with a current annual production capacity of 12 million litres.  Glenfiddich was founded in 1886 by William Grant and was constructed with the help of his nine children.  It remains owned by William Grant & Sons today and is one of the last remaining family owned distilleries in Scotland.  The pioneering range of whiskies is extensive and can be found in most countries around the world. It was the first single malt brand to ever be sold in the travel retail sector and also the first distillery to ever open a visitors centre in 1969.

Kininvie

The Kininvie distillery was built in 1990 by William Grant & Sons as the ‘little’ sister to Balvenie and Glenfiddich. It is located within the same property as its two more famous siblings and has an annual capacity of 4.8 million litres. The still house is the only true part of the distillery, as the mashing and fermentation takes place within Balvenie. Kininvie was built solely to produce whisky for the popular Grant’s range of blends, and more recently has been used in their Monkey Shoulder brand. Single malt releases from Kininvie are almost non-existent and when they do appear, they are named as Hazelwood. To date only a couple of very limited editions of Hazelwood have been released – one in 2006 and another in 2008.

Mortlach

Mortlach was the first whisky distillery to be established in Dufftown. It was founded in 1823 by James Findlater, shortly after the Customs & Excise Act was passed by the UK Government. The distillery sits in a hollow beneath the town, close to the River Fiddich and the ancient Mortlach church. It is also Dufftown’s smallest distillery in terms of annual production – 2.9 million litres. Mortlach is currently owned by Diageo and is used prominently in the popular Johnnie Walker range of blended whiskies - it has been used since 1923 when John Walker & Sons purchased the distillery. Only one single malt is currently available – the fabled 16 years old – and even this is sporadic, due to the Johnnie Walker blending contracts.

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There are three other distilleries that can still be seen in some form or another in Dufftown – Convalmore, Parkmore and Pittyvaich. These distilleries are no longer in operation but have all contributed to the whisky history of the town.

Convalmore is located at the northern point of Dufftown and the buildings are now owned by William Grant & Sons, forming part of their massive site that includes Balvenie, Glenfiddich and Kininvie. It was founded in 1894 and closed in 1985, making whiskies from Convalmore now extremely rare.

Parkmore

Parkmore was opened in 1894 and closed in 1931 due to a contaminated water supply. The distillery’s equipment was removed shortly after, but the buildings and warehouses remain to this day. They are in amazingly good condition and are currently owned and being used by Diageo for maturation and storage.

Pittyvaich (pronounced pitty-vek) was built in 1974 and had a short-lived production life. It closed in 1993 and its buildings demolished in 2002. All that remains is a rather unattractive square patch of dirt where the distillery once stood and the very occasional single malt release.

Have just tried ... Diageo Special Releases 2009

Diageo, the world's leading premium drinks company, have just released their latest cask strength single malt whisky range. Whisky For Everyone were lucky enough to get an invite to the official launch and tasting that was held at Diageo's headquarters in London. The Special Release series began in 2001 and the bottlings are selected annually. The idea is to showcase special stock that they are holding from their existing and closed Scottish distilleries. This years selection is made up of nine single malt scotch whiskies and all are limited in numbers and are highly collectable and desirable as a result. They will only be able to be purchased from specialist retailers and in selected markets around the world.

Benrinnes 23 years old
Single malt whiskies from this Speyside distillery are rare things, so we were very interested to try this. The distillery is located close to the town of Aberlour and most of the annual 2.5 million litres of whisky produced there is used in Diageo's popular Johnnie Walker blended range. The colour is dark amber with an expressive nose. There is lots of caramel sweetness with plenty of dried fruits (especially raisins, sultanas and prunes). This is back up by some more bitter notes (think of a dark chocolate or espresso coffee) and a slight whiff of sulphuric smoke (imagine a just struck matchstick head). On the palate, this feels thick and rich, coating the inside of the mouth. The caramel, dried fruits and dark bitter elements from the nose are present and are joined by some other notes - spices (imagine cinnamon and nutmeg), something savoury (this is slightly meaty/leathery) and dark treacle. When water is added, the matchstick sulphur appears also. The finish is long and begins sweet before becoming dry, woody and spicy (cinnamon again).
Details - 58.8% ABV/sherry cask/6000 bottles/RRP £150

Brora 30 years old
The Brora distillery on the north eastern Highland coast was closed in 1983 and whisky from it are becoming increasingly hard to find as remaining stocks dwindle. This has a golden colour and a sweet smoky nose. The sweetness is reminiscent of cereal grains and butterscotch, backed up by some woody smoke (imagine an ashy bonfire) and a touch of saltiness. On the palate, this feels oily and viscous with the cereals, butterscotch, ashy smoke and saltiness (think of brine) combining with elements of vanilla, nuts (imagine roasted almonds) and a tang of citrus (especially lemon zest) that pleasantly cuts through everything. A drop of water brings out the smoke and nuttiness further. The finish is long, woody, smoky with that nuttiness coming through well again. An excellent and beautifully balanced dram.
Details - 53.2% ABV/bourbon cask/2958 bottles/RRP £230

Caol Ila Unpeated 10 years old
Caol Ila is a distillery that is located on the western island of Islay and is well reknowned for its peaty, smoky style of whisky. However, for just a few weeks of each year this unpeated style of whisky is produced and previous releases of it have proved extremely popular. This whisky is pale lemon gold in colour and has a fresh intense nose. There is vanilla combined with an abundance of fresh green fruits (especially pears, apple and melon). The high strength of alcohol is evident and some water softens this, bringing through something floral (think of honeysuckle) and a distinct tang of citrus (imagine lemon zest). On the palate, this is light but zingy with a grassy note and a hint of saltiness joining the fresh fruit and vanilla. Water refreshes the whisky and again brings through the floral and citrus notes as in the nose. The finish is relatively short, crisp and sweet. A very interesting whisky.
Details - 65.8% ABV/bourbon cask/6000 bottles/£48

Lagavulin 12 years old
This release from the iconic Lagavulin distillery on the western island of Islay is one of the cheapest of the collection, with a recommended retail price of under £60. The colour is a gorgeous deep amber and the nose is intense. This is full of peaty, earthy smokiness (reminiscent of wood embers and ash) and this is joined by a lovely mix of caramel, vanilla, toffee, some saltiness and a citrus element (imagine lemon zest). On the palate, this is full bodied with that smokiness marrying perfectly with some sweet barley, saltiness (think of brine), caramel and something nutty (imagine hazelnuts). With water, the whisky opens up to become even more smoky and salty with a distinct pepperiness coming through. The water also brings out a fruity element that is reminiscent of tinned fruit (pears especially). The finish is long, drying and intense with that earthy, peaty smoke fading slowly. An excellent and complex whisky that is a real bargain for the price.
Details - 59.9% ABV/bourbon cask/very small quantities - number of bottles not specified/£57

Mannochmore 18 years old
Mannochmore was built in 1971 and this modern distillery is located in the Speyside region, close to the town of Elgin. Single malt whiskies are rarely released from Mannochmore, with most being used for Diageo's popular Haig's Dimple range of blended whisky. This whisky is amber in colour and the nose begins as understated before opening up. Firstly comes some dried fruits (think of sultanas and candied peel) and vanilla, then some caramel and something slightly musty and earthy (but not unpleasant). On the palate, the whisky is light and fresh with the dried fruitiness and vanilla prominent again. The palate develops in a similar way to the nose with some caramel, nuts (imagine toasted almonds), spices (ginger especially) and a hint of something bitter (reminiscent of dark chocolate or cocoa). The finish is long, dry and spicy with the ginger particularly evident. An interesting whisky from a distillery that we have never tried before.
Details - 54.9% ABV/part bourbon, part sherry cask, part new oak cask/2604 bottles/£105

Pittyvaich 20 years old
The whisky from this former Speyside distillery is very rare and this is due to the fact that Pittyvaich (pronounced pitty-vek) was closed down in 1993. It has since been demolished and stocks are running low so the opportunity to try one of their whiskies of this age was not to be missed. This bottling has also been matured in a bourbon cask rather than their traditional sherry casks. The colour is a pale gold and the nose has a fresh grassy feel to it. There is plenty of vanilla, some subtle spices (think of ginger and nutmeg) and something nutty (reminiscent of toasted almonds). The freshness is carried through to the palate, where the grassiness (imagine freshly cut grass) mingles with sweet cereal grains crisp green fruit (like pears and apples). There is a distinct nuttiness again and a slightly surprising salty tang. The finish is short but enjoyable. This is a lovely dram from an under rated distillery and is well worth trying before its stocks run out.
Details - 57.5% ABV/bourbon cask/6000 bottles/£115

Port Ellen 30 years old
Another whisky from a closed distillery. The legendary Port Ellen was located on the western island of Islay and closed for the last time in 1983. The stocks of its whiskies are becoming very scarce and are held in high regard by whisky drinkers and collectors alike. The colour of this 30 years old is golden with a tinge of brown. The nose is elegant with a sumptuous mix of sweet dried fruits (think of sultanas), warm spices (reminiscent of nutmeg and cinnamon), some saltiness (like sea air) and smoke (imagine coal fire smoke). On the palate, this is quite light and more subtle than many other Islay malts but still very expressive. The elements from the nose are present with the addition of a more peppery spiciness. The marriage of the coal smoke and salty brine-like flavours is gorgeous. The finish is long and warm with the smoke and saltiness prominent, with some interesting liquorice and cinnamon notes coming through at the end, especially when water is added.
Details - 57.7% ABV/bourbon cask/5916 bottles/£200

Talisker 25 years old
Talisker is the only distillery on the western island of Skye. The Talisker 10 years old is one of the best selling single malts in the world but whiskies of this age from the distillery are much harder to find. The colour is a golden amber and the whisky clings to the glass as your take in the aromas. The nose is surprisingly soft and mellow with a distinct spiciness (imagine black peppercorns), some saltiness (think of seaweed especially), caramel and a meaty, almost leathery smokiness. On the palate, this is pleasantly oily and feels thick, coating the inside of the mouth. It is rich with some peppery smoke, some fruitiness (imagine sultanas and dried apple), a hint of salt (think of brine) and an interesting iodine bitterness. Very easy drinking, even at the cask strength, but is worth trying with water as this brings out some sweet citrus notes (especially orange peel). The finish is long, warming and spicy (ginger maybe?) with a more earthy peppery smokiness. Lovely stuff!
Details - 54.8% ABV/part bourbon, part sherry cask mix/5862 bottles/£150

Talisker 30 years old
This 30 years old is the second whisky in the new series from the iconic distillery on the isle of Skye. It is gentler and more subtle than the 25 years old. The nose is very fresh for a whisky of this age and has a complex mix of dried fruit (sultanas and candied orange peel especially), saltiness (imagine seaweed) and subtle spicy smokiness (think of black pepper and nutmeg). There is also some fresh toffee and a touch of earthiness. This feels thinner on the palate than the 25 with a sumptuous vanilla sweetness combining well with delicate light smoke (imagine wood ash/embers), a salty element (brine again) and dried fruits notes (although these are less prominent than on the nose). Like the 25 years old, this drinks very well at the natural strength, although adding a touch of water does bring out some sweet earthiness (reminiscent of damp moss). The finish is long with some honey and dried fruit sweetness with just a whiff of smoke and spice. Wow - this is one exceptional and complex whisky.
Details - 53.1% ABV/part bourbon, part sherry cask mix/3000 bottles/£215

Whisky For Everyone's 'whisky of the night' - Boy, this is a tough call as Diageo have really excelled themselves with this years selections. It was very interesting to sample whiskies from some of their lesser known Speyside distilleries and some of the premium whiskies from the closed distilleries but ultimately the short list consists of the two Taliskers, the Lagavulin 12 years old and the Caol Ila Unpeated 10 years old. Each are great whiskies but if we had to choose one it would be the Talisker 30 years old. It is simply fantastic.

News ... Diageo Cask Strength Special Releases 2009

Diageo have just released the line up for the 2009 Special Releases series. The series was first released in 2001 and features exclusive limited edition bottlings of whiskies from Diageo's portfolio of 28 Scottish distilleries. The series covers an array of different styles, flavours and ages. We at Whisky For Everyone are getting the opportunity to sample the nine whiskies that will shortly be released in the 2009 series. This is happening tomorrow night (Tuesday) and we plan to give more details about the new series and fully review each whisky in a blog post that should appear on Wednesday at some point.

In the mean time, here is a little teaser - the basic details of the Diageo Special Releases 2009 line up with basic details regarding region/strength/cask used/limited number of bottles available and the UK RRP (recommended retail price). They look an interesting selection and we are looking forward to trying them. This series also seems more attractively priced than the recent first selection from Diageo's Manager's Choice range.

Benrinnes 23 years old
Speyside region/58.8% ABV strength/sherry cask/6000 bottles/£150 per bottle

Brora 30 years old
North Highlands - closed distillery/53.2% ABV/bourbon cask/2958 bottles/£230

Caol Ila Unpeated 10 years old
Islay/65.8% ABV/bourbon cask/6000 bottles/£48

Lagavulin 12 years old
Islay/59.9% ABV/bourbon cask/very small quantities - number of bottles not specified/£57

Mannochmore 18 years old
Speyside/54.9% ABV/part bourbon, part sherry cask mix/2604 bottles/£105

Pittyvaich 20 years old
Speyside - closed distillery/57.5% ABV/bourbon cask/6000 bottles/£115

Port Ellen 30 years old
Islay - closed distillery/57.7% ABV/bourbon cask/5916 bottles/£200

Talisker 25 years old
Isle of Skye/54.8% ABV/part bourbon, part sherry cask mix/5862 bottles/£150

Talisker 30 years old
Isle of Skye/53.1% ABV/part bourbon, part sherry cask mix/3000 bottles/£215

Have just tried ... Pittyvaich 12 years old 'Flora & Fauna'

Pittyvaich (pronounced pitty-vek) is a little known and closed distillery that used to be located in the town of Dufftown - the heart of Scotland's Speyside whisky region. It has one of the most short lived histories of any distillery. Pittyvaich was founded by Arthur Bell & Sons in 1974 to produce whisky for their popular Bell's range of blends. It later became part of United Distillers (which in turn later became Diageo) and they had numerous other distilleries that did a similar job to Pittyvaich. They decided to close it down and the last whisky flowed from the stills in 1993. Since then, it has been used to distil Gordon's gin for a short period in the late 1990s and also as a training facility for Diageo employees. The equipment was sold off to Clynelish distillery in 2002 and Pittyvaich was demolished and consigned to history.

Pittyvaich whisky is hard to find, even in specialist whisky retailers, and is becoming harder as time goes by and stocks diminish. Diageo still own most of the remaining casks and release this 12 years old single malt as part of their 'Flora & Fauna' range. This range showcases whisky from some of the lesser known distilleries in their portfolio. Pittyvaich is even harder to get from independent bottlers but some are available especially from Douglas Laing & Co and Gordon & MacPhail.

The colour of this 12 years old is a dark amber with a reddish brown tint, indicating a heavy sherry cask influence. The nose confirms this and is rich and sweet with heaps of dried fruit (think of raisins and sultanas), exaggerated malty cereal grains and caramel. It is highly aromatic with an interesting citrus note (imagine candied orange peel or marmalade) and is a touch reminiscent of a Cognac or Armagnac. On the palate there is again an obviously high influence of sherry cask. The rich sweet maltiness from the nose is battling with powerful dried fruit (those raisins, sultanas and candied orange peel again), a sugary sweetness (more like treacle than caramel this time) and woody spices (think of cinnamon bark or nutmeg). Underneath there are some darker, more bitter notes (imagine dark chocolate and espresso coffee). The finish is surprisingly short but intensely spicy (think of cinnamon again) and quite dry and woody. There is also a hit of raw alcohol, which is a bit unpleasant, but this is soothed a little by the other sherry cask characteristics.

Pittyvaich 12 years old is a strange one. It has all the lovely characteristics that you associate and enjoy from a sherry cask but they are too concentrated and exaggerated, which throws the whole whisky out of balance. The whisky is pleasant enough and it is worth trying if you get the chance, so that you can tick off a rare distillery and taste an example of too much sherry cask influence (for my taste anyway). If you can find a bottle, this should cost £55-60.