New release - Glenmorangie Artein

The famous Highland distillery of Glenmorangie has announced the third release in its Private Editions range. Named Artein, which is the Gaelic word for stone, the new single malt joins the popular Sonnalta and Finealta in the range. The name refers to the influence the local limestone has on the water used in Glenmorangie's whisky production. Glenmorangie Artein is crafted from American white oak ex-bourbon casks of 15 year old and 21 year old whiskies (in the ratio of 2:1), which were hand selected by Head of Distilling & Whisky Creation Dr. Bill Lumsden. These subsequently underwent an extra maturation period in Super Tuscan Sassacaia wine casks.  Artein has been bottled at 46% ABV and will retail at £70 a bottle.

The name of Glenmorangie is one of the most famous in the world of whisky and their innovative single malts continue to add to hefty list of major awards. The distillery is located in the Highland town of Tain and is approximately 40 miles (65km) north of Inverness. The distillery was founded in 1843 by William Matheson and is now one of Scotland’s largest whisky distilleries with a recently increased annual production capacity of six million litres. The stills at Glenmorangie are also the tallest in Scotland at 5 metres (16.5 feet) high and makes the still house resemble a cathedral. They are all exact replicas of the original stills that were purchased from a gin distillery in London in 1843. The current owners of Glenmorangie are LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey), who took control in 2004.

Our tasting notes
The colour is amber with a distinct reddish/russet hue. The nose is highly perfumed and combines strong fruitiness and sweetness.  The fruitiness is that of rich, dried fruits (think of raisins, sultanas, cherries and cranberries) and the sweetness has a brown sugar and honey-like feel to it.  Under these are more subtle aromas of orange zest, vanilla, malty grains and wood spice (imagine cinnamon and nutmeg). The nose gets better and better with time and is very promising - it makes you want to taste the whisky. 

On the palate, there is again the mixture of fruitiness and sweetness, but with more prominent wood spice now (plenty of tannic oak and warming cinnamon bark notes).  There is plenty of red fruit (think of plums, cherries, fruit jam) mixed with some softer dried fruits (raisins especially). The effect is quite wine-like and increasingly savoury, especially when the brown sugar and honey notes fade and the drying wood spices and tannins start to kick in towards the end of the palate and on the finish. The delicacy of the light, vibrant Glenmorangie spirit is somewhat lost, with the more subtle notes struggling to get through.  The finish is long, savoury and quite dry with a pleasant dash of jam-like sweetness and a hint of burnt orange peel.  A woody, tannic dryness takes an age to fade from your mouth.

What's the verdict?
Glenmorangie have created a very interesting and expressive whisky here. However, it will not have universal appeal - if you are a fan of Glenmorangie's light style of single malt, then you may struggle with this.  Artein is full of luscious and warming flavours but it offers a good challenge, especially on the palate.  The influence of the wine cask is in danger of hijacking the whisky. 

In something like Glenmorangie's Quinta Ruban, which has been part-matured in ex-Port casks, the sweetness compensates for the richness that the wine cask brings.  In the Artein the influence of the red wine cask gives a much more savoury feel.  This creates a very drier, spicier and more tannic flavour profile. As we said, it is very interesting stuff and worth searching out, especially if you have never tasted a whisky that has been matured in ex-red wine casks before.

Have just tried - Sazerac Rye

Sazerac Rye is an American whiskey that is made at the Buffalo Trace distillery.  The distillery is located in the town of Frankfort, which is in the famous American whiskey making state of Kentucky.  The whiskey was originally made in the early 1800s in New Orleans by The Sazerac Company, which was owned by entrepreneur Thomas H. Handy. It was designed to be the house whiskey in his business The Sazerac Coffee House, which is the birthplace of the popular Sazerac cocktail. The Sazerac Company was purchased by Buffalo Trace in 1992 and they have produced the whiskey at their distillery ever since.

The striking award winning bottle was created by the US design agency SPAR. They used the influence of antique bottles found in The Getz Bourbon Museum in Bardstown, Kentucky to design a stunning bottle with a mid-1800s period feel. Sazerac Rye is matured for approximately six years and is bottled at a strength of 45% ABV (90° Proof).  It is still relatively difficult to find in the UK but can be found within a small selection of specialist liquor retailers.  It should cost around the £30-35 mark for a 75cl bottle.

In America whiskey is made using a mixture of grain types, most commonly wheat, corn/maize, barley and rye. These are mixed in different proportions and percentages with each other to create the unique recipes for each whiskey.  In Sazerac Rye, as with all rye whiskies, the percentage of rye grain in the mash mixture has to legally be greater than 51%.  Other laws stipulate that rye whiskey must be distilled at an alcohol level less than 80% ABV and that it must be matured for a minimum of two years in new American oak casks.

Our tasting notes
The colour is golden yellow and the nose has a real 'wow factor' - it is vibrant with a lovely, promising scent. There are initial aromas of sweet vanilla, fresh coconut, tangy orange zest, sweet honey and robust bittersweet cereals.  The vibrancy is highlighted by plenty of woody and spicy notes that grip your nostrils - cinnamon bark, nutmeg, sandalwood, cedarwood, toasted almonds.  On the palate, this spiciness continues unabated with an initial wave of drying woodiness.  It replicates the aromas from the nose very closely and much like on the nose, these notes grip the palate. The fragrance that comes from it in the mouth is almost overwhelming. Then comes another wave of sweet orange, coconut, something floral and plenty of honey, all of which balance the prominent spice notes.  The combination is challenging and intense but delicious.  The finish is dry, spicy and bittersweet.  Plenty of the rye grains are present here, along with the wood spices, which leaves your mouth watering.

What's the verdict?
Sazerac Rye is a deliciously vibrant and expressive whiskey which sets you a challenge from the first moment that you encounter it.  It is intense and has a lovely combination between the dry, spicy, sweet and bittersweet elements, which are all battling for your attention.  Having not tried many rye whiskies, we cannot really say if these are typical notes for the genre but it has made us want to sample others.  To be fair, the whiskey is a little hard work on its own and seems perfectly suited for mixing in such cocktails as the Sazerac or Old Fashioned.

Inbox - January 13, 2012

Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our email inbox. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece that we receive. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday.

Within Inbox we 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. This week also includes a new feature - Tweet of the week. This is our favourite piece of news or information that we have seen on Twitter recently.

Things are slowly getting back up to speed in the whisky world following the festive period - here is what has caught our attention this week ...

Glenrothes - Last chance to create a Vintage
Back in October, we reported on the launch of the Glenrothes Vintage Maker 2012 competition. With the entry deadline fast approaching, the Speyside distillery have released the short video below to help with some inspiration.  In it, Glenrothes' Brand Ambassador Ronnie Cox talks about the Vintages and the competition. There will be three separate competitions resulting in four winners each from the UK, the USA and from the rest of the world. The winners will be recruited to work as The Glenrothes Vintage Makers to create the Glenrothes Vintage 2012.

This will involve learning the art of making The Glenrothes and spending time working at each stage of the production process - this includes testing the purity of the water source, milling the malt, mashing, adding yeast to the washbacks and overseeing fermentation, distilling new make spirit in copper pot stills and making casks at the cooperage. The winners will also nose single malt from maturing casks and will stay in Rothes House, a private home belonging to the family that owns The Glenrothes. For further information and to enter, go to www.theglenrothes.com/vintagemaker.

Morrison Bowmore Distillers - Announce new Master Blender
The company which owns the three Scottish distilleries of Auchentoshan, Bowmore and Glen Garioch have announced the appointment of Rachel Barrie to the newly created position of Master Blender for their single malt whiskies. She will also head Morrison Bowmore Distillers' laboratory and Spirit Quality Control units.

Rachel Barrie is best known for her recent work in the positions of Product Development Manager and Master Blender at The Glenmorangie Company, where she was responsible for the creation of such award winning master pieces as the Glenmorangie Signet and Ardbeg Corryvreckan.  She will report to Andrew Rankin, the Operation Director and Chief Blender for Morrison Bowmore Distillers.  He comments, "We have a very strong blending team within the company and this appointment will massively strengthen and reinforce our commitment to producing the ultimate in quality single malt Scotch whiskies.”

Tweet of the week
@TheBenRiach - Update from the malt floor: we're starting to malt our own barley in March/April. Earlier than expected. Good times ;)

New releases - Highland Park 1971 & 1976 Orcadian Vintages

Just prior to Christmas, Highland Park - the single malt from the Orkney islands - added two further limited edition Vintages to their esteemed range of premium whiskies. The first was distilled in 1971 and the second was distilled in 1976. The pair will be appearing in specialist whisky retailers shortly and join three other whiskies that are currently available in the Highland Park Orcadian Vintage range - the 1964, 1968 & 1970. All are bottled in the same bespoke black glass bottles, which feature an embossed amulet of the Highland Park logo and are presented in a wooden casket.

Highland Park is the most northern whisky distillery in Scotland. In fact, it is one of the most northern distilleries of any kind in the world, beating others in Canada and Russia. As mentioned, Highland Park is located on the Orkney islands, which lie just off the north coast of the Scottish mainland.  It is found close to the capital of Kirkwall and is one of only two distilleries on the main island (Scapa being the other). Highland Park has one of the best selling and most highly awarded single malt whisky ranges in the world. It is currently owned by the Edrington Group and has an annual production capacity of 2.5 million litres.

Highland Park is one of the oldest whisky distilleries in Scotland and was established in 1798 by the legendary Magnus Eunson. He was known as the 'whisky priest' - he was a priest by day and an illegal whisky distiller by night! The story goes that he used to store the whisky in the crypt under Kirkwall cathedral so that it would be safe from the nosy Customs & Excise men!

Here, we will be sampling and reviewing the two new releases, along with the 1970 Vintage, which we were delighted to also get the opportunity to taste at a recent event. Let's kick off with that ...

Our tasting notes - 1970
Strength - 48% ABV/ Casks - mix of ex-bourbon & ex-sherry/ Bottles - 1,800/ Price - £2,300
The colour is a dark golden amber and the nose is rich, complex and enticing. There is so much going on here that it is difficult to pin down specific aromas.  There are prominent aromas of butterscotch and dark dried fruits, plus some exotic fruits such as peach and apricot. The fruit jumps out, but other aromas include muscovado sugar, honey, vanilla and stewed apple, plus background tobacco smoke and baking spice. On the palate, this hits the spot - its warm, soft and very rich.  A creamy coffee notes hits first, then comes a delicious barrage of the dried and stewed fruits from the nose.  Then come notes of peach, oak spice and soft, delicate peat which add further depth. The finish is wonderfully sweet and long with a lovely balance of oak spice and distant earthy peat smoke. A magnificent whisky.

Our tasting notes - 1971
Strength - 46.9% ABV/ Casks - ex-sherry Spanish oak/ Bottles - 657/ Price - £2,300
The colour is a bright golden amber and the nose is fragrant but with a surprising delicacy. There are plenty of burnt brown sugar, toasted nuts, earthy peat smoke and waxy furniture polish aromas and these mix beautifully. Underneath are hints of baking spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice), some dried fruit (especially citrus peel) and a leafy, herbal note.  On the palate, this is rich and powerful but velvety with a number of delicious, mouth watering notes combining expertly - crumbly brown sugar, drying and soft earthy peat, roasted/toasted nuts plus hints of dried tropical fruits, coffee beans, cocoa powder and baking spice.  The leafy, herbal note is also there again and is reminiscent of dried tobacco.  The initially sweet finish lingers for ages and becomes drier towards the end, with the smokiness outlasting everything.

Our tasting notes - 1976
Strength - 49.1% ABV/ Casks - ex-bourbon American oak/ Bottles - 893/ Price - £2,000
The colour is a golden honey yellow and the nose is vibrant, fresh and promising.  There is prominent initial peat smoke and the earthy aromas fade to reveal some vanilla, honey, dried grass and sweet butterscotch and zesty lemon. The dried grass herbal notes carry on through to the palate.  There is plenty going on and the smokiness is again prominent and earthy. Other notes include oatcakes, honey, vanilla, coconut and cocoa powder. It feels creamy with a slight minerality and switches from sweet to savoury very well.  Some tangy lemon zest again adds even further depth. The finish is long and drying with the peat smoke fading after significant time.

What's the verdict?
These are an excellent selection of whiskies. We don't often get to sample such expensive single malts and the few sips that we had of these were a privilege.  Which one is our favourite?  That is difficult to answer - it would be like if we had three children and asking which of those are your favourites.  You love them all but each for a different character and reason. The only problem is that the price puts them out of most people's reach, including ours.  Commonly, people think that older whiskies are better - this is not always true but in this case, Highland Park have hit the mark and given us three exceptional whiskies.

New release - Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or 15 years old

The famous Highland distillery of Glenmorangie has increased the age of its popular Nectar D'Or single malt whisky. The decision sees the whisky still matured in ex-bourbon American oak casks for 10 years before being moved to ex-Sauternes dessert wine barriques for five years - an addition of three years to the previous 12 years old release. The new version is non-chill filtered, bottled at 46% ABV and should retail in the £45-50 price band - it will be available in specialist whisky retailers and larger supermarkets.

Dr. Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie is the whisky's creator, and he comments, “The result of extra-maturing for an additional three years has improved an already outstandingly voluptuous whisky; Nectar D’Òr 15 Years Old is characterised by rich flavours of luscious desserts and spicy oak tannins".

The name of Glenmorangie is one of the most famous in the world of whisky and their innovative single malts continue to add to hefty list of major awards. The distillery is located in the Highland town of Tain and is approximately 40 miles (65km) north of Inverness. The distillery was founded in 1843 by William Matheson and is now one of Scotland’s largest whisky distilleries with a recently increased annual production capacity of six million litres. The stills at Glenmorangie are also the tallest in Scotland at 5 metres (16.5 feet) high and makes the still house resemble a cathedral. They are all exact replicas of the original stills that were purchased from a gin distillery in London in 1843. The current owners of Glenmorangie are LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey), who took control in 2004.

Our tasting notes
The colour is a wonderful bright golden yellow and the nose is vibrant, fresh and sweet.  There are some delicious initial aromas that hit the nostrils - vanilla, sweet golden syrup, lemon zest and fresh almonds.  With time, further aromas start to reveal themselves and the combination with those initial ones is very good and makes you want to taste the whisky.  The further aromas include sultanas, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, coconut and some crumbly brown sugar.  On the palate, this grips the taste buds and holds on.  It feels rich and has plenty of initial wood spice to balance, but never feels too heavy or syrupy.  This spiciness manifests itself as notes of oak, cinnamon and nutmeg.  There is fresh sweetness that is driven by notes of honey and vanilla, and these are counteracted by some fresh vibrant citrus characteristics - think of zesty lemon and tangy bittersweet grapefruit.  The palate has continuing depth, warmth and complexity to it. The finish is again warming with plenty of zesty citrus and wood spice being complimented by sweet sultana and honey notes.  It fades elegantly and becomes a little dry right at the end.

What's the verdict?
This is a high quality and indulgent whisky.  It manages to combine softness and sweetness with spice and intensity of flavour very well.  It is only natural to compare with the previous 12 years old version, which from memory was a little more delicate and floral. Glenmorangie are one of the leading pioneers in the field of 'finishing' and the use of un-orthodox casks. The nature of their continued innovation and the rarity of anything matured or part-matured in ex-Sauternes casks, in addition to the quality of Nectar D'Or, makes you wonder why more distilleries do not do the same.

For further information on the Glenmorangie distillery - click on the distillery profile page on our website. If you would like to compare this review of the new version with that of the previous 12 years old version of Nectar D'Or - click here.

New release - Jura Elixir

Just before Christmas we reported on the release of a new single malt expression in to the popular island distillery of Jura's core range.  Named Jura Elixir, the whisky received a 'soft' pre-Xmas release, seeing it bottled in the half-bottle 35cl size.  The new whisky has been produced to be 'fruity and spicy' and is produced from a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry cask maturations.  It takes its name from the fresh local water, which the islanders call the 'elixir of life' and was believed to have been blessed by St. Columba in 560AD.  It is this water that is used to make whisky at the distillery. The Elixir 35cl costs £16.49 and is currently exclusive to Sainsbury's, the major UK supermarket chain. Plans for a full 70cl bottle are planned to follow.

The Jura distillery is located on the isle of Jura, which lies off the west coast of Scotland next to the famous whisky island of Islay. The distillery was founded in 1810 by Archibald Campbell and was originally called the Small Isles distillery - named after the numerous small islands located in Craighouse Bay, which the distillery overlooks. It was closed for a long period between 1901 and 1960, at which point it was rebuilt and re-named as Jura by Charles Mackinlay & Co. Production restarted in 1963.

The name of Jura translates as 'deer island' from the ancient Nordic language, and deer still outnumber people by a ratio of 20:1 on the island. To put that amount in to context, there are only 220 who live on the island according to the last UK Census in 2011. The distillery has an annual production capacity of two million litres and is currently owned by Whyte & Mackay, a subsidiary of Indian company United Spirits. The addition of Elixir to the core range is planned to cement Jura's position as one of the fastest growing single malt brands in the category.

Our tasting notes
The colour is golden amber and the nose is initially very sweet.  There are huge obvious aromas of caramel, sultanas and toffee.  It feels soft and sugary and with time, other aromas penetrate the intense sweetness.  There is something buttery, malty cereal grains, warm cooked biscuits, a decent pinch of baking/wood spice (think of cinnamon, nutmeg and all-spice) and a hint of wet, earthy peat.  On the palate, this feels a little thinner than expected given the richness and sweetness of the nose.  The sweetness is still there in the form of the caramel/toffee but there is a slight edge to it, reminiscent of burnt brown sugar.  The juicy dried fruits (imagine sultanas and raisins) temper this note, as does a pleasant spiced orange peel characteristic.  Underneath are notes of oat biscuit, vanilla, wet earth, honey and another decent pinch of those woody baking spices.  An increasing element of damp, slightly acrid peat smoke seems to rise from the wet earth note as the whisky sits on the palate for increasing time.  The finish is again initially sweet with plenty of honey, caramel and dried fruit.  These notes then give way to some drier notes, which give much needed balance.  These notes include some bittersweet malty cereals, nutmeg and a hint of dried grass.

What's the verdict?
This is an interesting whisky ... but you will need to enjoy an unrestrained level of sweetness to fully appreciate it.  To this end, it would be a perfect choice for a whisky beginner who has a sweet tooth.  The sweetness is tempered by a refreshing lightness (normally extrovert sweetness brings heaviness and richness) and the background smokiness. The combination works quite well. A good, solid offering and maybe worth a try for £16.49.

Have just tried - Glenfarclas 17 years old

Glenfarclas distillery is located in the Speyside region of Scotland, close to the small town of Ballindalloch. It is owned by J&G Grant and is the second oldest family owned distillery in Scotland. Glenfarclas translates as ‘the valley of green grass’ from Gaelic. The distillery has an annual production capacity of three million litres and boasts the largest stills in Speyside. They are reknowned for their use of quality ex-sherry European oak casks for maturation and release a comprehensive core range of single malt whiskies. 

George Hay founded a distillery on the current Glenfarclas site in 1836, although records show that an illegal farm distillery had been operating there since 1797. He named the distillery Rechlerich (pronounced reck-leh-rick). In 1865, it was sold to neighbour John Grant and here started the second longest continuous line of family ownership in Scottish whisky history. Only the Mitchell family, who own Springbank in Campbeltown, have owned the same distillery for longer. In 1896, the distillery was completely rebuilt by John’s son, George, and with that came increased production and success, plus the name change to Glenfarclas. The distillery continues to be owned by the sixth generation of the Grant family to this day.

This 17 years old release is slightly more limited than its siblings in the core Glenfarclas range.  It is bottled at a strength of 43% ABV and should retail for between £65-70 a bottle.

Our tasting notes
The colour is a  golden amber and the nose has a number of lovely scents vying for your attention - imagine golden syrup, dark dried fruits (especially sultanas), candied orange peel and a pinch of baking spice, reminiscent of cinnamon and nutmeg.  With time, some further more subtle notes appear and combine well with the initial aromas.  These include some dried apple, brown sugar and a hint of fresh peach.  On the palate, this whisky is warming, velvety and soft with plenty of initial flavours coming through.  There is plenty of freshness, which can be lacking in whiskies with a heavy ex-sherry cask influence.  Initially there is a pleasant cereal note that mixes with sweet honey, some heavily spiced orange and sultanas.  These continue throughout and are joined by further notes which add depth and complexity - soft brown sugar, cinnamon bark, dried pear and apple, some drying oak and just the merest hint of distant earthy peat.  The finish is just as rich.  It begins sweetly, with plenty of honey and dried fruit, before turning drier and spicier.  The malty cereals and wood spices are particularly prominent here, as is the zesty spiced orange.

What's the verdict?
This is a lovely expression of Glenfarclas and one which is not quite as rich, sweet and heavy as some of the others in the core range.  It manages to combine a good level of sweetness and fruitiness with a balance of wood spices and dryness.  The element of prominent zesty orange is very pleasant and this, along with the hint of peat, gives a wonderful depth of character.  This is one of our favourite Glenfarclas single malts to date and a great addition to an already excellent range of whiskies.

Inbox - January 6, 2012

Inbox returns following a brief festive break with the first edition of 2012. Both of us would firstly like to wish everyone a slightly belated Happy New Year. For those of you who may have discovered us recently ... welcome to Whisky For Everyone.

Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR type material that has recently found its way in to our email inbox. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece that we receive. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we 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.

The Christmas and New Year period is traditionally a quiet time in terms of marketing and PR.  However, things will soon start to warm up again. A few articles of interest have landed in the last couple of weeks, so here goes ...

Balblair - Oldest Vintage get a revamp
The Balblair distillery in the north Highlands have revealed stylish new packaging for their prestigious Vintage - the 1965.  This is the oldest Vintage in their current range and has been re-launched in a deluxe gift box made from black satin wood and lined with cream leather.  It also features a draw which contains a certificate of authenticity signed by Distillery Manager John MacDonald and a booklet containing tasting notes. The whisky has been taken from a single ex-bourbon cask and this has yielded just 350 bottles.  It has an strength of 52.3% ABV and is available now from high-end specialist retailers at a cost of £1,200 each.

Benriach - New Solstice released
The award winning independent Speyside distillery of Benriach have bottled a second version of their popular Solstice single malt.  It was released on 21 December - the day of the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.  The first bottling was released on the same day in 2010 and was highly regarded with Jim Murray describing it in the latest version of his Whisky Bible as 'spellbinding'.  This release, like the first edition, is heavily peated and has been matured in ex-bourbon casks, before finishing in ex-tawny Port casks.  It is older at 17 years of age and has a strength of 50% ABV. Sales Director for Benriach, Alistair Walker said: “Our new malt is a superb marriage of peat and fruit, a worthy successor to our 15 year old Solstice ... and just as spellbinding".

Benriach - 10,000 casks and counting
More news from Benriach, this time in the form of a milestone.  Just before Christmas, the independently owned distillery filled its 10,000th cask with new make spirit since the new ownership re-started Benriach in 2004. The cask in question was a second fill ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon, which holds approximately 500 litres. Benriach's Distillery Manager and friend of Whisky For Everyone, Stuart Buchanan (pictured in the slightly fuzzy photo to the left) commented, "There is no doubt in terms of blood, sweat and tears, this has been the busiest year we have had at the distillery since it became independent. As we entered December, we had a wee suspicion that we might hit the magic 10,000 cask number and we eventually filled cask it on Wednesday December 14th.”

Glenmorangie - Artein hits the market
The famous Highland distillery has announced the third release in its Private Editions range. Named Artein, which is the Gaelic word for stone, the new single malt joins the popular Sonnalta and Finealta in the range. The name refers to the influence the local limestone has on the water used in Glenmorangie's whisky production. Glenmorangie Artein is crafted from American white oak ex-bourbon casks of 15 year old and 21 year old whiskies (in the ratio of 2:1), which were hand selected by Head of Distilling & Whisky Creation Dr. Bill Lumsden. These subsequently underwent an extra maturation period in Super Tuscan Sassacaia wine casks.  Artein has been bottled at 46% ABV and will retail at £70 a bottle.

Mackmyra - Open new distillery
Just before Christmas, the Swedish distillery in the town of Gävle has opened its new distillery.  The move was driven by the ever growing popularity of Mackmyra's single malt whiskies, which continues to win plaudits around the world.  The facility, known as the Mackmyra Whisky Village, was designed by architect Thomas Eriksson and features a set of underground maturation warehouses. It also features an innovative system that uses gravity to aid whisky production, with the milling and mashing processes starting things off at the top of its 37 storey high building.  The MWV has an annual capacity of 1.2 million litres, which quadruples the output of the original distillery built in 1999. Full production and visitor tours will commence in the Spring.  In the meantime, check out the short video below which shows the opening event on 17 December 2011. You will have to brush up on your Swedish though ...

Tullamore Dew - UK release for Special Reserve
The popular Irish whiskey brand has released its award winning 12 year old Special Reserve expression on to the UK market. New owners William Grant & Sons have seen this expression sell exceptionally well in the USA. It is a unique blend of three different types of triple distilled Irish whiskey - Irish pot still, malt and grain - all of which have been aged between 12 and 15 years. The whiskey has been matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks to create a blend of great depth and complexity.  The whiskey is available now in good supermarkets and specialist retailers with prices starting at around £30.

Our Top 10 whiskies of 2011 - Numbers 1 to 5

Welcome to our Top 10 whiskies of 2011. Some people like Top 10s, some don't. They are always subjective and therefore contentious as a result - everyone has differing opinions at the end of the day. We have tried to select our Top 10 on a ratio of quality, value for money and availability to the public. To this end, there are not really any single cask or independent bottlings included, despite some excellent ones being sampled throughout the year. However, some are limited edition bottlings that are still available to purchase.

We have split our choices in to two parts. In this second part we cover our Top 5, including our 'Whisky of the Year', plus a short list of some excellent whiskies that didn't quite make the final cut for one reason or another.  The first part covering numbers six to ten was published yesterday - to read this click here. Please feel free to leave any comments about our selections at the bottom of either post.

So without further delay, let's get down to business and announce our 'Whisky of the Year' and the Top 5.  Drum roll please ...

Whisky For Everyone's Whisky of the Year 2011

Great King Street

When boutique whisky blending company Compass Box released this blend back in the Summer, they cannot have imagined what a stir it would cause. Nicknamed 'The Artist's Blend', it has received a plethora of rave reviews and laughs in the face of those that think that blends are an inferior product to single malts.   

Great King Street (named after the street where the company's Edinburgh HQ is located) re-affirms the high standards of excellence that Compass Box have set themselves in the last decade and will surely go on to win a heap of awards around the world.

Not only is it our favourite whisky of the year in terms of quality, flavour and character but it is also highly affordable at just £25 a bottle. It ticks every box for us and is a fantastic product.
Reviewed on 9/8/11 - click here for original notes.

2 - Auchentoshan Valinch
This whisky was also released back in the Summer and the Lowland distillery came up trumps. To release Auchentoshan's soft triple distilled spirit with a powerful alcohol strength of 57.7% ABV could have been a tricky marriage, but it worked a treat.  Sympathetic casking and the skill of the Master Blender are evident here. It can take plenty of water also, and holds up very well. The Valinch is planned to become a regular annual feature for Auchentoshan and if each batch is this good, then we can't wait for this year's version. Another bargain at around £40-45 a bottle.
Reviewed on 25/7/11 - click here for original notes.

3 - Benriach Solstice 15 years old
The first 'wow' moment of 2011 was provided by this whisky from one of our favourite Speyside distilleries. Standing at the Whisky Live show in London the Solstice announced itself with a splendid mix of intensity, smoke, fruit, wood spice and warm biscuit notes. It is unusual for a Speyside single malt in that it is heavily peated and has been part matured in ex-Port casks.  The combination works superbly and makes you think that more distilleries should try it. A new 17 year old version has just been released in a similar vein, so we cannot wait to try that and hope it is as good as this beauty.
Reviewed on 9/3/11 - click here for original notes.

4 - Greenore 18 years old
Hailing from the Irish distillery of Cooley, this is the first single grain whiskey to appear on one of our Top 10 lists. To put it simply - this is the best single grain whiskey that we have tried to date and the only one to which we have returned on numerous occasions. If you have never tried a single grain whiskey before, then this Greenore would be a good introduction to the genre.  It offers wonderful bittersweet cereals, creamy vanilla and coconut, spiced orange and plenty of wood spice characteristics. All are perfectly balanced and the result is delicious and rich.
Reviewed on 6/2/11 - click here for original notes.

5 - Shackleton Highland Malt
Another blend in the Top 5 - what is going on?  This is a whisky with a difference - it has a unique story (synopsis - someone finds old bottle under Antarctic ice after 100 years, someone else brings bottle back to Scotland and recreates replica as near to the original as possible), but also a unique flavour profile. The original was from an era where single malts did not exist as a product and this was produced in the old Highland style with some richness and smokiness. The back story is great but for us the most important thing is that the whisky in the bottle stands up on its own.
Reviewed on 26/4/11 - click here for original notes.

As mentioned, the selections for numbers 6-10 in our Top 10 were revealed in the first part- click here to read if you missed it.

We found it tricky to select our Top 10, as we have sampled so many good new whiskies throughout the year.  Naturally, some excellent products did not make the cut for one reason or another.  Below is a list of some others that we felt deserved a mention.  We have also attached the links to the original reviews, if you wish to take a look at them.

• Balvenie Tun 1401 (Batch No.2) - Reviewed on 28/9/11
• Bowmore 1982 Vintage -  Reviewed on 14/6/11
• Brora 32 years old - Reviewed on 24/10/11
• Jura 1976 Feith A' Chaorainn - Reviewed on 22/11/11
• Kilbeggan 18 years old - Reviewed on 27/4/11
• Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy - Reviewed on 28/9/11
• Port Ellen 32 years old - Reviewed on 24/10/11

Our Top 10 whiskies of 2011 - Numbers 6 to 10

The last year has been a bumper one for new whisky releases.  As the category continues to grow in both sales and consumption across the globe, many companies are developing and releasing more and more products to meet or drive consumer demand.  This has led to even greater diversity within the world of whisky.  It is impossible to sample every single new release, but we have been extremely lucky to try some of them through our serious hobby that is this blog.

As always happens at this time of year, it is natural to review and reflect on what has happened during the previous year. We have written nearly 100 whisky reviews with tasting notes in the last year, many of which are of the newest releases.  2011 saw our readership for both the website and blog increase dramatically, as did our number of followers on Twitter. It was also the year that Whisky For Everyone featured in the UK national press for the first time, firstly contributing to The Sun's Father's Day pullout and most recently in an article on The Guardian's award winning Word of Mouth food and drink blog.

After much deliberation, we have selected our Top 10 whiskies of 2011. Some people like Top 10s, some don't. They are always subjective and therefore contentious as a result - everyone has differing opinions at the end of the day. We have tried to select our Top 10 on a ratio of quality, value for money and availability to the public. To this end, there are not really any single cask or independent bottlings included, despite some excellent ones being sampled throughout the year. However, some are limited edition bottlings that are still available to purchase.

We have decided to split our choices in to two parts. The Top 5 will appear shortly, along with a short list of some excellent whiskies that didn't quite make the final cut for one reason or another.  Please feel free to leave any comments about our selections at the bottom of the post.

6 - Chichibu 'The First'
This highly anticipated first ever official single malt from Japan's newest distillery had plenty of hype to live up to.  As, it turns out, it did not disappoint.  'The First' is a marvellous opening shot from Chichibu and has won many friends across the whisky world already.  OK - it is youthful but it had us and the people we shared it with saying, "how can this be only three years old?" It shows such development, balance and complexity of aroma and flavour, that it makes you wonder how good some of the next and older releases from Chichibu are going to be.
Reviewed on 1/11/11 - click here for original notes.

7 - Rosebank 21 years old
Every Autumn the drinks giant Diageo treat the world to a new set of whiskies as part of their Special Releases programme.  This year's highlight was this gem from the closed Rosebank distillery.  It is a subtle whisky which is full of depth and delicate complexity - a balance that is hard to achieve.  A gorgeous zesty lemon note on the palate was a particularly memorable highlight. When you consider that remaining stocks of Rosebank single malt are dwindling to a critical level and that it is highly desirable to collectors, then this represents a good bargain too.
Reviewed on 24/10/11 - click here for original notes.

8 - Balvenie Signature 12 years old (Batch No.4)
The fourth batch of the popular Signature was released to much fanfare in early Summer.  Balvenie has always been a Whisky For Everyone favourite since it got us hooked on whisky, and this release kept up their usual high quality.  It is rich, reassuring and very easy to drink, combining lovely sweet elements with drier and spicier ones.  The balance is fantastic.  This is also the most readily available of all the whiskies in our Top 10 - this combined with the great richness and balance make it a good choice as an introduction to whisky for a beginner.
Reviewed on 9/6/11 - click here for original notes.

9 - Balblair 2001 Vintage
This single malt had the tricky job of replacing the popular 2000 Vintage, which made our Top 10 for 2010 amongst many other plaudits.  The 2001 is a landmark whisky for the distillery and its owners - the packaging had a revamp, it was released at a higher strength (46% ABV) with no added colouring and as non-chill filtered.  The result was a wonderfully delicate, subtle and sympathetic single malt that is full of green orchard fruit and honey notes. It is a great example of a whisky in the lighter and fresher style and one that leaves you wanting another sip.
Reviewed on 9/11/11 - click here for original notes.

10 - Bowmore Tempest 10 years old (Batch No.3)
Batch No.3 of the Tempest series was released in early Autumn and immediately it had plenty to live up to. We (and many others) were huge fans of the first two batches and we presented Batch No.1 with our Whisky of the Year for 2010. This is a different and feistier whisky to the other two.  It is refreshing, bracing and packs a smoky punch that combines with more delicate lemon zest, honey and vanilla notes.  Adding water makes it creamier and softer but we preferred the intensity of it in the neat form. A lovely example of a single malt in the smoky, peaty style.
Reviewed on 30/11/11 - click here for original notes.