New Releases – Kilchoman Machir Bay and Sherry Cask

Islay’s newest and smallest distillery has been very busy in recent weeks with two new releases hitting the shops in quick succession. After various “seasonal” limited releases since 2009 and last year's 100% Islay and 2006 releases these two whiskies break further ground for Kilchoman.

The Machir Bay retails for around £40 and is to be the distilleries first continuous release, released in yearly batches with the vattings for each year gradually using more and more older whisky year by year. This is a great idea which I don’t think anyone has done before and it’ll allow the most nerdy of us to compare the different years against each other. The first 2012 release is made up of 60% 3 year old whisky, 35% 4 year old and 5% 5 year old. All matured in first fill bourbon barrels, vatted together and then finished in an oloroso sherry butt for 8 weeks.

The Sherry Cask release is a limited edition and is the first wholly sherry cask matured whisky to be on general release (I think they might have released some single sherry casks exclusive to certain retailers and festivals in the past). It’s one of Kilchoman’s oldest releases to date, consisting of 5 year old whisky matured in oloroso sherry butts. It retails for around £50.

The first new distillery to be built on Islay for 124 years, independently owned Kilchoman filled their first cask on the 14th December 2005. The distillery is adjoined to a small farm in the north of Islay just south of the beautiful sands of Machir Bay. Its one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland, distilling 100,000 litres a year (just under what Caol Ila distils in a week!).

Our Tasting Notes – Machir Bay
On the nose there’s some lovely smoked meat aromas like smoked ham and smoky bacon wheat crunchies. Really really coastal, salty sea air on the beach, rock pools, sea weed, oysters and iodine. There’s a nice tangy fruitiness there as well, like stewed apples and grapefruits.

Flavour wise this one is quite austere with some bitter oakiness, pepper and some heat. Nice hint of chocolatey sweetness and some salted liquorice. Not massively peaty given the age but it’s certainly there in the background giving more depth and complexity. The finish is very very long with more of that salted liquorice.

Our Tasting Notes – Sherry Cask
 Sweet, smokey and coastal on first nosing. Vanilla fudge, malt loaf, raisins, a slight bitter marmite note, the smoke is a little meaty like bacon and also mingles well with a lovely maritime note reminding me of kippers or Arbroath smokies. There’s a little fermenting fruit note too akin to proper rustic farmhouse cider.

The palate is sweet at first like pine honey on slightly burnt toast. Then, gets progressively dryer. There’s a healthy dose of peat throughout with a nice drying grassiness as well. The finish is very long again with flavours of salted toffee and ginger.

What’s the verdict?
I have to say I’m a bit of a fan of Kilchoman and these two new releases don’t disappoint. Neither are as good as last years 2006 5 Year old edition (my favourite so far) but they’re both very good drams that offer something a little different from the norm. The Machir Bay, fittingly, has a lovely coastal profile and the Sherry cask is a worthy addition to the small selection of sherried Islays out there. Although they’re both on the young side, like most of Kilchomans releases so far, they have succeeded in showing that young whiskies can be just as good and complex as older whiskies.

Inbox - May 4, 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.

________

Weisberger and a couple of birdies

Ballantine's - Championship Blend

A couple of weeks ago we reported in Inbox about a very limited edition expression of the popular Ballantine's whisky brand that had been produced.  The Championship Blend was specially created to celebrate the Ballantine's Championship golf tournament in Korea.

It was created by the Ballantine's Master Blender Sandy Hyslop with the help of the 2011 winner Lee Westwood.  A bottle was presented to the winner of this year's tournament as part of his prize. Bernd Weisberger from Austria (pictured, above) won by five shots and bagged a cheque for $487,000, plus the first of only 10 bottles of the Championship Blend ever produced to celebrate his victory.

Balvenie - Masters of Craft

The famous Speyside distillery of Balvenie have announced that they are to run their successful Masters of Craft competition again this year.  The initiative, which launched for the first time last year, is designed to highlight the quality and variety of handcrafted skills that are currently thriving in the UK.

This ethos mirrors the handcrafted nature of the production of Balvenie single malt whisky.  Categories include Stone, Wood, Metal, Glass & Ceramics, Textiles and Leather, plus the new category of Artisan Food.  Other prizes include the Young Master of Craft (open to 21-30 year olds), the David Stewart Life Time Achievement Award (named after Balvenie's legendary Master Distiller) and the overall Master of Craft 2012.

An esteemed panel of judges have been assembled for the competition and they include David Stewart himself, TV presenter Kevin McCloud and Chairman of the Heritage Arts Council, Robin Wood. Nominations are now open and remain so until Friday 1 June - if you wish to nominate someone, please go to the Masters of Craft website.

Bulleit - Shake it up for the Kentucky Derby
The Bulleit American whiskey brand have created a couple of cocktails to enjoy over this coming weekend.  This is to celebrate the brand's association with the famous Kentucky Derby horse race which is run on Saturday 5 May. 

The first is exotically named the Ginger Julep '68 Fastback and is made using 1½oz of ginger infused Bulleit bourbon, ½oz of organic brown sugar, ¼oz of peeled minced fresh ginger, 1½oz of soda water and a lemon twist. To make it, muddle the ginger and brown sugar together until the sugar is nearly dissolved. Add a dash of soda to finish dissolving the sugar, stir in the Bulleit and finish with ice, soda to taste and a lemon twist.

The second is a Bulleit Rye Mint Julep and is made using 1½ oz of Bulleit Rye whiskey, 1 ½-2 oz of Stirrings Simple Syrup and fresh mint leaves. To make it, muddle mint leaves, Stirrings Simple Syrup and crushed ice. Then add Bulleit Rye, fill the glass with ice and pour into cocktail shaker, shake vigorously and serve in rocks glass with fresh mint garnish. Have fun and enjoy the race!

Dalmore - Goes stellar with new releases

The Highland distillery of Dalmore have announced a significant range of limited edition single malts to add to their seemingly ever expanding portfolio of whiskies.  The Constellation Collection is a selection of single cask bottlings ranging from between 1964 and 1992.  There are 21 casks in total and each has been bottled at its natural strength and colour.  This initial release consists of around 4,000 bottles.

The prices range from £20,000 a bottle for the 1964 Vintage to £2,000 for the 1992 Vintage.  There is  also the option to buy the entire set of 21 bottles for £158,000.  The whiskies are available for the first month exclusively through the World Duty Free Group's main shop in Terminal 5 at Heathrow airport.  They will then be available through other specialist retailers.

Now, a Dalmore release wouldn't be a Dalmore release without some 'Paterson-speak'.  The Master Blender had this to say about the Constellation Collection - "In selecting these casks, we have identified our brightest stars from our darkest warehouses. We’re very proud to share the shining lights of our distillery with whisky lovers the world over.” Classic stuff.

New release - Tullamore Dew 12 years old

Tullamore Dew has released its 12 years old expression on to the UK market. Having seen this expression sell well in the USA, the brand's owners William Grant & Sons launched it for St. Patrick's Day in the UK. 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. It has been matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks and bottled at 40% ABV. A bottle should cost around £30-35.

Tullamore Dew was originally distilled in the village of Tullamore, County Offaly in central Ireland in 1829. The Tullamore distillery was founded by Michael Molloy before passing to Daniel E. Williams in the 1880s. Williams had worked at the distillery as a teenager and had worked his way up to the position of General Manager. He was also a major innovator - he introduced electricity and the telephone to Tullamore village and its distillery, making it one of the most modern whiskey making facilities of the day. Williams also gave his name to his whiskey by combining the town's name with his initials, hence Tullamore DEW.  The distillery closed in 1954 and fell into disrepair.

William Grant & Sons have just announced plans to construct and open a new distillery in the brand's spiritual hometown of Tullamore. Tullamore Dew is currently the second biggest selling Irish whiskey brand behind Jameson, and the new pot still facility is to help maintain the current level of growth and demand for the product. William Grant is investing €35 million in the project which will create 100 temporary and 25 permanent jobs in the town. The building work is estimated to take two years and the facility will incorporate an environmentally efficient pot still distillery and a visitor centre.

Our tasting notes
The colour is a rich golden yellow and the nose is rich and sweet, but with a slightly understated edge to it.  There are pleasant aromas up front which include obviously sweet notes of caramel, honey, vanilla and butterscotch.  These are joined by some very grainy cereals, plus hints of dried grass and nutmeg, which add depth and complexity.

On the palate, the whiskey feels creamy and almost oily.  The sweetness is again the first thing to show and the notes of butterscotch, honey and vanilla are particularly prominent.  The other notes from the nose - bittersweet cereals, dried grass and nutmeg - again add depth and are joined by further elements which give a lovely complexity.  There is a distinct notes of toasted nuts and orange oil, with a hint of waxy furniture polish and some drying woody oak spice.  The combination is delicious.

It is this oaky spiciness that leads the way on the finish.  The oak and baking spices (think of cinnamon and nutmeg) are joined by the toasted nuttiness from the palate.  This combination makes the finish particularly and mouth watering.  The soft, sweet notes return to stop it becoming too dry with the honey and butterscotch prominent

What's the verdict?
The Tullamore Dew 12 years old is exceptionally easy going and easy drinking.  It is a lovely example of an Irish whiskey, being smoother and richer than the extremely popular Original version.  This would be a great choice to introduce a beginner to the world of Irish whiskey, as it is well balanced with a nice level of depth and complexity.  We say if you are thinking of buying the Original, search this one out and spend £10 more - it's worth it.

Travel Photographer of the Year Awards, sponsored by Cutty Sark

The Travel Photographer of the Year Awards (TPOTY) for 2012 were launched recently at an event to celebrate their 10th anniversary, and for this we were invited to attend a presentation at the Mayfair Hotel in central London.

Cutty Sark whisky are a major sponsor of the awards, and have created special a prize for the overall winner, the Travel Photographer of the Year 2012. This consists of a cash and commission element (to shoot images for the brand), and more significantly the winner will also have the chance to create 50 bottles of their own whisky under the guidance of Master Blender, Kirsteen Campbell. This process includes the selecting of different whiskies from various casks, and also the designing of their own label.

Inbox - April 27, 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.

  ________

Ballantine's - Finds a new Ritual
The Ballantine’s 12 year old blended whisky has announced a partnership with critically acclaimed British product and interior designer, Lee Broom. The Ballantine’s 12 Year Old Ritual by Lee Broom was revealed at the designer’s recent show in Milan. At the event, Ballantine’s and Broom showcased the limited edition serving ritual, which has been influenced by vintage crystal whisky decanters with a contemporary twist.

The Ritual looks like a decanter but on closer inspection, breaks into three individual sections for single or shared occasions - the base acts as the whisky glass, the middle section is for ice cubes or can be used as a second whisky glass and the top is to hold water or other ingredients. There is a limited edition run of just 200 serving rituals going to markets including France, Mexico and Brazil.

Bushmills - Superstar DJs, here we go!
The famous Irish whiskey brand has announced that actor Elijah Wood will perform a DJ set at its ‘Bushmills Live’ - the festival of handcrafted whiskey and music taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on the 20th and 21st June. The actor, most famously known for his role of Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, will take to the decks with friend Zach Cowie.

He joins a bill that already features band Snow Patrol and award winning artists Iain Archer and Foy Vance. Fans of Bushmills Irish Whiskey can win the chance to attend the festival by entering the competition on the Bushmills Facebook page – hurry up though, the closing date is today!

Glengoyne - Auld Enemy returns
The Highland distillery of Glengoyne have launched a special limited Edition ‘Auld Enemy Dram’ in time for this year's Father’s Day on 17th June. The Auld Enemy Dram series recognises and celebrates the great sporting rivalry that exists between the two great nations of Scotland and England in the sport of rugby. This version is a Glengoyne 1990 single cask and is retailing at just £175 per bottle. It is now available to buy online at www.glengoyne.com.

New release - Connemara 12 years old

Connemara is the only peated Irish whiskey that is in regular production and has a peaty/smoky level which is about half of the strength of famous Islay Scotch whiskies such as Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig. Other Irish smoky whiskeys are occasionally released but are extremely rare. Connemara is produced at the Cooley distillery, which is located on the County Louth coast roughly half way between Belfast and Dublin.

Cooley was founded in 1987 by John Teeling and his idea was to resurrect some of Ireland's oldest whiskey recipes and traditions that had become extinct. He converted an old vodka distillery and Cooley has since won over 100 awards worldwide. At the end of 2011, the distillery and company were taken over by drinks giant Beam Global. The first expression of the modern Connemara was launched in 1996 - this 12 years old is actually the oldest version of Connemara released to date.

Connemara, which is named after the original site of the Connemara distillery on the west coast of Ireland near Galway, and its old traditional recipe had disappeared into history before being resurrected by John Teeling.  To produce this expression of Connemara, some of their oldest premium casks were used.  There are just 7,000 bottles available, although it is planned for the 12 year old to become a regular annual release.  This version has been bottled at 40% ABV and should cost around £60-65 from specialist liquor retailers.

Our tasting notes
The colour is a pale golden yellow and the nose has a delicious freshness to it.  There are a number of aromas that help to give it this freshness and these include green pear and apple, honey, vanilla and a hint of lemon zest.  Backing this up are deeper notes of malty cereals and mossy, earthy peat - this peat is not as obvious or vibrant as in younger versions of Connemara, but instead softly drifts around your nostrils.

On the palate this feels soft and creamy, almost a little bit oily in texture.  There are prominent notes of vanilla and honey, which are backed up by malted barley and a hint of yeast - this combination is reminiscent of bread dough.  The fresh green fruitiness from the nose is still there but has taken a bit of a step back, while the zesty lemon has come more to the fore and has a lemon meringue pie feeling.  The earthy peat smoke is never far away and makes you think of damp moss.  It comes across a touch more feisty than on the nose and it has a mild chili-like heat and spice to it.  The combination is sublime and very moreish.

The finish has a decent length, although it is the peat smoke and tingling heat that last longer than anything else.  The sweet vanilla, honey and malty notes, plus the zesty lemon fade quite quickly and leaves a slightly dry feeling in the mouth.

What's the verdict?
This is a good effort from Connemara and shows an increased depth, complexity and class from its very good younger siblings.  Also, the smokiness is less prominent and more integrated than in other expressions. The only slight disappointment is the lack of depth in the finish and this stops it from being a great whiskey in our opinion.  Having said that, it is lovely, easy to drink and very enjoyable.

New releases - Bowmore 100 Proof & SpringTide

Back in February, the iconic Islay distillery of Bowmore announced the release of three new whiskies exclusive to the travel retail/Duty Free sector. The first is 100 Degrees Proof which is cask strength and will retail at £50. The second is SpringTide which has been predominantly matured in ex-Oloroso sherry casks and will retail for £120. The final release is a 1983 Vintage - the first of a series of Bowmore single casks from the 1980s which are to be released to the travel retail market - which will retail for £500. All three were released in March around the world and we were delighted to receive samples of two of them, which we have reviewed below.

The Bowmore distillery is located on the famous whisky island of Islay, which lies off the west coast of Scotland. Bowmore was founded in 1779 by John Simpson, making it the oldest of the eight distilleries currently operating on Islay and one of the oldest of all in Scotland. The distillery is located on the shores of Loch Indaal and Bowmore translates as 'sea rock' from Gaelic. It is currently owned by Morrison Bowmore, a subsidiary of the Japanese company Suntory, and has an annual production capacity of two million litres. Bowmore is one of the world's biggest selling single malt whisky brands in the smoky, peaty category.

Our tasting notes - 100 Degrees Proof
The colour is golden yellow and the nose has a distinct grainy aroma, which mingles well with toffee and savoury peat smoke.  These initial aromas are joined by others to create something interesting and tempting.  Think of vanilla, honey, golden syrup and a hint of citrus zest especially, as the malty barley note seems to increase.  It seems surprisingly soft for a cask strength whisky.

On the palate, the savoury and slightly ashy smokiness is much more prominent and is the defining characteristic of the whisky.  It lingers and lingers, allowing numerous other notes to appear and disappear, before carrying you through to the dry and slightly salty finish.  Other notes that contribute to the palate include some lovely sweet vanilla and honey, malty cereals, some baking spices (think of cinnamon and nutmeg), plus hints of crumbly brown sugar, salty brine and something vegetal, possibly dried grasses but a little difficult to define.  The combination is delicious and seems to have depth, complexity and good balance.

Our tasting notes - SpringTide
The colour is a coppery amber and the nose has plenty of richness on offer immediately.  A combination of aromas combine to give a promising start - there is prominent toffee and fudge along with some toasted almond, milk chocolate and a hint of spiced orange.  These aromas are complimented by some feisty, spicy and slightly savoury peat smoke.

On the palate, the savoury peat smoke hits first and as this fades, other elements mingle, compliment and begin to take over.  Again, there are plenty of toffee, fudge and caramel-like notes, along with the chocolate and toasted almonds from before.  These are joined by a hint of ground coffee and a top note of palma violet sweets (a classic indicator of older Bowmores).  The finish begins with the sweeter notes but quickly becomes bittersweet, savoury and a little dry.  The peat smoke is never far away and takes an age to fade.

What's the verdict?
Suntory are clearly 'upping their game' when it comes to their travel retail releases.  These two Bowmores, plus the recent additions from Auchentoshan that we recently reviewed, confirm this. It is not to say that previous releases were poor ... quite the contrary - it is just that these recent new releases seem superior and have raised the bar.

Both of these whiskies are very good, but in different ways.  The 100 Degrees Proof somehow mixes the high ABV strength and strong characteristics, with a surprising set of subtler notes.  The SpringTide is richer and heavier with more obvious sweetness and ex-sherry cask influence.  Again this balances well.  The price of the 100 Degrees Proof seems particularly competitive for the whisky that is on offer and gives us something else to save up for on our next holiday ...

Inbox - April 20, 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.  There is lots of activity this week, so here we go ...

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AnCnoc - Something RemARKabLE
No - we haven't hit the caps lock on the keyboard by mistake ... this is how the related press release was sent to us!  The up and coming single malt brand of AnCnoc, which is made at the Highland distillery of Knockdhu, have announced a new project in conjunction with renowned Scottish illustrator Peter Arkle (pictured, below).

Arkle has produced a series of images which will appear on limited editions of AnCnoc throughout 2012.  The first design features elements of the whisky making process - barley, water, heat, yeast, time and magic.  The whisky selected for this first release is also very special, as it is the first AnCnoc single malt to be released that has been wholly matured in ex-sherry casks.  There is also a short film on the AnCnoc website which charts the creation and progress of the designs.

Bowmore - Darkest Nights
The iconic distillery of Bowmore, the oldest on Islay dating back to 1779, has announced an interactive  consumer experience designed at bring their 15 year old Darkest expression to life. The Magic happens on the Darkest nights experience is being held in London on 25 and 26 April at 7.30pm, with a similar event taking place in New York in May.

The London venue, near Liverpool Street station, has been renovated to include a number of sensory rooms to unlock the secrets of Islay and the Bowmore Darkest whisky.  Fellow collaborators in the project include chocolatier Paul A. Young, astronomer Gary Fildes from the Kielder Forest Star Camp Observatory and Gideon Reeling, who specialises in bespoke interactive theatrical experiences.  It sounds great fun and tickets cost £15 from wegottickets.com. Here's a short video that they have released to whet your appetite ...

Black is back

Black Grouse - Alpha Edition

The Famous Grouse brand is adding a limited edition of its Black Grouse blended whisky to its range.  Named Black Grouse - Alpha Edition, the new whisky is a richer, smokier version of the award winning original Black Grouse.  It has been blended using a higher percentage of peaty single malt than the original.  The black glass bottle is adorned with a grouse feather and shows an alpha male grouse displaying his mating plumage.

The bottling is available exclusively from The Famous Grouse Experience shop at glenturret distillery in Crieff, or via The Famous Grouse website.  A bottle will cost £35.  It will also be available in selected travel retail/Duty Free markets, priced at €33.

It's party time

Chivas Regal -  The Art of Hosting

The popular whisky brand of Chivas Regal has teamed up with the founders of the Le Baron nightclubs to create a new limited pack.  The Chivas & Le Baron is designed around the increasing trend of drinking at home or hosting whisky tastings at home.  The pack contains a bottle of Chivas Regal 12 years old and a members card, allowing access to a new Chivas Art of Hosting website.  The site includes a series of videos by Le Baron's founders about how to throw the perfect party at home. 

The limited edition pack will be available shortly in off-trade retailers in 20 markets around the world and will cost around 10% more than the regular Chivas Regal 12 years old.

Cutty Sark - Celebration cocktails
The Cutty Sark whisky brand is celebrating the forthcoming re-opening of the boat from which it takes its name by mixing up two whisky cocktails.  The Cutty Sark, the world's oldest tea clipper, was devastated by fire in May 2007 and has undergone five years of restoration work.  The state of the art exhibit re-opens on 26 April.

The first cocktail is called Cutty Storm and is made with one shot of Cutty Sark whisky, half a shot of Bols Triple Sec liqueur, a wedge of lime and lemonade, served in a tall glass.  The other is the Cutty Fashion, which is made with two shots of Cutty Sark, two dashes of Angostura bitters, one teaspoon of gomme sugar syrup and a curl of orange peel.  To makes this, add the ingredients in a short glass with some ice and swirl for around a minute before decorating with the orange.

Creating a buzz?

Jim Beam Honey - UK launch
The bourbon based liqueur sees its launch in the UK next week and the brand is celebrating with two days of special events. Jim Beam Honey is made by infusing four year old Jim Beam bourbon with golden honey and is bottled at a strength of 35% ABV.  It will retail around the £23 mark.

The launch event for the brand see them take over Broadgate Circle in the heart of the City of London for a series of events, including the construction of a huge beehive!  Music and entertainment will also be provided, as well as the opportunity to try the new product for the first time.  The events take place on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 April between 6-9pm - entry is free and includes two complimentary drinks.

New release - Cutty Sark Tam o' Shanter

The famous whisky brand of Cutty Sark has released a new limited edition version of its blended whisky  The Tam o' Shanter was released to coincide with this year's Burns Night celebrations at the end of January. The liquid is an enhanced and rare version of their current 25 years old and is the first creation of Cutty Sark's new Master Blender Kirsteen Campbell. The new expression is named Tam o' Shanter after Robert Burns' famous poem of the same name.

New releases - Auchentoshan Springwood & Heartwood

Auchentoshan have recently announced the release of a new travel retail range available only international airports and border shops. The range consists of four core expressions with two limited edition releases coming out each year. The whole range is paying tribute to the wood, which plays such a vital part in the whisky’s maturation. Each whisky included in the range is inspired by the phase of a tree’s life cycle and is named to reflect the whisky’s flavour as if it were part of the tree’s life.

The five whiskies that are being released at the beginning are Springwood (the youthful time of growth for the tree), Heartwood (the core of the tree and the older sibling to Springwood), Silveroak (named after the silver rings that appear on the inside of an older tree to describe a whisky with maturity and complexity and higher ABV of 51.5%), Solera (named after the aging system used to make Pedro Ximénez sherry whose casks are used to age this whisky) and the 14 years old Cooper’s Reserve (the wood and the whisky are mature and rounded). We were lucky enough to receive samples to review of two whiskies that are part of the core range – Springwood and Heartwood.

Auchentoshan (which is pronounced ock-en-tosh-an) is the nearest distillery to Glasgow. It sits to the north west of the city near Clydebank and was officially founded in 1823. Auchentoshan translates as ‘corner of the field’ from the local form of Gaelic. Auchentoshan is unique amongst Scottish whisky distilleries as they triple distil every drop of their spirit using three stills. Elsewhere in Scotland the common practice is to distil twice, whereas triple distillation is more commonly associated with Irish whiskies. Triple distillation produces a new make spirit that is lighter and more delicate in flavour and higher in alcohol - 81.5% ABV which is the highest in Scotland.

Our tasting notes – Springwood
 This pale golden straw coloured whisky is matured solely in American Oak bourbon casks and bottled at 40% ABV. On the nose this whisky has notes of white chocolate, vanilla sugar, honey, lemonade, and some grassiness which is fresh vibrant and zesty. It reminded us of homemade lemonade with chocolate chip cookies on the side. To taste this whisky offers lots of vanilla initially plus lots of zesty lemon which then opens up into cereal grains, dried grass and green apples plus some of the honey. The finish is not overly long but continues with the fresh and zesty feel.

Our tasting notes – Heartwood
This whisky is matured in deeply charred American Oak bourbon casks and Spanish Oloroso sherry casks giving it a rich amber colour. At 43% ABV this is slightly higher in alcohol but remains very approachable and fresh.

Proving that it is the Springwood's sibling, on the nose there are citrus notes but this time it is more orange oil rather than lemon zest. There are also notes of brown sugar, green fruit (pear and apple), honeycomb sweets, sweet cocoa, and hazelnuts. This whisky has flavours of distinctive orange plus milk chocolate and raisins, graininess, toasted nuts and honeycomb. The sweetness is tempered with a burnt edge and a zestiness that keeps this whisky mouth watering and moreish. Again the finish is not overly long but it remains mouth watering and fresh.

What’s the verdict?
The Springwood is light, fresh, delicate and subtle – what you would expect from the classical idea of a Scottish lowland whisky. It would be a great whisky for a warm summery day or a warming hot toddy. While not overly complex it is a very drinkable whisky and at around £35 it offers great value for money and something quite unique.

We joked that the Heartwood smells as though it should be poured over rum & raisin icecream, but this may not be as silly as it sounds. Again this whisky is not overly complicated but will most definitively have you reaching for another glass. This will be sold for around £42.

Both whiskies would be welcome additions to many whisky cupboards as they are bother friendly, approachable and characterful. Each with their own distinct personality and mood - very much like the wood styles they are named after.