Categorie: Nieuws

The Loch Fyne Craigellachie 2007 16 Year Old #900545

Behold! This Craigellachie single malt has been decanted from a single cask, specially selected from our own unique and exceptional cask collection. Carefully matured for 16 years, the Speyside dram is presented at a huge 67.2% abv. One of only 871 bottles.

£120.00

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The Loch Fyne Aultmore 2008 15 Year Old #900283

Look at that colour! This Aultmore expression has been decanted from a single cask refill sherry butt, specially selected from our very own unique and exceptional cask collection. Carefully matured for 15 years, the Speyside dram is presented at a hefty 60.8% abv. One of only 848 bottles.

£85.00

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12 months of unlimited next day delivery & more!Exclusive access to Ballots as you enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year – only £14.99! Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs.

Glenlaird 12 Year Old Batch 1

This new release from Stravaig Spirits, pays homage to the great landscapes and heritage of the Highland region, showcasing the diverse range of flavours Highland Single Malts are known for.  Each release of Glenlaird is selected through a blind tasting process and chosen purely on flavour. Ensuring there are no preconceptions or biases that can arise from knowing the distillery.  This first release of Glenlaird is a limited edition, bottled at 48% ABV and comes in two age statements, a 10 year and a 12 year old Scotch, but both are unique in flavour and character.  Light mineral smoke and green apple. Liquorice and butterscotch sweetness interlaced with a spicy and clean smoke finish.

£55.00

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Strathearn Distillery Releases Its First Whisky Under Douglas Laing Ownership

Scottish independent bottler Douglas Laing & Co. has announced the release of the inaugural single malt whisky from Strathearn Distillery under its ownership. The company acquired the distillery in 2019, and the new whisky includes spirit laid down by Douglas Laing Distilling as well as the previous owners. The whisky, which will be available in the U.S. in mid-May, was matured in a combination of bourbon, sherry, and new oak casks.

The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum Episode 552 – ‘James Eadie’

Welcome to this week’s episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at the Spring 2024 releases. Filmed in The Study Nottingham.

Featuring

James Eadie Small Batch Ben Nevis ‘The Rose & Crown’ 8 year old 46% +

James Eadie Small Batch Aultmore ‘The Cross Keys’ 9 year old 46%

James Eadie Cask Finish Tamnavulin 2013 (10 year old) 56.6%

James Eadie Cask Finish Blair Athol 2011 (12 year old) 53.9%

James Eadie Cask Finish Aberlour 2012 (11 year old) 59.3%

James Eadie Cask Finish Miltonduff 2007 (16 year old) 54.3%

www.jameseadie.co.uk

Miltonduff 11 yo 2007/2020 (46%, Hunter Laing, Hepburn’s Choice, bourbon hogsheads, 756 bottles)
Miltonduff 11 yo 2012/2023 (48.5%, Decadent Drinks, Equinox & Solstice, Winter 2023, First Fill Sherry Hogshead)
Fiddlers Pluscarden 12 yo 2010/2022 (50%, Thompson Bros. for Fiddlers, 1st fill bourbon, 277 bottles)
Milton Duff 12 yo ‘Pluscarden Valley’ (61.1%, Sestante, 75cl, 1980s)
Miltonduff 13 yo 2010/2023 (48%, Hogshead Imports, refill barrel, 268 bottles)
Miltonduff 13 yo 2008/2021 (54.7%, Duncan Taylor for Whisky Picnic Bar Taiwan, sherry octave, cask #8332833, 75 bottles)
Miltonduff 17 yo 2006/2023 (52.9%, Kirsch Import, Simply Good Whisky, bourbon barrel, cask #KI-2)
Miltonduff 20 yo 2003/2023 ‘Lost in Time’ (49%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, first-fill American oak cask, cask #63397, 192 bottles)
Miltonduff 23 yo 1994/2017 (50.6%, Douglas Laing, Old Particular, refill hogshead, cask #DL 12200, 262 bottles)
Milton Duff 21 yo ‘Pluscarden Valley’ (57%, Sestante, 75cl, 1980s)

By Richard Thomas

One of the ugly little secrets of sensory science is just how much the senses of taste and smell can be influenced by preconceptions. Ideally, this reality can be guarded against, and it’s what makes the notion of the blind taste test so interesting. The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 was the earliest lesson of just how snobbery and closure to new concepts can condition and blinker people who are supposed to be expert and rational in a given field, opening the door to biases. That wine tasting has been immortalized in film, and did more than any single event to give us a world where wines not from France are actually taken seriously, precisely because it proved that wines from not-France could compete.

A narrower example of this psychsomatic effect on taste has infested writing about American whiskey: the perception of a maple syrup note in Tennessee Whiskey. The processing of the chemical signals our olfactory senses send to our brains is interpretive and based on experience, so different experiences can lead two different people to label a particular note differently. But knowing the maple flavor is as close to universal as it gets in the United States, so that isn’t the reason so many of my colleagues consistently find a maple note in Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel whiskeys. Some have even found it in the in-house Greenbrier White Label.

That maple note is not there, period, and the reason some see it isn’t because a neurological signal connects that sensation to the closest memory. This connection is made because of a preconception of the Lincoln County Process, a preconception that hilariously means they’ve wholly misunderstood what the process is for. In other words, when you read “this Dickel has a maple note,” that should be translated as “I never learned why George Dickel does what it does, but I’m writing about them anyway.”

The Lincoln County Shortcut
Tennessee’s signature contribution to whiskey-making is the institutionalization of charcoal leaching, better known as the Lincoln County Process. Distillers in the state didn’t invent the charcoal filtration of new make whiskey, but it just so happens that Jack Daniel’s is from the state, and that company has always utilized this method. Since Jack Daniel’s is America’s biggest whiskey brand, and second only to Johnnie Walker worldwide, that means charcoal leaching has become synonymous with the company and its region of origin: Lincoln County.

Tennessee whiskey-makers have traditionally relied upon sugar maples to supply the hardwood for making that charcoal. This tradition is now enshrined in law, so the wood source for the charcoal used in making Tennessee Whiskey can only be sugar maple. That choice of wood, however, is entirely about availability and has nothing to do with imparting flavor. The use of any charcoal will, in a sense, actually subtract flavor from a new make whiskey, and sugar maple is no exception.

The Lincoln County Process serves the same purpose as a Brita filter. Charcoal has a very high carbon content and a porous, high-volume surface. Carbon is chemically sticky. So, filtering a liquid through charcoal removes certain reactive compounds from the liquid. If that is what you want, the liquid is purified.

This information is available in most supermarkets and on countless survivalist TV shows, but somehow these facts have failed to penetrate the brains of some of my colleagues. This is especially the case of those who (apparently) have never asked the folks from Jack Daniel’s, George Dickel or others just what the Lincoln County Process is supposed to do. By subtracting volatile compounds from it, the new make gets a head start on some aspects of maturation, because those volatile compounds would have otherwise broken down after several years of maturation.

In the 2010s, many newcomers to whiskey-making were touting gimmicky methods involving pressure cooking and sonic treatments to accelerate the maturation process. All of them overlooked a time-tested, proven method for producing a smooth, mellow whiskey in half the time: the Lincoln County Process.

The process has its drawbacks. Recall that the eliminated compounds break down during the maturation process. Without getting into a lengthy chemistry lesson, what they break down into is useful in producing what people like about middle aged and old whiskeys. Still, the point is charcoal filtration is exactly that: a filter, not an infusion.

Why Sugar Maple?
To explain why a Tennessean would choose sugar maple for his filtration charcoal, first answer this question: why isn’t there a substantial maple syrup industry anywhere in the United States south of, say, Massachusetts? The trees thrive across North America, so what is it about very northern sugar maples that make them viable for making syrup, but not those growing south of New England?

First, did you know you can make syrup from trees other than sugar maples? The reason sugar maples have their name is because they produce twice the amount of sugar of other sugar-bearing trees. You can make syrup from other maples, birch and even walnuts, but its more efficient to rely on sugar maples if you have them.

It’s also more efficient to rely on those northern sugar maples for industrial purposes. The colder climate makes for a more productive and more reliable sugaring cycle. That is vital for building an industry around maple syrup.

In Tennessee, the climate is lousy for making maple syrup, but there are still a great many sugar maples thriving in the forests. All other hardwoods had and still have a plethora of uses other than making charcoal. Sugar maple is abundant, but not much used for making furniture, musical instruments, barrels, boats or in construction. I’ve raised this topic with Chris Fletcher (current Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller), Jeff Arnett (former Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller) and John Lunn (former George Dickel Master Distiller, now deceased). All three were adamant that charcoal filtration doesn’t actually put anything into the new make whiskey; two of the three said the reason they’ve used sugar maple is because it’s a cheap and abundant source of charcoal, nothing more.

Still not persuaded? Consider this. The ignition point of dry sugar is 350F. To make charcoal, the temperature must be above 750F. Furthermore, making charcoal isn’t anything like charring the inside of a barrel. The latter process scorches the surface and carmelizes the interior of the wood, while charcoal-making carbonizes the entire material. The stuff maple syrup is made of is absolutely burned off by the process of making charcoal.

Lessons Learned
It’s important in this business to guard against your conceits and preconceived notions in any exercise that contains a fundamentally subjective element, and the best way to do that when a blind tasting is inconvenient is education. Brown-Forman whiskeys often have a banana note because their house yeast family produces it; that is science and the company confirms it. Filtration through sugar maple charcoal doesn’t introduce maple flavors to a whiskey, because that isn’t the purpose, besides which the maple-tinged sugars in question have long since been scorched into ash.

The maple note isn’t there. As for why some would perceive it, the maple flavor is so familiar in this country that I cannot credit the misidentification is due to a shallow palate. The only reasons left are dual failures in industry education and a failure of sensory evaluation. Keep that in mind the next time you read about Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 and its “trademark maple syrup note.”

A Coffey still, also known as a column still or continuous still, is a type of distillation apparatus patented by Aeneas Coffey in the 19th century. Unlike traditional pot stills, which operate in batches, Coffey stills enable continuous distillation, allowing for a more efficient and consistent production process.

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Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Rye, 45%

https://youtu.be/5akw3dJo8qc

It’s taken me a while to jump back into the world of rye, but I’ve taken the challenge on with gusto! For some reason, I have neglected this rather wonderful side of whisky, but Redwood Empire has been at the forefront of my new adventure, and I couldn’t have wished for a better kickstart to the style.

Situated in Sonoma County, California, the distillery’s moderate climate and rather lush surroundings allow for a gentle maturation in virgin oak. The Emerald Giant Rye, with its 95% rye mash bill, has catapulted me back into a world of whisky that can be very complex and often misunderstood. Most folks assume that rye is just one dimensional and a little spicy. You couldn’t be more wrong about the style as a whole. This long travelled bottle of whisky is lathered with gentle minty notes, tropical citrus, classic cocktail orange oil garnish, and an ever so faint smell of chocolate and soft baking spices.

A rather well-rounded and affordable expression of rye whisky that shall be sitting on my shelves for as long as it is available in the UK. Congratulations to Redwood Empire for a rather stunning example of their craft, I look forward to trying more of their stuff in the future. Cheers!

Loch Lomond Whiskies unveils new 25-year-old malt whisky as it bolsters its impressive portfolio

A celebration of the distillery’s remarkable straight neck stills

Independent distiller, Loch Lomond Whiskies, has unveiled a new 25-year-old malt whisky, the latest addition to the brand’s growing portfolio.

Loch Lomond 25 Year Old is a celebration of the distillery’s remarkable straight neck stills and the whisky-making team’s ability to create unique flavours through expertise in distillation and maturation.

The maturation process has been carefully managed by Loch Lomond Whiskies’ master blender, Michael Henry, who joined the distillery in 2007.

Using whisky only from the unique straight neck pot stills, Michael has brought together three different spirits with a range of flavour profiles and strengths, ingeniously crafting them into one single expression.

Each whisky has been matured for 25 years in first-fill, refill, and recharred American oak casks, then carefully married together to create Loch Lomond 25 Year Old. The result is a rich, complex whisky that showcases the Loch Lomond signature style of fruit, honey, and soft smoke.

A quarter of a century in the making, this latest expression draws its flavour from extensive maturation in the traditional, time-honoured care and skill of the distillery’s onsite cooperage. As one of only four distillers in Scotland to have its own cooperage, Loch Lomond Whiskies can ensure that barrel repairs and charring are carried out to an exacting standard, so every cask is perfect for maturing whisky.

Since production began in 1966, ingenuity has been at the heart of Loch Lomond Distillery’s methods. It is home to Scotland’s only set of straight neck pot stills, which allows Michael Henry and his team to carefully shape the character of the whisky at the point of distillation, creating a lighter spirit with a distinctive fruit flavour.

Presented in a charcoal blue display case inspired by the hues of its namesake loch, Loch Lomond 25 Year Old’s packaging is finished with copper foil accents which pay homage to the distillery’s unique straight neck pot stills. Each case and bottle carries Michael Henry’s signature.

Michael Henry, master blender at Loch Lomond Group, said: “The release of Loch Lomond 25 Year Old is a significant milestone for us. This is a very special whisky which is perhaps one of the finest examples of our signature distillery style and underlines our continuous commitment to creating remarkable flavours.

Loch Lomond 25 Year Old is non-chill filtered, bottled at 46% ABV and available to purchase from the Loch Lomond Whiskies online store and worldwide through specialist retailers, priced at £390.

To find out more about Loch Lomond Whiskies, visit www.lochlomondwhiskies.com.

Nose: Notes of toasted oak, coconut, crisp pear and rich spice.
Palate: Delicious caramel, apricot and pear, lime juice, and a touch of cinnamon spice.
Finish: Long and dry, with a wisp of oak smoke.

About Loch Lomond Whiskies

Loch Lomond Whiskies is an award-winning, independent Scotch whisky distiller which has been producing the finest single malt whiskies since 1814.  As a Highland malt, it is part of the largest and most diverse whisky-making region in Scotland.

The original site of the Loch Lomond Distillery was established near Tarbert, towards the northwest end of Loch Lomond. In the 1960s, under the leadership of American entrepreneur and chemist, Duncan Scott (who was instrumental in the ongoing success of Scotland’s oldest licensed distillery, Littlemill), a new site was created in Alexandria, which began a move to a more innovative philosophy and style of whisky-making that is still used today.

Located only a few miles from the famous loch, the distillery has a whisky-making capability like no other, using a combination of traditional swan-neck and its signature straight-neck-stills, which are unique to Loch Lomond Whiskies.

The straight-neck stills give Master Blender Michael Henry greater control over the distillation process, allowing him to carefully manipulate the flavour profile of each whisky, and providing a signature fruit, honey and soft smoke flavour profile.

Loch Lomond Whiskies is one of only four distillers in Scotland to have its own onsite cooperage, ensuring that barrel repairs and charring are carried out to an exacting standard, so every cask is perfect for maturing whisky.

The distillery’s multi-award-winning range includes Loch Lomond Original; Loch Lomond 12 Year Old; Loch Lomond 12 Year Old; Loch Lomond Inchmoan 12 Year Old; Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 12 Year Old; Loch Lomond 18 Year Old; Loch Lomond 21 Year Old and Loch Lomond 30 Year Old, as well as Loch Lomond Single Grain (peated and unpeated) and the deluxe blend Loch Lomond Signature.

In 2023, it was recognised as the ‘Most Awarded Distillery’ at the globally renowned San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2023, achieving multiple Double Gold and Gold Awards for its collection of malt whisky brands.

Last year, Loch Lomond 18 Year Old was revealed as The Whisky Exchange’s coveted ‘Whisky of the Year 2024’, achieving superior scores from the judging panel for its full-bodied and fruity character.

Loch Lomond 50 Year Old Single Malt