Highland Single Malt 7
Highland Park Release Cask Strength No.3
Highland Park Adds New Whisky to Award-winning Cask Strength Series
— Cask Strength Release No.3 celebrates the harmonious balance of traditional whisky-making and modern flavour exploration —
Orkney-based single malt distillery, Highland Park, has added a new whisky to its award-winning Cask Strength series, designed to challenge whisky drinking norms. The range strikes a harmonious balance between the traditional whisky-making craft, while encouraging flavour exploration to suit individual palates.
Launching as a permanent addition to the Highland Park range and created using the traditional ‘straight from the cask’ method, Highland Park Cask Strength Release No.3 is whisky in its purest form. No water is added after maturation which delivers a robust and intense flavour with a greater depth of finish.
Cask Strength Release No.3 uses whisky made with a higher proportion of Orkney peated malt resulting in a smokier style compared to the other single malts in the series. It has been matured predominantly in first-fill sherry seasoned American and European oak casks and a small quantity of refill casks. The result is an extraordinary combination of contrasting yet perfectly balanced flavours of charred oak, tropical fruits, aniseed, heather honey, vanilla cream, aromatic violet, sponge cake and peat smoke.
Highland Park, Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion champions this style of whisky as an opportunity for flavour discovery. Gordon explains:
“With Cask Strength, you are at a great place to start exploring the taste that best suits your palate by adding water, ice or your preferred serve. It’s your whisky and should be enjoyed your way.
“For me, a Cask Strength whisky really celebrates that balance between old and new and I look forward to seeing how consumers enjoy the new whisky.”
The Highland Park Cask Strength series, a prestige offering within the portfolio, has been created by bringing together dozens of single casks. The whisky is at full strength, straight from the cask, and has only been gently filtered before bottling.
The releases within the Cask Strength range share the same underlying character but with each batch featuring different flavours coming to the fore based on the cask make-up. The ABV will also vary from batch to batch.
Release No.1 was matured predominantly in sherry seasoned American oak casks of different ages, delivering a harmonious contrast of flavours of toffee, heather, honey, and peat smoke. Release No. 2 was matured predominantly in sherry seasoned European and American oak casks and a small quantity of ex-bourbon casks, producing tastes of pear and almond cake, toasted oak, liquorice, cracked black pepper, aromatic peat.
Highland Park Cask Strength Release No.3 will become available globally from 1st September across specialist whisky retailers, including The Whisky Exchange, Master of Malt, and The Whisky Shop, and from the Highland Park online shop, distillery, and Albert Street store in Orkney. The UK RRP is £65.
To find out more visit: www.highlandparkwhisky.com
GORDON & MACPHAIL WELCOME MASTERS AWARD
Gordon & MacPhail Awarded Three ‘Master’ Awards at Prestigious Design & Packaging Masters 2018
Single malt Scotch whisky creator Gordon & MacPhail has been recognised for its premium portfolio of exclusive single malt whiskies at The Spirits Business 2018 Design & Packaging Masters, securing three ‘Master’ accolades.
Earlier this year Gordon & MacPhail unveiled its streamlined portfolio, comprising five distinct ranges: Discovery, Distillery Labels, Connoisseurs Choice, Private Collection, and Generations. The company’s commitment to the art of Scotch whisky maturation has been passed down through four generations of the Urquhart family, owners of Gordon & MacPhail.
Two Design & Packaging ‘Master’ medals were awarded to the Connoisseurs Choice range which sits at the heart of Gordon & MacPhail’s portfolio. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018, Connoisseurs Choice has two distinct bottle shapes and packaging, both of which have been recognised with a ‘Master’ accolade. The new premium look and feel rewards whisky drinkers with a thirst for knowledge, incorporating a detailed description of the whisky’s provenance on the label. The Gordon & MacPhail branding is also much more prominent compared to previous incarnations.
The newest addition to Gordon & MacPhail’s portfolio, the flavour-led Discovery range was also recognised with a ‘Master’ award. Launched in May 2018, the range segments releases into three flavour profiles, ‘Smoke’, ‘Sherry’, and ‘Bourbon’. Each Discovery whisky displays a bespoke illustration, designed for each profile in a contemporary linocut style, conveying key flavours.
Commenting on the awards Ian Chapman, Marketing Director at Gordon & MacPhail, said: “This year has been a very important one for Gordon & MacPhail Whiskies. Feedback from our discerning consumers has been overwhelmingly positive. Receiving these accolades from The Design & Packaging Masters is a pleasing endorsement from our peers of the inspiration and hard work which has gone into the huge project of streamlining our entire portfolio.”
Matt Chapman, Founder of Contagious, the creative agency that worked with Gordon & MacPhail to redesign the portfolio, added: “We are all thrilled to have the efforts of the team heralded by these awards. It has been a pleasure to work with such a respected brand and immensely fulfilling that, together, we’ve managed to create products befitting of Gordon & MacPhail’s exquisite single malts.”
For more information on Gordon & MacPhail visit www.gordonandmacphail.com.
BENROMACH UNVEILS HOGSHEAD CASK EDITION
Only 184 Bottles of 40-year Old Speyside Single Cask Available Worldwide
The Benromach Distillery Company Ltd is releasing an extremely rare and limited-edition Scotch malt whisky matured for 40 years in a single Refill Sherry Hogshead cask.
Building on the popularity of previous vintage releases from the 1970s, 184 bottles of Benromach 1978, from cask number 2608, are available for worldwide sale.
The single cask (56.3% abv) whisky has a deep golden hue with an aroma of honey and vanilla, along with ripe fruits, lime and a touch of butterscotch and fresh ginger, with smooth sweetness balanced by a hint of pepper. To taste, it has notes of pear and kiwi, with chocolate and spices, and a touch of subtle peat smoke on the finish.
Keith Cruickshank, Benromach distillery manager, said: “Over the 40 years that this intriguing whisky was maturing, it drew incredible depth, character and flavours from the wood. Outside the cask, the distillery was evolving and changing. After it closed in 1983, the distillery lay silent for more than 15 years before it was purchased by the Urquhart family in 1993 and reopened in 1998.
“Our carefully chosen Heritage single cask releases give Benromach lovers the opportunity to taste moments in time from the distillery’s rich history. We are confident our 1978 vintage will surpass expectations and are proud to be releasing such a rare and precious whisky during the 20th anniversary year of distilling restarting here at Benromach.”
Benromach 1978 is beautifully presented in a decanter-style bottle with shapes and textures inspired by the distillery. The bottle has a copper-foil embossed label and nestles in a dark oak wooden box, representing the original washbacks at Benromach. The copper cut medallion on the packaging signifies the moment in time when the distillers cut to the sweet heart of the spirit run.
The Benromach 1978 is available worldwide from 5th December 2018 with a recommended retail price (RRP) in the UK of £1,250 (€1,410). Prices in local markets will vary depending on local taxes and duty.
Benromach is one of only a few distilleries in Scotland to use traditional methods, without any automated machinery. The small team of distillers employ all their senses when crafting the classic Speyside single malt Scotch whiskies, managing the process by sight, sound and touch to create the unique, handcrafted and authentic Benromach taste.
For more information on Benromach, and to explore the range of expressions available, please visit: www.benromach.com.
SINGLE MALTS FROM GORDON AND MACPHAIL
Gordon & MacPhail Unveils New Ultra-rare Single Malts From Its Private Collection Range
The latest releases include the oldest Caol Ila whisky ever bottled
Single malt Scotch whisky creator Gordon & MacPhail has released two stunning new additions to its ‘Private Collection’ range: a 64-Years-Old single malt from Glenlivet Distillery and a landmark 50-Years-Old from Caol Ila Distillery – the oldest Caol Ila single malt ever released.
The newly redesigned ‘Private Collection’ range encompasses rare and exclusive single malt whiskies from celebrated, little-known, or closed distilleries, all of which have been specially selected for bottling by a member of the Urquhart family that owns Gordon & MacPhail.
Gordon & MacPhail 1968 from Caol Ila Distillery was matured in a refill Sherry hogshead and bottled at a cask strength of 52.5% ABV. Warming spice leads on the palate, followed by fruity flavours with a gentle Sherry influence, before a lingering finish of bonfire embers entwined with lemon zest. Available at a UK RRP of £7,500*, only 199 decanters of this extremely rare single malt are available worldwide.
The dark gold Gordon & MacPhail 1954 from Glenlivet Distillery carefully balances the sweetness of golden syrup, stewed fruit, and dark chocolate with spicy black peppercorn and mature oak. Matured in Cask 1412, a carefully selected refill Sherry butt, the 64-year-old malt was bottled at a cask strength of 41.0% ABV. Only 222 bottles are available globally, at a UK RRP of £9,950*.
These ultra-rare single malts were selected for bottling by Stuart Urquhart, Gordon & MacPhail’s Associate Director of Whisky Supply and member of the fourth generation of the Urquhart family. Beautifully presented in hand-blown crystal decanters, each whisky is encased within a handmade wooden veneer box.
Stephen Rankin, Director of Prestige and fourth generation member of the Urquhart family, said: “Our ’Private Collection’ range allows discerning whisky enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy some of the oldest and rarest single malts in the world. These latest releases epitomise the expertise and commitment that has gone into pairing spirit and cask over 123 years and four generations of the Urquhart family. Thanks to the foresight of my forefathers, we have one of the most extensive single malt whisky libraries in the world, with expressions from over 100 Scottish distilleries.”
The latest ‘Private Collection’ releases will be available to purchase from specialist whisky retailers.
For more information on Gordon & MacPhail’s ‘Private Collection’ visit www.gordonandmacphail.com.
*Prices in international markets may vary due to local taxes and import duties.
THE MACALLAN DOUBLE CASK 12 YEARS OLD
Two Worlds Unite to Create Distinctive New Macallan
The Macallan’s unwavering commitment to exceptional wood management defines every aspect of its whisky creation and the launch of the new Double Cask 12 Years Old is further testament to this.
Created from the perfect balance of sherry seasoned European and American oak casks, Double Cask 12 Years Old brings a distinctive character to the fore, whilst presenting flavours familiar to both the Sherry Oak and Fine Oak ranges. The result is a new interpretation of the signature 12 Years Old Macallan; sweet, yet balanced and honeyed in character.
Exclusively sherry seasoned, The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old delivers a distinct American oak style, reflecting a perfect harmony of flavours and natural colour. The delicate flavour of American oak – vanilla, citrus and light oak – rises in prominence as the traditional Macallan character of rich fruit, sherry and wood spice affords a familiar back drop.
Commenting on Double Cask, Bob Dalgarno, The Macallan Master Whisky Maker, said: “This is a single malt which showcases a true balance of character which results in a fully rounded and distinctive flavour profile. By combining wood influences, we have been able to produce a new Macallan which sits perfectly between our existing Sherry Oak and Fine Oak ranges.”
The Macallan brings new oak from America across thousands of miles to Spain, where casks are crafted and sherry seasoned before traveling to our distillery on Speyside to mature for twelve years. These whiskies are then harmoniously united with those aged in exceptional sherry seasoned European oak casks. This union reveals an unmatched investment in time and extraordinary commitment to mastery for which The Macallan has been known since 1824.
Chris Anderson, Luxury Marketing Controller for Maxxium UK, said: “The Macallan Double Cask provides us with the opportunity to offer the trade an additional variant and importantly, a new style of The Macallan at the 12 years old position and price. In turn this means we can offer the consumer a wider choice of products at this level, and encourage trial and exploration within The Macallan portfolio.”
The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old is available from October 2016 in specialist whisky retailers for an RRP £55 and select on trade accounts across London.
Issued by BIG Partnership on behalf of Maxxium UK, for further information, please contact:
Laura Hutchinson laura.hutchinson@bigpartnership.co.uk 0131 557 5252
Gabbie Roscamp gabrielle.roscamp@bigpartnership.co.uk 0131 557 5252
