As promised, here are my personal malted highlights from last week’ TWE Whisky Show in London. I chose to showcase some very different drams: Scotch, American & World Whiskies, official distillery bottlings & independent bottlers gems as well as affordable options & more pricey alternatives, trying to suit all your discerning palates and wallets ;).
Mackmyra Vinterdröm is a fruity and slightly spicy swedish single malt whisky, made in limited edition. The whisky is a collaboration with rum producer Plantation Rum and has a finish from casks that previously stored Barbados and Jamaican Rum. The result is a soft oaky whisky with notes of orange, vanilla and demerara sugar – a Carribbean love affair.
“Our decision to produce single malt whiskey is not borne of a desire to simply replicate the exceptional whiskies produced more than 4,000 miles away. Rather, it is driven by a belief that we must make a product that reflects the distinct character of the place we call home, the Pacific Northwest.”
Garryana is a manifestation of provenance. An expression of the Pacific Northwest—both its land and its culture—in whiskey. With this series of limited edition bottlings we explore how our unique species of native oak, Quercus garryana, influences the foundational components that comprise Westland’s distinctive house style of American Single Malt Whiskey. With each edition we move closer to uncovering all that this oak has to offer, and in doing so we continue our pursuit to expand the notion of what single malt can be.
A 42% bottling of 30 year old single malt Scotch whisky from Glenglassaugh, a Highland distillery on the coast. As with the previous release it’s presented in a beautiful teardrop decanter.
Unveiled in late 2015, this is a 10 year old Teerenpeli single malt whisky, all the way from Finland! Made with Finnish barley, this single malt was allowed to age in a combination of bourbon and Sherry casks (80% bourbon, 20% Sherry) for a decade before being bottled at 43% ABV. Another exciting release from the first Finnish distillery to produce a single malt whisky.
A limited edition blended malt from the esteemed Compass Box, made with three different malt whiskies. The youngest whisky in this expression is 3 years old (the only age they are allowed to disclose is the youngest component – their Campaign for Scotch Whisky Transparency calls for amends to this), though it makes up less than 1% of the entire blend, with 90% being made up of whisky from the same distillery of “an unstated but considerably older age”, and 9% peaty malt whisky distilled on the Isle of Skye.
That Boutique-y Whisky Company – Ben Nevis 21
A fifth batch of delicious Ben Nevis single malt from That Boutique-y Whisky Company. The Ben Nevis distillery is depicted on the label, of course, as seen by an intrepid explorer climbing Ben Nevis (the mountain) and drinking Boutique-y Ben Nevis whisky! This 21 year old is a big, savoury Sherried single malt.
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