New releases in the world of scotch whisky include a 24 Year Old White Oak expression from Glengoyne, the newest Meikle Tòir from The GlenAllachie, and the latest whisky in Ardbeg’s Anthology Collection.
Glengoyne White Oak & Glengoyne White Oak 24 Year Old
Glengoyne Distillery, located near the banks of Loch Lomond, has unveiled two new whisky expressions celebrating the influence of white oak on Glengoyne whisky.
The standard release, Glengoyne White Oak, is joining the distillery’s core range. Whereas the 24 Year Old White Oak expression is a limited release.
The release of the Glengoyne White Oaks marks an expansion of Glengoyne’s taste profile; the distillery is renowned for its sherried expressions. By contrast, the White Oak whiskies are matured in American first-fill bourbon and virgin oak casks. According to a brand press release, the maturation in American white oak is “a node to the summer home of the geese that grace Glengoyne’s glen every winter.”
Trending Stories
Glengoyne White Oak, bottled at 47.8% ABV, boasts “vibrant oak, bright citrus, sponge cake, crisp red apple, ginger spice and a hint of violet” on the nose. On the palate, expect “crème brulee, fruit gum sweets, candied lemon, jam tarts and tinned pineapple.” The whisky retails for £55 (~$72).
The 24 Year Old Limited Edition has aromas of “vanilla, toasted oak, lemon curd, honey, plum jam, desiccated coconut, spiced apple pastry dusted with icing sugar and a zest of lime.” The palate delivers “a gently balanced depth with bright lemon and key lime pie, honeycomb, and gently tropical notes, complemented by soft oak, warming the palate with hints of star anise, chocolate and vanilla.” Also bottled at 47.8% ABV, the whisky retails for £430 (~$558) online and with selected retailers. This release is strictly limited.
Master Blender John Glass commented: “Our dedication to the best quality wood imparts itself in every expression from Glengoyne, and the White Oak range is a celebration of exactly that. I love Glengoyne in bourbon wood; the distillery character balances wonderfully with the vanilla, coconut and spice from the casks; so have been eager to create expressions that showcase this style.”
Signup now to make sure you don't miss out on the latest whiskey news and deals.
By Signing up, you accept and agree to our Terms of Services and you acknowledge our Privacy Statement. The Whiskey Wash is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
The GlenAllachie Meikle Tòir Turbo 2024 Edition
Following on from the success of the previous Meikle Tòir expressions, The GlenAllachie has unveiled the Turbo 2024 Edition. Meikle Tòir is a peated style of single malt produced at The GlenAllachie Distillery under the guidance of scotch whisky legend, Billy Walker.
Meikle Tòir Turbo 2024 Edition is a vatting of five American virgin oak casks and four Oloroso sherry hogsheads, yielding just 2,200 bottles for the limited release.
The malted barley was dried using St. Fergus peat from the Scottish mainland, and the resulting wort was fermented for 160 hours (three times the industry average). The extended fermentation (a Billy Walker specialty) allows deeper and more complex flavors to develop in the distillate through the production of esters.
Bottled a 50% ABV, the 5 year old whisky has a phenolic content of 70 PPM (phenol parts per million). These strong, smoky notes are balanced by “waves of toasted nuts, salted caramel and dark chocolate truffles”.
Billy Walker commented: “We have been thrilled at the reception of Meikle Tòir among the whisky community and beyond over the last ten months. For the team and I, it was essential to begin a peated campaign when we took over the reins at The GlenAllachie and use mainland peat to complement the spirit’s heather honey DNA.
“The Turbo, by its nature, is incredibly limited, but if you can get your hands on it, it’s an opportunity not to be missed. The 2024 Edition is a very moreish dram packed full of sweet campfire smoke alongside dried fruit and chocolate tones.”
Meikle Tòir Turbo 2024 Edition is available worldwide with an RRP of £55.99 (~$73).
Ardbeg Anthology The Unicorn’s Tale 14 Year Old
Ardbeg Distillery, Islay, has expanded its Anthology Collection with the release of The Unicorn’s Tale 14 Year Old. The Anthology Collection is a series of “rare and strange single malts” – a variety of different cask finishes.
The new Unicorn’s Tale 14 Year Old whisky was matured in a combination of Madeira and bourbon casks, resulting in “powerful bursts of smoke, notes of banana, menthol and lime.”
Bottled at 46% ABV, the new whisky is available via ardbeg.com, at Ardbeg Embassies, at the distillery, and via selected retailers for an RRP of £130 (~$169).
The release of the new Ardbeg Anthology The Unicorn’s Tale 14 Year Old follows on from the success of the first Anthology expression: The Harpy’s Tale, a marriage of classic Ardbeg with Sauternes white wine matured whisky.
Speaking about the new release, Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Whisky Creation, said: “At Ardbeg we love to experiment with how we can push our spirit’s smoky balance into new worlds of flavour. Some time ago, we decided to try maturing Ardbeg in unusual cask types for the distillery to create sweet and smoky ‘hybrids’– and so the Anthology Collection was born.
“The Unicorn’s Tale is the second release in this series, which has been created by marrying classic Ardbeg matured in bourbon casks with a parcel of whisky wholly matured in sweet Madeira wine casks. The outcome is a whisky bursting with notes of banana bread and tropical fruit, fused with Ardbeg’s hallmark flavours of camphor, lime zest and wood smoke. This 14-year-old whisky may appear sweet in nature, but its smoky side is not to be underestimated!”
Latest News