New scotch whisky releases this week include two old and rare expressions from The Last Drop and an experimental whisky from Cù Bòcan. Ardgowan rounds off its Clydebuilt Series and Glen Scotia unveils its Campbeltown Malts Festival expression.
Glen Scotia 9 Year Old Campbeltown Malts Festival 2024
One of only three working distilleries in Campbeltown, Glen Scotia, has unveiled its annual Campbeltown Malts Festival release: a 9 year old single malt scotch.
The 9 year old scotch whisky was matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and then underwent a six-month finishing period in Fino sherry casks. Tasting notes for the new release include citrus, white orchard fruit, and oak spice. The finish lingers with hints of saline, emulating Glen Scotia’s position on the coast of the Kintyre peninsula.
On the back of the packaging for the Glen Scotia 9 Year Old is a QR code that, when scanned, will take drinkers to the ‘Sound of Glen Scotia’. A collection of soundbites taken at the distillery during production will be available for consumers to create their own soundscape to listen to whilst enjoying a dram.
The Campbeltown Malts Festival is an annual celebration of Campbeltown’s whisky-distilling past, present, and future. Distilleries host a selection of events including tasting and blending experiences.
Campbeltown was once the whisky capital of the world. Today, only three working distilleries remain: Springbank, Glengyle, and Glen Scotia. However, new Campbeltown distilleries are in the pipeline. Watch this space.
Iain McAlister, Master Distiller & Manager at Glen Scotia, commented: “With tickets for our events selling out in record time this year, it is an increasing priority for us to share the spirit and character of our remote whisky home with our fans around the world who cannot make the festival. The on-pack virtual experience does just that, and our discerning aficionados can transport themselves inside the walls of the distillery in what is a wonderful experience for any whisky fan.”
The Glen Scotia 9 Year Old Campbeltown Malts Festival 2024 is available to purchase online and through specialist retailers for an RRP of £65 (~$81).
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Clydebuilt Draughtsman & Clydebuilt Anchorsmith Blended Scotch Whiskies
Lowland distillery, Ardgowan, has completed its Clydebuilt whisky series with the addition of two blended whiskies: Draughtsman and Anchorsmith.
The Clydebuilt series is an undertaking by Ardgowan’s Master Whisky maker, Max McFarlane. As work finishes on the new distillery, Clydebuilt is giving whisky lovers a taste of what they can expect from Ardgowan whisky. McFarlane has expertly blended casks from all over Scotland to create a new line of carefully crafted scotch whiskies.
The addition of Draughtsman and Anchorsmith to the lineup signals that work at Ardgowan is almost complete. The visitor experience is due to open in 2024.
Anchorsmith is a whisky comprised of six different whiskies matured in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks. Tasting notes include “black cherries, lemon drizzle cask and chocolate raisins” on the nose, and “dark fruits, roast chestnuts and pomegranate juice” on the palate.
Draughtsman is a blend of several 8 year old whiskies as well as a 25 year old. Expect “Ceylon tea, manuka honey, and dark chocolate” on the nose of this complex whisky. The palate delivers “blackcurrant jam, all space, and dark red fruits.”
McFarlane commented: “Crafted with precision and passion, these limited edition blends pay homage to the rich maritime heritage of the Clyde shipyards, embodying the same dedication to quality and craftsmanship that made ‘Clydebuilt’ synonymous with excellence.”
Both whiskies were bottled at 46% ABV with an RRP of £52.99 (~$66). They are available from Ardgowan Clydebuilt retailers.
Cù Bòcan Creation #6
Tomatin Distillery’s experimental spirit, Cù Bòcan, has seen Creation #6 added to its line up.
This new single malt scotch whisky was distilled from lightly peated barley. The spirit was then divided into Pedro Ximénez sherry casks (9 years) and Jamaican rum casks (10 years). The resulting single malt is lively with a hint of smoke.
Aromas of “Jamaica ginger cake, bonfire toffee, and banana and walnut loaf, followed by rum-soaked pineapple and raisins and all rounded off with a subtle hint of Daim crunchy almond caramel” fill the nose. The palate delivers “ a deliciously dark depth of flavour which begins with amaretto cherries and salted caramel-coated liquorice, before a burst of spiced plum jam and a kick of Fisherman’s Friend lozenges. A velvety satin-like texture envelopes the palate before a lingering treacle finish.”
Cù Bòcan represents Tomatin Distillery’s taste for experimentation. The brand was launched in 2013 as a lightly peated expression (15 phenol parts per million). Since then, experimental cask finishes and several vintage releases have been added to the collection.
The new Cù Bòcan Creation #6 is available via the Cù Bòcan website or via their stockists for an RRP of £60 (~$75).
The Last Drop Auchentoshan 40 Year Old & Tomintoul 55 Year Old
The Last Drop Distillers, curators of fine and rare spirits, have added two new single malts to its 2024 collection: an Auchentoshan 40 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Release No.34) and a Tomintoul 55 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Release No.36).
According to the press release: “Each release celebrates a different facet of the fine craft of spirit making, from the unique production methods of Auchentoshan [to the] bold spirit of innovation imbued within this early whisky from Tomintoul.”
The Auchentoshan 40 Year Old celebrates the distillery’s unique triple distillation, creating a smooth and gentle spirit that matures into a luxury single malt. Just 74 bottles were yielded.
On the nose, aromas of “fruitcake and stewed apples, complemented with the ripe sweetness of raisins and black cherries. Notes of toffee and hazelnuts with hints of liquorice entice, with sweet spices and oak” greet the drinker. The palate features “cut grass, enhanced with the sweetness of raisins and caramel, intermingles with spices, vanilla, and a hint of oak, developing into a sweet floral, liquorice and spicy oak aftertaste.”
The impressive 55 Year Old Tomintoul celebrates the innovative practices sweeping the scotch industry during the 1960s, when this whisky was distilled. After 53 years in oak, the whisky was finished in an Amoroso cask for 20 months. Only 582 bottles were produced.
The Tomintoul delivers aromas of “dark fruits, sweet raisins, and fruitcake. This is followed by a gentle floral fragrance, grassy nettles, and notes of toffee, enhanced with the nuttiness of hazelnuts, spices, and an oaky sweetness.” On the palate, “the taste is an explosion of ripe fruits, and richly caramelised apples. A dance of spices and herbs tingles on the tongue, with buttery notes of sticky toffee pudding coming to the fore.”
These rare and exceptional scotch whiskies will be rolled out in very limited numbers to US stockists in May 2024. The Auchentoshan will retail for $5,300, and the Tomintoul for $8,300, complete with 50ml miniatures.
For more information, visit The Last Drop website.
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