Scotland’s Wolfcraig Distillers recently celebrated a bit of history after bottling their first whisky release, a 30-year-old blend made by two icons of the Scotch whisky industry.
At the helm of Wolfcraig is Richard Paterson and Ian MacMillan, and the master blenders formed a unique partnership to make what Paterson described as a “rare and luxurious whisky that really is something out of the ordinary.”
A press release from Wolfcraig noted that Paterson, known as “The Nose” for his palate, reached icon status within the whisky industry on account of his accomplishments at Whyte & Mackay, where he served as master blender since 1975.
MacMillan is an award-winning distiller in his own right, with more than 40 years of experience, having created famed single malts for Bunnahabhain, Tobermory and Deanston.
The duo teamed up in 2020 at the helm of Wolfcraig Distillers, which was co-founded by Jamie Lunn and John Moore in 2017. The founding team also included former Whyte & Mackay team member Michael Lunn, who passed away earlier this year.
This new Scotch expression comes from rare casks hand selected by the duo, with each bringing their own individual style.
At the recent launch of the new Wolfcraig 30 Year Old Premium Blend, Paterson described the whisky as a “flawless diamond.”
“The first bottling of our rare 30 Year Old whisky marks a true milestone,” he said. “This pursuit of excellence has taken many years of dedication, commitment and a relentless passion … it has been a memorable journey.”
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He said the whisky started in first-filled American white oak ex-bourbon barrels, and the final blending saw the marriage of PX and Oloroso sherry butts from Bodega San Andres in Jerez de la Frontera.
Wolfcraig’s director, Jamie Lunn, described the teaming up of the whisky icons to make this special expression.
“It’s very rare that two master blenders collaborate on one project, and we’re very proud to have both Richard and Ian working under the Wolfcraig banner. This partnership is what makes our offering to the world whisky market so unique and special.”
He said they poured through their extensive books over the past three years to source the best casks and parcels of whisky to come up with a curated production plan for the rare and aged releases over the next four years.
“After three years of hard work behind the scenes,” Lunn said, “it’s an incredible milestone for Wolfcraig to have our first release bottled and ready to be shipped to our valued customers. We are really proud as a team of the product we have put together and are excited for the feedback from whisky lovers around the world.”
Wolfcraig will release more whisky in this collection later in 2023. The inaugural Wolfcraig 30 Year Old Premium Blend is now available at the Wolfcraig Distillers website for a suggested price of £425.
For more information or to get a bottle, check out www.wolfcraig.com.
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