Tag Archives: whisky

Glenfiddich celebrates its legacy and the concept of time with its Time Re:Imagined
series, an excellent trio of single-malt whiskies

A distillery and brand with a rich heritage that started in 1886, Glenfiddich has been celebrated as one of the best single-malt whiskies in the world and now, it is set to marvel us with the new “Time Re:Imagined” series.
An exquisite trio of new whiskies that have been in the making since the 1960s, the “Time Re:Imagined” series showcases three unique bottles – the 30, 40 and 50-Year-Old single malt whiskies – all of which are created in reference to the concept of time, cementing the excellent craftsmanship and the height of Glenfiddich’s achievement in whisky making.
Marked the pinnacle of Glenfiddich’s signature distillery style, the 50-year-old is overseen patiently by three Malt Masters to redefine the concept of time.

We start off our journey with the rarest of the three: the 50-Year-Old edition named “Simultaneous Time” with only 220 decanters produced globally, making it an extremely rare and sought-after novelty for whisky connoisseurs. Derived from three different American Oak refill casks that are manufactured from the same warehouse, the golden liquid is then married and finished in another American Oak refill cask for two years, resulting in a unique taste that has evolved through various climatic conditions that makes this batch of whiskies truly unique and something that can never be replicated.

Finishing off this collectible bottle is an artistic design created by Manuel Jiménez García, a computational architect, who took meteorological data from the fifty years of its making and reinterpreted it into a unique design for its outer casing. On the nose, the golden liquid brings forth notes of citrus (both orange and clementine), Madeira cake and muscovado sugar that evolves into softer floral notes of dew and geranium, while on taste, you will be greeted with a deep, silky smooth oak tannin with hints of sun-dried vanilla.

Onwards to the next bottle, we have the 40-Year-Old edition, the “Cumulative Time”, a bold representation created using remnant vatting process, a method unique to Glenfiddich where the distillery utilises remnants of the previous batch to manifest its concoction. Through this unique process, the 40-Year-Old bottle highlights the accumulation of flavours over time that adds complexity to the taste of the liquid. To house this extravagant bottle of Glenfiddich whisky, García takes inspiration from the concept of geological metamorphosis to create a sculptural stone-like outer casing that reflects the fine movement and evolution of the earth. The case and stopper are created from jesmonite, a material with individual characteristics that render every piece completely unique, reflecting the concept of cumulative time, where each bottle’s pattern design is unique to itself. For this bottle, we see a subtle tone of dark mahogany liquid that greets the nose with fruity and warm chocolate notes that dance with smoky undertones, which results in a bold and striking flavour to the senses.

On taste, the 40-Year-Old presents a more luxurious flavour with rich tones of raisins, fruits and stewed apple before toning down to dry oaky notes, with subtle hints of bitter chocolate and peat.

And finally, we have “Suspended Time”, the 30-Year-Old edition, the youngest of the trio, where Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich’s Malt Master, suspends the whisky’s maturation to bottle it, to create a precise and sleek flavour profile. Like its flavour, the bottle design also showcases the concept of suspended time, where a swirl of ribbons is frozen in place to create elegant cut-out windows giving us a sneak peek of the decanter within.

With a whisky that is captured at its most perfect moment, the 30-Year-Old bottle stands as a stellar staple that will tantalise the palate and create that ideal experience for all connoisseurs. On first whiff, the 30-Year-Old introduces a balanced profile of hearty oak and sherry notes, a calmer play on Glenfiddich whisky compared to the other two within the series. And when you bring it onto the palate, you will be rewarded with a luscious and complex combination of warm wood and floral nuances.

On the creation of these masterpieces, Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich Malt Master, says: “In whisky production, we often talk about the role of Malt Masters and it is our responsibility to find the delicate balance between the taste of the whisky and the intensity of the oak cask. “But we don’t always acknowledge how each cask, each bottle, is absolutely unique because of the time it has spent maturing. Both nature and time play huge roles in making whisky taste like it does and Glenfiddich’s Time Re:Imagined collection pays homage to this process and the exquisite liquid it helps to create.” Each created as a standalone masterpiece akin to works of art in the world of single-malt whiskies, the “Time Re:Imagined” series is the epitome of excellence that Glenfiddich has pursued over the years of distillation. Truly marvellous and one for the books.

For more information and to purchase the Glenfiddich “Time Re:Imagined” series, you can
contact Glenfiddich directly via email: [email protected].

Meet the Macallan’s US$80,000 single malt whisky

The Macallan has launched Tales of The Macallan Volume I, the first in a new series of rare single malt Scotch whiskies.

The new series is a nod to The Macallan pioneers and their legacy of whisky-making, and Volume I pays homage to Captain John Grant. In 1700, Grant realised the potential of Easter Elchies Estate, which has been the home of The Macallan Distillery since 1824.

Tales of The Macallan Volume I

Crafted by Lead Whisky Maker Sarah Burgess, Tales of The Macallan Volume I is a single malt whisky distilled in 1950 and bottled in 2021. According to Burgess, the rare and exclusive whisky extends notes of wood spices, sweet wood smoke and antique oak, complemented by hints of ripe fruits and spices.

Tales of The Macallan Volume I also comes in a package that befits its distinguished status. The whisky is encased in a handcrafted crystal decanter, concealed in an Almanac book that recounts Captain John Grant’s remarkable story.

For the decanter, The Macallan collaborated with a long-standing partner and master French crystal maker Lalique. The exquisite glasswork is etched with an illustration done by renowned artist Andrew Davidson. It also features a bespoke transit stopper by artisan craftsmen J.C. Ribiero.

The book for Tales of The Macallan Volume I was created by traditional London-based bookbinders, Shepherds, Sangorski & Sutcliffe and Zaehnsdorf. The firm specialises in fine binding, restoration, and conservation of books. The Tales of The Macallan Volume I book is handcrafted with luxurious leather and 24 ct gold leaf.

As expected, Tales of The Macallan Volume I is highly limited, with only 350 decanters available worldwide. It carries a retail price of S$107,600 (US$80,147).

“Tales of The Macallan tells of remarkable individuals and an exceptional spirit, a story of The Macallan’s incredible pioneers,” Lead Whisky Maker Sarah Burgess said in a release. “Each of these people left their mark on The Macallan with their unique contribution and legacy alive in our brand’s DNA and in every drop of our whisky to this day.”

By Terence Ruis

The world’s oldest bourbon sold for US$137,000

Credit: Skinner Auctioneers

The world’s oldest bourbon whiskey has been auctioned for US$137,000. Skinner Auctioneers who oversaw the bidding process said the bottle, better known as the Old Ingledew Whiskey, was most likely bottled between 1763-1803 after undergoing a Carbon-14 dating test.

“We took a sample and tested by Carbon-14 dating, and determined that with an 81.1% probability that the Bourbon was produced between 1763-1803, which places it in the historical context of The Revolutionary War and the Whiskey Rebellion of the 1790s,” says Joseph Hyman, a fine spirits specialist at Skinner. “The whiskey was not bottled at a distillery destroyed in the war, it is actually bottled by a general store, which is the same way the Scottish whisky Johnnie Walker started.”

Beyond the dating information provided by modern science, the bottle itself was labelled and on it stated that the bourbon was “probably made prior to 1865”. Also included in the short excerpt is the ownership. Interestingly, the bottle belonged to John Pierpont Morgan — or known widely as J.P Morgan, the Wall Street financier.

Credit: Skinner Auctioneers

Besides the famed banker, the ex-owners of the bottle include James Byrnes, the previous US Supreme Court justice and South Carolina governor and two other sister bottles (in total there were three bottles) were given to Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. According to Hyman, the bottle that was auctioned off was the only one that remained.

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Initial estimates by CNN put the bottle at a cost between US$20,000 and US$40,000 but the final price exceeded by US$100,000. While the final price of the bottle is stunning, it does not make the cut to be the world’s most expensive whiskey. The honours still belong to a bottle of Macallan Fine and Rare 60-year-old 1926, which was sold for a whopping US$1.9 million in 2019. Regardless of the price, the Old Ingledew Whiskey is perhaps the oldest whiskey ever discovered in the world.

By Joseph Low

The Nuances Between Japanese And Western Whisk(e)y

Image Credit: Unsplash

Japan’s foray into commercial whisky distillation began in 1923 when Suntory’s founder Shinjiro Torii founded the Yamazaki Distillery on the edges of Kyoto prefecture, in a region referred to in the past as “Minaseno”. Compared to the western world, Japan is a late bloomer with its history only going back to the early 20^th century. In comparison, the Scotch whisky giant Chivas Regal traces its heritage back to the 18^th century with the founding of the Strathisla distillery. However, despite its short history, Japanese whiskies have gained international recognition and popularity in recent years. In 2001 Nikka won “Best of the Best” at Whisky Magazine’s Awards with its 10-year Yoichi Single malt, planting the spotlight firmly on Japanese whisky. Understandably, it prompts the question, what exactly differentiates Japanese whisky from those of the western world?

Whisky or whiskey?

Before getting into the down and dirty, it would be appropriate to clarify that even in the western world, there exist many distinctions between each country’s whisk(e)y. Whisky, in the old days, was spelt without the “e” in both Scotland and Ireland. However, in the late 1800s, four of the biggest distillers in Ireland pushed for the addition of the vowel as a marketing differentiator. The later use of the letter “e” by subsequent distillers in the non-Gaelic countries depended on their connection to either Scotch or Irish whisk(e)y. Japanese distilleries largely follow the same techniques as the Scottish and so exclude the vowel. Whereas the Americans favoured the Irish product and sought association with it by spelling it whiskey.

Since the Japanese took inspiration from the Scots, that seems to be the logical point of comparison. But first, here is a brief rundown of some of the major products of the West.

Scotch

Scotland’s cold windy climate has forced its distilleries to adopt unique traditions, contributing to the distinct taste of scotch. The harsh winds of Scotland mean that oak trees, traditionally used to produce whisky barrels are rare. Scottish distillers, therefore, adopted the practice of reusing barrels from the U.S. and other parts of Europe in which to age their whisky. The lack of wood as a fuel source also led to the use of peat to dry out barley grains. This results in a unique flavour profile that is lighter than American whiskey but with that distinctive smoky flavour. This is nicely embodied by Chivas Regal’s 18 Gold Signature Blended Scotch and the Glenfiddich 18 Year Old. Both whiskies open with aromatic notes of dried fruits which then finish with a distinct smokiness that is unique to scotch.

Irish Whiskey

The Irish whiskey tradition is similar to that of Scotch, with some subtle differences. The Irish typically use unmalted barley in their mash bills while the Scots favour malted barley, and they utilise closed kilns compared to the Scottish tradition of drying barley over burning peat. This results in a subtler, smoother taste, that is generally light and fruity with notes of the various grains used. A great Irish Whiskey to try is Bushmills’ flagship 10 year Single Malt.

Bushmills 10 year Single Malt; Image Credit: Bushmills

American bourbon and rye

Bourbon uses predominantly corn while Rye uses mostly rye. Given the abundance of American oak, distillers in the U.S. do not typically adopt the practice of reusing old barrels for ageing, resulting in a bolder, flavour profile much like the American spirit. Bourbons have a delicious sweetness and full body provided by the corn while rye lends an earthy spiciness. Knob Creek’s Patiently Aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon, the core product of the small batch brand embodies all things great about bourbon while FEW Rye Whiskey brings the heat of American rye.

Japanese whisky and its connection to nature

While Japanese whisky may not have a history going back centuries, to say that the Japanese do not have a booze-soaked heritage would be folly. After all, they were the ones who introduced the world to the beauty of sake and shochu. A crucial component in Japanese whisky production is the purity of the water used which explains Torii’s choice to settle in that region of Japan. Additionally, many of Japan’s distilleries are built at higher altitudes resulting in lower pressure, in turn resulting in lower boiling points when distilling. This helps to retain aroma and flavour, for a smoother drinking experience. Finally, while following Scottish traditions, Japanese whiskies tend to be less peated, as Japanese generally prefer lighter flavours. The result is a unique light and fruity taste. The Hibiki’s 17 Year Old, Suntory’s main venture into blended whisky is a delightful whisky with notes of citrus peels and raisin and a tinge of gentle smoke, a nod to the Scottish traditions upon which Japan built its practices.

Hibiki 17 Year Old; Image Credit: Shanescotch Instagram

With its distinctive profile owing to the marriage of Japan’s connection to nature and Scottish tradition, it is little wonder that the Japanese are taking the world of Whisky by storm.

By Abram Yum

Ultra Exclusive, the Never to Be Seen Again whiskies of The Secret Speyside

Créateurs de convivialité Pernod Ricard owners of Chivas Brothers, the makers of Royal Salute and other fine whiskeys has just released its biggest single malt collection to date. Dubbed The Secret Speyside, it is the gathering of fifteen age statement single malt whiskies from four of Speyside’s rarest yet most sought after Scottish distilleries.

For knowledgeable collectors, The Secret Speyside Collection is a carefully curated selection of 18-30 year old whiskies from four of Speyside’s most elusive distilleries, each with its own rich histories and unique characters.

With centuries of rich whisky heritage against a jaw-dropping Scottish landscape, Speyside is the treasure chest of Scotch and brimming with untold stories. Curating the Collection has been a labour of love for the Chivas Brothers team; its contents have been hand-selected to help shine a light on some seldom-seen distilleries, their rare malts, and unique histories. Any whisky connoisseur will find something new in this world-class selection, which demonstrates the breadth of flavour and character that Speyside distilleries can achieve.” – Alan Winchester, veteran Speyside distiller of over 30 years

Ultra Exclusive, the Never to Be Seen Again whiskies of The Secret Speyside

Never to be seen again, these exclusive single malts hail from the vanished distillery of Caperdonich which operated between 1898 and 1902, and then again between 1965 and 2002, supplying one of the core whiskies in the blended Chivas Regal; the pioneering Longmorn distillery designed by founder John Duff in 1894, utilising the tech of the era and incorporating a railway station next to the distillery for supply logistics and then sending finished bottles up to the North for distribution to whisky lovers; the landmark Glen Keith distillery, built by and owned by Chivas and the first new distillery to open in Speyside since the great whisky crash of 1898, whose production today is used almost exclusively across Chivas Brother’s blended whiskey; and finally the Braes of Glenlivet, established in the early 1970s at the southern end of Speyside, the Braeval distillery was mothballed by the Brothers between 2001 and 2008 with the bulk of its spirits used in blends.

Secret Speysdie Rare Malt image.

The desirable fifteen-bottle collection which comprise The Secret Speyside consists of three rare Single Malts from each of Glen Keith, Longmorn and Braes of Glenlivet, together with three peated and three unpeated expressions from Caperdonich, which distilled its final Single Malt in 2002, before closing its doors and finally being taken down brick by brick in 2011.

Caperdonich

A secret of Speyside, the whiskies released from this ‘vanished distillery’ offer a rare opportunity to discover and compare peated and unpeated expressions of the same age (21 and 25 year old), once found as foundational spirits in blended malts in their truest Caperdonich expressions.

Caperdonich Distillery

The unpeated spirit is full of ripe orchard fruits that give Caperdonich’s sweet single malt a complex body and long smooth finish. When gently peated, an untraditional process for a Speyside Single Malt, a sophisticated smokiness adds an extra element and depth of flavour.

There will be six whiskies released from Caperdonich, with half being peated whiskies and the other half unpeated. The peated selection includes an 18 year old (48% ABV), a 21 year old (48% ABV) and a cask strength 25 year old whisky. The unpeated whiskies are a 21 year old (48% ABV), 25 year old (48% ABV), and a cask strength 30 year old.

LUXUO’s favourite Caperdonich: 25 year old Caperdonich’s Unpeated (48% ABV) is a rich malt full of complex flavours, most notably the pear and chocolate notes backed by notes of blackcurrant, and a hint of Acinnamon spice leads to a long and succulent finish. Retails $480

: Longmorn distillery on the river Spey.

: Secret Speysdie Rare Malt image.

Longmorn

One of Scotland’s best kept secrets, Longmorn has often referred to as ‘every distiller’s favourite apart from their own.’ Long been considered world class by distillers and connoisseurs, Longmorn single malts lie at the core of many of the Chivas blends

The three whiskies from Longmorn in this collection are an 18 year old (48% ABV), 23 year old (48% ABV) and a cask strength 25 year old, with each bringing a more intense take on the soft, creamy toffee and rich flavour profile that is highly regarded by distillers and industry experts worldwide.

LUXUO’s favourite Longmorn: The Longmorn 25 year old (cask strength, 52.2% ABV) which starts fruit-driven particularly of red apple and mandarin orange before giving way to dark honey notes with a finish of dark chocolate. Retails $450

Glen Keith

Glen Keith was the first Speyside distillery built in the 20th century. The distillery rose from the ruins of an old mill on the banks of the River Isla, famed for its pure water and leaping wild salmon. This collection marks the first official* age-statement release this century from the landmark distillery.

The three whiskies from Glen Keith in this collection are a 21 year old, 25 year old and a 28 year old (all 43% ABV). Each is exceptionally smooth as Glen Keith’s pot stills are taller than most, giving an extra ‘copper kiss’ to the single malt and resulting in a complex, intensely smooth example of the classic Speyside style, bursting with juicy summer fruit notes.

LUXUO’s favourite Glen Keith: Easy to drink and not overly complex, the Glen Keith 21 year old is a perfect balance of fruit and sweetness. A little water brings out a syrupy sweetness, accompanied by the smooth tones of lightly waxed wood and then followed by notes of soft peach and citrusy pineapple, with a dry toasted almond finish. Retails $180

Braes of Glenlivet

This is the first official bottling from one of the highest distilleries in Speyside. The remote distillery is watched over by a lone keeper at night and is truly at the mercy of the uncompromising Scottish elements.

The three whiskies from Braes of Glenlivet in this collection are a 25 year old (48% ABV), 27 year old (48% ABV) and a cask strength 30 year old. Made using the purest water from the Preenie Well, 2 miles deep in the Braes hills, the resulting whisky is smooth, balanced and packed with tropical fruits.

LUXUO’s favourite Braes of Glenlivet: Velvety, opulent, and then easing into blackberry, orange and light vanilla, the 30 year old Braes of Glenlivet (cask strength, 50.3% ABV) builds into a long-lasting, sweet finish. Retails $600

The Secret Speyside Collection is available now exclusively in Global Travel Retail, before rolling out into selected markets globally from summer 2020. The first ever collection of ultra exclusive, never to be seen again whiskies of its kind will offer Single Malt connoisseurs the chance to uncover, sample and collect some of the hidden malts which comprise some of the blended variations of their better known brothers, giving you exquisite flavour profiles and the chance to experience the true terroir of the iconic Speyside region.

The Most Expensive Shot of Whiskey in the World Was Sold for the North Koreans

There’ve been reports that a man strolled into a bar in Switzerland last week and plonked down 9,999 Swiss Francs (RM65,000) for a glass of Macallan whiskey made in 1878.

This went down at the luxury Waldhaus Hotel in St. Moritz, where the man and a group of friends spent the evening at Devil’s Place Whisky Bar. The hotel bar has been recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records for its impressive 2,500 bottle collection of spirits.

While that’s a pretty pricey shot of finely fermented grain, it’s not the most expensive one sold to date. Blaine Vess — entrepreneur and CEO of StudyMode, an ed-tech company that helps students create, share and discover study materials — purchased a 50ml dram of Macallan 64 for $64,000 (RM274,000), but it wasn’t exactly a whimsical purchase during a drinking night out.

Proceeds from the sale of this unique dram, stored at £10, a Macallan cocktail lounge at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills are pledged by Macallan to benefit a charity of the buyer’s choice.

In this case, Vess’s purchase benefits Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), a non-profit working to empower North Koreans to drive change in their country. Some of the groups efforts are eyebrow-raising — they include rescuing North Korean refugees seeking resettlement via a 5,000-kilometre underground railroad that runs through China and into Southeast Asia.

Blaine Vess, the social entrepreneur who purchased a shot of Macallan 64 for $64,000.

The bottle is the only one of its kind, containing three single malts filled in 1942, 1945 and 1946, and this isn’t the first time the Macallan 64, the oldest blend ever released by the distillery, has been involved in a charity effort. Back in 2010, some of the same Macallan 64 went on a world tour in a Lalique decanter, as part of glass designer René Lalique’s birth celebrations, offering 10cl sips to global enthusiasts for five-figure sums, all benefiting charity.

Several countries and a few rounds of refills later, the final decanter was sold for $460,000 at a Sotheby’s New York charity auction. From a purely whisky perspective, some might still think it overpriced, but it speaks to Macallan’s rise in brand power, especially visible in Asia — another Sotheby’s auction in 2014, sold a rare single malt Macallan M for a whopping $628,205 in Hong Kong.

As for Blaine Vess’s precious shot? He doesn’t plan on drinking it. At least, not now. It will stay locked up in the safe at £10, until things change for the North Korean people. “I’m honoured to support LiNK in promoting freedom and empowerment for the North Korean people, and grateful to The Macallan for their generosity in giving the proceeds from this valuable whiskey to charity,” Vess said in an interview with Market Wired.

“I want to wait to drink it until the North Korean people are free — and I believe that will happen in my lifetime.”

Watch Blaine Vess talking about his purchase of the most expensive shot of whiskey in the world:

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