Host of special editions hit the market in time for Christmas
A SLEW of special edition whiskies has been released in time to hit gantries for the Christmas trading period.
Aberdeenshire distillery Glen Garioch has released The Glen Garioch Vintage 1999 – its first expression to be matured solely in Oloroso sherry casks.
Rachel Barrie, master blender for parent firm Morrison Bowmore Distillers, described the 14 year old whisky as a “full-bodied malt with exquisite rich fruit, chocolate and toffee notes”.
It is an exquisite whisky that has surpassed our expectations.
“Hand picked and bottled at 56.3% ABV to bring out the rich spicy flavours of the vintage, 1999 really showcases the quality of the spirit produced from this small artisan distillery through our limited edition programme,” she said.
On Islay, the Kilchoman Distillery, which was established in 2005, has released its oldest whisky to date.
Just 10,000 bottles of the limited edition 2007 Vintage have been released.
Anthony Wills, managing director of Kilchoman, said despite being a young distillery, “our vintage six year old shows a level of maturity normally associated with an older whisky”.
“We predict that this will sell quickly and hope Kilchoman followers share in our excitement in the development of our malt,” he said.
For those seeking an older expression, Hankey Bannister is to release a limited number of its 40 year old blend.
The whisky firm plans to release 1480 bottles of the blend over the next three years starting with an initial release of 500 gilt-engraved decanters.
The whisky is said to be made from a selection of Highland malts, matured in Spanish oak casks for over 40 years and chosen by Hankey Bannister’s master blender Stuart Harvey.
“It is an exquisite whisky that has surpassed our expectations and is delightful to taste and to look at, thanks to the dedication of our team in creating such striking packaging to reflect the quality and rarity of the whisky inside each limited edition box,” said brand manager Lynne Buckley.
