FAMILY-run whisky company Hunter Laing & Co has released a range of “exceptionally rare” Islay whiskies hand-picked by iconic whisky distiller, Jim McEwan.
Called The Kinship, the six single cask Islay whiskies have a combined age of 181 years – and are said to be among the rarest casks the firm has ever released.
The range comprises a 34 year old sherry cask Port Ellen, a 33 year old sherry cask Caol Ila, a 30 year old sherry cask Bowmore, a 30 year old bourbon cask Laphroaig, a 28 year old sherry cask Bunnahabhain, and a 26 year old bourbon cask Ardbeg. Each expression’s label represents different aspects of the Scotch whisky production, including: harvest, malting, fermentation, distillation, maturation and bottling.
The Kinship range is available in limited quantities exclusively via Hunter Laing’s new shop on Islay; the firm’s Ardnahoe Distillery will become the ninth whisky distillery on Islay when it opens early next year.
Jim McEwan, who came out of retirement to join the team at Ardnahoe, described the whiskies in The Kinship range as a “tribute to the brotherhood of Islay distilleries”.
