September marks a busy interval for Scotch whisky, with manufacturers launching a raft of latest merchandise after months and even years of growth. Consideration is sharply targeted on the upcoming festive season and the potential gross sales it guarantees.
September 2024 adopted this development, showcasing a powerful array of latest releases. Nevertheless, notably, this yr featured a higher emphasis on uncommon, luxurious and premium whiskies. It appears the choice of sought-after, collectable choices is at an all-time excessive. Right here’s our information to the standout choices for these with deep sufficient pockets.
Benromach | 50 years previous
The independently owned Speyside distillery of Benromach has lengthy been extremely regarded and awarded. The final couple of years have seen it start to launch some critically aged retro whisky, culminating within the launch of this 50-year-old – one in every of its oldest ever single malts.
The whisky has been within the distillery’s warehouses for half a century because the early Nineteen Seventies and is launched on the pure cask power of 54.6% ABV.
The uncommon whisky is offered in a handblown glass decanter created by Highland scorching glass studio Glasstorm. This consists of battuta, a extremely expert approach the place glass is hand-sculpted by the glassmaker, giving every decanter a definite uniqueness. Lower than 250 such decanters can be found worldwide.
Anticipate early notes of grilled pineapple and orange peel, which give approach to stewed orchard fruits (particularly apple and apricot), previous leather-based and a mild wisp of soppy, candy peat smoke. Beautiful.
Available at The Spritis Embassy
Glenallachie | 35 years previous
The Speyside distillery of Glenallachie has constructed a cult following because it was bought by new possession seven years in the past. The emphasis on high-quality ex-sherry casks has pushed this newfound reputation. Now, the oldest official single malt to this point has been launched.
This pleasant whisky comes from simply six ex-bourbon barrels that had been switched shortly after the takeover to a mixture of ex-sherry casks (three Pedro Ximenez and one Oloroso), plus two new American oak barrels.
Billy Walker, the legendary Grasp Distiller at Glenallachie with over 50 years of expertise within the Scotch whisky trade, has created a masterpiece. The whisky is wealthy, decadent and velvety, and the lengthy ending interval creates loads of dried fruit, milk chocolate and nutty notes—consider raisins, sultana and candied orange with cocoa powder, walnut and hazelnut praline.
An abundance of savoury components additionally shines by, together with sandalwood, baking spices and a touch of an previous cigar field. Merely gorgeous.
Available at The Strong Water Co.
The Glenlivet | Everlasting Assortment: First Version 55 years previous
The Glenlivet, the favored Speyside distillery, celebrates its 2 hundredth anniversary this yr and has unveiled its oldest official bottling to commemorate it. The Glenlivet Everlasting Assortment: First Version 55 Years Previous has been maturing in a single ex-sherry cask because the late-Sixties. This has been nurtured over current years by Kevin Balmforth, the Cask Grasp at The Glenlivet, and launches the distillery’s Everlasting Assortment, showcasing a number of the rarest inventory left maturing of their warehouses.
The uncommon whisky is housed in an opulent spherical decanter, which sits inside an attention-grabbing sculpture created by computational architect Michael Hansmeyer. There are simply 100 accessible, and they are going to be accessible in restricted provide in chosen world markets.
It’s bottled on the pure cask power of 42.2% ABV. Notes of poached pear, hazelnut and vanilla fudge dominate, supported by additional notes of zesty orange, darkish chocolate ganache and recent gingerbread. It’s a true murals.
Available at The Whisky Exchange
Laphroaig | Sturdy Characters 33 years previous
The long-lasting Islay distillery of Laphroaig joined the get together late in September with the launch of the Sturdy Characters vary of limited-edition single malts and the primary bottling in that vary: the Laphroaig Sturdy Characters 33 Years Previous.
Every bottling within the collection will honour an influential individual within the distillery’s historical past, beginning with co-founder Donald Johnson. The packaging options hanging monochromatic illustrations from famend British artist Invoice Bragg.
The whisky has matured for over 30 years in American oak ex-bourbon barrels and European oak ex-sherry hogshead casks. Each play a task in a fancy set of tasting notes which have unbelievable depth and variety—consider vanilla crème brûlée and stewed rhubarb mixed with smoked mackerel and manuka honey, all wrapped up in Laphroaig’s signature medicinal peat smoke.
Hints of drying seaweed, creamy fudge and salty sea spray spherical issues off fantastically. An on the spot basic.
Macallan | 1990 33 years previous Komorebi Version
Whereas the Speyside distillery of Macallan joined the get together with the extraordinary-looking Time: House launch as a part of their 2 hundredth anniversary, this impartial bottling could have slid beneath the radar a bit of.
Launched by the award-winning East Asia Whisky Firm, this uncommon whisky is impressed by komorebi—the Japanese time period which means ‘daylight by timber’. The whisky was distilled in 1990 and matured for 31 years in a single ex-bourbon cask earlier than a two-year ending interval in a Japanese mizunara oak cask.
This uncommon expression of Macallan is enhanced additional by a shocking decanter by Glencairn Crystal. This brings the Japanese idea of komorebi to life with an intricate engraved silver oak blossom department design wrapping across the bottle and a sublime paint stroke working down the again. Every was meticulously accomplished by hand by expert Glencairn technicians over many hours and there are simply 100 decanters in existence.
Anticipate notes of vanilla custard, bitter orange oil and clove married with milk chocolate and chamois leather-based.
