Summer is just around the corner and in certain countries, the Covid-19 lockdowns are starting to loosen slightly. The world hasn’t beaten the pandemic yet, but things are looking up. While we all wait, we might as well sip on some amazing new whiskies. From Taiwanese whisky to superb single barrel bourbons, here are some of the most exciting new whiskies to look out for
Balvenie – The Edge of Burnhead Wood 19 Year-Old
The name ‘The Edge of Burnhead Wood’ refers to the place in the Balvenie estate where the team sources young heather. This is used to help dry the barley before it’s used in production. At 48.7% ABV this is latest addition, and one of the oldest, in the Balvenie Stories Series that launched last year. The range tells stories surrounding the Balvenie distillery, and whisky production as a whole.
The release launched in May in the UK, with a US release date to follow soon. The suggested retail price is $US326 per bottle.
Loch Lomond 12 Year-Old – Open Special Edition
It is the first time in over 80 years that the 149th Open Championship that would take place at Royal George’s in Kent has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Loch Lomond distillery has proceeded to release the new Loch Lomond 12 Year-Old Open Special Edition 2020. After all, a little whisky can still make the day special. The expression comes in at 46% ABV and will launch globally mid-June.
The core range Loch Lomond 12 Year-Old recently took home the prestigious Platinum Award at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, after winning three consecutive Double Gold awards and winning over many expressions that are double or even triple the price. Will this new 12-year-old be as good?
Kavalan French Wine Cask – Truth Malters 1st Anniversary 2020
This cask comes from the famed Kavalan distillery in Taiwan, and was bottled by the brand’s importer in Canada, Truth Malters, to commemorate their 1st anniversary. The unique, one-of-a-kind label design makes the cask stand-out, and according to the importing team, it will never be done again as the distillery rarely allow importers to alter the core range labels. At 59.4% this is the highest ABV to be released by Kavalan, making it a powerful yet balanced dram. Another unique aspect is that this has been aged in fine French wine casks, taking this release outside the regular Solist series bottles, that are widely available.
With only 156 bottles available, and the release heading to Canada to be sold to Truth Malters clients, this one will be hard to get your hands on.
The 2020 Islay Fest, or Fèis Ìle, was originally scheduled to begin on May 23rd but was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Bruichladdich, however, have decided to release the Port Charlotte 16 Year-Old through an online ballot, as the festival approaches. This is the oldest Port Charlotte ever made, and like most, it is a heavily peated single malt. Distilled in 2003, this was bottled at 55.8% ABV and aged in refill hogsheads, first-fill bourbon casks, and ex-Sauternes casks.
This release was already bottled, but with the Bruichladdich’s bottling line shut down, they laucnhed this for disappointed fans who were excited to attend the Islay Fest event at the Bruichladdich distillery on the 23rd of May.
The oldest and rarest expression on the list, the Littlemil 29 Year-Old is a work of art. This special release will launch in September 2020, with liquid taken from some of last casks to ever be filled at the Littlemill distillery. At 47.3% ABV, this is the third release in the Littlemill Private Cellar Collection and will only yield 600 bottles, which will be released globally. Now recognised to have been the oldest licensed distillery in Scotland, the distillery shut down in 1994 and was destroyed by a fire in 2004, making this liquid exceptionally rare and covetable.
‘The latest expression in the Private Cellar collection helps to tell another piece of the Littlemill story,’ says master blender, Michael Henry. ‘Littlemill has always represented the traditional Lowland “floral” style, and over the years the distillation and maturation processes evolved to maintain this flavour profile.’
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch B520
Heaven Hill released the second single barrel Elijah Craig on May 5th, so if you want a bottle you’ll need to start hunting as soon as possible. The Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch B520 was matured for 12 years before being bottled at a high 63.6% ABV. The ‘B’ in the name indicates that the release is the second of this year, the 5 speaks of May, the release month, and the 20 shows it dropped in 2020.
On the nose the B520 bursts with notes of caramel and brown sugar, alongside notes of winter spice and cinnamon. The palate turns creamy and smooth with the notes from the nose continuing through with new notes of nuts emerging. The finish is long with spice dominating the palate.
Glasgow Distillery’s 1770 Single Malt Triple Distilled – Release No.1
The third and last expression in the Signature Range by the Glasgow Distillery, this is a triple-distilled single malt Scotch whisky matured in virgin oak casks. Bottled at 46% ABV this will retail for $US60 from today, May 21st.
Liam Hughes, co-founder of The Glasgow Distillery speaks on the release: ‘It has been a project of passion for everyone at the distillery and is truly a celebration of two of the essential elements in the whisky making process: the water and the wood. We’re incredibly fortunate that our natural water supply is from Loch Katrine, it gives such softness and purity to our whisky. We also have access to virgin oak casks of outstanding quality and have used these for the entire duration of this whisky’s maturation.’
That’s all for now, happy hunting!
