TimeforWhisky.com interviews Spirit of the Craft Award winners Westward Whiskey, Launceston Distillery, Raasay Distillery & Macaloney's Distillery

We recently posted news on Facebook of a new Spirits Awards (hear us out...), the first from Asia, focusing on smaller producers around the world. "Spirit of Craft Awards" was launched in January of this year, and involves a panel of experts from Asia's bar and drinks media community.

Over three months, entries from across 15 countries – Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Scotland, Singapore, Thailand, New Zealand, Netherlands, and the U.S. – made their way to Singapore for judging by a panel of 36 judges in early May, with the results announced shortly after.

The full list of 2024/2025 winners can be found here, but we were lucky enough to score an interview with four of the winners, including both "3 Star" winners Isle of Raasay & Launceston Distillery, as well as Westward Distillery (whose whiskies we've covered a few times on the blog) & Macaloney Distillery. 

We wanted to understand what made their whiskies unique, the industry changes they've seen, how they engage customers in an increasingly crowded market, and any learnings they've picked up about running a distillery. So without further ado, we bring the answers from:

• Launceston Distillery Head Distiller / Production Manager - Chris Condon
• Raasay Distillery Co-Founder and Master Distiller - Alasdair Day
• Westward Distillery Master Blender - Miles Munroe; and
• Macaloney's Island Distillery President & Master wheiskymaker - Dr Graeme Macaloney

The view from Raasay Distillery's warehouse

1. There’s a lot of great whisky out there, and a lot of distilleries who’ve opened in the past 5-10 years. In a sentence of two, what makes yours stand out?

• Launceston: "We are a boutique whisky distillery, solely focussed on producing hand-crafted single malts. Our location in a restored heritage-listed aircraft hangar is an obvious point of difference. We also try to stay true to ourselves, an independent distillery that strives to consistently make high quality small batch whisky."

• Raasay: "We do everything on Raasay - using water from our well at the distillery for mashing, fermentation, cooling, cask reduction and reduction to bottling strength. We mature all of our spirits in our own warehouses and bottle everything on site, where we now employ over 40 people who live on Raasay (an island with a population of only 161!). Our community and island are a constant source of inspiration, seen in the bespoke Isle of Raasay bottles with hand printed rock and fossil formations from our complex geology. Our spirit directly reflects and truly represents the island where it is created."

• Westward: "At Westward, which is located in the heart of the American Northwest we’re beholden to whiskey, not the traditions that surround it. Westward is brewed like a Pale Ale, distilled like a Single Malt, and aged like a Bourbon. Our whiskeys are matured to perfection in Oregon, one of the most fertile barley-growing regions in the world, where our unique hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters are the ideal environment to raise a world class whiskey."

• Macaloney's: "The World Whiskies Awards (WWAs) in the UK are the most competitive in the world and conducted via blind tasting with industry-experienced judges. At these, our whisky and new-make underpinning our whiskies have won 3 'World's Best' and 8 'Category Best' gold medals. Our growing repeat sales, in Taiwan, across Europe, and elsewhere (we are interested to find a distributor for Australia) in an economic climate where Scotch sales are down, speaks to the excitement and interest in high quality whiskies with real craft provenance like ours."

Launceston Distillery

2. How have you seen the industry change in the time since you started?

• Launceston: "There has been tremendous growth in the Tasmanian industry. The number of distilleries has doubled in that time. But consumers are now more aware of Tasmanian spirits, and there has been international recognition for the quality of whisky coming from Tasmania."

• Raasay: "There have been some massive changes in the industry in Scotland since we founded R&B Distillers in July 2014. At that time there were only 90 operating distilleries in Scotland selling single malt whisky. Now there are over 150 malt and grain distilleries. There have been huge steps forward in technology since we designed our process for our Isle of Raasay distillery particularly in sustainable technology."

• Westward: "Westward began in 2004. At the time, there were just 3 dozen craft distilleries in the U.S. Today, we’re proud to be a leader among more than 3,000. With that, it means that to truly stand out you have to have a distinct point of view, excellent quality credentials, and an innovative approach."

• Macaloney's: "There has been a lot more interest in craft single malt as enthusiasts look for greater quality, yearn to understand what creates the flavours, and are interested in genuine provenance. Also connoisseurs have come to realise that quality is not tied to age and that deep complex maturation comes from best distilling practices and the best oak casks."

Westward's Miles Munroe

3. As a craft distillery, what’s the best way to engage new and potential fans?

• Launceston: "For people who are not familiar with our whisky, nothing beats giving them a taste. Therefore, award programs like SOcraft provide valuable recognition and exposure, which gives new customers the confidence to taste our whisky for the first time."

• Raasay: "We are creating experiences for all of our guests who visit our Isle of Raasay distillery. The adventure starts when you make the 25 minute ferry crossing from Sconser on Skye to the Isle of Raasay, then a short walk (and an even shorter drive) to the distillery. We have six luxury ensuite bedrooms, a restaurant, residents lounge and a bar all with amazing views looking back over the Sound of Raasay to the Cuillin Mountains on Skye. It's the perfect place to relax with a Raasay dram, gin or a cocktail and soak up the full Isle of Raasay experience!"

• Westward: "We’re lucky to have won a host of awards and accolades, including the distinction as the #5 whisky in the world by Whisky Advocate. Those major acknowledgements – and the recognition of global authorities in whisky like Dave Broom, Becky Paskin, and others — have certainly helped us discover new fans and followers. We also love sharing what it is that we do with whiskey enthusiasts and visitors to the distillery, and proudly serves as an ‘open book’ in our approach to whiskey-making. This approach to transparency – where no question is off-limits – really helps us stay engaged with our customers."

• Macaloney's: "Liquid to lips! We love to send ambassadors in to whisky clubs or into whisky stores for vertical tastings, and to festival masterclasses where enthusiasts can taste our quality and hear our story."

Macaloney Distillery tour

4. What’s your “go to” or everyday whisky from your line-up, and why? What about your “special occasion” whisky?

• Launceston: "Our tawny cask matured whisky is a great everyday whisky. It has lovely fruity aromas and flavours, a rich smooth mouthfeel, and a finish that a judge recently compared to a ‘friendly bear hug’. It sips well neat,  but also has nice complexity that works well with cocktails. On special occasions we like our peated release. It is mildly peated with sweet bourbon and tawny influences to balance the smoke. This makes it very approachable, even for people who don’t like peat."

• Raasay: "My "go to" whisky from our line-up is our signature Isle of Raasay Hebridean single malt as this represents everything we do on Raasay. 80% of our annual production is filling the casks for our unique Na Sia cask recipe - we mature 6 separate cask types and marry these together at bottling to created our lightly peated style with dark fruit flavours. My "special occasion" whisky is our fully matured Columbian Oak 'Quercus humboldtii' cask single malt. This has a depth of flavour and texture ranging from Creme brulee to oolong tea. It is very special indeed and a very unique cask type to the Scotch Whisky industry."

• Westward: "The one to always reach for is Westward Whiskey Original, this is what began the innovative journey we’re still on. Our flagship whiskey is the trunk of the tree with almost all other variations branching off from this starting point.  It envelops everything about why we do what we do at Westward in the bottle.  My special occasion pour is most certainly Westward Whiskey Milestone.  Without a doubt the most elegant single malt we’ve produced, it's a marriage of our most highly prized casks and carefully blended over years in a twenty-one barrel Solera system."

• Macaloney's: "Thats a tough question partly because there are all my babies, plus we uniquely distill 3 very different styles - Single malt, Triple distilled pot still, and Peated single malt (smoked at our distillery). Of the single malts i love the an loy because like japanese single malts it is delicate and nieuanced  but with great depth and bapanced complexity. For the triple pot still it has to be the kildara becuase it defeated 27 year old, 21 yo, 15yo and 12 yo redbreast irish whiskies to win worlds best!, And for the peated a favorite is hard to choose becuase the 15ppm an aba is delicately sherried, whereas the 27 ppm siol dugall is fantastic for its virgin and bourbon-wood influence, whereas our peat project sugar kelp infused 54ppm peated single cask is a spectacular exploration of terroir and merroir!"

Westward Distillery

5. When you were growing your distillery, which was more important - on-premise or off-premise / retail?

• Launceston: "Both cannot be overlooked, and I would suggest they are as important as each other.  On-premise allows for new consumers to try our whisky without the outlay of a bottle purchase, however the retail space needs to be considered to give the consumer the easiest path to purchase once they have enjoyed it in a bar or restaurant."

• Raasay: "All of our sales channels are very important to us. On-premise is where new and potential fans can discover our Isle of Raasay Hebridean single malt & gin, seeing our bottle stand out on the back bar and enjoy their first dram. Off-premise / retail is where fans and lovers of Isle of Raasay can acquire our spirits, satisfy their signature Raasay desires and seek out our latest special releases."

• Westward: "Great question, and this has changed of course drastically through Covid and beyond. We look for a mix of both at Westward. We’re fortunate to have many enthusiasts in the bar world who respect what we do, and that is an excellent path for consumer discovery. But we also recognize that our whiskey needs to be available for a consumer who then wants to shop for our products.."

• Macaloney's: "Off premise however i now realize our whiskies are amazing in cocktails so bars will be important going forward."

Launceston Distillery's "Angus"

6. What’s one thing you wish you knew about running a distillery before you began?

• Launceston: "Sometimes the romance of running a distillery can be very different to the reality. It can be hard work and it requires patience and perseverance. But when everything comes together after years of maturation it is well worth the effort."

• Raasay: "How difficult it can be to stay focused on our key messaging and continuously, consistently preach that key messaging to the world. "

• Westward: "With Westward, we’re always planning several years ahead. The whiskey we make today won’t see the light of day for at least half a decade (give or take), and so we are always a step ahead. That includes some of our expansion efforts – like our capacity increase we recently underwent."

• Macaloney's: "HOW HARD IT IS TO MAKE A PROFIT AFTER ALL THE COSTS AND TAXES!"

A stunning vista from Raasay Distillery

 

 

Thanks must go to Chris, Alasdair, Miles & Dr Graham for the time and answers, and to the great team at Food News Singapore for coordinating the responses & media.

Cheers,

Martin.

Gordon & MacPhail "Mr George Legacy" (4th Ed) 65yo 1958 Glen Grant [Tasted #660]

It was almost a year ago to the day I tried Gordon & MacPhail's "Mr George Legacy" 3rd Ed, a 63yo Glen Grant from 1959, and the third in the excellent "Mr George Legacy" series. Many thought that was the final release in the series, but here we are 12 months later, and G&M have honoured their second generation "Mr George" Urquhart (arguably the father of single malt whisky's popularity) with another release - this time a 65yo from 1958.

Sticking with tradition, this release is again a Glen Grant, bottled from a single cask (a first-fill Sherry butt laid down by "Mr George" himself in 1958) at 56.5% in November 2023. Cask No.3818 produced just 376 bottles, slightly more (but more or less in the ballpark) as the rest of the "Mr George" series, meaning like the releases before it, this will no doubt be a hard bottle to acquire.

Stuart Urquhart, Operations Director at Gordon & MacPhail, said: 

“My grandfather had a particular affinity with Glen Grant Distillery. Local to our home in Elgin, Mr George had a strong relationship with the owners and distillers through the decades and he enjoyed experimenting with different casks to complement the distillery’s lighter spirit style."

This edition’s packaging and support campaign is themed around having the courage of conviction, symbolised by ‘The Lone Oak’. Mr George’s approach – to age whisky for as long as it needed – was seen by some as eccentric during his lifetime. The theme celebrates this philosophy of occasionally going against the grain but always standing firm to one’s principles in pursuit of perfection. 

With scores of 92, 92 & 94 for the previous 3 releases respectively (& 95 for the original "Mr George Centenary" release) there's some serious pedigree to live up to....so does it? Let's find out...

Gordon & MacPhail "Mr George Legacy" (4th Ed) Glen Grant 65yo 1958 (56.5% ABV, 65yo, Single Cask, Speyside, Scotland, One of 376 bottles, £7,000)

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Colour: Deep, dark coffee-burgundy

Nose: Richly oaked sherry, but with a real fruit vibrancy. Cherries, cola, spices and old books too - an amazing mix of "old" and "fresh". Cocoa, coffee beans and sweet coffee notes follow. An incredibly intoxicating nose.

Palate: True to the nose. There's cherry, cola bottle lollies, oak, coffee beans, licorice twists and a flamed orange peel. After time, some sweeter orange cream emerges. Leather and rich dark chocolate. It's all here. The alcohol is present, but extremely well-integrated, never seeming overbearing or "hot" (despite the realtively high ABV). I'll often taste a whisky with an incredible nose, but a lacking palate. Here, the nose matches the palate in terms of character and quality. Amazing. A friend referred to this as "elegant" and that's exactly what it is.

Finish: Extremely long, with herbal hints of old oak, and coffee beans.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100 (Martin). The best of the "Mr George" series to date, in my opinion, and so so close to the "Mr George Centenary" (still one of my favourite whiskies of the last 5 years). Just a beautiful, beautiful dram.

A big thanks once again to G&M & WS for the sample.

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #657: 1959/1960 GlenDronach Gordon & MacPhail

It's no secret I'm a big GlenDronach fan, considering them to be one of the few remaining distilleries where value can still be found (even though the older single casks are a bit punchy these days..), and a distillery delivering quality well above some of their peers.

Between Hendy and I we've covered plenty of expressions on the blog, but for the most part they've been modern releases. On a few occasions I've been lucky enough to try some vintage bottlings, and they've almost always been spectacular, especially this 18yo dumpy for the Japanese market - one of my most favourite 'dronachs ever...until now.

As good as that dumpy was (along with the 70s single casks, excellent 1993s and other interesting IBs), they've all been overtaken - by this fascinating vatting of 1959 and 1960 distilled GlenDronach, bottled by G&M in 1986 to celebrate the marriage of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.

It wasn't that long ago you could pick up vintage miniatures for significantly less than they should've been (the market's cottoned-on now, unfortunately) and whilst miniatures are always a gamble, I'd say I'm at about a 95% success rate. This one held up perfectly, and I think cost me all of £20...

Gordon & MacPhail 1995/1960 GlenDronach (to commemorate the marriage of H.R.H Prince Andrew to Miss Sarah Ferfuson on 23rd July 1986) (40% ABV, Single Malt, NAS but ~28yo, Speyside Scotland)
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Colour: Dark copper-brown.

Nose: Hugely expressive for 40%. Some OBE (Old Bottle Effect) but also rich coffee grounds, a sweet Vietnamese coffee note, varnish, leather, and overall so fresh and clean. Even some slightly herbal / grassy notes appeared, after some time.

Palate: Overripe oranges, crisp sherry, glazed orange slices, sherbert, cherry chews, marzipan and red apple. A mixed bag of fruity deliciousness.

Finish: Medium in length, with oak only showing to the end, alongside some sweet BBQ notes.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100 (Martin). Absolutely fantastic. Incredible this is only 40%!

Cheers,

Martin.

67yo "Mr George Legacy" Glen Grant 1953 from Gordon & MacPhail [Tasted #518]

Over the past few years I've been fortunate to try some pretty incredible Gordon & MacPhail bottlings - many of them positively geriatric (including one in it's 70s - notes here), but my favourite by far has been the 62yo 1956 "Mr George Centenary" (tasted here). I called it my top whisky of 2019, and if I'm honest, it remained so across 2020 too.

...so when G&M reached out and asked if I'd like to try the new "Mr George Legacy" 1st Edition - also a Glen Grant, but this time a 1953 bottled just after its 67th birthday, I wasn't going to say no!

Distilled on Christmas Eve 1953 and bottled on 5th Jan 2021, the whisky spent its whole life in a First Fill Sherry Butt, and retained a hefty (and frankly astonishing) 59.4% ABV when bottled after those 67 years. 

Bottled to celebrate the Legacy of "Mr George" Urquhart (second generation of the G&M family and the man who created the Connoisseurs Choice range which still remains hugely popular today), a total of 355 bottles are available. A fitting tribute to someone Charlie MacLean refers to as "The father, the originator of the current success and appreciation of Scotch Malt Whiskies" then!

Describing Mr George's influence on the company and wider Scotch whisky scene, Stephen Rankin, grandson and G&M's Director of Prestige said: “My grandfather possessed a passion for taking single malts beyond these shores. Over many decades, he built and nurtured close relationships with some of Scotland’s leading distilleries and proudly took as much as he could carry on his international trips. I have fond memories of joining him, meeting new people, and telling stories about the casks he’d chosen to bring out the best in the different types of spirit."

Gordon & MacPhail 1953 Glen Grant 67yo "Mr George Legacy" (59.4% ABV, 67yo, Cask #4209, Speyside, £5,000)

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Colour: Intensely deep ruby-red copper.

Nose: Maraschino cherries and cough syrup, with old leather-bound books initially. Seriously "decadent", mature and complex. Sherry-soaked dates, furniture polish & hazelnuts. Water adds a little more nuttiness.

Palate: Zesty at first, with citrus spice, and cigar leaves soaked in orange. Grassy and with blackcurrant hints, the nearly 60% ABV does bring some heat, but it's a very composed and complex palate overall. There's some ginger and a plum sweetness, with mint notes towards the end. Water brings more of a meaty, earthen note.

Finish: Long notes of leather cigar pouch with residual earthy smoke and paprika.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100. There's a huge amount going on here, and it's all delicious. A stunning dram - even more impressive when you consider that after 67 years in a 1st fill butt, there's no "off" notes - no overly-oaky tannins, no sulphur. A stunning cask and a testament to both Mr George and the wider G&M team.

Cheers,

Martin.

Mortlach 16 and "Meats with the Beast" [Tasted #508]

Mortlach is a whisky that's seen a few different guises in recent years. Originally (and still) prized by blenders, and used as a key component in Johnnie Walker, the "2.81 distilled" whisky rose to prominence amongst whisky lovers in the 1990s via Diageo's Rare Malts and Flora & Fauna series - the latter showcasing a 16yo Mortlach which is still much loved (and increasingly sought after) today. 

Mortlach had always been considered a bold whisky for a Speysider (dubbed "The Beast of Dufftown" by Dave Broom for its robust, rich and meaty characteristic), but in a rare mis-step in 2014, attempts to market Mortlach as a luxury / up-market malt saw it bottled in 500mL format (in a range including a NAS) and promoted heavily in travel retail. Whisky lovers were quick to turn on the series, and it's fair to say it probably didn't enjoy the success that had been envisaged. The series was scrapped, and in 2018 a new series emerged, with a core range consisting of a 12, 16 (this bottle) and 20 year old - mercifully, back in 700mL / 750mL format.

Scarred a little from the 2014 series (and with only one bottle of F&F left), I hadn't tried much Mortlach of late, so it was a pleasant surprise when MHDHK kindly sent me a bottle of the latest 16yo ("Distiller's Dram"), out of the blue.

Sherried, but said to be less-so than the Flora & Fauna 16yo, I was keen to see how this held up, and if it could "stand on its own" - and perhaps even capture a new generation of whisky drinkers.

Mortlach 16 "Distiller's Dram" (43.4% ABV, 16yo, Speyside, Scotland, $790HKD / £74.85 / $132AUD)

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Colour: Orange-brown gold.

Nose: A slight citric / orange "dustiness" at first, followed by some big barbecued meat notes then flamed orange peel

Palate: Sweeter than the nose suggests - sweet BBQ sauce, molasses, and barbecued ribs. The sherry notes are there, but they feel on the lighter side. There's also some sherbet and oak. It's not super complex, but it's tasty.

Finish: Medium to long in length, with spiced apple cider notes and residual oak.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  89/100. 

So in conclusion, a different dram to the Flora & Fauna, but an enjoyable one nonetheless. Fairly priced (especially in this 750mL format) and definitely worth a look if you’re after an OB Speysider with a bit more “oomph”. 

To celebrate the Mortlach range, the distillery has teamed up with Grand Hyatt Steakhouse HK for a "#MeatswiththeBeast" promotion, whereby 3 special dishes have been chosen to match the core Mortlach range (12yo, 16yo, 20yo), as follows:

• Mortlach 12-Year-Old (The Wee Witchie) x House smoked salmon
• Mortlach 16-Year-Old (Distiller's Dram) x USDA Prime beef tenderloin
• Mortlach 20-Year-Old (Cowie's Blue Seal) x Sticky date pudding

Per the press release:

"We are delighted to partner with Grand Hyatt Steakhouse. It is a perfect marriage between the finest meats and The Beast of Dufftown, complimenting each other on the rich flavour and characters. Customers can experience exceptional meaty and bold flavour from the brand's signature 2.81 distilling process." Said Ms Crystal Chan, Brand Manager of Diageo Brands.

"We are very proud of the Meats with the Beast menu, which is a co-creation between our culinary team and Mortlach Single Malt Scotch whiskies. It showcases our unrelenting pursuit of bold classic flavours and perfect execution. The resulting menu is simple, confident and sophisticated." Said Marc Benkoe, newly appointed Head Chef who will take the helm of the Grand Hyatt Steakhouse kitchen starting from December"

Whilst the restaurant is currently closed due to the COVID-19 situation, the promotion is expected to re-commence once the restaurant opens again. 

As a final side-note, big props to Diageo too for the sensible packaging. Check out the Instagram story grab below for a comparison with another whisky which arrived on the same day!

Cheers,
Martin.

Arbikie Highland Rye Single Grain Scotch Whisky (Tasted #448)

There's been a huge increase in the number of "craft", "startup" or just plain "new" Scottish distilleries over the past few years, which is awesome (and I wish them all immense success), but it's always nice to see someone doing something a little different.

...like what Arbikie Highland Estate have done, distilling the first rye whisky in Scotland in over 100 years. Single grain Scottish whisky is by no means a new thing, but when that grain is rye? That's unique.

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Not only that, but they've done so using "Arantes" rye grown on their own estate (52%, along with 33% wheat and 15% malted barley also self-grown), for a truly "field to bottle" whisky. Distilled in copper pot stills, the spirit has been matured in charred 1st Fill American Oak barrels, finished in ex-PX barrels, and is bottled with no colouring or chill filtration. Those casks must have been fairly active, because the whisky gives off a lovely colour for only ~3 years old.

...but how does it taste? Well Arbikie, along with good friends Leigh and Dea from 15PL (who run the Whisky Ambassador course in HK and other parts of Asia) were kind enough to send a generous sample all the way to HK, so I could find out.

Arbikie Highland Rye Single Grain Scotch Whisky (46% ABV, 3yo (distilled 2015), Highlands, Scotland, Casks #9, #11 and #16, 998 bottles, £250)

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Colour: Rusty golden-copper.

Nose: Spicy orange, paprika, flamed orange peel and cloves. It's young, there's no getting away from it, but some nice notes have developed in a few short years.

Palate: Wow...the youth is nowhere near as evident here. Big, jammy, orange marmalade and less spicy than the nose suggests (it's there - paprika and white pepper, but less noticeable). Sweet, with thick treacle, honey, maple syrup. I'm not exaggerating when I say this is an incredibly delicious and moreish dram.

Finish: Medium to long in length, initially sweet, then the spice returns, and finally a slight hint of oak tannins from the first fill American oak casks.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  90/100. For a 3yo Scottish whisky, this is incredibly impressive. Flavourful, delicious, complex...congratulations to Arbikie Highland Estate for crafting a fantastic and unique Scottish whisky. If I wasn't saving the rest of this bottle to share with a few friends, it'd be empty by now.


Arbikie also have single malt on the way (in "a few years") and given the quality of this release, I can't wait to try it!

Cheers,
Martin.

Tasted: Glenfarclas "Whisky & Wisdom" Edition 2 (Tasted #413)

It has roughly been two years since Andrew Derbidge blessed the whisky community with his own Glenfarclas bottling, dubbed "Whisky & Wisdom." - the name of Andrew's whisky resource site.

For those who do not know Andrew Derbidge, Andrew is a prominent figure in the whisky industry, both locally and abroad. Andrew's passion for whisky and especially his infectious love for Glenfarclas have been known by many for quite a long time. His incredible palate has allowed him to differentiate and appreciate the multitude of different whiskies over the years and have coveted him his special role as the Cellarmaster of the Australian branch of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. This is partly why, during his visit to Glenfarclas last year, that he pored through a series of butts and hogsheads at the distillery's warehouses and found the "second" perfect cask that Andrew felt exhibited what a good sherry-matured malt should be.

The first release was a relatively young 9yo first fill ex-sherry Glenfarclas and t was very well regarded. Personally, I savoured through and through until the last drop. It was a rather bittersweet moment when I poured my last dram out of that bottle. Needless to say, you can imagine my excitement when I saw Andrew's note on his second Glenfarclas pick - dubbed the Whisky & Wisdom Edition 2.

Distilled in July 2008, Cask 1270 stood head and shoulders above the rest and one that got Andrew's attention, so much that he proceeded to bottle the cask (the cask yielded 319 bottles). At 59.8% ABV, the second edition of this bottling contains Glenfarclas whisky that has been aged in 1st fill, European oak, ex-oloroso hogshead for 10 years. This second edition bottling has been exclusively released entirely into the Australian market, all 319 bottles!

So how does it rate, Andrew was kind enough to send me a sample ahead of the full bottling arriving.

Glenfarclas 2008 "Whisky & Wisdom Edition 2" (59.8% ABV, 10yo, Speyside, Scotland, $220AUD)
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A classic sherry matured malt that brings you all the goodness from the ex-sherry hogshead and as well as notes that are simply fitting for this joyous Christmas season. The whisky is rich, complex and multi-layered and one that you can sit on for some time to let the whisky continue to develop its flavours and aromas.

Colour: Maple syrup

Nose: The nose is rich and filled with rum and raisin ice cream, caramelised figs, dried sultanas, prunes and a stream of rich, buttered panettone.

Palate: The palate is juicy and started with sweet and sour candies, fruits; fresh berries and pomegranates before they are followed by a mixture of speculaas (the Dutch cinnamon cookie), cloves and caramel glaze.

Finish: The finish is very long, with oak notes, lingering sweet cinnamon and a continue whiff of

Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 94/100.

The whisky is now available to consumers directly through the new online shop page at www.whiskyandwisdom.com, RRP is $220.

Cheers,
Hendy.

The Macallan New Distillery launch with El Celler de Can Roca

See here for our detailed post on the new Macallan Distillery and Visitor Centre.

As a whisky lover, it's fair to say I've had my fair share of great experiences since starting TimeforWhisky.com. From touring distilleries not open to the public (twice, and getting hands-on experience at a third), to tasting a $35,000USD whisky, to trying some of the world's most legendary whiskies and meeting more industry legends than I thought possible, it's been a good ride (and even more importantly, I've made some incredible friends along the way).

None of those experiences however could have prepared me for a phone call I received earlier this year, which went something along the lines of:

"Hi Martin, Edrington here. Would you like to join us in Scotland for the launch of the new Macallan Distillery and Visitor Centre in May? Flights and accommodation are on us. Oh, and we're also flying up to Orkney to visit Highland Park....if you're interested?"

😳

It's not really something you say no to, is it?

...and so a few months later, myself and a small handful of Hong Kong media found ourselves on-board a flight to Aberdeen (via London), leaving an increasingly humid Hong Kong for a surprisingly temperate Scotland, where for the next 5 days we'd:

• See the sights of Speyside
• Drink more than our fair share of The Macallan at our (almost) 24-hour-a-day pop-up hotel bar (which, alongside expertly-made cocktails and a large range of The Macallan, served gratis drams of No.6 and 25yo Sherry Oak!)
• Visit the incredible Orkney Isles, including Highland Park and a number of historical sites
• Enjoy dinner cooked by the 2nd best restaurant in the world (El Celler de Can Roca); and
• Of course, visit the new Macallan distillery.

 

The menu and drams from the pop-up The Macallan bar, inside our hotel, running almost 24/7

The big event was held on the second night, where (after a few drams in the hotel bar, and some socialising between brand ambassadors, media, owners of the architectural and building firms who built the distillery, Forsyths owners and Edrington & Suntory executives) we all piled into Macallan-emblazoned Mercedes vans en-route to The Macallan estate.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a welcome sign, and a large, long black fence which went on, and on, and on, the entire length of the drive through the estate. We knew the distillery was somewhere beyond the fence, but just couldn't see it. It was pretty clear we weren't going to be allowed to break the media embargo (set at 12:01am), even if we wanted to.

 

Arriving early, we mingled on the lawn adjacent to Easter Elchies House for about an hour (frantically trying to warm up - it was the only properly cold day of the trip), enjoying Cava, cocktails and canapés by El Celler de Can Roca, before making our way through the entrance to our dinner venue, which can only be descibed as something straight out of Hobbiton...

Entering the venue was equally as impressive - especially when you consider this was all a temporary pop-up space, to be used for only two more dinners after ours (for a total of three).

Now, whilst the most exciting part of this whole trip was obviously going to be touring the new distillery, I have to admit that as a lover of innovative restaurants, I was almost as excited about the food served by El Celler de Can Roca. In addition to the canapés, our three-course dinner was also prepared by the restaurant, with matched sherry, whisky and cocktails.

The Macallan have had an association with the Roca brothers for some time now, so this was never going to be a "Roca" dinner in name only, but I was still surprised when all three brothers appeared on stage, to introduce the dinner and espouse their passion of Scotland. I later learned they'd also brought ~45 staff from Spain, to work in a 20m long temporary kitchen set up just for the event. I guess you don't get to be the top of your game by doing things by halves..

The two brands are obviously a very good fit, so it's good to see the relationship has lasted so long. I was just glad to be able to try a Macallan / Roca dinner without spending $10,000USD, if I'm honest!

Edrington's Creative Director, Ken Grier (whom we first met during the HK launch of the Sixth Lalique release) introduced the event, commenting on the immense undertaking and the desire back at the project's inception for a venue truly befitting a brand like The Macallan. Ian Curle (Edringon CEO) also gave an address, recalling his early years with Edrington, and commenting on the strong relationships which led to the success of the project - particularly with architects RSH-P who designed the new distillery, Robertson who built it, and Forsyths, who created The Macallan's former stills, along with with the 36 new ones within the new distillery.

Ian commented that the project could not have been as successful if it weren't for the strong relationships with these firms, two of which are local not only to Scotland, but Speyside, and all of whom demonstrated a strong passion for the project (which was clearly evident when we spoke to executives from each firm). From Ian the CEO, to the Edrington process engineers and marketing staff sitting at our table, it was clear that everyone involved shares a strong passion for the project (and understandably so).

As expected, dinner did not at all disappoint, with a well planned and executed menu that took just the right amount of time (considering we had a distillery to tour!) and didn't overshadow the paired drinks. The menu consisted of:

• Spring Consommé, Buds, Flowers, Leaves and Roots with Scallops and Razor Clams (paired with Pazo Señorans Selección de Añada 09 D.O. Rias Baixas)
• Lobster Parmentier with Spring Mushrooms (paired with Gonzalez Byass Amontillado AB 12 Years D.O. Jerez)
• Veal Oyster Blade with Beetroot (paired with The Macallan M Black); and
• Cranachan, Whisky Cake and 'Barely, Wood and The Macallan Bonbons' (paired with The Macallan Enigma cocktail).

Not the Black bottle, but we were assured it was M Black. Notes to follow.

Following dinner, the 150-strong crowd was ushered out to the deck, overlooking Easter Elchies House, which sat in an eerie blue glow. As the drizzle persisted, we stood, looking, not quite sure what was to follow...

What followed was doubtless the most impressive projection show I've ever seen, narrating the story of The Macallan, from inception right through to recent record auction results and bottle re-designs. Our Australian readers would likely be familiar with Vivid Sydney, and the incredible projections and animations displayed on the Sydney Opera House each year. This was, without any word of a lie, even better, with some of the projections genuinely looking like they were popping out in 3D.

Photos hardly do it justice, but here are a few anyway:

Even this video on our Facebook page (which garnered over 90,000 views in the following days) doesn't quite do it justice, but should give an idea of what we experienced.

That wasn't to be our only impressive visual feast for the night, however. A brief walk across the Easter Elchies House lawn took us to the walkway for the new distillery and visitor centre - and our first glimpses. Or rather, our first glimpses of...black. We stood, knowing the distillery was up ahead, but not quite able to see it...

...and then this began.

A lot was said about this lightshow subsequently - not all of it positive. For myself (and most of us in attendance), it was an incredible spectacle, befitting a project of this magnitude, and let's be honest - if you'd spent £140m on a new facility, wouldn't you want to celebrate in a spectacular fashion?

..and for those arguing that Edrington should have focused on the whisky rather than fancy lighting effects, well, they had that covered too. Upon entering the new visitor centre and heading upstairs, we were handed a dram of this, and asked to save it for a toast. A quick nose confirmed this was definitely not your standard 18 or 25yo Sherry Oak...

When the toast was made, we learned it was a Macallan produced solely for the launch celebrations, with 55 year old Macallan as the youngest whisky within. Bottled at 50.3%, there were only 20 bottles produced. Whilst obviously only a small handful of people will have tried this, I say well-bloody-done to Edrington for this move. Here's a whisky they could have put into a Lalique decanter (or even a standard bottle), marketed as a limited release of 20 bottles, and probably made over $1m USD in revenue. Instead, they toasted their new endeavour with it, and let us join in.

Full tasting notes to follow in a separate post (it deserves one), but suffice to say it was an absolutely fantastic dram, exhibiting none of the negative characters that can come with a whisky that's spent 50+ years in oak.

That wasn't the only whisky on show either, with two new bottles unveiled - The Macallan Genesis - a release of 2,500 bottles bottled to celebrate the launch, and The Macallan Genesis Decanter in Lalique - a 72 year old Macallan, to be sold for $60,000USD/bottle.

Befitting an event like this, the remaining drams (available throughout the night) were pretty special too, including Reflextion, No.6, and M.

 

Whilst the drink menu itself was quite a spectacle, there was plenty around us to explore within the visitor centre, including The Macallan archive, just to the left of the entrance (a towering sight to behold, containing more or less every significant bottle of The Macallan imaginable), bars (said to serve over 900 different expressions of The Macallan), the gift shop, interactive exhibits, and for the launch night, a live band which played well into the wee hours.

On the stroke of midnight (and after having to quickly finish a friend's dram of the 55yo...) our tour of the distillery commenced - to be featured in a separate post shortly.

An immense thanks must go to Edrington, and their wonderful marketing team for the invitation to this incredible event (not to mention the flights and accommodation to get there). Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one I'm incredibly glad to say I experienced.

Cheers,

Martin.