Compass Box Takes Us To The Celestial And Beyond With Last Of Extinct Blends Quartet

https://88bamboo.co/blogs/news/compass-box-takes-us-to-the-celestial-and-beyond-with-last-of-extinct-blends-quartet

Timorous Beastie launches ‘Meet the Beast’ limited edition bottle

https://www.packagingnews.co.uk/design/new-packs/timorous-beastie-launches-meet-the-beast-limited-edition-bottle-13-11-2023

Octomore 14.4: Colombian Virgin Oak

Introducing Octomore 14.4, the much-anticipated final single malt of our 14th annual series. A whisky that not only completes the collection but embarks on a daring voyage into uncharted territory, further challenging whisky conventions. Distilled from 100% Scottish Mainland Concerto barley, the five year old spirit is malted to 106 PPM before being bottled at 59.2%

In a distillery first, we’ve taken our renowned super-heavily peated Octomore spirit and matured it exclusively in Colombian Virgin Oak casks. A cask type largely unexplored in the Scotch whisky world, its tight grain releases a medley of sweet vanilla and caramel notes, beautifully harmonising with Octomore's signature peat smoke.

The result? Octomore 14.4 is a symphony of depth, complexity, and innovation. With various toast levels of Colombian Virgin Oak, from light toasts to intense charring, we’ve masterfully married these casks to showcase the profound influence of oak preparation on the spirit. The nose opens with toasty caramel and resinous oak, seamlessly transitioning to a palate of sweet vanilla and floral undertones. All culminating in a finish that is simultaneously rich and smoky.

Adam Hannett, our Head Distiller, reflects on the creation of Octomore 14.4: “This is the first time we have ever experimented with Colombian Virgin Oak casks, and we had no idea how the super-heavily peated Octomore spirit would take to the oak. We trialled different charring and toasting levels to find the perfect balance, honing our knowledge on these single cask variations and the incredible influence these subtle nuances can have on the final spirit."

This limited edition, Distillery exclusive is the rarest Octomore in the 14th annual series and is available only at Bruichladdich Distillery and Bruichladdich.com.

 

Allow us to introduce The Archive Collection, a limited series honouring the Distiller’s craft, patience and hard work.

The first release in our newest Collection is a 36-year-old single malt which brings a new dimension to the unmistakable flavour of Laphroaig.

This whisky’s journey began in the mid-80s and during its 36 years maturing, six different Distillery Managers have watched over it. Murdo Reed was Distillery Manager when the spirit was laid into casks. Over its 36 years, it has been watched over by Colin Ross, Iain Henderson, Robin Shields, John Campbell and finally Barry MacAffer. 

Sea glass is a rare find on the beaches of Islay. It takes years of weathering from the salty sea waves to turn the sharp edges of glass fragments into the smooth curves that can be found by the eagle-eyed once they wash up on the shores.

The Archive Collection 36 Year Old is also the result of many years’ work, sharp flavours gradually rounding into smooth as the liquid ages from its teens to its twenties and then to its thirties. Liquids of this age have been through many changes in flavour, but the quintessential Laphroaig taste of peat always makes itself known.

As our Master Blender knows only too well, preserving the peat and smokiness of a 36-year-old is a singular challenge that requires years of patience and intuition. From deciding which casks to use, to considering the weather and climate, a lot of thought and effort goes into the making of a whisky as special as The Archive Collection 36 Year Old – it's as much a science as it is an art.

Colour
Rich honeyed amber
 
Nose
Honey sweet with hints of white peach and mango, followed by creamy dark toffee, vanilla and cedar wood, then subtle oil of wintergreen and notes of singed sage and liquorice root
 
Palate
Zesty and sweet with orange and tropical fruit, mouth coating initially then moving to mouth drying
 
Finish
Warm and lingering to finish which brings out the peat in the mouth and the salt on the lips
 
Maturation
Matured in American oak casks and finished in a sherry-seasoned Oloroso hogshead, giving rich flavour and depth

Starward finishes whisky in Lagavulin casks

Dutch distributor Salud Spirits has brought Starward’s limited edition Lagavulin cask-finished whisky to the Netherlands, with 90 bottles available via pre-order.

https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2023/11/starward-finishes-whisky-in-lagavulin-casks/

Lagavulin Iain's Farewell Dram to honour Iain McArthur

https://www.whisky.com/whisky/news/newsdetail/article/lagavulin-iains-farewell-dram-to-honour-iain-mcarthur.html

Hunter Laing, Old and Rare Bowmore, 32y.o., magnum bottle.