.png)
The official reopening of the Rosebank distillery on 7 June 2024 marked early June 2024, as well as multiple limited editions, core range revamps, and new product introductions.
The Irish Echlinville distillery released its inaugural namesake whiskey set, The Beginning, with two seven-year-old whiskey expressions.
One of the flashiest releases was announced by Fetteircairn distillery to celebrate its 200th anniversary this year. The Anniversary Collection is a set of six whiskies with a combined age of 200 years and will retail for £100,000.
Ardbeg also released new limited editions in early June: The Abyss and Corryvreckan, illustrated by comic book artist Tradd Moore. To learn more about the releases, click here.
For other new whisky releases in early June 2024, keep reading.
Crown Royal Single Malt
The Diageo-owned Canadian whisky brand Crown Royal revealed its first-ever single malt in early June 2024. The whisky is distilled at the Valleyfield distillery, which Diageo bought in 2008, on the island in the Saint Lawrence River.
Promoted with the slogan ‘Cut from the Cold’, the Canadian single malt is said to celebrate the cold climate in Canada, offered at 45% ABV and priced at US$55 (£43).
Images by Diageo
The Nikka Nine Decades
To celebrate the company's 90th anniversary, Nikka has announced the release of its oldest blend: The Nikka Nine Decades, which includes whiskies dating back 80 years and was distilled by Masataka Taketsuru himself.
Taketsuru is often referred to as 'the father of Japanese whisky'. In the 1920s, he ventured to Scotland to learn how to make whisky. With his new-found knowledge, Taketsuru was one of the key figures in establishing Japan's first single malt distillery, Yamazaki, in 1923.
Due to artistic differences between Taketsuru and Suntory's owner, Shinjiro Torii, Taketsuru founded his first Nikka distillery, Yoichi, in 1934. The Nine Decades is a world whisky blend of whiskies from Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries, established by the company in 1969, as well as whiskies from the other four distilleries in the company's portfolio.
According to Nikka, the blend includes over 50 batches of whisky, including the oldest malts from Yoichi and Miyagikyo, new grain whiskies from Moji and Satsumastukas, and older grain whisky from Nishinomiya. The addition of malt whisky from the company's Ben Nevis distillery in Scotland makes the whisky a world whisky.
Bottled at 48% ABV, Nine Decades will officially be launched in Japan on 2 July. The whisky can be purchased at selected retailers in the US starting in October and will initially retail for US$3,000 (£2,360) per 700ml decanter. Although it has been revealed that 400 bottles will be allocated to the US market, the total batch size or availability in other markets has not been made public.
Original Image by Nikka
Aultmore Cask Finish Collection
Following the 15-year-old Madeira Cask series earlier this year, the Bacardi-owned Aultmore distillery released a travel retail exclusive Cask Finish Collection in early June 2024. The
collection includes four age-statement single malts - all offered in 500ml bottles with 46% ABV. All four expressions have been initially aged in refill and bourbon casks.
Aultmore 12-year-old is finished in second-fill Oloroso Sherry casks and retails for US$58 (£46). The second youngest, 18-year-old, is finished in second-fill Madeira casks, with a retail price of US$170 (£134). The 21-year-old spent extra time maturing in second-fill Calvados brandy barrels and is offered at US$250 (£197). The oldest expression in the series, the 25-year-old, is finished in first-fill Oloroso casks and retails for US$500 (£393).
The collection made its debut at the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition in Singapore. Now available in Europe and IMEA, the whiskies will soon be launched in Asia.
Image by Global Travel Retail Magazine
Spey Single Malt Rebranding
The Speyside Distillers Co-owned Speyside distillery in, you guessed it, in Speyside has revealed a new packaging. Not yet live on the company's website, the new design made its first appearance on social media in early June 2024.
So far, labels featuring the new design can be spotted on the distillery's two single-cask releases: the 15-year-old and the 18-year-old, both bottled at 46% ABV. The 15-year-old single cask was bottled for the 2024 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival and limited to 375 bottles. The older single-cask expression, the 18-year-old, is limited to 270 bottles.
While the rebranding was long overdue and will definitely improve the lesser-known brand's image, we can not help but notice its similarity to one of the best-selling single malts, The Macallan. Are we the only ones?
Original Images by Speyside Distillers Co
Kamiki Aka Blended Malt Whisky
Released exclusively for the Japanese market in early June, Kamiki Aka (red) is a blended malt whisky produced by Kamiki Shuzou Co distillery in Nara. The whisky is finished in Cedar casks and offered at 46% ABV.
The Kamiki ('Godof's Breath') distillery was founded in 2019 and is said to be the first distillery in the world to age and finish whiskies in Japanese Cedar casks. The whisky is distributed in Japan by Yoshino Spirits, whose portfolio also includes Mars and Iwai whiskies.
Kamiki whiskies might soon be available outside Japan, following the news in June that the brand has partnered with Disaronno International BV and Disaronno International UK for global distribution.
Original Image by Kamiki Shuzou Co
George Stewart Scotch Whisky Falkirk Distillery
To celebrate the founder George Stewart's 79th birthday, the 2020-founded Falkirk distillery is releasing its first Lowland single malt whisky release to our knowledge. So far, the distillery's online shop only offers malt spirits, which have not yet reached the minimum age requirement of three years to be called whisky.
The George Stewart whisky is a marriage of bourbon and sherry casks hand-selected by the founder himself from the distillery's dunnage warehouse. Bottled at 48% ABV, the whisky is said to 'highlight the strong fruity and floral DNA of Falkirk distillery' and is available from 12 June on the distillery's website for £58 (US$73).
Image by Falkirk distillery
Knob Creek 10-year-old Rye
Suntory Global Spirits announced the launch of 10-year-old Knob Creek Rye in early June 2024. Aged in 'new, maximum charred American Oak barrels', the small batch whiskey joins the brand's core range. The Kentucky rye is bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof) and retails for $69.99 (£55) for a 750ml bottle.
Image by Suntory Global Spirits
Glen Grant 25 and 30-year-old
Following the announcement of master distiller Dennis Malcolm OBE's upcoming retirement in May 2024, the addition of 25- and 30-year-old expressions to the Glen Grant distillery's core line in June 2024 are said to be Malcolm's last releases. Malcolm worked closely with his successor, Greig Stables, to create the premium collection.
Called The Glasshouse Collection, the two new releases are joined by 21-year-old whisky, first introduced to the Glen Grant core range in 2023. Both new releases are matured in a combination of American oak ex-Bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. The 25-year-old is offered at 46% ABV and retails for £790 (US$1,000). The 30-year-old is bottled at a slightly higher ABV of 48% with a suggested retail price of £2,370 (US$3,000).
Original Images by Glen Grant
Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish
In early June 2024, Famous Grouse blended whisky brand released its new core line expression, Sherry Cask Finish. The whisky has been partially matured in sherry seasoned, Spanish oak casks. For the label, the brand has introduced a new bird described as 'the Spanish cousin of Famous Grouse.
The release will be available in the UK exclusively to Morrisons until September 2024, retailing for £22 (£16 on sale).
Image by Famous Grouse
Thank you for reading The Whisky Ardvark. Make sure to check out some of our other whisky news and informative articles listed below.
Comments