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The late June 2024 turned out to be a celebration of world whiskies. We have chosen limited editions and trio releases from the US to Australia that caught our attention. But don't worry; we have also included some releases from Scottish distilleries.
To find whisky releases from early June, please click here.
Indri The House of Dragon
Following the news of the relaunch of Indri Indian whisky by Piccadily distillery to the UK market in late May 2024, the brand partnered with Warner Brothers to launch two official whiskies for Game of Thrones: House of The Dragon. The two single malt releases, House of Green and House of Black, celebrate the upcoming HBO series.
The House of Green is an unpeated whisky, while the House of Black is a peated single malt. Both expressions are available at 46% ABV and will be sold in India at prices ranging from INR6,000-INR11,500 (£57-£110/ US$72-US$140), depending on availability in each state. Whether these whiskies will be made available in other markets is still unknown.
Image by Indri
Kavalan Distillery Reserve Single Cask Peated
Following the news of the Kavalan (King Car) distillery's opening of its new warehouse tasting room in June 2024, the distillery revealed its single-cask-strength peated whisky in late June—only available in limited quantities at the distillery and tasting rooms. Not only is the release of the inaugural whisky in the collection, but it is also the first peated whisky from Kavalan.
Bottled between 50-59.9% ABV, the whiskies have been matured in single 'rare, special and hand-selected casks'. The new distillery-exclusive Taiwanese single malt was awarded the title of 'Best of the Best' in the 2024 Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition.
Images by Kavalan
Maker's Mark BEP Wood Finishing Series 2024 - The Heart Release
First introduced in 2019, the Wood Finishing Series can be viewed as a continuation of Maker's Mark's Oak Stave Selection series. The collection uses a wood stave-finishing technique to enhance the whiskey's characteristics with ten specially selected oak staves. For the new 2024 The Heart Release, the whisky has been finished in casks with ten virgin oak staves.
Bottled at cask strength between 107-114 proof, The Heart Release is said to 'celebrate the entire distillery team, who share the distillery's vision and who have contributed their perspective to craft the final expression'.
Image by Maker's Mark
Lark Del Kathryn Barton Single Malt
In late June 2024, Tasmanian Lark distillery revealed a collaborative whisky with renowned Australian artist Del Kathryn Barton, celebrating her 'whimsical and psychedelic style'. Created as part of Lark's sponsorship of the Sapphire Dinner Project—held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales on 20 June to raise awareness of ocean preservation—the signed number one bottle of the limited 208 bottles produced was sold for AU$16,000 (£8,400/US$10,600), with all the proceeds going to the charity.
The single malt whisky was distilled in March 2017 and finished in an Oloroso sherry cask No.LD2391, bottled at 48.1% ABV and offered in a 500ml bottle.
Images by Lark Distillery
Boann Distillery Cask Finishes
The family-owned Boann distillery in County Meath might be more known as the home of The Whistler Irish whiskies, but on 21 June 2024, the distillery released its first single pot still Irish whiskeys under its own name.
Made with local grains (malted barley, unmalted barley, oats and rye) and distilled at the distillery, the three Boann whiskies are each finished in different types of casks: Madeira, Pedro Ximenez (PX) and Marsala. Each expression retails for €69.95 (£59/US$75) and is offered at 47% ABV.
The Madeira casks have been sourced from Justino’s and include vintage Madeira casks of Tinta Negro (1998 & 2000), Boal (1999) and Sercial (1999, 2000 & 2006) Madeira Colheita wine single varietals. Made from French Oak, the Madeira casks were formally used to mature Cognac. For the Masala finish, the distillery sourced Superiore and Fine Marsala Butts made from French oak from producer Cantine de Vinci.
The PX was initially aged in Oloroso sherry hogsheads and finished in PX casks from cooperage in Andalusia, R.L. Rodriguez. These casks have been used for 60 years as part of a solera system.
Image by Boann Distillery
Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Series
On 19 June 2024, Heaven Hill distillery announced the launch of a new series, 'Grain to Glass.' The collection includes three six-year-old whiskeys distilled in 2017: Bourbon, wheated Bourbon and rye.
The series will be dedicated to experimental corn varieties from Beck’s Hybrids, which will be used as a base for each release in the specific year. For the 2024 inaugural releases, the distillery's master distiller has chosen to work with a varietal called Beck’s 6158, also displayed on the bottle. Each bottle also displays the ration of corn, wheat, and rye grain from the whiskey's mashbill.
The Bourbon is offered at 53.5% ABV, the wheated at 60.5% and the rye at 61.6%, although according to the website, the percentages may vary. All three are presented in 700ml bottles, but no prices have been made available at the time of writing.
Image by Heaven Hill
Launched in late June 2024, the limited edition of JP Wiser's 42-year-old Canadian whisky is the oldest expression launched under the brand name. The release marks the start of the Hiram Walker-owned brand's Decades Series, dedicated to rare JP Wiser's whiskies.
The inaugural whisky was distilled in 1982 and bottled after 42 years of maturation at 52% ABV. Offered in 750ml bottles, the limited release retails for CA$470 (US$343/£271) and is available on the company's website as well as in small allocations in selected Canadian states.
Original Image by Hiram Walker
Glengoyne Solstice Series
The Solstice Series, launched in June exclusively to Glengoyne Family members, celebrates the sun's movement. The inaugural release, Summer Solstice, was distilled in 2008 and aged in a single Bourbon barrel for around 16 years. Offered at 59% ABV, it is limited to 168 bottles and was available only at the distillery's website for £260 (US$330). The release is already sold out.
The series' second release, Winter Solstice, is due for release in December 2024.
Image by Glengoyne
Glengoyne 24-year-old White Oak
Another limited release from Glengoyne distillery, the 24-year-old White Oak, hit the retail shelves at the end of June 2024. The limited release serves as a premium counterpart for the Glengoyne White Oak NAS, released earlier this year.
The 24-year-old is said to be the first release in the limited series and has been aged in a combination of first-fill Bourbon and virgin American oak barrels. Bottled at 47.8% ABV in March 2024, the expression retails for around £420 (US$530).
Image by Glengoyne
Glenmorangie Dr Bill Lumsden & Azuma Makoto 23-year-old
Released in late June 2024, the limited 23-year-old Glenmorangie has been co-conceived by director of whisky creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, and Japanese botanical artist, Azuma Makoto. The release is the second collaboration between the pair, following the release of 30,000 bottle limited release of Glenmorangie 18-year-old in 2021.
The 23-year-old limited release has been initially aged in ex-Bourbon barrels and then finished in ex-Chardonnay white wine casks from the Meursault appellation in Burgundy. Inspired by the earthy and floral flavour profile, Makoto created a botanical sculptor featured on the bottle and packaging to match the whisky.
Glenmorangie Dr Bill Lumsden & Azuma Makoto 23-year-old is offered at 46% ABV and retails for £1,050 (US$1,325).
Image by Glenmorangie
Thank you for reading The Whisky Ardvark. Please check out some of our other whisky news listed below.
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