Number One Drinks brings The Exceptional to Europe

American independent bottler Sutcliffe & Son has partnered with Number One Drinks to launch small batch whisky range The Exceptional across Europe.

Sutcliffe & Son will launch The Exceptional whisky range across Europe

Don Sutcliffe, managing director of Craft Distillers, and Willie Phillips, former managing director of The Macallan, are responsible for the creation of The Exceptional by Sutcliffe & Son.

Sutcliffe said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with the Number One Drinks team to introduce The Exceptional in the UK.”

The small batch bottlings have been chosen from aged whiskies across several Scotch distilleries and include rare casks from closed distilleries, which have been married together and finished in first-fill oloroso Sherry casks.

The first launch of whiskies comprises three expressions: The Exceptional Grain (3^rd Edition), The Exceptional Malt (2^nd Edition) and the Exceptional Blend (1^st Edition), all of which are bottled at 43% abv.

“The timing is perfect to be introducing The Exceptional in Europe,” said Phillips. “European consumers are knowledgeable in the progression of Scotch whisky.

“Our whiskies are blended to be distinctive expressions, using exceptional casks of mature Grain and Malt whiskies, each bottling to express nuanced elegance and complexity.”

The first two batches were initially launched in the US and received with “critical acclaim”.

All variants of The Exceptional have an RRP of £86 per bottle.

Marcin Miller, managing director of Number One Drinks, added: “Sutcliffe & Son are the perfect fit for our portfolio and we look forward to introducing these outstanding whiskies to enthusiasts across the UK and Europe.”