Top 10 spirit launches in August 2016
From David Beckham’s new expression to experimental cask finishes, whisky dominated new launches in the spirits world last month – while the gin category took cues from hyper-local ingredients.
The Scottish Highlands welcomed two new whiskies last month – Douglas Laing & Co expanded its Timorous Beastie range with the launch of a 40-year-old expression, while Tomatin Distillery released a limited edition 2005 vintage of its peated Cù Bòcan single malt.
Leicestershire gin brand Burleighs was inspired to create a pink gin following a recent trip to Japan, and Rock Rose Gin unveiled its Summer Edition, featuring meadowsweet, elderflower, lemon balm and clover.
Looking at those which were made available on the market, as well as those which were unveiled to be released at a later date, this is our roundup of the top 10 spirit launches in August 2016.
Click through the following pages to discover which brands made the cut.
The Glenfiddich IPA Experiment
William Grant & Sons-owned Glenfiddich released a series of innovative whiskies as part of its new Experimental Collection – including The Glenfiddich IPA Experiment. Glenfiddich’s malt master Brian Kinsman teamed up with Speyside Craft brewery to first produce an IPA craft beer before finishing the whisky in the casks. The resulting expression is said to offer “zesty citrus and tangy hops” as a result.
Kirkjuvagr gin
Last month Orkney Distilling Limited launched Kirkjuvagr gin, made using a “unique blend” of Arcadian botanicals. Created by Kirkwall couple Stephen and Aly Kemp, the gin – which translates as ‘Church Bay’ in Old Norse – has been hailed as “unmistakably Orcadian” in character, with its branding and marketing drawing on Norse and seafaring themes.
Haig Club Clubman
Diageo and David Beckham released the first permanent line extension in the Haig Club single grain Scotch whisky range, called Clubman. Crafted by master distiller and blender Chris Clark, the whisky differs to the original Haig Club in terms of RRP, liquid and suggested drinking occasion. Clubman exclusively uses American oak casks that previously held Bourbon, while Haig Club uses three wood types – refill casks and fresh ex-Bourbon American oak casks and rejuvenated casks.
Burleighs Gin Pink Edition
Following a trip to Japan made by master distiller Jamie Baxter, Leicestershire gin brand Burleighs launched a limited edition pink gin. Using Burleighs London dry recipe, the new edition is distilled with Japanese preserved cherry blossom, pink grapefruit, hibiscus and rose flowers. Burleighs Gin Pink Edition is said to be “vibrant, smooth and fresh” and is presented in an opaque pink bottle.
Timorous Beastie 40 Years Old
Douglas Laing & Co expanded its Highland blended malt range Timorous Beastie with the launch of a limited edition 40-year-old expression. Bottled at a cask strength of 54.7% abv Timorous Beastie 40 Years Old offers sweet spices, cereals and honeycomb on the nose, with a palate of crunched sugar, mature Malt and more spices. The finish is “fructiferous yet understated” with a “honeyed Highlander heritage”. This limited edition is a first for the Timorous Beastie brand, which is named after a mouse immortalised in a poem by Robert Burns.
Rock Rose Summer Edition
Dunnet Bay Distillery, the UK’s most northerly mainland distillery, last month launched a Summer Edition of its Rock Rose Gin brand.
Produced by husband and wife team Martin and Claire Murray, the core gin features traditional and local botanicals that are hand-foraged from cliffs and forests that surround the distillery. The brand has now unveiled its Summer Edition, featuring summer botanicals such as meadowsweet, elderflower, lemon balm and clover.
Redbreast Lustau Edition
Pernod Ricard-owned Irish Distillers has launched Redbreast Lustau Edition, a permanent expression described as a “twist” on the brand’s core Sherry-influenced single pot still whiskey. Initially matured for between nine and 12 years in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-oloroso Sherry casks, the liquid was vatted before undergoing a year-long finishing period in first-fill butts seasoned with oloroso Sherry at the Bodegas Lustau in Jerez, Spain.
Cù Bòcan 2005 Vintage Limited Edition
Highland-based Tomatin Distillery released a limited edition 2005 vintage of its peated Cù Bòcan single malt. Matured in ex-Bourbon and Sherry casks, the whisky offers aromas of butterscotch and toffee apples with flavours of candy floss and “gentle” peat smoke. The Cù Bòcan range is named after a mythical Highland hellhound which was rumoured to haunt the village of Tomatin, and is described as a “lightly peated alternative” to the traditional fruit flavours of Tomatin single malt.
Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin
Technically not yet released – but certainly causing a stir – is the announcement of the first release by Japan’s Kyoto Distillery, believed to be the first dedicated gin distillery in Japan. Its inaugural product is rice spirit-based Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin, said to have a “recognisable dry style but with a distinct Japanese accent”. Created by head distiller Alex Davies with input from Japanese spirits specialist Masami Onisi, the gin features yellow yuzu from the north of Kyoto Prefecture, hinoki wood chips (Japanese cypress), bamboo, gyokuro tea from the Uji region and green sanshō (Japanese peppercorn) berries.
Jack Daniel’s 150th Anniversary Edition
At the very end of the month, Brown-Forman-owned Jack Daniel’s unveiled a limited edition whiskey in celebration of its 150th anniversary, created by master distiller Jeff Arnett. The limited edition expression offers notes of “butterscotch” and “toffee” upon first taste followed by a “full, smooth and lingering” finish with flavours of toasted oak. The grain bill for the special whiskey is the same as Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7, consisting of 80% corn, 12% barley and 8% rye.
