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BrewDog Scotch ‘hell-bent’ on being Bourbon
Scottish brewer BrewDog has released its first Scotch whisky – a three-year-old single grain that is “hell-bent on being a Bourbon”.
Single grain Uncle Duke’s is described as the “bastard love child” of Scotch and Bourbon
Described as the “bastard love child” of Scotch and Bourbon, Uncle Duke’s has been aged for three years in heavily charred American virgin oak casks.
Bottled at 40% abv, the “non-conformist” whisky is said to have “complex” notes of honey and fruits on the nose and vanilla, sticky toffee and “candy-ass fruits” on the palate.
BrewDog co-founders James Watt and Martin Dickie were inspired by American author Hunter S. Thompson – “a lone voice kicking against the machine of corporate and political America” – when conceptualising the whisky.
“We were tired with the whisky scene in Scotland and we set out to create our own schizophrenic hybrid,” said BrewDog in its blog. “A transatlantic mash up of a whisk(e)y; a Scotch that thinks it is from Kentucky.”
Uncle Duke’s, which carries an RRP of £28.95 (about US$35.99), has also been created as a base for the “ultimate Old Fashioned”.
BrewDog said the whisky has been launched as a “stand alone project” and is “not intrinsically linked” to its new Lone Wolf Distillery. It will be predominantly available in BrewDog’s bars and through its website.
The brewer is also currently working with independent online retailer Master of Malt to create a ready-to-serve Uncle Duke’s Old Fashioned, which will be served exclusively at BrewDog bars.
Since the Lone Wolf Distillery only commenced production this year, liquid for Uncle Duke’s has been sourced from an unnamed third party site.
“Say hello to an irreverent, supersonic, devil may care of a Scotch Whisk(e)y,” BrewDog said of Uncle Duke’s. “A transatlantic, schizophrenic, delusional son of a bitch. A non-conformist Scotch that’s hell-bent on being a Bourbon.”
At the start of this year, BrewDog unveiled plans to make a “big impact” on the spirits industry with the opening of Lone Wolf Distillery, which will make vodka, gin and whisky.
Based inside BrewDog’s Ellon brewhouse, the distillery, previously named Granite City Craft Distillery, commenced production at the start of April under the guidance of head distiller Steven Kersley.
BrewDog unveiled the brand identity of Lone Wolf in May, conveying the group’s aim to “disrupt the spirits sector” and emphasising its focus on “transparency”.