A Scotch-Indian blend, an Irish whiskey finished in IPA barrels and Scotland’s first rye whiskies in 200 years are among our top product launches in December 2017.

SB presents the top 10 spirits launches in December 2017

Whisky dominated last month’s new spirit releases including a miniature range featuring Scotch whisky from closed distilleries, the first Finish rye whiskey from Kyrö Distillery and a Highland Park special edition single malt inspired by the autumn and winter seasons

Meanwhile Aber Falls Distillery unveiled its first range of gin and liqueurs, and Irish Distillers expanded its Jameson Caskmates range with the launch of an Irish whiskey finished in IPA beer barrels.

Click through the following pages to explore our full round-up of top spirits launches in December.

Which new spirits products caught your eye last month? If we’ve missed your favourite, let us know in the comments below.

Aber Falls gin and liqueur range

The inaugural range from Aber Falls Distillery, thought to be the first in North Wales in more than a century, includes Orange Marmalade Gin, Rhubarb & Ginger Gin, Salted Toffee Liqueur, Violet Liqueur, and Coffee & Dark Chocolate Liqueur.

The brand’s logo and packaging design takes inspiration from the area’s heritage and history. Aber Falls’s bottle design features a Triquetra, also known as a trinity knot, inspired by Celtic symbology.

For more information click here.

Casa Noble Selección del Fundador Volume II

Constellation Brands-owned Tequila house Casa Noble has released the second expression in new series, Colección del Fundador – an eight-year-old extra añejo expression, priced at US$1,499.

The extra añejo Tequila has been ageing in Taransaud French white oak barrels for eight years, developing a “complex and elegant character.”

It has been made with 100% blue weber agave plants, originally planted in 1997 to commemorate the founding of Casa Noble.

For more information click here.

E&K Whisky

Edinburgh-based Fusion Whisky’s latest limited-edition bottling is made from a blend of Scotch whisky from Ardmore and Glenrothes distilleries, and malt whisky from Amrut Distillery in Bangalore, India.

The whisky was made to celebrate the historic ties between India and Scotland, and is the second release in honour of Victor Bruce, the 9th Earl of Elgin and 13th Earl of Kincardine, who helped modernise India’s railways.

The recipe for The E&K blend was created by Bruce’s great-grandson, Alex Bruce, master blender and managing director of the Adelphi Distillery in Fife.

For more information click here.

The Lost Distillery Company Discovery Selection

The Lost Distillery Company has launched a six-strong miniature range featuring Scotch whisky from closed distilleries.

The blended malt range also reflects taste profiles from the six Scotch whisky-producing regions. Whiskies in the range include: Auchnagie, Stratheden, Towiemore, Jericho, Gerston, Dalaruan and Lossit.

For more information click here.

Arbikie Highland Rye

Scottish farm-to-bottle distiller Arbikie Highland Estate has moved into rye whisky with the release of Scotland’s first whiskies made using the grain in 200 years.

The first is a Scottish rye whisky, consisting of over 51% rye and odyssey malted barley, both grown on their farms, and water from its estate.

The second expression is an American version said to be in line with techniques typically used in the US

For more information click here.

The Macallan Sherry Oak 40 Years Old

The Macallan has extended its Sherry Oak range with the release of just 465 bottles of a limited-edition 40-year-old single malt.

The whisky has been aged exclusively in Sherry-seasoned oak casks from Jerez, in the form of two Sherry butts and one Sherry hogshead.

The nose is said to offer aromas of sultanas, ginger and wood spice, along with cinnamon and citrus. Meanwhile on the palate there are flavours of cinnamon spices, dates and figs.

For more information click here.

Lone Wolf Single Malt Barrel-Aged Vodka and Gunpowder Gin

Brewdog’s spirits arm Lone Wolf unveiled two new limited-edition expressions – Single Malt Barrel-Aged Vodka and Gunpowder Gin.

The Scottish distillery unveiled the two small-batch releases, which are said to be “pushing the boundaries and stamping their own unique mark”.

Gunpowder Gin is a “57% abv juniper cannon firing a blast of Oriental peppery spice”, while Lone Wolf’s Single Malt Barrel-Aged vodka is a “single-minded vodka with a singular vision – to be a whiskey”.

For more information click here.

Highland Park The Dark

Highland Park’s The Dark is a new special edition 17-year-old single malt inspired by the autumn and winter seasons.

The Dark is the first of two new season-inspired Scotch whiskies from Orkney distillery Highland Park – The Light, inspired by the spring and summer, will launch this spring.

Matured for 17 years in European Sherry casks, The Dark is presented in a jet-black glass with a serpent dragon embossed on the front. ‘The Dark’ and ‘The Light’ are written in runic writing on the dragon’s tail in celebration of Orkney’s Viking history.

For more information click here.

Kyrö Single Malt Rye Whisky

Finland’s Kyrö Distillery launched the first Finnish rye whisky last month, of which only 360 bottles are available globally.

Kyrö Single Malt Rye Whisky has been matured for just over three years in new American oak casks before being transferred to first-fill Bourbon casks. The whisky has been finished in Marsala casks.

For more information click here.

Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition

Irish Distillers has expanded its Jameson Caskmates range with the launch of an Irish whiskey finished in IPA beer barrels.

It is described as featuring the “signature smoothness of Jameson alongside hints of light hops, fresh citrus and floral notes”.

The expression is the result of a collaboration between Brian Nation, master distiller in Midleton Distillery, Dave Quinn, master of whiskey science in Midleton Distillery, and Franciscan Well founder and head brewer, Shane Long.

For more information click here.