Top 10 spirit launches in May 2015

Last month’s spirits scene was dominated by whisky in all its guises, from no-age-statements to Bourbon-inspired Scotch and rare anniversary editions.

Ardbeg’s new limited edition whisky is among our pick of the top 10 spirit launches in May 2015

The Glenlivet revealed it intended to replace its 12, 15 and 18 Year Olds in global travel retail with its new Master Distiller’s Reserve range, while its parent company Pernod Ricard also introduced a new “accessible” blended whisky brand.

Ardbeg celebrated its 200th anniversary with a new limited edition as Diageo moved further into the American whiskey sector and Bacardi made its first foray into the cinnamon-flavoured spirits category.

An extravagantly named Scotch whisky was also launched by a famous whisky society and a Texan spirits producer resurrected a 500-year-old gin recipe.

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 May 2015.

Click through the following pages to discover which brands made the cut.

The Glenlivet Masters Distiller’s Reserve range

Just last week, The Glenlivet revealed it had extended its Master Distiller’s Reserve expression into a permanent travel retail range. The no-age-statement collection is to replace The Glenlivet 12, 15 and 18 Year Olds across global duty free stores from 1 July. In addition to the core Master Distiller’s Reserve, first launched in 2011, the range includes Master Distiller’s Reserve Solera Vatted and Master Distiller’s Reserve Small Batch. All bottlings have been triple cask matured.

For more information, click here.

Barrelhound Blended Scotch Whisky

Described as an “accessible” blended whisky, Pernod Ricard claimed to bridge the Bourbon and Scotch worlds with its new brand Barrelhound. The no-age-statement whisky is aged in American oak ex-Bourbon barrels, giving it a “sweet” taste profile. Named after a distillery’s “nose” who discovers the best barrels for blending, Barrelhound is exclusively available in New York and Washington DC.

For more information, click here.

Bacardi Carta Fuego

Bacardi took its first steps into the fast-growing cinnamon-flavoured spirits segment with the launch of Bacardi Carta Fuego. Described as a “spirit drink” rather than a “rum”, the red-coloured bottling is made from rum aged for a minimum of one year in torched oak barrels, before its passed through charcoal and mixed with a secret blend of flavours and spices. With a “fiery” and “bold, smooth” taste, it is named after the Spanish word for “fire”.

For more information, click here.

Ardbeg Perpetuum

As part of its 200th anniversary celebrations, Ardbeg launched its latest limited edition single malt, called Ardbeg Perpetuum. Also launched in celebration of the 15th anniversary of the formation of fan club the Ardbeg Committee, the new no-age-statement bottling is made up of “very old and very young” Ardbeg whiskies aged in both Bourbon and Sherry casks.

For more information, click here.

Tales of the Cocktail Special Edition Travel Pack by Bitter Sling

The world’s largest spirits and cocktail festival, Tales of the Cocktail, has joined forces with Bitter Sling to create a four-strong bitters travel pack. Exclusively available at this year’s event in New Orleans, the collection is inspired the communities and neighbourhoods of Tales of the Cocktail’s destinations. It includes Vancouver’s Gastown, Mexico City’s Condesa, Buenos Aires’ Palermo and New Orleans’ French Quarter variants.

For more information, click here.

Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Last month also saw Diageo further increase its footprint in the American whiskey sector with the launch of Blade and Bow Bourbon. It is made using the last remaining Bourbon distilled at the historic Stitzel-Weller distillery blended with other whiskies using solera-ageing methods. The range comprises two variants – Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Blade and Bow 22-Year-Old Limited Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

For more information, click here.

Glenmorangie Duthac

Glenmorangie Duthac is the first release in Glenmorangie’s new travel retail Legend’s Collection, which celebrates stories from distillery’s homeland. Another NAS whisky, Duthac is inspired by Scottish King James IV’s annual pilgrimage in the late 15th century to Saint Duthac’s shrine in Tain, where the distillery has resided since 1843. The expression has been part-finished in PX casks and charred virgin oak, which give notes of “bold sweetness and intense spice”.

For more information, click here.

Ke Gin

With the bold claim of having the ability to “change how people think of gin”, Texas-based spirits producer Ke Spirits used a 500-year-old gin recipe to create Ke Gin. The new release is made from a “pure, natural” spirit called ke using a “secret” Barry family recipe that dates back 500 years, according to Joe Barry, CEO of Ke Spirits.

For more information, click here.

Dark, smouldering flamenco gypsy

The extravagantly named Dark, smouldering flamenco gypsy (cask number 3.243) is the latest release from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS). Created to celebrate the group’s inaugural appearance at the Islay Whisky Festival, the whisky offers a “complex combination” of flavours, starting with notes of Sherry, smoke, figs, roasted chestnuts, leading to Christmas spice with maple syrup-glazed pork ribs and HP sauce on bacon rolls.

For more information, click here.

Chivas Regal The Icon

Entering the ultra prestige segment of the Scotch whisky industry is Chivas Regal’s no-age-statement The Icon, priced at US$3,500. Described as sitting at “the pinnacle” of the brand’s portfolio, the new variant is a blend of more than 20 of the “rarest and oldest” whiskies in the Chivas Regal inventory. Now available from Dubai Duty Free and set to launch in global duty free from September, Chivas Regal The Icon includes single malts from Strathisla, Longmorn and Glen Keith distilleries.

For more information, click here.