Background – Here at The Cask Connoisseur, even though we’re not subscribed to every potential newsletter or source of information, we receive around four hundred emails over the course of a month with various promotions, new release information, distillery newsletter, updates etc. Add on social media posts and that amounts to somewhere well over 1000 pieces of information being reviewed per month. The aim of this monthly round up is to provide a summary of the most interesting bits along with upcoming events that can be gleaned from them. The downside to a monthly review is a lot of “special offers” will have come and gone.
Summary of the Month
Most of the promotions seemed to fall in the first half of the month due to Father’s Day and the second half seemed rather quite comparatively. There were the usual “Whisky Wednesday’s”, “Weekend blowouts” and “Payday deals”.
There seemed to be numerous emails from cask investment companies. Given the debate surrounding these companies and the impossibility of determining their legitimacy via an email one tends to ignore them. However, one obvious trend is quite a few of them appeared to be testing the market to sell premium priced bottles from private casks. This will become a more prevalent practice in the future. Whether this will be a good or bad thing waits to be seen.
Whisky Highlights
Who likes Macallan? Apparently, even more people, with Edrington seeing its revenue increase by 11% to 31st March 2024. Macallan provided double digit growth. Maybe ensuring consistency in quality and flavour is the key? On the other hand, many whisky enthusiasts can’t wait to get hold of single cask, cask strength Macallan’s such as Gordon & MacPhail’s Speymalt or Signatory’s Macallan releases. As single casks are individual surely this is the exact opposite. What is your opinion?
The English Whisky Guild (which represents 24 English distilleries) produced their first annual report. Interesting snippets from it included, a Charter for English Whisky Distilling in 1636, the road to gaining Geographical Indication, and significant information on their distilleries and their supplies. Well worth the read.
The Scotch Whisky Masters 2024 results were announced. This is a blind tasting affair with silver, gold or master medals awarded to those judged the winners. Reading the list of winners from under £20 blends up to 30 year old single malts, what was interesting, was the winners were not those distilleries or independent bottlers you might expect.
To celebrate their 200th anniversary Fettercairn produced 10 sets of six bottles with a combined age of 200 years. The youngest is just three years old with the oldest being 60. The sets will be available from September at £100,000 per set.
Highland Park released their Cask Strength Edition No5.
Bladnoch released the second chapter in their Master Distiller’s Collection. Called The Wave, limited to 1817 bottles, priced at £150 and 53.8% ABV.
Raasay released the first edition of its Oak Species Maturation Series. Matured in barrels made from Quercus Humboldtii Colombian Oak which is probably a first for the UK. Priced at £90, 50.7% ABV and 2500 bottles available in the UK (out of 8500 produced).
Ardbeg releases The Abyss, £21250, 1 of 400 bottles at 48.4% ABV. It is made from casks, which have been further aged, which were part of the legendary 2008 committee release Corryvreckan, currently available at retail for ~£1000, 57.1% ABV, and 1 of 5000 bottles.
The month was another mixed bag of auction results with a small overall decline in prices but whilst Scottish brands fared well with minor increases, Japanese brands saw steep declines. Some commentators reported whisky auctions were in trouble due to low volumes and pricing, others predicted moderate improvement from 2025.
Stock Spirits who own the Scotch blend Clan Campbell, are looking to submit a planning application for a £25 million distillery at Inveraray Castle.
Laphroaig distillery submits planning application to expand the facilities on site. Included are expanding the stillhouse, increase the number of stills from 7 to 11, installing 12 new washbacks, a new mash house, and restoring the original ground floor maltings building, where the Laphroaig visitor centre is currently located.
Benbecula distillery starts production. Aiming to produce 350,000 litres of whisky per year using a 130 year old recipe using locally produced bere barley fertilised with seaweed from the islandsshoreline and local peat.
Have you heard of Sir Edward Blended Scotch Whisky, “Scotland in a glass”? Maybe if you live in France which is considered the brands historical market. It was awarded The Spirits Business, Scotch whisky brand champion 2023. Owned by La Martiniquaise‐Bardinet it was the best performing scotch whisky brand in 2023 posting a 4.4% increase in sales to 1.9 million cases (nine litres per case).
Only two single malts sold more than one million cases in 2023 – Glenfiddich (1.7) and The Glenlivet (1.4).
Douglas Laing releases a 30 year old XOP Macallan £3,500, 1 of 246 bottles at 50.1% ABV. Maybe expensive, but some £1000 less than official releases.
A.D. Rattray releases their 73rd Cask Collection of six bottles priced from £75 to £135.
Macallan launch new dining experience at The Macallan Estate – TimeSpirit. “A pinnacle of culinary excellence in Scotland, TimeSpirit pays tribute to our past and marks an exciting new chapter as we look forward to the future.” There will be a lunch (£65 per person) and dinner tasting menu (£95 per person).
Isle of Raasay release their first age statement, a five year old, “’Na Sia Single Cask Series: Through The Ages”. Three bottles per set with a biannual release.
Tomatin announces the return of The Antiquary blended. Consisting of a 15, 21 and 30 year old the blend is said to “focus on flavours that appeal to modern drinkers while reflecting the history of the brand and its reputation for offering an unusually high malt content.” The premium blend is a mixture of Highland and Speyside Malts alongside lowland grain.
Lakes Distillery has finally been purchased by Nyetimber. The acquisition is an important step in Nyetimber’s aim to create a globally recognised English luxury drinks group.
Whiskybase celebrates 240,000 bottles listed in its database.
Laphroaig announces the return next month of an 18 year old edition.
White Peak distillery releases their first bourbon matured whisky, Wire Works Bourbon Barrel, £65 and 53.5% ABV. Although there is no age statement the whisky contains some of their oldest whisky (around 8 years old)
Upcoming Whisky Events
Those without full dates, have occurred in 2024 without releasing 2025 dates at present.
6th July 2024 – The Whisky Lounge: Bristol Whisky Festival
19th – 20th July 2024 – Southport Summer Whisky Festival, Churchtown & Southport
19th – 27th July 2024 – Belfast Whisky Week, Belfast
9th – 11th August 2024 – Whisky Fringe, Edinburgh
10th August 2024 – Falkirk Whisky Social, Larbert
31st August 2024 – Spirit of Alba Festival, Kirkintilloch
6th September 2024 – Cadenhead’s in the Courtyard, Campbeltown
6th – 8th September 2024 – Whisky Show, London
6th– 7th September 2024 – Spirit of Speyside: Distilled, Elgin
9th – 14th September 2024 – Hebridean Whisky Festival
13th – 14th September 2024 – Whisky Indy Love Fest, Newcastle upon Tyne
14th September 2024 – Scottish National Whisky Festival, Aberdeen
21st September 2024 – The Whisky Lounge: Liverpool Whisky Festival
26th September 2024 – Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival
28th September 2024 – Alhambra Whisky Festival, Stirling
5th October 2024 – Edinburgh’s Whisky Festival
5th – 6th October 2024 – Midland Whisky Festival, Birmingham
18th – 19th October 2024 – Manchester Whisky Festival
19th October 2024 – Wee Dram Fest, Bakewell
25th – 27th October 2024 – Dornoch Whisky Festival
26th October 2024 – Whisky Social Belfast, Belfast
1st – 3rd November 2024 – Wales Whisky Fest, Llandudno
2nd November 2024 – Leeds Whisky Festival
2nd November 2024 – Stirling Whisky Festival
23rd November 2024 – English Whisky Festival, Birmingham
7th – 8th December 2024 – Kendal Whisky Festival
10th – 11th January 2025 – Harrow Whisky Festival
25th January 2025 – Scottish National Whisky Festival, Glasgow
8th February 2025 – Exploring Whisky: Bristol
28th February – 2nd March 2025 – Fife Whisky Festival, various locations in Fife.
15th March 2025 – Croydon Whisky Festival
21st – 22nd 2025 – Whisky Live London
28th March 2025 – Whisky Fair – Cambridge
11th – 12th April 2025 – Welcome to Whisky Show, London
12th April 2025 – Clackmannanshire’s Whisky Festival, Alloa
30th April – 5th May 2025 – Spirit of Speyside
16th – 17th May 2025 – Whiskey Live Dublin
19th – 24th May 2025 – Campbeltown Whisky Festival
23rd – 31 May 2025 – Fèis Ìle, Islay
14th – 15th June 2025 – Bladnoch Wave Weekend
27-29th June 2025 – Arran Whisky Festival, Arran
January
- Southport Whisky Festival (Winter)
February
- The Whisky Lounge: Newcastle Whisky Festival
March
- Whisky Birmingham – Birmingham
May
- Summerton Whisky Festival, St Albans
June
- The Whisky Event, London
- The Whisky Lounge: Edinburgh Whisky Festival
- Stoke Whisky Festival – Stoke on Trent
- National Whisky Festival, Inverness
