Whisky 1901 starts hand bottling rare Scotch

Created with care

Attended by various suppliers, including the bottle designer, and specially invited guests – such as Master of the Quaich, Matt Chambers and journalists from The Courier and Discover Scotland Magazine – I was honoured to hand fill the first few bottles alongside my father, to kick-start our new independent bottling line.

Guests could then see the entire bottling process in action. From filling to adding the finishing touches to each bottle before being packaged. A truly momentous day for us all, following two years of work. This included choosing the whisky cask, designing the bottle and finally being ready to sell it on the market.

Limited edition

This first edition batch will see a limited run of 263 bottles available from Glenburgie no.14483, an ex-bourbon cask distilled on 4^th October 1988. Myself, Matt Chambers, and my father – who first introduced me to whisky and my favourite Scotch from cask number 1901 – are the owners of the first three bottles created during our bottling day, Friday 17^th May.

A limited number of guests will get a sneak peek (and taste) of the new bottle on 22^nd June at a dinner at The Renaissance Club, North Berwick. The Scotch will then launch officially at The Game Fair, Blenheim Palace, London, on 26^th-28^th July, where Whisky 1901 is an official partner.

An award-winning vintage

In advance of the official launch, we are also excited to announce that The Collection has already been awarded three medals for excellence: A Silver Medal from The San Francisco World Spirits Competition, a Gold Medal from the Global Scotch Whisky Masters, run by The Spirits Business magazine, along with a Bronze award from The International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC).

As well as achieving these prestigious medals, we have also entered the Glenburgie 1988 for other whisky awards. We are awaiting to hear the results. More news to follow on this!

Why now?

Single malt Scotch produced by Glenburgie, or ‘valley of the fort’ from Scots Gaelic, is rarely seen on the market.  Owned by Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky division of Pernod Ricard, Glenburgie is more commonly used by a selection of blended Scotch brands.

Our new bottle addresses the growing global demand for limited bottlings or rarer single cask expressions amongst Scotch enthusiasts. With single cask bottling, no two casks are ever the same. Each is a snapshot in time of the distillery, its surroundings and production processes. Plus the type of cask and wood type that the spirit has matured in, creating an exclusive one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Sharing my passion  

The new bottle was inspired by my desire to share my passion for Scotch whisky with likeminded enthusiasts. Working with our distillery partners, we aim to carefully select the diverse single casks for our collection, to show Scotch whisky at its very best.

Beginning with this wonderful and rare offering from Glenburgie, we are excited to showcase the quality of casks in our portfolio.

Flavour profile

To give you a snapshot of our first Scotch, we asked Matt Chambers to talk us through the flavour profile of this rare spirit.

“This vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whisky is vibrant gold in colour. Aromas of vanilla and butterscotch lead the way and sit alongside luscious and juicy tropical fruit such as peach and pineapple. Underneath are further aromas of green apple, hazelnut praline and crème brulee. Hints of earthy spice, especially white pepper and cinnamon, linger in the background, as does toasted oak and faint aromas of candle wax and blackcurrant.”

Fruit and spice

“On the palate this whisky feels soft and oily in texture. The mouthfeel is superbly structured with plenty of body, depth, and complexity. Fruity notes are to the fore with peach compote, apricot jam, and crisp green apple evident. Further sweetness is provided with notes of milk chocolate, vanilla fudge, and toffee. There are also hints of golden syrup, blackcurrant leaf and tarte tatin. Savoury elements add balance in the form of delicate baking spice, especially cinnamon and clove, and gingerbread. A pinch of cocoa powder accentuates further notes of charred oak and dusty cigar box.

The addition of water softens the whisky and allows the lovely oak structure and quality of aged spirit to shine. Think of vanilla ice cream covered in butterscotch sauce now. It also feels less spicy with more green fruit and grassy characteristics coming through.”

To find out more about our new Scotch and how you can purchase a limited-edition bottle, contact our Head of Distribution, Harry Bradley at [email protected] or complete the form at Register Your Interest