On a Budget? | Lochlea Harvest Edition (Third Crop)
The farm distillery of Lochlea in the Lowlands has had a busy year. It celebrated its fifth birthday with a special bottling and continued with its limited edition ‘farming season’ range at a pace. This Scotch whisky range is inspired by different times within the farming year and pushes the spirit in different directions.
Lochlea is one of only two distilleries that grows its own barley for whisky production. Every single grain is grown on Lochlea Farm. This final bottling of the Harvest Edition features spirit matured in ex-bourbon, ex-Oloroso and ex-Port casks. The result is a youthful, vibrant and tasty single malt that is packed with notes of milk chocolate, golden syrup and hedgerow berries. Add in baked apple and strawberry jam, and you are on to a winner.
Price = £52
Treat Yourself? | Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream
Each Autumn the north Highland distillery adds another bottling to its Tales series. Now in its fifth year, the series pushes Glenmorangie’s lovely, light and fruity spirit in an alternative (and often quirky) direction. The 2024 iteration explores the flavours found in a traditional old-school ice cream parlour.
This is achieved by using ex-bourbon barrels married with whisky matured in new American oak casks. High in a compound called vanillin, you can probably guess what this smells and tastes like? Vanilla. And this whisky is laced with it. Even at the strength of 46% ABV this feels creamy and soft with further notes of toffee, white chocolate, ripe peach and a pinch of spice. One scoop or two?
Price = £79
Splash Out Big Time? | Glenallachie 35 years old
The Speyside distillery of Glenallachie has released its oldest official single malt Scotch whisky to date. This exquisite whisky comes from just six ex-bourbon barrels that were then finished for seven years in a combination of ex-sherry casks. 3x Pedro Ximenez and 1x Oloroso, plus 2x new American oak barrels.
Billy Walker, the Master Distiller at Glenallachie, has created a masterpiece here. It is rich, decadent and velvety. There is plenty of dried fruit, milk chocolate and nutty notes – think of raisin, sultana and candied orange with cocoa powder, walnut and hazelnut. Whiskies of this age also have an abundance of savoury elements and the Glenallachie 35 years old has sandalwood, baking spices and a hint of old cigar box.
Price = £1,495
One For the Collectors? | The Diageo Special Releases 2024
The Special Releases collection was first released over two decades ago. Each Autumn, whisky fans wait with bated breath to discover the annual line-up. The bottlings are designed to show off some of the finest, rarest and most unique whiskies within Diageo’s Scottish estate, which boasts 29 distilleries.
The 2024 Edition is formed of eight limited edition single malts from all four corners of Scotland. Caol Ila and Lagavulin represent the famous whisky island of Islay, and they are joined by fellow Hebridean distillery Talisker from Skye. The Highlands are defined with expressions from Oban on the west coast and The Singleton of Glen Ord in the north. Speyside has three representatives with a bottling from Mortlach joined by an old Benrinnes and only the second-ever release from Roseisle.
Prices start at £125
To find out more about Scotch whisky releases from the distilleries we work with, including how to purchase a bottle of our own Award-winning, limited edition Glenburgie 35-Years-Old, get in touch with the team here.
**Disclaimer**
Whisky cask investments are unregulated in the UK. The value of investments is variable and can go down as well as up. You have 14 days to change your mind and request a full refund under our cooling-off period. The volume of spirit will decrease over time (known as “the Angels’ share”). “New Make” spirit has to be matured for 3 years, during which time its alcoholic strength could be reduced. However, for the product to be classed as “whisky”, it must retain a minimum strength of 40%. Fees apply, see terms and conditions for details and terms around exiting your investment.
An investor may get back less than the amount invested. Information on past performance, where given, is not necessarily a guide to future performance. The capital invested can fluctuate and the price of casks can go down as well as up and is not guaranteed. The investments and services offered by us may not be suitable for all investors. If you have any doubts as to the merits of an investment, you should seek advice from an independent financial advisor. The Whisky 1901 Ltd sale price includes a discretionary markup to cover the cost of services provided, including but not limited to, storage, movement and maintenance of casks, insurance, front and back-office software.
by Matt Chambers
Master of Whisky
02.10.24
