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Making history is something The Dalmore brand does very well. This eclectic distilling complex on the Cromarthy Firth north of Inverness has released such sumptuous, sought-after and eye-wateringly expensive drams over the last five years or so that its imprint on the single malt landscape is certain to remain profound for the foreseeable future.

The latest release from The Dalmore.

Basking in the mahogany glow of their iconic, ultra-premium, 50yo+ releases, however, has never been master blender Richard Paterson’s style. The cult status afforded by the 64yo, Selene and Trinitas amongst others grants them license to explore and mark their distinguished history. The distillery, in operation since 1839 and under the control of the Mackenzie clan for significant periods since then, has now come to the aid of their ancestral bonds: Castle Leod, seat of the Mackenzies since the early 17th century, is in need of care and attention. The Dalmore Castle Leod is part of the rescue package, with proceeds of the £100 price tag going towards the restoration of the building.

‘I’m honoured that Richard Paterson has created this extraordinary single malt in tribute to Castle Leod, which is both my home and the spiritual home of the Mackenzie clan,’ affirms John Cromartie Caberfeidh of the Mackenzies. ‘The castle is filled with rich heritage and history, but more importantly, it has stood the test of time, and I have no doubt that in years to come The Dalmore’s Castle Leod will equally be recognised as a timeless classic.’

The Dalmore spirit has been aged initially in American oak before an 18-month period finishing in Premier Cru Cabernet Sauvignon barrels from Bordeaux and the producer’s tasting notes are fairly wonderful, promising a deeply enthralling experience: ‘exhilarating romantic notes of Rose de Mai’ on the nose, with ‘flirtation’ promised on the palate together with a ’sensual fusion’ renders this a ‘passionate love affair’. If only my history lectures were quite this fervent. 

There are to be 5000 bottles of the Castle Leod released.

Richard Paterson (L) with John Cromartie Caberfeidh with The Dalmore Castle Leod.

These are fairly exciting times for The Dalmore, as my ringing-round the industry reveals that they are also renovating themselves. The visitor centre and the plant itself is experiencing a thorough overhaul and polish-up at present which, if I am honest, was required to bring the visitor centre into line with some of its other competitors which, in the luxury market, means The Macallan. The former manager’s house was a quaint venue in which to begin the tour, but the fairly cramped and dark conditions did not display the magnificence of the various Dalmores enshrined within.

I’m excited to see how this highly idiosyncratic site is to be opened up: the still house in particular is a ‘jungle-gym’ of copper and piping which cannot very easily be re-shuffled. My sources tell me that, to commerorate this expansion process, there will be a distillery-exclusive single cask released which, I don’t mind telling you, I want very badly indeed.

As one of the few independent whisky-makers in Scotland, producing some very lovely drams in a wide variety of styles as well as providing some mighty fine distillery tours in the process, I felt their latest release was worth a mention.

The first of four annual single cask releases - from the same cask.

When I visited in May, it was self-evident that Glengoyne are not afraid to try something new. The distillery shop devotes an entire wall to single cask bottlings; some of these I listed in my write-up for the distillery and may still be available if you make the fourteen mile trip north out of Glasgow. However, it seems Stuart Hendry, Brand Heritage Manager, wishes to push the envelope still further and to that end 100 bottles of The Glengoyne Christmas Cask shall be available at the distillery on the 28th of this month (December, just in case there are some of you who are temporally challenged and have not been able to equate the wintery weather and the incessant Christmas commercials to a fixed point in the year).

This is, say Glengoyne, a world’s first. Instead of draining a whole cask at once for a single cask release, they shall draw off 70 litres at a time for the next four years to demonstrate how a whisky evolves within the cask. Personally, I love this idea. Mr Hendry knew the nature of us whisky enthusiasts when he said, ‘we at the distillery are able to taste caks as they mature, witnessing their highs and lows, their flavour peaks and troughs as they wind their way towards maturity. What if we were able to share that with our anorak-wearing whisky chums?’ I cannot take offence at the anorak label, having waltzed into The Glenlivet for my first ever distillery tour three years ago sporting a nice green one.

However, this is an experiment not just in a whisky’s flavour development, but maturation more generally. As an excellent article by Ian Wisniewski in the latest Whisky Magazine explains, the ‘headspace’ is normally sacrosanct, subject to the mores of maturation atmosphere and the occasional master blender’s valinch. The practise is not normally to remove such a proportion of spirit at any one time. The whisky world, therefore, in addition to Glengoyne aficionados, shall be monitoring the developments of First Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt Cask 790, filled in 2002, closely. Allegedly ‘rich, with hints of rosehip syrup, cocoa beans, oak and spice’ at present, ‘it still clings to the last of its spirited youth, but delivering plenty and promising much more.’

Glengoyne is not unfamiliar with the concept of single cask releases.

Available only at the distillery, this inaugural release is priced at £100. I only hope they do little sample bottles, too – that would be truly scientific, and mean that I might stand a chance of trying some!

Two whisky companies that are presently trying to make the public aware of the history and skills behind their products, as well as shepherd them towards their nearest good wine and spirits grocer, are William Grant & Sons and William Teacher Co. Both have new videos plugged into their websites and they are, in my opinion, worth a look.

Grant’s is pre-eminent in the blended whisky market, and they have an impressive range of products on offer within the blended sector, too: Grant’s Ale Cask, for instance.

Teacher’s hasn’t the ubiquity, and perhaps this is why their video is longer. They do emphasise their high malt content, however – 45% of your bottle of Teacher’s will be composed of some 35-38 single malts from all over Scotland as well as at least two or three single grains. The principal malt, as it has been for some time, is the very unique Ardmore.

When telling you about promotional films, I feel I ought to do it in pairs for a sense of balance. In addition, I have mentioned these two due to the strong educational element within them. I confess my knowledge of blending is shockingly limited, and perhaps this is because I allowed myself to be abducted into the “malts are better” militia when I first became interested in whisky. Thankfully, a little knowledge has come my way and I now know better. You don’t need to cycle round Scotland, however, to learn more about the variety of whisky whose global success made space for our favourite single malt distilleries, hitherto the work horses of blended brands, to express themselves. Someone quoted to me that for every customer who purchases a bottle of single malt, eleven others will buy a blended whisky. We are talking big business, and I applaud companies who are seeking to introduce further information into the blended sector: whisky scholarship having been appropriated largely by the single malts.

The Teacher’s video focuses on the company’s history, the whisky-making process and the variety of ways in which people can and do drink whisky. It isn’t heavy-handed, and Robert Hicks is a personable companion throughout. As an aside, in the UK I know that certain outlets stocked bottles of Teacher’s with an Ardmore Traditional Cask miniature included, introducing the blended whisky and one of the key malt components of it. Yes, 55% of the content of the bottle is grain whisky, and Ardmore comprises only a portion of the remaining 45% but still, I think that this is a nifty idea.

Grant’s offers a masterclass in the techniques employed to better evaluate whichever whisky you have in front of you. You may have heard it all before, but there are certain details that it is always worth bearing in mind when tasting your dram. It is the first in a series of short films from the owners of Glenfiddich and Balvenie, and these may well become the subjects of future videos.

Get some knowledge in you!

I apologise profusely for my absence from this little digital outpost of Scotch and Scotland. However, I have recently moved to Scotland and it has commandeered a great deal of my time!

I’m adjusting to university life, slowly but surely. Up here the emphasis is principally on making our own fun, and there are more societies and sports clubs than you can shake a valinch at. I’m especially excited about our Quaich (Whisky) Society. Events seem to occur on a regular basis and attract influential people within the industry, armed with their very best drams to win over us impoverished students. I shall of course relate these to you all.

After much fret and pet, I have managed to regain some sort of hold on who I am, what makes me tick, and fortunately whisky is still firmly ensconced in the vanguard of this list. Therefore, I am making time to devote to this site, those who happen to stumble across it every so often, and to the disparate agglomeration of prejudice, romance and curiosity that consitute my own relationship to this ancient and venerable drink. I aim to concentrate my output into twice-weekly torrents, providing me with ample opportunity to pass on that which those within the industry are kindly making me aware and update my own progress as I navigate the world of whisky.

First up, then, are a couple of snippets from Isle of Jura. To mark the distillery’s approaching bi-centennial, they have launched the Jura Pub Quiz. For the participation of honorary ‘Diurachs’ only – those who sign up to the inner workings of the Jura website as on-going disciples of the dram from the Inner Hebrides (it sounds ever so slightly Pagan, does it not?) – this is a year-long examination of Jura enthusiasts’ knowledge of all things relating to the island and the whisky made there. I regret that I am only forwarding this now, with three questions having already been posed and answered. However, for those who have not been participating from its inception and therefore can have no claim on the Jura 1974, first-prize for those Diurachs with the maximum number of correct answers at the conclusion of the 12-month quiz cycle, it is still possible to win a bottle from the standard range by submitting your answers on a weekly basis.

I am also rather out of step with regards to the next correspondence from the folk at Jura. During the recent Jura Music Festival (24th-26th of September) Elvis was in attendance. I should say that Elvis is the distillery cat and for the three-day festival provided a cat’s-eye view of the performers, punters and island. With a billing that included many of Scotland’s best traditional and folk musicians, such as Session A9, Mary Ann Kennedy, piper Fred Morrison and Brigada Mercy; a setting as astonishing as Jura’s, and a preview tasting of the new Boutique Barrel, which will shortly become a distillery-exclusive release of only 493 bottles, this must have been an excurison to treasure for all who attended.

I cannot find any pictures from Elvis’s “cat cam” on the website just yet, but there are some photos on the Jura Festival website. As for pictures of the star feline photographer himself, I couldn’t omit this glorious head-shot.

I didn't have the opportunity to make Elvis's acquaintance when I visited in May. This was a pity because I had a good rapport with distillery cats.

If the subject wasn’t whisky, I would consider the recent concentrated exposure to the BenRiach Distillery Co. and its products a haunting. A tasting of the GlenDronach 15-year-old, details of the forthcoming Cask In A Van tour, press releases on What Does John Know?, prominent bottlings in the bar of the Scotch Whisky Experience when I visited last Wednesday and now another press release. This one concerns Batch 7, a 10-bottle release of rare and exclusive expressions from the revitalised distillery just south of Elgin. They commemorate the sixth anniversary of the BenRiach take-over and the subsequent spate of bottlings matched only by Bruichladdich in their profusion and variety.

This release, in much the same way as the whisky lab on Islay, offers a variety of malts of different ages, strengths, wood finishes and peating levels.

BENRIACH’S LATEST AND VERY LIMITED BATCH OF SINGLE CASK BOTTLINGS NOW AVAILABLE

AWARD-WINNING BenRiach is issuing its latest batch of single cask bottlings this week. Available worldwide, Batch 7 maintains BenRiach’s reputation for encapsulating both perfection and rarity in a glass.

The new release celebrates the sixth anniversary of the first bottling of BenRiach under its new independent owners. Back in August 2004, its ‘Heart of Speyside’ core range of 12, 16 and 20 yo malts became available for the first time.

Fast forward six years, and Master Distiller Billy Walker has selected ten highly distinctive casks from 1976 to 1993 for BenRiach aficionados. These vintage malts are immense and full of character – from pineapple, coconut, honey, and spicy vanilla to treacle toffee, cloves and chocolate coated fruits.

And the range of exceptional vintages is enhanced by their prolonged maturation in different casks – from a Virgin American Oak and a Gaja Barolo Finish to a Tokaji and a Peated Tawny Port Finish.                                                

The ten, in ascending chronological order, are:

Year     Number        Strength       Age          Cask Type             Style

1976     8795           53.2%          33yo     Hogshead                              Classic Speyside       

1977     1033           52.2%          33yo     Pedro Ximinez Hogshead     Pedro Ximinez Sherry Finish

1978     4417           50.4%          32yo     Tokaji Hogshead                Tokaji Finish                                      

1979     7511            47.9%         30yo     Bourbon Barrel                  Classic Speyside   

1980     2532            51.1%          30yo     New Wood Oak Barrel     Virgin American Oak   

1981     2589             51.6%         28yo      Bourbon Barrel                 Classic Speyside                                

1984     493               54.1%         25yo       Hogshead                            Classic Speyside                               

1984     4052            51.7%         25yo       Tawny Port Hogshead    Peated/Tawny Port Finish

1991     4389             54.9%         19yo       Virgin Oak Hogshead      Virgin American Oak Finish

1993     7420            56.7%         17yo       Gaja Barolo Hogshead   Gaja Barolo Finish         

Bottled in July 2010, the ten are all bottled at cask strength, with natural colour and non chill-filtered. They are individually numbered by hand and presented in a gift tube.

I think the whisky gods are trying to tell me something. I need to try BenRiach.

When an email from GlenDronach dropped into my inbox I was quite excited. Maybe they were inviting me up for a top-line deluxe super-dooper tour, such was their disappointment that I couldn’t visit them first time around? Maybe they were sending me samples? Maybe they wanted to pay me lots of money to get back on my bike and spread the word about this rejuvenated distillery from one of my very favourite micro-regions? It turned out to be none of those. In fact, the details within the correspondence couldn’t have had less of a bearing on me at all.

However, I know I have at least one Belgian who drops in from time to time to browse the site and my fledgling views on all things single malt, as well as a fair number of Germans and even the odd French person so this, mes amis, is for you.

At the end of next month some people from GlenDronach distillery, near Huntly, will drive a little van containing lots of their juice - most in bottles, but some in a whole cask - around Belgium. From the 21st to the 25th of September they will pull up at various towns and cities to educate, entertain and (responsibly) water the Belgian whisky-drinking public.

Had this over-taken me on my (mis)adventures around Huntly I may have been compelled to brave the A96 again and haul my creaking clanking bike to the distillery.

“We’re taking the brand “on a journey of re-discovery” around Belgium, one of our fastest-growing markets,” declared James Cowan, Regional Sales Director for GlenDronach. 

“Following the phenomenal success of last year’s tour, which was a huge hit with Belgian whisky fans, we’re proud to announce details of our new 2010 tour.

“Once again we’ll be out in force with our special liveried van offering Belgians a unique chance to taste and purchase a truly excellent GlenDronach single cask whisky – this time it’s a 2002 release, which has been matured in a Bourbon barrel. In addition, we’ll be offering tastings of our award-winning 12, 15 and 18 year-old core range.

“Like last year, people will be given the opportunity to fill their own bottle of GlenDronach straight from the cask…charcoal, sheep’s hair and all! As it’s a limited edition, it’s going to be a highly collectable item.”

I tasted the new 15-year-old this week and I liked it a lot. If you are roughly in or near the Benelux area I would recommend you check it out. GlenDronach is owned by the same group of people who have brought such success to BenRiach, minnows when compared with Diageo and most of the other companies and this, I rather think, works to their advantage. Driving a little van around Belgium is something the above conglomerates could finance easily, but the point is they don’t. The BenRiach Distillery Company is both shackled and ingeniously (given the right way of creative thinking) liberated by their smaller marketing budgets. They are the modern day Tommy Dewars: heading to new territories with samples stuffed into suitcases and vehicles, making a genuine and personal connection with their customers. Well done. The list of tour dates (they sound like a jobbing rock band, don’t they?) is below:

Tuesday 21/09 Tasttoe – Kampenhoudt; Wednesday 22/09 Whisky on Wheels – Erpe Mere; Thursday 23/09 Anverness – Antwerpen; Friday 24/09 Tasttoe 2 – Wondelgem-Gent; Saturday 25/09 afternoon Jan Vissers – Geel-Westerlo; Saturday 25/09 evening Whiskyhuis – Zottegem

Since I have returned, there has been further announcements on the visitor centre front, new bottlings mooted and released and an Islay Whisky Festival.

Feis Ile 2010, from what I could read on the various blogs, was quite an extravaganza. More maltphiles from all over the world flocked like barnacle geese to the tiny island in the Inner Hebrides famous for its peaty, seaweedy whiskies than ever before and were rewarded. As per usual, limited bottlings were made available for festival goers but it is not those I am concerned with. Not that there was any evidence of it while I was there, but Lagavulin have released a new distillery-only bottling. In a similar style to Caol Ila’s it is a no age statement cask strength malt and costs £70, so quite a bit dearer than Caol Ila’s. This is only one in a quartet of Diageo distilleries to soon offer distillery exclusives. Check out the press release at John Hansell’s blog.

Glendronach have followed suit, and they offer an exclusive expression in their visitor centre: a single cask from 1996, said to be a classic example of the house heavily-sherried style.

Cragganmore, too, is rumoured to be releasing a 21YO expression in the near future. Though not yet confirmed, a source at the distillery suggested that a new release could be on the cards at that age.

Perhaps more interestingly, there is a new distillery-only tour now available at Glenglassaugh. This recently re-opened distillery on the Banffshire coast in Speyside has completed its visitor centre. There are two types of tour on offer: their standard tour costs £5 and involves a trip to the warehouse; all good so far. There is also a ‘Behind the Scenes Tour’ which will set you back £25 and takes you to the darkest corners of the distillery. Drams are rather special: their new make and also the 21 and 30YO Glenglassaughs.

Of most compulsive and restive interest to me is the news that Glen Garioch are about to release the third vintage in their latest series of limited bottlings. Joining the 1990 and the 1978 cask strengths will be the 1991. I would still expect this to be peaty, their own floor maltings having ceased with the peating in 1994. I will get back to you with a price and strength when I know more.