Simon Wittenberg takes a look at some of the latest news and launches making the headlines in the world of whisky.

Longmorn 18 Year Old and 22 Year Old
Speyside-based Longmorn has heralded the start of a new chapter with the unveiling of two new single malt whiskies in the form of an 18 Year Old and a 22 Year Old, priced at €250 and €400 per bottle respectively. Both are non-chill filtered, are bottled at cask strength, and have been matured primarily in American oak barrels.

The 18 Year Old, which we were fortunate to sample, boasts notes of toffee apples, apricots, and a subtly sweet finish of creamy milk chocolate. Similarly, the 22 Year Old is further matured to create a rich depth of flavour, balancing tasting notes of hazelnut praline and luscious toffee, with delicate citrus and poached pears.

The latest additions to the Longmorn line-up sport a stunning new deep purple and statement gold design, which celebrates the distillery’s origins. Both whiskies are now available to purchase from The Whisky Exchange.

For further details, visit www.longmorn.com.

Midleton Very Rare 2024 Vintage
Irish Distillers has launched the Midleton Very Rare 2024 Vintage whiskey – an extraordinary blend of the finest single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys that showcases the talents of Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman.

The 2024 Midleton Very Rare Vintage is the latest annual addition to the Midleton Very Rare Vintage portfolio and combines pot still whiskeys with grain whiskeys matured in a combination of first-fill ex-American whiskey oak barrels and a small number of refill ex-American whiskey oak casks.

The result is an overall taste of tropical fruit notes, crème brûlée, toffee apple, and chocolate-dipped honeycomb. Coinciding with the ruby anniversary of the brand, the expression will be available at an RRP of €240 or $350.

Shop online at https://midletondistillerycollection.com.

The Glenlivet: The Twelve Elements’ collection
As part of the Speyside distillery’s 200th anniversary celebrations, The Glenlivet launched ‘The Twelve Elements’ collection. This ultra-rare and highly-prized portfolio is composed of 12 bottles of 50 Year Old whisky, priced at €40,000 each, and pays tribute to the twelve essential elements of The Glenlivet single malt, from the spiritual to the scientific.

The one-off bottles, which house whisky aged in two meticulously selected casks, chosen for their distinct qualities and matured independently since 1974, were made available to buyers exclusively via the global blockchain-enabled marketplace, ‘The Whisky Exchange Cabinet’, ahead of the bottling process in summer of this year.

For more information, visit www.theglenlivet.com.

The Macallan The Tales of The Macallan Volume II
The Macallan is another brand marking two centuries this year. Commemorating two hundred years since Alexander Reid distilled the first batch of whisky in his curiously small stills on The Macallan Estate in Scotland, the renowned Speyside distillery has unveiled the Tales of the Macallan Volume II – the second edition in a series of rare single malt Scotch whiskies.

This expression is a 1949 vintage whisky and is presented in a bespoke crystal decanter, which lies within a handcrafted book that tells the pioneering story of Reid. Only 344 examples are available for sale, priced at $89,000 (around £77,000) each.

The Macallan has also partnered with Cirque du Soleil to create a bespoke, theatrical and unforgettable experience at The Macallan Estate on Speyside from the 9th to the 31st of May 2024 (excluding Sundays). Tickets cost £200 per person.

For more information, please visit www.themacallan.com.

Whisky 1901 expansion plans
Whisky 1901, the leading whisky cask investment company, is planning to expand in 2024. During the coming months, the business is set to launch its first bottled brand and is currently exploring Edinburgh-based offices to go alongside its headquarters in Knightsbridge, London. This is so that Whisky 1901 can better position itself within easy access to the Scotch distilleries and casks currently under management, as well as serve as a hub for its Scotland-based clientele.

For more information, please visit www.whisky1901.com.