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

Glen Scotia 2024 Festival Edition
Glen Scotia has unveiled its 2024 Festival Edition release, the latest annual limited edition expression commemorating the Campbeltown Malts Festival. Taking place later this month on the 21st and 22nd of May in Scotland, the yearly event celebrates the region’s incredible whisky, past and present.

Costing £65 and bottled at cask strength (56.2% ABV), the nine-year-old unpeated single malt, which is natural in colour, was matured in first-fill bourbon barrels before being finished in the finest Fino sherry casks for six months.

The result is a dram that brings vibrant flavours of citrus and white orchard fruit combined with subtle touches of oak spice.

For further information on this year’s Campbeltown Malts Festival, visit www.glenscotia.com.

Loch Lomond 25 Year Old
Following on from the recent launch of the Open Special Edition 2024 and The Open Course Collection 2024, Loch Lomond Whiskies has unveiled its new 25-year-old malt whisky. Loch Lomond 25 Year Old (46% ABV) has seen master blender Michael Henry bring together three different spirits into a single expression.

Each whisky has been matured for 25 years in first-fill, refill, and recharred American oak casks, before being carefully married together to create the end product. The result is a rich and complex whisky that showcases the Loch Lomond signature style of fruit, honey, and soft smoke. Loch Lomond 25 Year Old carries an RRP of £390.

To find out more, see www.lochlomondwhiskies.com.

Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Five
The luxury brand from Irish Distillers has announced the fifth and penultimate addition to its Silent Distillery Collection. Prior to the arrival of the eagerly-awaited 50-year-old Chapter Six next year, which coincides with the 200th anniversary of the distillery, Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Five takes the form of a spectacular 49-year-old whiskey (52.4% ABV).

Master Distiller Max Crockett originally distilled the liquid in 1973 using the world’s largest pot still, and was then laid to rest in a historic American ex-bourbon barrel for nearly half a century, under the watchful eyes of three subsequent Master Distillers.

Costing €55,000 per bottle (around £48,000), the whiskey, which is housed in a Waterford Crystal decanter, offers delicate hints of fruit, unveiling layers of peach, apricot, and dates with nuances of sugar-glazed almonds and antique wood. The remarkable finish reflects decades of ageing, where the pot still spices and fruits reign supreme, as oak recedes into the background.

For more information, visit https://midletondistillerycollection.com.

Mr George Legacy Fourth Edition from Glen Grant Distillery
Gordon & MacPhail has released the fourth edition in its annual series celebrating the legacy of George Urquhart – the man described by whisky writer Charlie MacLean as ‘the father of single malt whisky’.

The spirit was laid down by ‘Mr George’, as he was known to those who knew him best, and has been left to mature for 65 years in cask no.3818, a first-fill Sherry butt created according to his exact specifications.

Bottled in November 2023 at a cask strength of 56.5%, this expression is priced at £7,000, with only 376 bottles available worldwide.

For further details, see www.gordonandmacphail.com.

Royal Salute 21 Year Old Miami Polo Edition
Following on from the release of the 21 Year Old Jodhpur Polo Edition last year, Royal Salute has gone Stateside to Miami, Florida, for the sixth addition to its growing Polo line-up.

A collection designed to capture the culture of emblematic locations around the world where the ‘Sport of Kings’ is played, the Royal Salute 21 Year Old Miami Polo Edition is presented in a striking pink flagon, coupled with a stunning presentation box featuring an illustrative design portraying glamorous post-polo match gatherings, set against Miami’s renowned art-deco architecture.

Each flagon houses a masterpiece created by Sandy Hyslop, Royal Salute’s Master Blender, which takes the form of a bespoke whisky finished in a blend of classic first-fill bourbon and first-fill rye casks. This delivers vanilla and coconut notes reminiscent of Miami’s golden beaches and a subtly spiced finish, reflecting warm city sunsets.

The Royal Salute 21 Year Old Miami Polo Edition is available in limited quantities at specialist retailers worldwide at an RRP from US$190 (around £155).

Visit www.royalsalute.com to discover more.

The Demeter Collection
The Demeter Collection, put together to recognise the work of women in the whisky sector, has raised nearly £50,000 at a Whisky Auctioneer auction for the OurWhisky Foundation. There were 19 specially curated lots, and winning bids came from the UK, USA, Ireland, Latvia and Belgium.

The prestigious top bid was claimed by a rare 44-year-old Dalmore, created to honour Margaret Nicol’s remarkable five decades of dedication to the whisky industry as a blend controller at Whyte & Mackay. This exclusive bottle achieved a hammer price of £12,500, marking a fitting tribute to Nicol’s illustrious career.

The OurWhisky Foundation will use the Funds Raised to further its work, providing initiatives and projects that support women employed in the whisky industry.

For information on the OurWhisky Foundation, visit www.ourwhiskyfoundation.org.