Simon Wittenberg gathers together some of the latest news and launches making the headlines in the world of whisky.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ice Chalet
Johnnie Walker has expanded its Blue Label line-up with the addition of the new Ice Chalet expression, which brings together the worlds of Après Ski and fashion.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label has been the pinnacle of luxury since 1990, and the latest release is set to go on sale in a total of 45 markets, which are not all necessarily ski destinations, so as to bring the exceptional experience to the widest possible audience.

The blend has been created using whiskies from distilleries, such as Dalwhinnie, Clynelish and Brora, and each sip of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ice Chalet starts with notes of cinnamon-spiced apple that give way to warm cloves and spices, before finishing with subtle hints of Alpine smoke.

Thanks to a collaboration with luxury skiwear and lifestyle brand, Perfect Moment, and with an impressive, marketing campaign fronted by Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ambassador and Perfect Moment Shareholder, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, each bottle is encased in a stylish crossbody bag that is suited both to the slopes and the city. Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ice Chalet is available now at an RRP of £320.

For further details, see www.johnniewalker.com.

Littlemill Vanguards Chapter Two

Littlemill, Scotland’s oldest licensed distillery, has unveiled its oldest aged statement to date, in the form of a 47 Year Old single malt. Named Vanguards Chapter Two, this is the second release in the Vanguards Collection, which made its debut in 2023.

The latest one pays tribute to Jane Macgregor, the Littlemill distillery manager who is believed to be one of the first women in history to hold a license for a distillery of scale in 1823—the same year the Excise Act passed.

First distilled on the 4th of October 1976, the exceptional liquid forming Littlemill Vanguards Chapter Two (44.9% ABV), was initially laid down in refill bourbon barrels, before being re-casked into refill American oak hogsheads in 1996. It was left to mature for a further twenty-seven years, until Master Blender, Michael Henry, determined the optimum time for it to be bottled.

Natural in colour, only 250 individually numbered examples are available worldwide, priced at £14,500 each.

For more information, visit www.littlemilldistillery.com.

Loch Lomond The Waypoint Series
Loch Lomond Whiskies has unveiled a new collection inspired by its iconic setting on the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland. Named The Waypoint Series, this portfolio is made up of age-statement single malts, and debuts with an exceptional 16 Year Old whisky (46.2% ABV), distilled exclusively in Loch Lomond’s Swan Neck stills, and finished in the Cognac casks for 12 months.

This expression offers a sweetness of stewed apple, honeysuckle and honey blossom, before oak notes come to the fore.

Loch Lomond Waypoint 16 Year Old, priced at £82 per bottle, is presented in a striking box featuring hand-drawn artwork by Welsh illustrator Brett Breckon. The illustration depicts a mythical journey through dense trees, fauna and flora to the majestic Falls of Falloch.

To find out more about Loch Lomond Whiskies, visit www.lochlomondwhiskies.com.

The Dalmore Cask Curation Series Port Edition
The Dalmore Cask Curation Series Port Edition is the result of an exclusive partnership with Symington Family Estates, the finest winemakers in Portugal, who have given the distillery exclusive access to rare Graham’s Port casks.

With only 150 sets available worldwide priced at £35,000 each, they are made up of three exceptional single malts, which are The Dalmore Cask Curation Port Edition 43 Year Old, finished in exceptionally rare Graham’s 1952 Single Harvest Tawny Port casks, The Dalmore Cask Curation Port Edition 30 Year Old, finished in very rare Graham’s 1994 Single Harvest Tawny Port casks, and The Dalmore Cask Curation Port Edition 27 Year Odia, finished in Graham’s sought-after 1997 Single Harvest Tawny Port casks.

Each set is housed in a bespoke leather-finish travel case, handcrafted in Florence.

For further details, see www.thedalmore.com.

The Glenlivet Eternal Collection, First Edition: 55 Year Old
Similar to Littlemill, the Glenlivet distillery in Speyside has unveiled its oldest and most ambitious expression to date. The 55-year-old single malt is the First Edition of The Glenlivet Eternal Collection, a new range of highly collectable precious whiskies released annually.

All future expressions, each taken from a single, extraordinary cask, will be aged for one additional year, and will be complemented by an original artform crafted by a new visionary artist.

For the debut edition, The Glenlivet has collaborated with pioneering artist, Michael Hansmeyer, who has used hand-sculpted jesmonite and rose gold plating to create a sculpture that perfectly houses the spherical decanter of the 55 Year Old. Only 100 beautifully crafted bottles are available for sale priced at £43,500 each at The Whisky Exchange.

The exceptional whisky itself offers a medley of autumn fruits, sun-drenched Seville oranges and sticky dates enveloped by the spiced warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg on the nose, alongside the sweet, warming flavours of homemade blackcurrant jam and vanilla fudge. This is balanced with zesty citrus notes on the palate.

For further details, see www.theglenlivet.com.

The Whiskey Wash relaunches

With the global whiskey market valued at $69.5 billion by 2033, The Whiskey Wash, one of the largest online whisky communities, is relaunching as a price comparison site for the spirit. The purpose of the portal is to allow whisky connoisseurs to make a purchase at the lowest price, and to help match retailers with customers.

Owned by Mark Littler, The Whiskey Wash offers 12,000 pages of content, including reviews and buying guides, and the chance to shop from over 100,000 bottles.

The website can be reached at https://thewhiskeywash.com.

Waterford Heritage: Goldthorpe
Ireland’s Waterford Distillery has unveiled the latest addition to its Heritage Barley Series. Named Waterford Heritage: Goldthorpe, it is the first time that the Goldthorpe barley variety has been used for drinks production in over 100 years, and the production run is limited to just 4,000 bottles.

Matured fully in a combination of 40% first-fill US Oak, 24% Virgin US Oak, 18% Premium French Oak and 18% Vin Doux Naturel casks, the result is a whisky that boasts aromas of lush vegetation, coupled with hints of sweet orchard fruits, apples and pears, cream, light spiciness, red berries, honey, cloves and raisins, delivering a long-dried fruit finish. This expression is bottled at 50% ABV, and carries an RRP of £77.

For further details, see https://waterfordwhisky.com.