The Seattle Times’ Post

Just released, 100% distilled in house. A peated single malt, a traditional 'pure' pot still and a post-modern pot still. 1. Oaty McOatFace To mark the tragic tenth anniversary of the ghasty Irish Whiskey GI, Blackwater presents a totally modern and non-compliant pot still whisky. In other words if ‘The Midleton Method’ wasn’t imposed on the entire industry and the department didn’t let a French multinational design a Technical File around two of its products, what might Irish pot still whisky have tasted like? Well here’s something to get you chops around. Double turfed, double oated, double distilled and double casked. Knocks spots of the other stuff.  2 Clashmore 1824 Prior to the establishment of Blackwater Distillery, Clashmore was the last distillery in Waterford and it closed by 1840s. The distillery chimney still straddles the river which runs through the heart of the village of Clashmore. The resulting whisky is something of an ode to the oat, matured exclusively in sherry wood (as was typical at the time), this expression is a real peak into the kind of Irish whisky that has been lost to time. 3 PMD 2: Return of the Dragon The dragon is back and this time he’s at cask strength. What’s more, this single malt is the first age statement whisky from Blackwater. It’s made from 100% Irish barley, grown and malted on the same farm. A real Irish whisky origin story, featuring a dragon, with a heart of fire and a belly full of schmoky stewed apples.

#Malt #whisky is whisky made from a fermented mash consisting of malted barley. If the product is made exclusively at a single distillery (along with other restrictions), it is typically called a single malt whisky. Although malt whisky can be made using other malted grains besides barley,

We proudly announce that Laphroaig Distillery Elements 2.0 Cask Strength is the Whisky Advocate 2024 Whisky of the Year! When discussing a whisky’s flavor these days, often the talk is about the cask: which exotic oak species, or which far-flung wine, spirits, or beer barrel has been used in its creation. The Whisky of the Year, an Islay single malt, decided to stand that conversation on its head. This whisky focuses on where the magic truly begins—fermentation—dialing up the fermenting period to nearly five full days, twice its normal length. The flavors that come from this experiment are truly incredible. ⁠ This second release in the Elements series focuses on where the magic truly begins—fermentation—dialing up the fermenting period to nearly five full days, twice its normal length. Longer fermentation brings out more fruit notes in whisky, which sounds deliciously appealing, but it was a tricky balancing act for the distilling team. But Elements 2.0 pulls it off with consummate skill. The signature Laphroaig smoky, maritime, and medicinal notes are all present, but there’s mainly a lasting impression of gentle balance, with fruit flavors of baked peach, orange, green apple, pear, and apricot, as well as crème brûlée sweetness, all wrapped in maritime salinity and peat smoke. This cask-strength whisky offers harmony and power, carrying its nearly 60% ABV impressively. True to the mission, Elements 2.0 has no cask finishing, but is aged entirely in first-fill bourbon barrels. #whiskyadvocate #whiskylovers #whiskyoftheyear #laphroaig #scotchwhisky #scotchlovers #laphroaigelements #caskstrength #beamsuntory #suntoryglobalspirits #brescomebarton

Read a recent review by Stephen Beaumont !

American Single Malt gets official Standard of Identity from TTB. In a final rule, available now on the Federal Register’s Public Inspection page and scheduled to be published on December 18, 2024, we are amending the distilled spirits standards of identity regulations to include “American single malt whisky” as a type of whisky that is produced in the United States and meets certain other criteria. The adopted criteria for American single malt whisky specify that the product be a type of whisky that is mashed, distilled, and aged in the United States; is distilled entirely at one U.S. distillery; is distilled to a proof of 160 or less; is distilled from a fermented mash of 100 percent malted barley; is stored in oak barrels (used, uncharred new, or charred new) with a maximum capacity of 700 liters; and is bottled at not less than 80° proof. In addition, the criteria allow for the use of caramel coloring as long as its use is disclosed on the product label. The regulation will also allow the use of the term “Straight” for an American single malt whisky that is aged for at least two years. This final rule is effective on January 19, 2025. We have also established a 5-year transition period so that a label with the designation “American single malt whisky” or “straight American single malt whisky” may be used on distilled spirits bottled before January 19, 2030, if the distilled spirits conform to the applicable standards set forth in 27 CFR part 5 in effect prior to January 19, 2025.

Bunnahabbain 40 Year Old Small Batch Distilled Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Lot 3 at Iron Gate - Wine and Spirits Spring Spirits Auction... An austere piece of Victorian architecture on the north-east coast of Islay, Bunnahabhain (pronounced, “Bu-na-ha-venn") is a relative outsider on the island, traditionally known for producing an un-peated single malt. The majority of which was used for blending, as was its initial intended purpose. The distillery was shut for 2 years in 1982 following the market downturn of the period, and despite being revived at low production, it was eventually officially bottled as a single malt later that decade, with the self-deprecating tagline, "the un-pronounceable malt." Following the success of the first Bunnahabhain 40-year-old, bottled in 2012 by Burn Stewart, this follow-up small batch edition was bottled on the 143rd day of 2017 released by Distell in 2018. Tasting Notes by The Producer Nose: Hints of tropical fruits, banana, berries, creamy toffee, vanilla, rich nuttiness and delicate sweet oak. Palate: Sweet malt, creamy caramel, vanilla, creamy berries, with hints of toasted nuts, tropical fruit, banana, and pineapple. Finish: Long sweet and fruity. https://lnkd.in/eH9PHaZ6

What is single malt whisky? A whisky is called single malt because it's produced at a single distillery, using a single type of malted grain, and is not blended with whisky from other distilleries: ➡️ Distillery: The whisky is made at a single distillery, even if it contains whisky from multiple casks.  ➡️ Malted grain: The whisky is made from a single type of malted grain, usually malted barley.  ➡️ No blending: The whisky is not blended with whisky from other distilleries Tag your single malt in the comments below! Cheers! #sonalholland #masterofwine #singlmalt #distillery #singlemaltwhisky #whisky #whiskyenthusiasts #whiskylovers 

Welcome to part 4 in a my series of reviews covering recent releases from the Dumbarton-based independent bottler, Dràm Mòr. In this installment, I’ll be getting to grips with a wee sample from Loch Lomond Distillery, arguably one of the most interesting whisky producers in all of Scotland. Loch Lomond is capable of producing a wide range of different spirits. Each new make style is given a unique name in order to differentiate them. Some are named after islands that can be found in the famous loch. Like Inchmurrin, for example. The Loch Lomond Distillery was established in Alexandria in 1964. There was an earlier distillery to hold the name but it was relatively short-lived and the two are unconnected. Over the plant’s relatively short life, it has undergone several upgrades and expansions. Production commenced on a solitary pair of straight-necked stills that look like a combination between pot and column still. In place of the traditional swan neck, there is a cylindrical column, inside of which, there is a series of plates that can be adjusted to alter the character of the spirit being produced. The number of stills doubled in 1990, before a set of traditional swan neck pot stills were added in 1998. Complicating matters further, a set of column stills were added in 1993, to allow for the production of grain whisky. This made the distillery entirely self-sufficient and able to create everything required for making blended Scotch in-house. Despite the distillery’s impressive flexibility and potential for creativity, however, it would be fair to say that its single malt didn’t always enjoy the greatest of reputations. Things have improved in recent years after first one, then a second, management buyout. A new core range, which showcases the spirit at 46% ABV, without chill-filtering or colour enhancement, paints the spirit in a much more positive light and celebrates some of the incredible flexibility that’s been built into the distillery. Inchmurrin is the name given to an unpeated malt, distilled in the straight-neck stills and this Dràm Mòr expression is a single cask, which has been finished in an oloroso sherry hogshead before bottling at 55.7%. https://lnkd.in/eTPrWa-P

🥃 American Single Malt whiskey is having a moment. The TTB has officially recognized ASM as a distinct spirits category, effective January 2025 - the first new American whiskey designation since bourbon in 1964. This recognition will help consumers discover the 200+ ASM producers and 1,000+ bottlings more easily. The new standard requires ASMs to be made from 100% malted barley, distilled at a single U.S. distillery, and aged in oak barrels. Industry experts predict this change will boost global visibility, particularly in markets where "whisky" means Scotch. With major players like Jim Beam and Jack Daniel's entering the category, ASM could become the next whiskey phenomenon. #Whiskey #AmericanSingleMalt #Spirits #Bourbon #CraftSpirits #SpiritsIndustry

• P A T I E N C E • Everybody at Ellers Farm Distillery | Certified B Corp® is eagerly awaiting the day we can open these casks and officially release our single malt whisky 🥃 Our new make spirit, created using a specially created wash from Theakston Brewery, is one of the best new make’s I’ve ever tasted, with notes of caramel, chocolate 🍫 and banana 🍌. Testament to the state of the art distilling equipment, our distillery team and the fantastic wash that is similar to a porter style beer 🍺 Good things come to those who wait, and here’s why we need to wait 3 years and 1 day for our whisky to mature; •🪵 Flavour Development: Over time, the whisky absorbs the flavour from the first fill bourbon barrels from the USA 🇺🇸 creating the rich complex flavours that we all love. • 🫗Smoothness: Maturation allows the harsh edges to mellow out, resulting in a smoother, more enjoyable liquid 🥃 • ✍🏻 Legal requirement: By law, whisky must be aged for a minimum of three years and one day (any guesses why the one day!?) … only then, can it officially be called whisky 👮🏼♂️ We simply cannot wait. And with the best equipment, team, wash and casks, we like to think our whisky is certainly going to win a fair few awards 🥇🏆 #ellersfarmdistillery