A diverse selection of new whiskies is rolling out this month. For scotch fans, there are new limited editions from Glenfiddich and Compass Box. Bourbon aficionados can begin the hunt for the latest batch of Booker’s bourbon and the new Knob Creek 25th Anniversary Edition, along with Lone Whisker, a new 12 year old bourbon. Brown-Forman has also rolled out the first release from Slane, its new Irish whiskey label. Also, don’t miss out on the top 10 whiskies from our Summer Buying Guide.
Glenfiddich Project XX
Style: Single malt
Origin: Speyside
Age: Not stated
Proof: 47% ABV
Price: $80
Release: June 2017
Availability: Nationwide
Need to know:
The non-chill filtered whisky is a collaboration between Glenfiddich malt master Brian Kinsman and 20 whisky experts from 16 countries, each of whom selected one of the casks that went into the final blend. The casks included first-fill bourbon barrels, port pipes, sherry butts, and more.
Whisky Advocate says:
This is the second release in Glenfiddich’s Experimental Series, following Glenfiddich India Pale Ale Cask Finish.
Booker’s Batch 2017-02 “Blue Knights Batch” Bourbon
Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Kentucky
Age: 6 years, 3 months, and 6 days
Proof: 63.7% ABV
Price: $70 to $75
Release: May 2017
Availability: Nationwide
Need to know:
The latest Booker’s release is a blend of barrels made on six different production dates and aged in four different warehouses. It’s named for the Blue Knights motorcycle club, a group Booker Noe maintained a friendship with for many years.
Whisky Advocate says:
Beam got itself in hot water last year after doubling the price of Booker’s Bourbon to around $100, and the company subsequently walked the increase back to a more modest $70 to $75 price point for 2017. At the same time, it also reduced the number of Booker’s batches released each year from six to four.
Compass Box Double Single
Style: Blended whisky
Origin: Scotland
Age: Not stated
Proof: 46% ABV
Price: $175
Release: June 2017
Availability: 5,838 bottles for the world
Need to know:
Like its previous iterations, the third release of this limited-edition whisky is a blend of just two components: one single grain whisky and one single malt whisky.
Whisky Advocate says:
The single malt makes up 72 percent of the blend and hails from Glen Elgin distillery. The single grain whisky comes from Girvan. Both whiskies were aged in re-charred bourbon casks.
Slane Irish Whiskey
Style: Blended whiskey
Origin: Ireland
Age: Not stated
Proof: 40% ABV
Price: $30
Release: Summer 2017
Availability: Major U.S. markets
Need to know:
Slane is a blend of several types of whiskeys, including single malt and single grain. It was aged in three cask types: heavily toasted, lightly charred virgin oak; ex-American whiskey casks; and oloroso sherry casks.
Whisky Advocate says:
The Slane brand is a partnership between Brown-Forman—the owners of Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, and more recently BenRiach and GlenDronach, among others—and Ireland’s Conyngham family. This first release is sourced, but the brand will eventually be produced at the new Slane distillery on the site of Slane Castle, the Conyngham family’s ancestral seat.
Knob Creek 25th Anniversary Bourbon
Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Kentucky
Age: 12 to 13 years
Proof: 60% to 62.5% ABV
Price: $130
Release: Summer 2017
Availability: Very limited
Need to know:
As the name suggests, this single-barrel, cask-strength, unfiltered release was created in honor of Knob Creek’s 25th anniversary.
Whisky Advocate says:
Although Knob Creek has offered the occasional high-proof single barrel in the past, this is the brand’s first-ever cask-strength single-barrel release.
Lone Whisker 12 Year Old Bourbon
Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Indiana
Age: 12 years
Proof: 46.9% ABV
Price: $150
Release: June 2017
Availability: 2,000 bottles
Need to know:
The whiskey’s mash bill is 74% corn, 21% rye, and 5% malted barley. It was distilled at Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana, now known as MGP Distillery, and was aged and bottled at Boone County Distillery in Boone County, Kentucky.
Whisky Advocate says:
Although it was aged at Boone County Distillery, Lone Whisker is being released by a team of Napa Valley winery executives associated with the Coup de Foudre winery and Amuse Bouche wine brand. There will be a second release later this year. The whiskey is named for the distillery’s dog.
