Sometimes a whisky that’s not new, but is perhaps a bit overlooked, can be just as exciting as a new release. Our Spring 2021 cover story highlighting 10 of Scotch whisky’s best kept secrets focuses on whiskies from Arran, Loch Lomond, Deanston, Tamdhu and more. We hope that you find it useful as a resource to explore the world of single malt scotch, and perhaps discover your next favorite drams.
As for new releases announced this week, there is a bounty. Jack Daniel’s has a 10 year old Tennessee whiskey, the brand’s first age statement expression in over a century, while Ardbeg returns with its Traigh Bhan 19 year old. Highland Park, meanwhile, has released the second iteration in its cask strength series. Read on for full details.
Jack Daniel’s 10 year old
Style: Tennessee
Origin: Tennessee
Age: 10 year old
ABV: 48.5%
Price: $70
Release: August 2021
Availability: 36,000 bottles
Need to know:
The first Jack Daniel’s whiskey to bear an age statement in more than 100 years, this 10 year old is the same whiskey that goes into Old No. 7 and will be a limited annual release. The barrels used were relocated throughout the barrelhouse to extend the aging process. This batch came from little over 200 barrels, and the yield wasn’t large.
Whisky Advocate says:
Jack Daniel named Chris Fletcher its new master distiller last October, and the Tennessee whiskey powerhouse has been putting innovation at the forefront. The Tennessee Tasters’ label continues to showcase experimentation—the recent Twin Blend married barrels of Tennessee whiskey and rye distilled on the same day—and the 2020 single barrel special release, a barrel proof rye, instantly achieved collectible status, scoring 92 points with our tasting panel. While less outside the box than those whiskeys, the new Jack Daniel’s 10 year old represents an ongoing effort to push the envelope with new expressions. Whiskey bottled at 10 years old, particularly bourbon or Tennessee whiskey, can offer great value, and this limited annual release has that potential. We hosted Fletcher on our Instagram Live series #TasteWithSpace last November, where he detailed his excitement for his new role, and his approach to creating new whiskeys.
Ardbeg Traigh Bhan (Batch 3)
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Islay)
Age: 19 year old
ABV: 46.2%
Price: $300
Release: September 2021
Availability: Limited annual release
Need to know:
The third batch of Traigh Bhan (pronounced Tri Van) was matured in American oak and oloroso sherry casks. Ardbeg releases this 19 year old whisky annually, but tweaks the cask treatment, making each batch slightly different from the one before.
Whisky Advocate says:
Few whiskies are as consistently great as Traigh Bhan, which scored 95 points with its debut release in 2019 and Batch 2 in 2020. While it seems like the pandemic delayed this release slightly, a pause in tariffs may have kept the price unchanged.
Highland Park Cask Strength (Release No. 2)
Style: Single Malt
Origin: Scotland (Islands)
Age: Not stated
ABV: 63.9%
Price: $90
Release: October 2021
Availability: Nationwide
Need to know:
This is the second iteration of Highland Park’s annual Cask Strength Series, and was matured predominantly in sherry seasoned European and American oak casks and a small quantity of bourbon casks.
Whisky Advocate says:
Highland Park debuted its Cask Strength last year, with that whisky scoring 92 points in our Winter 2020 Buying Guide. While the higher proof here brings with it a higher price point, sometimes that nets a better deal when you crunch the numbers and consider price per ounce at equivalent ABVs.
Aberfeldy 18 year old French Wine Cask-Finished
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Highlands)
Age: 18 year old
ABV: 43%
Price: $120
Release: September 2021
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
The third edition in Aberfeldy’s Red Wine Cask collection, this whisky was finished in barrels from the Côte Rôtie appellation, which is located in northern France’s Rhône Valley. In 2019, Aberfeldy released a 15 year old whisky finished in Pomerol casks from Bordeaux, and followed that up with an 18 year old whisky finished in Pauillac casks, also from Bordeaux, in 2020.
Whisky Advocate says:
Wine finishing in single malt scotch is nothing new, but Aberfeldy is focusing specifically on red wine from France with this series and with delicious results. The Pauillac cask landed at No. 10 on our 2020 Top 20 list scoring 93 points. We spoke with Aberfeldy malt master Stephanie Macleod on Instagram Live back in February about that release and her use of red wine casks.
Karuizawa 1981 “The Legend of Asama”
Style: Single malt
Origin: Japan
Age: 35 year old
ABV: Cask 4059 – 60.6%, Cask 6183 – 56.5%
Price: Available on application
Release: October 2021
Availability: 30 sets to be released over 3 years
Need to know:
Each set includes two Karuizawa Noh label single casks bottled in 2017 and packaged with two Glencairn crystal decanters, a pair of exclusive glasses, and a water jug. The set is named after Mount Asama, the volcano that overlooks the town of Karuizawa. The small distillery, which closed in 2000, made whisky for use in blends using peated malt imported from Scotland. Many years after it shuttered, the remaining stocks were sold as single cask bottlings, helping to fuel a boom in collectible Japanese whiskies.
Whisky Advocate says:
Noted whisky collector Mahesh Patel owned the two sherry casks appearing in this set, but Japanese whisky collectors will be aware that the identical liquid with the same ABV has been seen before in different guises. Cask 4059 has already appeared as an individual Noh bottling and three editions of the Wealth Solutions Shibari Series (Karada, Nawashi, and Nawa). Cask 6183 has been seen as a Noh bottling, the Wealth Solutions Shibari Series Nawa-do bottling, and in the Cities of Japan Series for online retailer dekantā, which included the Tokyo, Sapporo, Osaka, Nagoya, Yokohama, and Kobe bottlings. We’re promised these 30 sets represent the final liquid from these casks.
Rosebank 1990 30 year old (Release 1)
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Lowland)
Age: 30 year old
ABV: 48.6%
Price: $2,999
Release: October 2020, but stock arriving in U.S. in September 2021
Availability: 4,350 bottles with 300 bottles for the U.S.
Need to know:
This is a triple distilled Lowland single malt matured in 62% refill sherry butts and 38% refill bourbon hogsheads. Ian Macleod Distillers acquired the Rosebank distillery and trademark in 2017 and plans to release further official bottlings in the run up to next year’s distillery reopening.
Whisky Advocate says:
Rosebank Distillery closed in 1993, and fans of the whisky have had a long wait for the next official release. The Rosebank 12 year old Flora & Fauna was discontinued over the last decade, and the Diageo Special Releases in 2014 was the last official bottling under the previous owner. Fortunately, the wait for the next bottle will not be too long; Ian Macleod Distillers expects Release 2 to be available next spring.
Rossville Union Single Barrel Selections
Style: Straight rye
Origin: Indiana
Age: Not stated
ABV: 52%
Price: $60
Release: August 2021
Availability: Widely available
Need to know:
Earlier this year, various retailers selected their own barrel of Rossville Union Straight Rye; three unique mashbills were available, all at cask strength. Customized bottles of the whiskeys will bear the names of participating retail accounts.
Whisky Advocate says:
Rossville Union Straight Rye is a solid addition to any home bar, coming in at 90 points and costing just $40. And that’s no real surprise, given that the whiskey is distilled at MGP, which has long touted a strong rye program.
Stranahan’s Caribbean Rum Cask
Style: Single malt
Origin: Colorado
Age: 5 year old
ABV: 45%
Price: $70
Release: August 2021
Availability: Distillery only
Need to know:
This is a marriage of 5 to 9 year old Stranahan’s single malt, aged in virgin American oak barrels with #3 char. The whiskey was then finished for up to 3 years in Caribbean rum barrels. The release is part of Stranahan’s Distillery Exclusives series that will highlight unique finishing techniques.
Whisky Advocate says:
Rum-finishes have been on the rise in recent years, with mainstays like Balvenie Caribbean Cask setting the standard for how great they can be. In terms of American single malt with rum finishes, only two come to mind: Balcones released one in 2020 (92 points) while Dogfish Head used it to debut their Alternate Takes line in 2019 (90 points).
Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon “Anthrax XL” 40th Anniversary
Style: Bourbon
Origin: New York
Age: Not stated
ABV: 57.5%
Price: $155
Release: September 2021
Availability: 400 bottles
Need to know:
Heavy metal group Anthrax has chosen this single barrel from Hillrock Estate Distillery in honor of their 40th anniversary as a band. It was finished for 40 days in a 20 year old oloroso sherry cask. Each bottle will bear the band members’ signatures. Additionally, 40 limited-edition bottles will be sold for $350, each encased in a custom box and includes a golden ticket that allows the purchaser and a guest admission to a concert on the band’s 2022 U.S. tour as well as an in-person meet and greet with them.
Whisky Advocate says:
Anthrax has now done four single barrel releases with Hillrock, a product of the band’s close relationship with owners Cathy Franklin and Jeffrey Baker. Whisky Advocate spoke to guitarist Scott Ian for our Summer issue about what makes heavy metal and craft distillery collaborations work. Part of the success is genuine relationship building and staying true to the band’s roots. Anthrax is from New York and Ian and his family have stayed at the distillery guest house.
Woodinville Harvest Release (2021 Edition)
Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Washington
Age: Not stated
ABV: 50%
Price: $70
Release: September 2021
Availability: Distillery only
Need to know:
This is the latest run of Woodinville’s Harvest Release. What differentiates this year’s version from past iterations is its cask finish; the pot-distilled bourbon was finished in 200-gallon, 10 year old Moscatel de Setúbal barrels from Portugal.
Whisky Advocate says:
The first 500 bottles of each Harvest Release are numbered and signed by the distillery’s founders. Past releases have seen scores of excited fans line up for a chance at snagging one of the numbered bottles, with some people even camping out beforehand.
