This week we have a new straight rye from Ezra Brooks, a new batch of The Exclusive Malts’ single cask bottlings, a very limited 16 year old bourbon, and a whopper of a 50 year old Dalmore.
Ezra Brooks Straight Rye
Style: Straight rye whiskey
Proof: 45% ABV
Price: $19-$22
Release: January 2017
Availability: Widely available
Need to know:
The Ezra Brooks range currently includes a straight bourbon, a 7 year old bourbon, a blended whiskey, and a bourbon cream liqueur, all priced for everyday drinking.
Whisky Advocate says:
Brand owner Luxco—which also produces the David Nicholson, Rebel Yell, and Blood Oath whiskey brands—is building a new distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Lux Row Distillers will make all of those bourbons when it opens in 2018.
The Exclusive Malts Glen Moray 2007 9 year old
Style: Single malt Scotch whisky
Proof: 55.7% ABV
Price: $85
Release: January 2017
Availability: 220 bottles for the U.S.
The Exclusive Malts Caol Ila 2006 10 year old
Style: Single malt Scotch whisky
Proof: 57.1% ABV
Price: $150
Release: January 2017
Availability: 319 bottles for the U.S.
The Exclusive Malts “Croftengea” 2006 10 year old (Distilled at Loch Lomond distillery)
Style: Single malt Scotch whisky
Proof: 55.5% ABV
Price: $100
Release: January 2017
Availability: 279 bottles for the U.S.
The Exclusive Malts Tomintoul 2006 10 year old
Style: Single malt Scotch whisky
Proof: 56.2% ABV
Price: $105
Release: January 2017
Availability: 285 bottles for the U.S.
The Exclusive Malts Balmenach 2003 13 year old
Style: Single malt Scotch whisky
Proof: 57.8 % ABV
Price: $125
Release: January 2017
Availability: 221 bottles for the U.S.
The Exclusive Malts Benrinnes 1995 20 year old
Style: Single malt Scotch whisky
Proof: 52.7% ABV
Price: $170
Release: January 2017
Availability: 261 bottles for the U.S.
The Exclusive Blend 1980 35 year old
Style: Blended Scotch whisky
Proof: 46% ABV
Price: $200
Release: January 2017
Availability: 720 bottles for the U.S.
The Exclusive Malts Port Dundas 1991 25 year old
Style: Single grain Scotch whisky
Proof: 53.6% ABV
Price: $175
Release: January 2017
Availability: 264 bottles for the U.S
The Exclusive Malts Invergordon 1972 43 year old
Style: Single grain Scotch whisky
Proof: 48.2% ABV
Price: $260
Release: January 2017
Availability: 229 bottles for the U.S.
Need to know:
Part of the Creative Whisky Company, The Exclusive Malts doesn’t limit itself to just malts, as evidenced by the two single grains and one blended Scotch whisky available in the current batch of releases. The blended whisky is a combination of Speyside and Highland malts, plus a small amount of grain whisky, and it spent its whole life in a first-fill oloroso sherry butt.
Whisky Advocate says:
How often do you see a 35 year old blended Scotch whisky? The 21 year old expression scored a 92 in our Buying Guide, and many of the Exclusive Malts’ past releases have scored in the high 80s and the 90s, so you may find them well worth the price.
J.A. Magnus Reserve
Style: Straight bourbon whiskey
Proof: 46% ABV
Price: $1,000
Release: January 2017
Availability: 192 bottles for sale only in Washington, D.C.
Need to know:
A combination of 16 year old and 18 year old bourbons from MGP, this whisky was blended by Nancy “The Nose” Fraley.*
Whisky Advocate says:
Jos. A. Magnus & Co. was founded in 2015 in Washington, D.C., by Jimmy Turner, the great-grandson of Joseph Alexander Magnus, a pre-Prohibition distiller. The distillery is currently making its own whiskey in addition to sourcing from MGP.
The Dalmore 50 year old
Style: Single malt Scotch whisky
Proof: 40% ABV
Price: £50,000 (about $61,000)
Release: January 2017
Availability: Up to 50 bottles for the world
Need to know:
The whisky was laid down in 1966 in bourbon casks, then transferred to Matusalem oloroso sherry casks in 2003. It was further matured in colheita port pipes between 2012 and January 2016, when it was transferred to bourbon barrels once again. Finally, from November 2016, the whisky was in Champagne casks from Domaine Henri Giraud for a 50-day finish. Whew!
Whisky Advocate says:
We just honored Dalmore’s master blender Richard “The Nose” Paterson* with our Lifetime Achievement Award, and this bottling celebrates his 50-year career in the whisky industry. It comes in a Baccarat crystal decanter that’s embellished with a solid silver stag and packaged in an elaborate presentation box.
*Yes, both Nancy and Richard have the nickname “The Nose.”
