The cold of winter grips much of the country, but thankfully there’s plenty of new whisky to help chase away the chill!
Ardbeg has unveiled a limited edition matured entirely in ex-rye casks and honoring the recently retired distillery manager, Mickey Heads. Arrrrrrrdbeg! (that’s seven Rs) is priced at $180 and available in limited amounts.
Bowmore is launching the first annual release of 30 year old single malt, this one distilled in 1989. There are 2,580 bottles available, priced at $2,500.
Dewar’s is rolling out the latest in its 8 year old Smooth line, matured in ruby port casks. Dewar’s Portuguese Smooth is widely available, priced at $22.
Actors Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley have teamed up on Brother’s Bond bourbon. The whiskey hits retail shelves in April, priced at $40.
Finally, Ballantine’s is launching a “spirit drink” that’s half the proof of its core blended scotch. Ballantine’s Light is available in Spain, priced at €12.45 (around $15).
Read on for full details.
Arrrrrrrdbeg!
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Islay)
Age: Not stated
Proof: 51.8% ABV
Price: $180
Release: February 2021
Availability: Limited edition
Need to know:
Commemorating the retirement of longtime Ardbeg distillery manager Mickey Heads, this single malt is fully matured in rye casks. The label depicts Heads as a pirate captain (“Pirate of the Hebridean”) with Ardbeg’s canine mascot, Shortie, on his shoulder.
Whisky Advocate says:
Heads officially retired last October, replaced by Colin Gordon, who was previously distillery manager at neighboring Lagavulin. But he’s not stepping away entirely, as he’ll continue to serve as chairman of the Ardbeg Committee.
Rye casks might seem an odd choice for scotch maturation, but there is precedent: Ardbeg’s sister distillery, Glenmorangie, matured its 2018 Private Collection release, Spìos, in rye casks, which lend zesty and spicy notes.
Bowmore 30 year old (2021 Release)
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Islay)
Age: 30 years old
Proof: 45.3% ABV
Price: $2,500
Release: January 2021
Availability: 2,580 bottles
Need to know:
Distilled in 1989, this whisky was matured in bourbon barrels and sherry hogsheads, and its ABV of 45.3% is cask strength. Bowmore will release a new 30 year old whisky each year going forward.
Whisky Advocate says:
Since each year’s release of Bowmore 30 year old will vary intentionally, with only the age remaining the same, expect to see different ABVs and potentially different flavor profiles in the future. Although it’s not abnormal for a 30 year old scotch to have lost so much alcohol to the angels’ share that the ABV has dipped into the mid-40s, it could just as easily be that a future Bowmore 30 year old has a much higher cask strength. We have an article that explains how proof can vary so wildly even if time in the barrel stays the same—check it out.
Dewar's 8 year old Portuguese Smooth
Style: Blended whisky
Origin: Scotland
Age: 8 years old
Proof: 40% ABV
Price: $22
Release: Winter 2021
Availability: Widely available
Need to know:
A blend of malt and grain whiskies aged at least 8 years, this was finished in ruby port casks.
Whisky Advocate says:
The Dewar’s Smooth line has also included the rum cask-finished Caribbean Smooth (90 points) and mezcal cask-finished Ilegal Smooth (87 points), always at 8 years old. Look for a review of Portuguese Smooth in an upcoming issue of Whisky Advocate, and check out our article about the new release, with detailed information from master blender Stephanie Macleod.
Brother's Bond
Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Indiana
Age: Not stated
Proof: 40% ABV
Price: $40
Release: April 2021
Availability: Widely available
Need to know:
Distilled at MGP from 64% corn, 22% rye, and an undisclosed amount of wheat and malted barley, this bourbon is aged at least 4 years in barrels with No.-4 char staves and No.-2 char heads.
Whisky Advocate says:
Brother’s Bond is a project of actors Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, known as the Salvatore brothers on the TV series “The Vampire Diaries.” The bourbon will be available for pre-sale soon on ReserveBar, then hit retail shelves in April. The rollout starts with 15 states and will be nationwide by October.
Ballantine's Light
Style: Not whisky
Origin: Scotland
Age: Not stated
Proof: 20% ABV
Price: €12.45 (around $15)
Release: January 2021
Availability: For sale in Spain
Need to know:
Made by Chivas Brothers, this beverage is rooted in the blended scotch tradition, but isn’t whisky. Because it’s under 40% ABV, the minimum proof for whisky, it’s considered a “spirit drink.”
Whisky Advocate says:
Ballantine’s is offering this new low-proof beverage as an option for people who want to cut back on the amount of alcohol they drink but still enjoy the flavors and aromas of traditional scotch. Ballantine’s Light is currently available in Spain only, but if it’s successful there, we may see availability expand.
