Latest news with #Lochlea
Scotsman
09-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
The 13 best new Scotch whiskies for Father's Day - including £50 peated Speyside gem
Father's Day this year falls on Sunday 15 June, and if you're buying for a whisky loving dad or father figure then we've chosen some of the ebay new Scotch whisky releases that'll make ideal gifts. From a budget-friendly new Glen Moray to a 25 Year Old Aberfeldy - who are flying high from multiple award wins - here are our top whiskies to buy this Father's Day. This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Tamdhu 21 year old Speyside gem Tamdhu has recently launched a 21 year old whisky. The distillery, part of Ian Macleod Distillers, the family-owned whisky and gin company, has been creating fine whiskies on the banks of the River Spey since 1897. This very limited 'coming of age' 21-year-old release, like all Tamdhu single malts, is fully matured in Oloroso sherry casks to deliver a flavour profile and entirely natural colour. It is bottled at 47.5% ABV, unchill filtered and is a limited (on allocation) annual global release with a recommended retail price of £299 for a 70cl bottle. Not only is this a special whisky, ideal for a gift, it's presented in an elegant green cut-work gift box whose Spanish-Moorish design reflects the Southern Spanish sherry casks used in the maturation process. The display box, adorned with a metallic Tamdhu monogram, slides off to reveal the inner design case and a slide drawer with a tasting notes booklet. The closure is gold wood, decorated with a gold branded capsule. Tamdhu 21 year old is priced at £299 and you can buy a bottle here. Lochlea Cask Strength Batch 3 Award winning farm-to-cask Lochlea distillery has recently unveiled Cask Strength Batch 3 – the latest release in its annual series of limited-edition cask strength bottlings – and a first in flavour profile for the independently owned distillery. This year's release marks a bold evolution in Lochlea's Cask Strength series, combining rich Oloroso sherry with distinctive Islay peat - a pairing never before explored by the distillery. It also represents a significant milestone for Lochlea's master blender Jill Boyd, who joined the distillery in late 2024 and has led the selection and blending of Cask Strength Batch 3 from start to finish. Cask Strength Batch 3 delivers a captivating nose of ripe red fruits and savoury BBQ smoke, followed by a rich palate of cherries and dark molasses lifted by warming ginger cake, toasted rye and charred wood smoke. The long, layered finish lingers with baking spice, salty smoke, and oaky tannins intertwining with delicate floral notes of red roses to create a bold new take on Lochlea's signature style. Lochlea Cask Strength Batch 3 is priced at £67 and you can buy a bottle here. Glen Moray 12 Years Old Smoky Glen Moray single malt Scotch whisky is tempting whisky fans to explore a distinctively different side to its classic Speyside single malt, with the unveiling of Glen Moray 12 Years Old Smoky. 'Smoky Twelve' is set to be a treat for both peat lovers and fans of Glen Moray's famously smooth and fruity spirit - and it will make the perfect gift for dram lovers on Father's Day. This permanent new addition to Glen Moray's award-winning range is crafted in the traditional way at the whisky's historic distillery in Elgin, but uses peated barley to add subtle notes of sweet bonfire smoke to the spirit. True to Glen Moray's reputation for exploration when it comes to the influence of wood on whisky's flavour, the new single malt is then matured in two different types of cask: American oak for notes of vanilla and caramel with a smooth bourbon undertone; and European oak, bringing stronger vanilla flavours, with tannins, pepper, fruit and gentle spice. The result is a very special new dram: all the appeal of Glen Moray's wonderfully light and easy-drinking spirit imbued with the richness of peated malt and the deliciously complex flavours of maturation in two different types of wood. Glen Moray 12 years old smoky is priced at £49.99 and you can buy a bottle here. Aberfeldy 22 year old Oloroso Sherry cask finish Located in Aberfeldy, the heart of Scotland, Dewar's Aberfeldy Distillery has recently celebrated 25 years since the opening of its visitor centre and immersive whisky experience. To mark this milestone, the distillery is unveiling an exclusive commemorative release: Aberfeldy 22-Year-Old Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This single malt is the latest addition to the Exceptional Cask Series - a collection of rare Single-Cask bottlings, Double-Cask expressions, and small-batch releases from Aberfeldy. After maturing in traditional oak casks, the new release has been finished in rich Oloroso sherry casks from Jerez, Spain, imparting a beautifully balanced complexity while enhancing the signature character of Aberfeldy. The result is a luxurious dram with sweet orchard fruits, succulent pear, and caramelised apples taking centre stage. Aberfeldy 22 year old Oloroso Sherry cask finish is priced at £195 and you can buy a bottle here. Lindoes Abbey Friar John Cor – Chapter III Lindores Abbey Distillery has recently released the third chapter in its acclaimed Friar John Cor Congregation series: Friar John Cor – Chapter III. This bold and complex limited-edition bottling continues Lindores' homage to the great Friar John Cor and his legendary distillation of 1494. Chapter III is matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon barrels, Amontillado, and Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry butts. After vatting, the whisky is allowed to marry in refill sherry butts, enhancing its depth, richness, and harmonious balance of flavours. It is bottled at 60.2% ABV. Lindoes Abbey Friar John Cor – Chapter III is priced at £70 and you can buy a bottle here. InchDairnie KinGlassie KinGlassgie Double Matured whisky Fife-based Scotch whisky-maker InchDairnie distillery has launched its first Single Malt Scotch Whisky releases. Further showcasing its reputation as a pioneer in flavour exploration in the whisky sector, the distillery launched KinGlassie Double Matured Aged 8 Years Fife Single Malt Scotch Whisky and KinGlassie Raw Aged 8 Years Fife Single Malt Scotch Whisky back in May. The two whiskies debuting comprise KinGlassie Double Matured and KinGlassie Raw, each providing a distinct take on the new KinGlassie range that ignites flavour discovery, revealing new dimensions in smoke. KinGlassie Double Matured is priced at £78.95 and you can buy a bottle here. KinGlassie Raw is priced at £78.95 and you can buy a bottle here. The Maclean Foundation Raasay whisky A new limited-edition single malt from the Isle of Raasay Distillery is the latest charity bottling from The Maclean Foundation – and every bottle sold will provide clean water for life to a person in Madagascar. This five-year-old single cask whisky, matured in virgin Chinkapin oak and bottled at a cask strength of 61.1% ABV, is the third in a series of single malt releases by the charity, which was founded by whisky writer Charles Maclean MBE and his three sons – world record-breaking ocean rowers Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean. As with previous Maclean Foundation whiskies – with Glen Scotia and Ardnamurchan – all profits will fund clean water boreholes in rural Madagascar through the charity's local partner, Feedback Madagascar. Just 246 bottles are available, exclusively from Royal Mile Whiskies, priced at £115. You can buy a bottle here. The Dram Team Scotch Whisky Tasting Map This is an ideal gift for dads that want to taste whisky from all over Scotland. The whiskies in this special collection from The Dram Team include a stunning 'Grain Barn' 30 year old Scotch; a super-premium 17 year old Islay single malt; a decadent 21 year old Speyside Scotch icon and two world-class 18 year old single malts. As well as 15 double measures of premium and super premium Scotch whisky, the set contains two Glencairn glasses, a distillery guidebook featuring more than 30 stunning images and a beautiful ready-to-frame distillery map. You can also subscribe to The Scotsman via our Whisky Club and receive the Whisky Map of Scotland poster and a sample bottle of The Red Comyn, a ruby port cask-finished whisky, selected for us by our partners The Dram Team and Claxton's. Find out more and subscribe here, or sign up to our Whisky Club here. Buy The Dram Team Scotch Whisky Tasting Map, priced at £295, here. Bladnoch Wave I: Time & Maturation Wave I: Time & Maturation is the first expression in a five-part limited edition series by Bladnoch. The Wave series demonstrates the marrying process of whisky casks, with each annual release revealing one of the five whisky making pillars used by master distiller, Dr Nick Savage. The Wave Collection is the second series in the master distiller's collection. As the first expression in series, Wave I is the ideal candidate for whisky connoisseur dads who are looking to build up their whisky collection. The dram option is the perfect pairing to accompany a bottle gifted for a collection, so whisky aficionados can taste the single malt and save opening their bottle for many years to come. The full-size bottle of Wave I and dram size are available exclusively at Bladnoch Wave I: Time & Maturation full bottle price is £150 and the dram is £15. Laphroaig Elements 3.0 The third instalment in Laphroaig's award-winning Elements series, this limited release was the result of a fire in the kiln that burned peat for longer and at higher temperatures than usual. Experimenting with heat brought out chocolate and coffee notes making this a very interesting whisky indeed. Laphroaig Elements is an award-winning series of whiskies that delves into the artistry of production that makes Laphroaig's whisky so richly flavoured and characterful. Tasting notes include: a nose of chocolate, charcoal and spice. On the palette there's bitter dark chocolate, peat, vanilla and butterscotch while the finish is long lasting and dry. Bottled at 55.3% ABV, Laphroaig Elements 3.0 is priced at £170 and you can buy a bottle here. Holyrood distillery Pitch Edinburgh's experimental whisky makers, Holyrood Distillery, recently named Icons of Whisky 'Distiller of the Year' at the global round of the World Whiskies Awards, have unveiled their latest release, Pitch. This is the final single malt in 'The Founding Series' that introduces the independent distillery's creativity and barrier-breaking approach to whisky making. Think chocolate and hazelnuts from the malt, with the yeast specially selected to boost the chocolate notes, giving it a richer flavour. The chocolatey spirit is then matured in Oloroso casks, dialling up nutty notes. It's like being chased by a fruit and nut bar determined to give you a giant hug. Pitch explores the untapped potential of red wine yeasts in whisky-making. Bottled at 49.4% ABV, it is priced at £64 and you can buy a bottle here. Ardbeg Smokiverse Marking 25 years of the Ardbeg Committee, Ardbeg's latest limited release will transport smoky malt lovers' tastebuds to a fruity new dimension. Ardbeg Smokiverse is the Islay Distillery's first whisky crafted from a high-gravity mash, resulting in a distinctly vibrant, tropical and fruity spirit. Ardbeg Smokiverse is priced at £95 and you can buy a bottle here. Glenmorangie Lasanta 15 Glenmorangie Highland single malt Scotch whisky has reimagined Glenmorangie Lasanta, one of its most popular whiskies, to bring even more elegance to its rich spice and luscious sweetness. Now aged for 15 years in a refined combination of bourbon and sherry casks, this delicious favourite in the Distillery's core range has been enriched with newfound complexity and finesse. Glenmorangie Lasanta is priced at £58 and you can buy a bottle here.
Daily Record
06-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Lochlea reveals first sherry and peat combination with Cask Strength Batch 3
This year's release is a first in flavour profile for the independently owned distillery in Ayrshire Award winning farm-to-cask Lochlea Distillery has unveiled Cask Strength Batch 3 – the latest release in its annual series of limited-edition cask strength bottlings – and a first in flavour profile for the independently owned distillery. This year's release marks a bold evolution in Lochlea's Cask Strength series, combining rich Oloroso sherry with distinctive Islay peat - a pairing never before explored by the distillery. It also represents a significant milestone for Lochlea's Master Blender Jill Boyd, who joined the distillery in late 2024 and has led the selection and blending of Cask Strength Batch 3 from start to finish. Jill carefully selected whisky that has been matured in a combination of Oloroso Sherry Butts and Ex-Islay peated casks, creating a final spirit that balances richness and depth with a surprising twist of smoke. Cask Strength Batch 3 delivers a captivating nose of ripe red fruits and savoury BBQ smoke, followed by a rich palate of cherries and dark molasses lifted by warming ginger cake, toasted rye and charred wood smoke. The long, layered finish lingers with baking spice, salty smoke, and oaky tannins intertwining with delicate floral notes of red roses to create a bold new take on Lochlea's signature style. Each batch of Lochlea's Cask Strength whiskies are carefully blended and bottled without any dilution, so every sip is just like trying samples from the warehouse itself. This latest release follows Cask Strength Batch 2 released last summer that had been matured in a combination of PX, Oloroso and STR casks showcasing a depth and complexity. The inaugural Cask Strength expression in 2023 was a combination of spirit matured in first-fill Bourbon barrels and Oloroso Sherry casks, working particularly well at high strength to amplify the fruit, nut and cereal flavours that form Lochlea's house spirit style. Jill commented: "I am especially proud of Cask Strength Batch 3 as it has been my first opportunity to curate one of our whiskies from concept to bottle, putting my own mark on our range. I wanted to push the boundaries of our house style with something bold and different. "As many whisky lovers will know, sherry and peat are both hugely popular flavour profiles, and we saw an opportunity to bring them together in a way that feels fresh and bold, yet rooted in our distillery's DNA. "It's complex, it's warming, and it's got a smoky twist making it the perfect dram to enjoy with a BBQ in the sunshine!" Cask Strength Batch 3 will be available from Lochlea stockists from May 29 onwards .It has been bottled at 59.8 per cent and has an RRP of £67.
Press and Journal
09-05-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
'Rescued' CASC Bar reopens as Whisky Situation Aberdeen
A new Aberdeen bar serving more than 700 different bottles of whisky is opening today, at the venue previously known as CASC Bar. Whisky Situation Aberdeen, the brainchild of 37-year-old Carlos Yabrudy, promises an exclusive whisky offering, as well as cigars, beer, wine and cocktails. The new owners of the the Stirling Street bar, opening on Friday at 5pm, hope it will become a tourist destination in Aberdeen. 'We want to eventually become the best whisky bar in Scotland,' Carlos says. 'We want people to say: 'when you go to Scotland, that's where you need to go'. 'That's the goal.' CASC Bar closed its doors back in December 2024 after 11 years on the Aberdeen food and drink scene. Carlos – who founded retail company Whisky Situation back in 2023 – has retained several members of staff in his bid to 'rescue' the city centre venue. He adds: 'I found out about this place, and when things were on the rocks I met the old manager and decided to rescue the place. And in doing so, saved three jobs and brought in three more staff members on top of that. 'For a lot of locals, this place was their second home. 'Hence there was a lot of sadness in the closing.' Carlos believes that his new bar – and its sister whisky shop on King Street – could help improve Aberdeen city centre. He says: 'Aberdeen is always playing third fiddle to Glasgow and Edinburgh, isn't it? 'Aberdeen has a lot here – Tall Ships and a lot of festivals. 'It's a city that works more like a town, where people talk more than other places. It's not so disconnected. 'Aberdeen is the closest to distilleries, on the cusp of Speyside – close to Macallan and Tomatin. 'People should be coming here from all over the world. 'Now there is an even better reason for them to come to the city centre. And hopefully start driving the city's regeneration.' The new bar will host private events including weekly tastings from distilleries like Tomatin and Lochlea. The range of whisky on offer is exclusive, says Carlos, with many bottles unavailable elsewhere in the UK. 'The main draw is having over 700 whiskies for people to try,' adds Carlos. 'We can give people the opportunity to try different things. 'A lot of this isn't available to taste before people buy it. So this will be a hub for people to try the newest GlenAllachie or Lochlea.' Unique bottles available to sample include Brother's Bond straight bourbon whiskey from actors Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, and Japanese whiskey from Yamazaki Distillery. Also boasting the 'largest humidor in Scotland', the bar offers a range of cigars. Drams will range from £4.50 to over £100 at Whisky Situation Aberdeen. 'We can open a bottle that costs £200 per dram, it depends what people ask for,' he adds. 'I'm a very flexible guy. It's not a problem.' Bottles like the single cask Glenfarclas Family Cask range might be more pricy for a dram. Carlos adds: 'You're looking at £8,000 per bottle. 'So if you divide them up, that's about £200-300 per single [dram].' The team are looking forward to opening the new bar and King Street shop this evening. Carlos says: 'I'm excited to have everyone down. 'It feels like your family coming to see you again when you haven't seen them for a long time. 'The atmosphere won't be clinical – or like a dank student bar – but rather a familiar place.' There are plans for refurbishment further down the line to turn the bar into a 'speakeasy style' venue. The new King Street whisky shop will be open Tuesday to Saturday. The Stirling Street bar will be open daily 3pm to 12am Sunday-Thursday, and till 1am Friday and Saturday.
