Whisky Advocate Blog

Here’s another ultra-expensive, ultra-rare whisky coming on the market. Let’s see, the list is growing: Gold Bowmore, Glenfiddich 50 year old, Dalmore 50 year old, The Macallan Lalique 57 year old, Highland Park 1964, Highland Park 50 year old (coming next year). Amy I missing any?

The press release is below. Yes, I’m getting a review sample. (I know it’s my job, but I’m actually beginning to feel guilty.) Older Dalmores have the ability to be outstanding. I’ll let you know how this one turned out. 

Dalmore Releases £10,000 Malt Whisky

05/10/09: Glasgow, UK: A rare 1951-vintage single malt whisky with a RSP of £10,000 per bottle will be released today (Monday 5 October).

Only 12 decanters of the Sirius expression from premium whisky brand The Dalmore will be produced. Sirius will only be available to private buyers and through a limited network of World Duty Free (WDF) stores.

“The international market for high-end luxury products which have an investment value is buoyant – and the finest whiskies are playing an increasingly dominant role in this sector,” says The Dalmore’s Brand Director, David Robertson.

“Our partnership with World Duty Free allows us to reach an elite group of investors and whisky aficionados across the globe. We will be focusing on key target markets in Taiwan, USA and France.”

Sirius will be launched in the flagship WDF store at Heathrow Terminal 5. Nigel Sandals, Category Buying Manager for Liquor at WDF, adds: “Our customer base contains some of the most knowledgeable investors in spirits in the world.

“Being able to offer the absolute best-quality luxury goods is a very strong incentive for buyers to use travel retail and World Duty Free – as they would a specialist retailer – to get exceptional value and to see a real return on their investment.”

The Dalmore’s 1951 Sirius Vintage is a single-cask, single malt whisky, with a cask strength of 45%.

The Dalmore Master Distiller, Richard Paterson, says: “Distinguished and elegant, age has gracefully finessed this brilliant expression. Sirius is, quite simply, one of the world’s most perfect whiskies.”

For more information about The Dalmore visit www.thedalmore.com

The Macallan will be introducing to Travel Retail four new whiskies under “The Macallan 1824 Collection” title. They are describe, in detail, in the press release I received.

None of the whiskies have age statements. And there’s a very wide range in price. (Prices are in Euros. To convert to dollars, multiply by 1.25.)

I’ve posted the pertinent parts of the press release below. I have samples of all four whiskies and will let you know my thoughts in a future blog posting.

The Macallan launches new range of Single Malts in Global Travel Retail

The Macallan and Maxxium Global Travel Retail are launching The Macallan 1824 Collection at this year’s TFWA world exhibition in Cannes. The range is exclusive to Travel Retail, where the brand has been the fastest growing major Single Malt in the last five years and is number two in volume.
 
The 1824 Collection of four variants – Select Oak, Whisky Maker’s Edition, Estate Reserve and 1824 Limited Release – offers the ultimate flavour journey for whisky lovers and the expressions have guideline retail price ranging from 46 to 1,450 euros.

The 1824 Collection has been created by John Ramsay, Master Whisky Maker for parent company The Edrington Group, and Bob Dalgarno, The Macallan’s Whisky Maker; who between them have over 50 years of experience of making whisky. They have been inspired by the distillery’s long history and rich traditions to create a very special range of Single Malts. For John in particular, this is his legacy to the industry, being the last range he will develop before retiring next year.

The collection consists of four individual expressions which showcase the spectrum of flavour characteristics in any one range from The Macallan, the world’s most iconic whisky. Each expression tells a story about four of the defining elements of The Macallan family.

John Ramsay explains: “We set out to develop a cohesive family range that would further enhance The Macallan’s reputation for innovation.    We have identified and benchmarked an optimum flavour profile but because of the individuality of each cask, the age profile will change from bottling to bottling in order to meet this and ensure consistency of colour, nose and character. Each one of these exceptional products has a unique product point of difference which provides a distinctive taste experience to appeal to consumers around the world. The range represents the broadest flavour spectrum of Macallan that we have ever produced.

“As part of our new product development process the Collection has undergone rigorous consumer testing, performing outstandingly well again and again and giving us the confidence to launch a range of non-aged single malts from The Macallan distillery.”

The Macallan 1824 Collection will be available in Global Travel Retail from April 2009 with the 1824 limited release decanter on sale from October 2009.

The Macallan Select Oak (40%): Superior knowledge, crafting & investment in our casks.
We typically invest over 10 times more per cask then any other single malt. Can we prove this if asked? Each cask has been hand crafted & selected under the supervision of George Espie, The Macallan Master of Wood – this bottling being given an extra depth by first fill, sherry oak seasoned hogsheads.
RRP: 46 Euros (1 litre)

The Macallan Whisky Maker’s Edition (42.8%): Expertise of our Whisky Maker.
Individually crafted by The Macallan’s Whisky Maker, Bob Dalgarno – this is his personal bottling prepared to his preferred taste and strength of 42.8%. Containing rare whisky distilled from barley grown on The Macallan’s Estate. This whisky brings a distinctive heavier & ‘oilier’ texture to the final dram.
RRP: 69 Euros (1 litre)

The Macallan Estate Reserve (45.7%): Legacy of traditional methods of distillation.
Non-chilled filtered and bottled at the old- style 80’ proof  strength, more commonly known as ‘20 under’ in order to increase the flavour and deliver an extraordinary mouth feel. During its distillation and maturation, each bottling has been attended to by four generations of craftsmen, each patiently nurturing this whisky’s exceptional quality.
RRP: 165 Euros (70cl)

The Macallan 1824 Limited Release (48%): Rarity & quality of our older stock.
The 1824 Limited Release honours The Macallan’s founder, Alexander Reid, who was officially granted a licence to distil whisky in 1824. 
One of only 1,824 decanters released each year, this Single Malt has been selected from some of the oldest and rarest casks at The Macallan’s Estate.  Each chosen cask had been marked as a future Fine & Rare bottling.
Drawing on so few and such individual casks, each year’s bottling will be subtly different. This first release is drawn exclusively from European oak solely grown, cared for & crafted by the Tevasa cooperage in Jerez, Spain.
These casks are sherry seasoned for a single-minded richness of character and darkness of colour.
RRP: 1450 Euros (70 cl)

At WhiskyFest New York last week, a friend at the Ardmore table let me have a wee dram of an Ardmore 25 year old whisky that will be available at Travel Retail (formerly Duty Free), but not the U.S. He pulled out a small dram from his own private stash.

I really liked it!

It was at a higher strength (above 50%) and had a good dose of peat smoke combining with the oak and other Ardmore flavors. I didn’t take notes on it. All I remember was how good it was!

So, for all of you who ask me what to bring back when traveling overseas, here’s one to buy.