We’ve made it to March and the whiskey releases are coming in strong. To begin with, Johnnie Walker has announced their Jane Walker Edition, which hits shelves this month. Also in whiskey news, Beam Suntory has a new limited edition Tyrconnell Irish whiskey release—this one featuring Madeira casks. Meanwhile on this side of the pond, Rebel Yell has a new batch of single barrel bourbon releases all aged for 10 years. So without further ado, we present you with the booze news for the week of February 26, 2018!
Johnnie Walker Black Label: The Jane Walker Edition
Diageo announced this special edition bottling to launch in March 2018. Coinciding with Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8th, The Jane Walker Edition features a Striding Female, the first ever female iteration of the brand’s Striding Man logo.
“Important conversations about gender continue to be at the forefront of culture and we strongly believe there is no better time than now to introduce our Jane Walker icon and contribute to pioneering organizations that share our mission,” commented Stephanie Jacoby, Vice President of Johnnie Walker. “We are proud to toast the many achievements of women and everyone on the journey towards progress in gender equality.”
Johnnie Walker will donate $1 for each bottle to organizations that support female empowerment with a total donation of up to $250,000. This includes a donation of $150,000 to the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund and its Monumental Women campaign. Monumental Women, is a non-profit dedicated to creating a monument honoring America’s women suffragists in New York City’s Central Park. Today, there are 23 statues of historical figures in Central Park, but not one honoring a real woman.
Notably, the Jane Walker Edition contents are unchanged from Johnnie Walker’s standard 12 Year Black Label. This limited edition bottle will be sold exclusively in the US.
Suggested retail price $34.
Johnnie Walker Black Label: The Jane Walker Edition / Photo Credit: Johnnie Walker
Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008: Islay Grown
Bere barley, a six-row barley, has been replaced with two-row barley in modern whisky production, as the latter has a higher yield. This isn’t the first time Bruichladdich has experimented with Bere barley, but it is the first time to have been harvested on Islay.
This unpeated single malt was distilled in 2008 using Bere barley harvested in 2007 from the Dunlossit Estate, located in the northeast part of Islay. It then aged in American oak barrels which previously held ex-bourbon and ex-Tennessee whiskeys. Finally, it was bottled un-chillfiltered at 50% ABV. Only 18,000 bottles available globally.
Suggested retail price $99.
Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008: Islay Grown / Photo Credit: Bruichladdich
Tyrconnell 15 Year Madeira Cask Finish
Released in March 2018, this limited edition single malt bottling was aged for 15 years in American oak, ex-bourbon barrels. Then it finished its maturation in former Madeira wine casks, a fortified wine produced off the coast of Portugal on the Madeira Islands. In this case, the single malt is double-distilled rather than triple-distilled as is more traditional in Irish whiskey production. Bottled at 46% ABV, it will be released in select US markets as well as Belgium, Ireland, Denmark, Germany and Global Travel Retail.
Suggested retail price $100.
Tyrconnell 15 Year Madeira Cask Finish / Photo Credit: Beam Suntory
J.J. Corry The Gael Irish Whiskey
This blended whiskey was released by Irish whiskey bonder The Chapel Hill Irish Whiskey Company, founded by Louise McGuane in 2015. The blend is made with a 60:40 malt-to-grain ratio as follows: 5% 26 year-old single malt aged in ex-sherry butt, 27.5% 15 year-old single malt, 27.5% 11 year-old single malt, and 7 year-old grain whiskey all distilled by an undisclosed distiller.
Released to the US in March 2018 with 7500 bottles available. Named after a 19th century Irish whiskey bonder, JJ Corry, who also invented a bicycle called The Gael.
Suggested retail price $75.
J.J. Corry The Gael Irish Whiskey / Photo Credit: The Chapel Hill Irish Whiskey Company
Rebel Yell Single Barrel 10 Year (2018 Batch)
The first batch of 10-year-old single barrel bourbon was launched in September 2016. It has since been released annually with their 2018 batch hitting shelves beginning in March of this year. Rebel Yell is a wheated Kentucky bourbon whiskey. After 10 years in new, charred American oak, it is bottled at 100 proof.
Instead of batching the barrels, Rebel Yell is bottling each barrel separately. Additionally, each bottle includes the barrel number along with an “aged since” date. Expect slight variations as a result of the nature of single barrel releases.
Suggested retail price $59.99.
Rebel Yell Single Barrel 10 Year (2018 Batch) / Photo Credit: Rebel Yell
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