Before our official reviews for these bottles arrive, we wanted to give you a sneak peak about what’s coming soon to stores near you. Here’s the New Booze News for the week of May 29th, 2017, including new Douglas Laing releases, two experiments from Abraham Bowman, and a 25 year old release from Glen Scotia!
ABRAHAM BOWMAN SEQUENTIAL SERIES BOURBON
This series aims to explore what happens to bourbon when finished in different types of barrels as well as when altering the barrel entry proof. Virginia residents will have first crack at these whiskeys with the first bottles being sold Memorial Day Weekend 2017 at the Bowman Visitor’s Center and via the VA ABC lottery. Some limited availability in a few other states expected later this summer. Both bottlings will be sold in 375ml sized bottles at a suggested retail price of $40.
Second Use Barrels Bourbon
This release was aged for 9 years in new, charred white oak barrels. It was then transferred into barrels which held bourbon, but the batch was split into two; half was barreled at 125 proof while the other half was barreled at 115 proof. The bourbon finished aging in these barrels for an additional 3 years and 5 months before its final proof reduced to 100 at time of bottling.
Fourth Use Barrels Bourbon
This bourbon was transferred into used barrels for its final maturation. These finishing barrels first held bourbon, and then held port wine. Those same barrels then aged Abraham Bowman’s Port Finished Bourbon. For its fourth use, it aged a 9 year-old bourbon for an additional 3 years and 5 months. However, prior to filling those used barrels, half of the batch was barreled at 125 proof with the other half barreled at 115 proof. The bourbon was brought down to 100 proof prior to final bottling.
DOUGLAS LAING & CO. BLENDED MALT WHISKIES
The latest releases from Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts series are two 18 year-old blended malts. They are both available globally beginning June 2017.
Timorous Beastie 18 Year
This is the third age statement release in the Timorous Beastie line of blended malts following their 21 and 40 year-old bottlings released in 2016. The Timorous Beastie brand incorporates single malts from the Highlands. The whisky is non chill-filtered and no coloring has been added. The name Timorous Beastie comes from the Robert Burns poem “To A Mouse, On Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough” which he was said to have come up with on the spot, plough still in hand.
Rock Oyster 18 Year
This is a blended malt (formerly called vatted malt) comprised of single malts from the Islands. In this case, single malt whiskies from the Isles of Arran, Islay, Jura and Orkney are utilized. Bottled traditionally at 46.8% ABV with no color added and is not chill-filtered.
CAMPBELTOWN SINGLE MALT
Glen Scotia 25 Year
This single malt was released during the 2017 Campbeltown Malts Festival held at the end of May. Glen Scotia is one of three single malt distilleries in Campbeltown which was once a thriving area for whisky production. This 25 year-old whisky was aged in American oak barrels until its final year when it was transferred into first-fill bourbon barrels.
“I created the 25 year old with the history of Campbeltown in mind,” said Master Blender Michael Henry.
Henry continues, “For many years, trade has come through this port town bringing fruits and spices from all over the world on its salty sea breezes. I wanted the liquid to reflect this. The signature nose has hints of vanilla oak, interwoven with subtle notes of sea spray and spicy aromatic fruits. On the palate, it boasts tangy orange and juicy red apples mixed with a caramel sweetness. Its finish is a long lingering taste of sea salt with a spicy note of ground ginger.”
Bottled at 48.8% ABV, the whisky is non chill-filtered. It comes in an oak display box with the coordinates to Campbeltown engraved in it. Suggested retail price of £250 ($325)
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