New Spirits Releases - September 2, 2022

PiggyBack Bourbon from WhistlePig Whiskey is the companion bottle to the brand's 2019 PiggyBack Rye release. This bourbon is made with a "super-high" corn mash bill and a dash of rye and it's aged in char #3 new American oak barrels for 6 years. Additionally, it's bottled at 100 proof. PiggyBack Bourbon launched in 15 select markets in the US including TX, FL, GA, CA and others in late August 2022.

Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse is a new, limited edition annual series featuring rare liquid from a different rickhouse (past and present) from the Wild Turkey Distillery where the whiskeys mature. This first release features bourbon barrels which were sourced from the Camp Nelson C Rickhouse. Built in 1946 and decommissioned in 2021, it had seven floors and sat on a hill next to the Kentucky River. Master Distiller Eddie Russell selected barrels aged over 10 years from the center-cut on floors three and four. It is bottled without chill-filtration at a barrel proof of 112.4. Available at select retailers nationwide as of early October 2022.

Grand Vintage 1998 is part of Glenmorangie's The Bond House No. 1 Collection named for the brand's largest 19th century bonded warehouses. The single malt was distilled in 1998 which was also the year Dr. Bill Lumsden became the brand's Director of Whisky Creation. Lumsden included new charred oak in this creation which until this point had never been used at Glenmorangie. In addition to using this type of barrel to wood finish some of the whisky, it was also used with new-make spirit. Other barrels used here are first-fill bourbon and oloroso sherry casks. Available in the US as of August 2022.

This is the third release in Highland Park's Cask Strength range which was launched in 2020 and is a permanent part of the distillery's core range. Crafted by Master Whisky Maker Gordon Motion, this third batch was made using a higher proportion of Orkney peated malt. It was aged in first-fill sherry seasoned European and American oak barrels with some refill barrels included. It launched globally in September 2022. Bottled at 64.1% ABV without chill-filtration.

This Fine & Rare bottling from The Macallan is made from single cask which was distilled on December 12, 1989. It was matured in a single sherry-seasoned European oak butt for 32 years and was bottled in January 2022 at a natural cask strength of 51.2% ABV. This is vintage release in part of the Fine & Rare series which first launched in 2002 and spans eight decades to date. Available as of September 2022.

For this whisky bottling Glasgow-based grain distillery Port Dundas (1811-2010) is the featured "ghost" or closed distillery. Master Blender Dr. Emma Walker and her team selected the whiskies from Port Dundas which included whiskies aged in second-fill American oak and first-fill highly charred American oak. Additionally, whisky from Cambus and Brora, two other ghost distilleries were used here as well as 5 other working distilleries -- Cameronbridge, Glenkinchie, Clynelish, Dailuaine & Auchroisk. To commemorate this release, Johnnie Walker has commissioned AI artist & photographer Ivona Tau to create 75 unique NFTs to accompany each bottle purchased through BlockBar.com The 75 limited edition NFT sets are available to purchase as of September 9, 2022 and standard bottles will be available as of October 2022.

Morris Whisky is made with 100% Australian ingredients beginning with Australian barley (a blend of Westminster & Gairdner varieties) which is brewed and fermented at the family brewery. The original copper pot + column still which was installed at Morris Winery in 1941 to make spirit for its fortified wines is also used here. The Signature single malt is aged for a minimum of three years in American and French oak ex-wine barrels (ex-shiraz and cabernet sauvignon from Barossa & Coonawarra regions). It launched in the US in September 2022 in CA, TX, IL, NY, MA, GA, CO, FL, NJ, DC and MD with more states to follow shortly afterwards. (SRP $59.99)

Like the Signature Single Malt, Morris Muscat Barrel is made with 100% Australian ingredients beginning with Australian barley. The original copper pot + column still which was installed at Morris Winery in 1941 to make spirit for its fortified wines is also used here. Aged for a minimum of three years in American and French oak ex-Australian wine barrels for its primary maturation, it is then placed into Morris Muscat fortified wine barrels to finish aging. It launched in the US in September 2022 in CA, TX, IL, NY, MA, GA, CO, FL, NJ, DC and MD with more states to follow shortly afterwards. (SRP $89.99)

This is the second bottled in bond rye from Kansas City's Rieger & Co. Like the first bottling, this one is made using a mash bill recipe of 96% rye and 4% malted barley. It was put into barrel in 2016 and aged for 6 years. Bottled at 100 proof, this is available as of September 2022 at the distillery and at select retailers in Missouri and Kansas.