News

The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 Announced

 

Photo courtesy of Beam-Suntory.

Photo courtesy of Beam-Suntory.

Jim Murray’s 2014 World Whisky of the Year was The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013.  Sadly, that expression was not released in the United States, and lots of Yamazaki fans were left empty handed.   Chin up, folks.  The 2016 edition of the Yamazaki Sherry Cask comes to the U.S. market, among others.  Only about 5,000 bottles are being released worldwide.  I’m not being told how many of those bottles are making it here, but I can bet it won’t be a lot.  Read on for the full press release.

Deerfield, IL (January 12, 2016) – It may have come as a surprise that Suntory Whisky Yamazaki® Sherry Cask 2013 was named “World Whisky of the Year” in Jim Murray’s 2015 Whisky Bible. However, sherry cask whisky has been a constant staple of the Suntory Whisky portfolio since 1924, a year after the distillery began construction. Shinjiro Torii, the founding father of Japanese whisky first started making his whiskies by leveraging sherry casks imported from the wine of southern Spain needed to blend his famous Akadama Sweet Wine. Hence the sherry cask was the first cask used by Suntory Whisky and plays an important role in the origin of Japanese whisky.

The House of Suntory Whisky is proud to introduce Yamazaki® Sherry Cask 2016 (48% ABV), available as of February 1, 2016. 

The Sherry Cask – A Meticulous Selection

Over its 92-year history, Suntory Whisky has managed numerous sherry casks and sherry malts. Suntory’s Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo makes a point of visiting the Northern region of Spain himself. He does this to ensure that his selection of Spanish oak be sent to the “bodegas” (sherry wineries) to be made into the sherry casks used to store their Oloroso Sherry. Fukuyo carefully oversees this entire process, from the selection of the casks, to the charring and the aging of the sherry. After three years of aging, the sherry casks are sent back to Suntory’s Yamazaki distillery, ready to receive what becomes the distinguished Yamazaki Sherry Cask Whisky.

The Sherry Cask – The Challenge

Sherry casks are both revered and feared for their strong character, as they can easily overpower a whisky’s flavor. The Yamazaki malts can also be affected by this sherry/Spanish oak cask flavor. However, in the case of the Yamazaki Sherry Cask, Suntory’s Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo selects only those casks in which the delicate balance of chemistry between the Yamazaki malt and sherry cask can be achieved, thereby enhancing Yamazaki’s characteristically rich and multifaceted flavor. The meticulous selection process of the Spanish oak, the management of the sherry casks, and the overall aging process ensure the final award winning quality of this liquid.

The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016:

A Fine Blend of Maturity and Delicateness

Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo is often compared to an artist. His blends are deliberate designs meticulously chosen from more than 100 malt whiskies. Each taste is a color and aroma, specifically curated for the occasion. Fukuyo is clear that he did not blend the Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 for the novice. The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 is created for the “Suntory Whisky Lover”—a lover of complex, refined and subtle tastes. Like the rest of the Yamazaki Cask Collection (Mizunara, Bourbon Barrel, and Puncheon), the sherry cask is a critical component that differentiates and characterizes the award winning Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky.

The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 – The Journey

Fukuyo has designed a journey in this whisky. The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 is undeniably where Spain meets Japan in the form of a whisky. To fully enjoy this journey, Fukuyo recommends the whisky first be served neat to showcase its nose. On its own, there is a clear and fresh top note. A raisin-like, deep sweetness that is both elegant and rich. You immediately taste the complexity of this liquid and the fine balance of maturity and delicateness. Served on the rocks, the flavor opens as you begin to taste the Delaware grape-like sweetness and its slightly bitter acidity. When cut with water, there is a soft sweetness that blossoms like the first apples of the harvest.

Tasting Notes

The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 leverages the same lot of whiskies as was used for the Yamazaki Sherry cask 2013 for its base. These whiskies have matured for two more years. To this blend, Fukuoy adds various rare sherry cask single malt whiskies, some of which are more than 25 years old, creating a whisky that has a deep richness, mellowness and complexity of flavors.

Color:   Dark brown, a rich and decadent natural “Sherry” color

Nose:    Raisin, sun-dried tomato, clove, cocoa

Taste:    Deep, rich, sweet and sour, chocolate with hazelnuts

Finish:  Long, bittersweet, sour

 Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016, a single malt whisky, is presented at 48% alcohol by volume (96 proof) and will be available in market as of February 1, 2016. The suggested retail price is $300.00. Five thousand bottles of Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 have been produced globally.

Luxco’s Newest release – The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey

 

The Quiet Man Irish WhiskieLuxco’s first quarter of 2016 is going to be a busy one, with now two whiskies set for release.  In late 2015 they announced a permanent expression of Yellowstone bourbon due in January.  Now, Luxco, in association with Niche Drinks, are introducing their first Irish whiskey, The Quiet Man, in both a blended and single malt release.  Both expressions are scheduled to be launched this month in the U.S.  Read the full press release from Luxco below.

(St. Louis) January 5, 2016 — Luxco is proud to introduce its first-ever Irish whiskey, The Quiet Man, set to launch two varieties in the U.S. this month. The handcrafted Quiet Man is produced through Luxco’s partnership with Niche Drinks in Derry, Ireland, and is the first Irish whiskey bottled in Derry in more than 100 years.

The Quiet Man brand was born when Ciaran Mulgrew, managing director and co-owner of Niche Drinks, and founder of The Quiet Man, decided to create a whiskey to honor his father, John Mulgrew.

“The Quiet Man is a completely unique combination of hand selected whiskies, finished in first-fill bourbon barrels, creating sweet and spicy notes,” Ciaran Mulgrew said. “In more than 50 years behind the bar, my father saw and heard it all, but like all good bartenders, John Mulgrew was true to the code and told no tales. He was ‘The Quiet Man,’ or as they say in the pubs of Ireland, ‘An Fear Ciuin.’”

Distilled in traditional Irish whiskey pot stills matured in oak barrels and recasked in first-fill bourbon casks, The Quiet Man will be available in two varieties: The Quiet Man Traditional Blended Irish Whiskey and The Quiet Man 8-Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey, both bottled at 80 proof and sold in 750ML bottles. The Traditional Blended Irish Whiskey is aged four years and has a high malt percentage, compared to most blends, offering a mellow and ultra-smooth finish. The Single Malt offers a smooth taste and floral notes for a premium experience.

“The difference between a good whiskey and a great whiskey lies not just in picking the best ingredients and having the most skilled distiller,” Mulgrew added. “It lies in selecting the finest barrels to let the whiskey mature in. Our unique process of finishing the aging in barrels that previously held bourbon but never whiskey allows The Quiet Man to soak up those wonderfully sweet yet spicy oak flavors, and the result is two great Irish whiskies.”

The Quiet Man is currently available in Germany, South Africa, Canada and Ireland, and was first bottled in June 2015. It will be available in the U.S. in January, through a joint venture between Luxco and Niche Drinks, whose partnership dates back to 1986.

Suggested retail price is $39.99 for the blended variety and $49.99 for the single malt variety.

For more information on The Quiet Man, please visit www.thequietmanirishwhiskey.com, or www.facebook.com/the-quiet-man-irish-whiskey.

 

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Named 2016 World Whisky of the Year

 

Quite an honor for Crown Royal.  It’s a solid pour of whisky.  My review here, and the full press release below.  Cheers.

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye

NORWALK, Conn., November 19, 2015 – Renowned whisky writer Jim Murray today announced Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye as the 2016 World Whisky of the Year, marking the first time a Canadian Whisky has received the honor. The recognition comes at a time when both the Canadian and Rye whisky categories continue to gain popularity amongst whisky aficionados and consumers alike.

“Crown Royal Northern Harvest pops up out of nowhere and changes the game,” said Murray of the whisky, which he awarded a record-tying 97.5 out of 100 points. “It certainly puts the rye into Canadian Rye. To say this is a masterpiece is barely doing it justice.”

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye was first released in the U.S. in early 2015. The variant showcases the distinctly Canadian rye whiskey featured in the traditional Crown Royal Deluxe Blend that consumers have grown to love throughout the last 75-plus years. The latest variant to be introduced by Crown Royal, Northern Harvest Rye (90 proof, 45% ABV) is the brand’s first ever blended, 90% rye whisky and embodies a smooth and spicy flavor profile that can be mixed into traditional rye cocktails or enjoyed neat or on the rocks.

“Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye showcases the rye whisky that has been such an integral component of the Crown Royal Deluxe blend since 1939. This is a testament to the unbelievable blending and distilling that’s been taking place in Gimli for over 75 years,” said Yvonne Briese, Vice President of Crown Royal. “We are thrilled that Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye has been named World Whisky of the Year!”

The recognition comes on the heels of the launch of Crown Royal’s new campaign titled “The One Made for a King.” The creative, which will run across TV, print, out of home, digital and social, was developed to share the 75-year-old brand’s royal origin story and liquid credentials with consumers. To view the TV spots, please visit www.YouTube.com/CrownRoyalBrand.

In addition to being named 2016 World Whisky of the Year, Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye received a double gold medal at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye is part of Crown Royal’s vast portfolio of variants for whisky lovers to enjoy, including Crown Royal Regal Apple, the #1 innovation launch across U.S. Spirits over the past 12 month period, according to Nielsen and NABCA (Source: Nielsen xAOC 52 weeks through 10/10/15, NABCA 52wk ending 9/30/15),  and Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel, a double gold recipient and winner of “Best Canadian Whisky” in the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Diageo is proud to add this incredible honor to its Hall of Fame of award-winning whiskeys globally. This year alone, Diageo has earned more than 300 awards across the World’s Best ranks for its Canadian, Scotch and American whiskeys. Today at Diageo we are celebrating!

While raising a glass of Northern Harvest Rye in honor of this award, Crown Royal reminds consumers and whisky aficionados to please drink responsibly.