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Whiskies of the World - Trend for 2024
Whisky has become so much more dynamic in the last 20 years, liberated even – and that’s largely thanks to World Whisky. With new distilleries popping up in unexpected regions; Denmark, Mexico, and even closer to home, here in England there is plenty to explore. And each of them is doing things differently; being creative with production and using aging techniques that really bring something new to the category.
But what’s undoubtedly best about whisky, and largely fuelling this new found freedom for producers, is the new generation of drinkers. They’re young, diverse, brave, and they truly want to explore spirits, and travel the world by taste. They’re thirsty for the unusual which is empowering brands to be bold and daring. And quite frankly – many of the liquids born of this freedom are exceptional. If you don’t consider yourself a whisky drinker, I can almost guarantee that there’s a new world whisky out there for you.
And that, in a nutshell, is what our World Whisky range is all about. Bringing these fascinating liquids to new lips, and challenging other spirits lovers to join us in the fabulous world of whisky – because for us it’s the most wonderfully rewarding category there is.
IRISH WHISKEY
Ireland – Glendalough
Whiskey & Wood, A Love Story.
At the Glendalough Distillery they are on a relentless search for the best flavours. They take inspiration from St.Kevin’s pursuit of something more meaningful in life, and his deep connection to nature. This sees them venturing into the deepest forests of the world, to find the rarest wood, that deliver the most thought-provoking flavours to their whiskey range.
The World’s Best Oak.
A key influence on the flavour of Glendalough whiskey comes from the wood it has spent time in. There are countless nuances in how that wood effects and injects flavour; the straightness of the tree, the fineness of the grain, the size of the barrel or the depth of the char. The distillerys wood program is a testament to their pursuit of flavour.
American white oak forms the backbone of the maturation and where they venture off the beaten track is by finishing all of the whiskeys in a second (and sometimes third) very different cask. Irish, Japanese, French and Spanish oak are used to finish some of the various whiskeys. Each impart discernible, unique and exquisite flavours.
NEW WORLD WHISKIES
Canada – Bearface Triple Oak
BEARFACE Triple Oak is a single grain Canadian whisky matured for seven years in ex-bourbon American oak barrels, then aged in French oak red wine casks and air-dried virgin Hungarian oak.
Three Mighty Oaks:
AMERICAN OAK | FRENCH OAK | HUNGARIAN OAK
BEARFACE Triple Oak is a demonstration of their whisky-making prowess.Each cask delivers unique flavour, aroma, and texture.
Then, the skill of Bearface’s Master Blender, creating that smoothness, balance, long complexity of flavour and gentle spice that we all love. Each year brings different nuances can ever be quite the same, but exploring the subtleties that is part of the adventure. BEARFACE is made in the wild, not in a lab.
The Art of Blending:
The best single-grain Canadian corn spirit is sourced for the whisky, but that liquid is seen as just their blank canvas.
It’s what happens next that really matters. Elemental Ageing is the transformative process that exposes their whisky to in a variety of casks. That gives the Master Blender a palette of flavours to work with, to create delicious complexity and new bold expressions of BEARFACE.
Denmark – Stauning
Once upon a time, nine friends got together in an old butchery...
The tale of how Stauning Whisky transformed itself from hobby project to world-famed whisky adventure, is a story of curiosity, inventiveness, and downright West Coast stubbornness.
They stuck to their own ways. Locally grown rye and barley, floor-malting and small fire-heated pot stills was – and still is – the secret behind the distinctive character of their New Nordic terroir whisky.
In 2018, Stauning opened the doors to a new and modern, purpose-built distillery.
The distillery is at the forefront of a revival of the region. "The most stupid thing you could do around here until recently was build a house,” says Martin. “Now people are moving here, schools are opening, tourism is booming, and new restaurants are celebrating local ingredients.”
Even though capacity now has risen ten-fold, it's still a small distillery. And inside, the ‘Stauningers’ are still making whisky their own way with small pot stills, open floor malting and direct fire heating. Not because they are stubborn, but because they insist on doing things their own way: The Stauning way. You can purchase the bottle here.
London, England – East London Liquor Co. (LONDON RYE®)
The distillery is based in the industrial heart of London's East End, meaning they are not short of old practices. They just choose to ignore them. Favouring what's to come over what's come before, their booze is anything but old school. Just how we like it.
LONDON RYE® WHISKY
This isn’t your typical rye whisky. Warming spice meets cooling smoothness for a perfect combination fit for any serve.
This is your London Rye® Whisky. Created from 55% rye and 45% pale malt.
Team tasting notes includ candied orange peel, sour cherry candies, toffee apples, chilli peppers, and even one ‘desk drawer, but in a good way’.
Norfolk, England – The English Distillery
ROOTED IN TRADITION, FROM GRAIN TO GLASS.
The team at English Distillery are proud to make whisky the old-fashioned way, using slow processes, traditional equipment, and honest, local ingredients. James Nelstrop's original goal for the distillery was to create England's finest single-malt whisky. This has been their sole ambition for nearly 16 years and is what continues to drive them today.
Tel-Aviv, Israel – Milk and Honey
The M&H Distillery
Israel’s first whisky distillery, was founded in 2013 with a commitment to the highest international standards of quality and respect for the centuries-old traditions of whisky making.
One of their single malts has just received the title: World’s Best Single Malt Whisky for the Elements Sherry cask, in the world’s largest and most respected whisky competition – World Whiskies Awards 2023, held by Whisky Magazine.
“Only dreamers take flight, and our dream soared when we clinched the title of the world's best single malt at the 'World Whiskies Awards' competition”.
The Elements Sherry Cask perfectly exemplifies the distillery’s commitment to excellence. It is made using the finest ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks and is matured in the hot climate of Tel Aviv. The team at the M&H distillery are committed to producing exceptional whiskies and they keep on pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Explore the full Milk & Honey range here.
Rutherglen - Victoria, Australia – Morris
Excellence since 1859. Crafted for today.
Established in 1859, the Morris family winery is one of the most acclaimed fortified producers in the world.
Craftsmanship in blending, ageing and creating world-class fortified wine has been passed down through six generations of the family, allowing MORRIS to truly master the creation of extraordinary flavour in Australian single malt whisky.
The unique and distinctive MORRIS whisky flavour comes from unrivalled access to fortified wine barrels for finishing the whisky, barrels which have held the world’s most highly awarded fortified wines.
Today, they combine decades of tradition, their heritage still and ancient fortified casks with contemporary techniques to create a whisky that is a true expression of time and place. Shop the Morris Australian Single Malt here.
New Zealand – Pokeno
The New Zealand spirit is forged through a unique marriage of culture and climate. It's an intangible phenomenon that produces tangible greatness and enables Kiwis to fearlessly punch above their weight on a global stage. And it's this spirit that inspires them to experiment with flavour to create world-class- but distinctively different - single malts.
Japan – Akashi/Yamazakura
Created in 2007 by Mikio Hiraishi, the Akashi brand is declined in numerous bottlings such as single casks, single malts or blends whose quality is now widely recognized and appreciated throughout the world.
Mikio Hiraishi's creativity can be seen in each Akashi whisky with the use of a wide variety of casks for aging, from traditional bourbon and sherry casks to red and white wine casks from Yamanashi, or even sake casks used for the maturation of the Akashi Saké Cask single malt.
Located near the Seto Inland Sea, in Hyogo Prefecture where the climate has great temperature differences between summer and winter, the Eigashima distillery formerly named White Oak, was built in 1984 by Mikio Hiraishi.
Akashi whiskies have kept their authenticity and reflect perfectly the artisanal and pioneer spirit of the Eigashima distillery by proposing a wide range of whiskies of which the single malts are the flagship.
YAMAZAKURA
Sasanokawa Shuzo is a spirit’s company founded in 1765, based in Koriyama on the main island of Honshu.
Mainly active in the field of traditional Japanese beverages such as sake and shochu, the company has been producing "Ji-Whisky" since 1946, a term that encompasses all Japanese whiskies produced by specialists in traditional Japanese spirits who sometimes engage in whisky production ranging from 100% Japanese production to collaboration with foreign distilleries.
Since the founding of the Asaka distillery in 2015, Sasanokawa has been committed to producing whiskies that are distilled, aged, and blended in Japan, as evidenced by the company's first blend, Yamazakura. The First single malt released in 2020.
Mexico – Abasolo Corn Whisky
FROM THE BIRTHPLACE OF CORN
Abasolo El Whisky De Mexico is crafted and distilled from 100% Mexican Cacahuazintle (kaka • wha • SINT • lay) corn, which has been cultivated and passed down for more than 200 generations by local farmers for its distinct, extraordinary flavour.
A NEW TASTE IN WHISKY
Deep, nuanced notes of roasted corn, honey, vanilla, black tea, and leather, revealed through nixtamalization, are true to our Mexican ancestral corn provenance and unlike any other whisky profile.
INNOVATIVE USE OF A 4000-YEAR-OLD COOKING TECHNIQUE
Abasolo uncovers the deepest flavours of ancestral corn through nixtamalization. A 4,000-year-old cooking technique never before used in whisky production, but fundamental in preparing corn as food in Mexico.
AMERICAN WHISK(E)Y
Tennessee, USA – Uncle Nearest
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey honours the world’s first-known African American master distiller, Nearest Green. The brand is the fastest growing American whiskey in US history, and the portfolio is the Most Awarded American Whiskey or Bourbon of 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Their four ultra-premium whiskeys have garnered over 450 awards and accolades since the brand’s 2017 launch, with 54 Best in Class honours, including: Spirit Brand of the Year from Wine Enthusiast, two Chairman’s Trophies from Ultimate Spirits Challenge, back-to-back Master Blender of the Year awards from Whisky Magazine, Whisky of the Year from USA Spirits Ratings, and back-to-back honours of “World’s Best” at the 2019 and 2020 World Whiskies Awards.
Uncle Nearest is currently available in all 50 states and 12 countries, and is sold in more than 25,000 stores, bars, hotels, restaurants, as well as at its 432-acre distillery in Shelbyville, Tenn., dubbed as “Malt Disney World.”
Read the Full Story - History - Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey - 100 Proof from Tennessee Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey – 100 Proof from Tennessee
Brooklyn - New York, USA – New York Distilling Co. Jaywalk Heirloom Rye
10 Seeds to 200 Acres.
Obsession can lead to many destinations, and there is a fine line between passion driven by fascination and delusion driven by daydreams.
New York Distilling Co’s obsession is rye and its distinctive roots in New York.
Their exploration led to the discovery of Horton Rye, a singularly unique variety whose origins date back to 17th century Rye, New York. But you can’t just find these seeds online or at your local market. Their journey began with a seed bank and a devoted New York farmer.
They were entrusted with the sum total of 10 seeds of Horton Rye in 2010.
The result of this dedication and teamwork is an audacious experiment, and a rare, dynamic and remarkable whiskey – one as notable for the process behind it as for the elements within it. Each batch is barrelled at an entry proof of 115 to maximize flavour, and each bottle comes from a single barrel at cask strength, crafted and captured especially for the enjoyment of those whiskey lovers as obsessive as we are.
Waco - Texas, USA – Balcones
In 2008, Balcones was driven to create something original and authentic.
At this time, Balcones was nothing more than an idea driven by a passion to create something original and authentic, right in the Heart of Texas. It all started in an old welding shop under a bridge in Waco. For the next year, the team replaced the roofing, knocked out walls, laid brick, cut pipes, installed copper pot stills from Portugal, and shoehorned a whisky distillery inside that quaint building. Proud of what they had accomplished on their own, they began distilling in 2009. Shop Balcones Pot Still Bourbon here.
World Whisky Q&A
What is a world whisky?
World whisky is any whisky produced outside of Scotland or Ireland, encompassing countries like the United States, Canada, Japan, and India, with unique production methods and flavours.
What nationality drinks the most whiskey?
The country with the highest per capita whiskey consumption varies, often associated with Scotland, Ireland, the United States, or Canada.
What is the most famous whiskey drink?
The Whiskey Sour is arguably the most famous whiskey drink, featuring whiskey, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and sometimes egg white for a frothy texture. Other popular options include the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Irish Coffee.
