🥃 World's Oldest Japanese Whisky Resurfaces
Plus: Whiskey Market on the Rise, Power Couple Leading America's Bourbon Boom, and More.
Hey folks, today we have the world's oldest Japanese whiskey, the explosive rise of craft spirits, the revival of American whiskey led by a power couple, a powerful bourbon brand sets sail with their first-ever rum cask finish, a rare Glenfiddich, and much more. We hope you enjoy it. Cheers!
Our Picks
(Highlights if you only got 2 minutes.)
1. Soaring Growth Predicted in Whiskey Market by 2030
According to a report by Coherent Market Insights, the whiskey market is booming, overflowing with diverse and delightful distilled spirits from all over the globe. Expect strong growth up to 2030, fueled by increasing appreciation for craft spirits, premium products, and a whiskey culture on the rise. Key players include Diageo, Pernod Ricard, and Beam Suntory. The market's also segmented by product type, quality, and distribution channels. This growth isn't just neat; it's also mixed into online sales and restaurant offerings.Â
2. Chattanooga Couple Leads American Whiskey Comeback
Whiskey collectors Dane and Sheila Boyington spearhead a revival in American whiskey, showcasing their almost 600-bottle collection in Chattanooga. Their passion extends to rare, exclusive whiskeys known as allocated bottles, contributing to what the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has dubbed an "impressive resurgence" in the American whiskey industry. This bourbon bonanza, fueled by collectors like the Boyingtons and fellow enthusiast Jay Dale, sees a $4.6 billion industry growing yearly, especially in the subgenre of rye whiskey. The couple also runs the Whiskey Alliance, a hub for fellow whiskey connoisseurs.
3. A-List Spirits: Celebrity-Backed Whiskeys
The whiskey realm holds some star-studded gems in a liquor landscape bustling with celebrity-backed spirits. Soccer legend David Beckham offers a light, salted caramel Scotch, Haig Club Clubman, while actor Liev Schreiber presents Sláinte, a double-aged Irish whiskey invoking the Emerald Isle. Actor Nick Offerman's charred Lagavulin resonates with robust woody flavors, whereas the band Metallica's Blackened American Whiskey employs unique sound-wave techniques during its maturation. Conor McGregor's Proper No. Twelve offers a sweet, toasted Irish blend while "Vampire Diaries" stars Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley's Brother's Bond Bourbon celebrates their shared affinity for the spirit. Finally, "Outlander" star Sam Heughan's Sassenach Blended Scotch is a rich tribute to the Scottish Highlands.
Product Launches, Collectibles, and More
1. World's Oldest Japanese Whisky Found in a Warehouse: Shirakawa 1958
The world's oldest Japanese whisky, the elusive Shirakawa 1958, was unearthed in an unassuming warehouse. This single-vintage spirit, the hidden gem of beverage giant Takara Shuzo, is ready to make a grand comeback for $30,000 per bottle.
Takara Shuzo, an empire in the beverage world, boasts the Scotch whisky brand Tomatin under its umbrella. The brand recently clinched the coveted titles "Best In Show" and "Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky" at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, hinting at the quality we might expect from the Shirakawa.
Stephen Bremner, managing director of Tomatin, is the modern-day Indiana Jones who unearthed this liquid treasure. Persistent inquiries about the ghost of a distillery named Shirakawa met with reluctance or silence, led to the discovery of a forgotten stash in 2019. "Shirakawa has been a mere footnote in whisky history. Now, we're uncorking the mystery," beams Scott Adamson, brand ambassador for Tomatin.
The Shirakawa 1958 is a time capsule that provides a unique tasting experience. The aging process, which involved a move from casks to ceramic jars and finally stainless steel tanks, lends a unique quality to this whisky. It is aromatic, resinous, and waxy, with a finish that is harmonious, lingering, and subtly mentholated. "This is truly an incredible whisky," Adamson proclaims, ready to serve history in a glass.
2. Setting Sail with Wild Turkey's First Rum Cask Finish: Master’s Keep Voyage
Wild Turkey has rolled out its latest offering, the Master's Keep Voyage, in the esteemed Master's Keep annual series of limited-edition whiskeys. It's a collaboration between Master Distiller Eddie Russell and Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum's Master Blender, Dr. Joy Spence. Together, they've birthed a 106-proof, 10-year-old bourbon with a tropical twist – it's Wild Turkey's first-ever rum cask finish.
Every year, the Master's Keep series showcases Wild Turkey's innovative spirit, pushing bourbon boundaries. This year's Voyage truly lives up to the name. Handpicked by Spence, casks from the Appleton Estate, once home to the 14-year-old pot still rum, journeyed to Wild Turkey in Lawrenceburg, KY.Â
There, Russell curated a 10-year-old bourbon, initially aged in the brand's iconic No. 4 char barrels, to finish its maturation in the rum casks. The result? An American whiskey with a Jamaican soul, boasting a palate of fruits, caramel, aged oak, ending in a chocolate and spice finish. The Master's Keep Voyage will hit select retailers this July.
3. 64-Year Old Glenfiddich 1937 Rare Collection
Unraveling the story of the elusive Glenfiddich 1937 Rare Collection is like embarking on a historical quest through time, where one sip takes you back to a bygone era. This veritable liquid treasure, one of the oldest and most prestigious single malts, offers connoisseurs a whiskey experience like no other.Â
Distilled back in the mid-30s, a time when the world was bracing itself for the coming storm of World War II, this extraordinary spirit weathered its share of global turbulence. Maturing for an astounding six decades in its cask, the Glenfiddich 1937 Rare Collection was finally bottled in 2001, making it a 64-year-old single malt—a record-breaking age for any Scotch whiskey at that time.Â
Only 61 bottles of this distinguished elixir exist worldwide, making it a true collector's dream. Its rich mahogany hue and robust profile, punctuated with intriguing flavors of toffee, black coffee, and burnt raisins, are sure to enchant the palate. Lingering notes of cinnamon and cloves add to its allure, culminating in a smooth, lasting finish that perfectly encapsulates the passage of time.
With the Glenfiddich 1937 Rare Collection, one doesn't just taste a whiskey, but a historical masterpiece—an ageless symphony captured in a bottle. Its scarcity and distinguished legacy are as intoxicating as the spirit itself.
Miscellaneous
Here are a few interesting questions being asked in the world of whiskey.
1. Did alcohol get cheaper in Maharashtra as the state cuts excise duty on imported scotch by 50%?
2. What should I look for when buying a good whiskey?
3. What is the smoothest Japanese whiskey?
4. What is the largest amount of whiskey you've drank in one night?
5. Which is the world's first company of Scotch whisky industries?
Whiskey + AI Image of the Week
We’re using Midjourney to develop these images. It doesn’t disappoint. The captions show the prompts we used.
Midjourney just introduced a new update. You can now zoom out on images, and it re-creates the rest of the image.
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