Finished in casks imported from Tuscany, this new 92 proof expression is the result of result from the natural interaction between the brand’s 15-year-old expression and these wine casks. Crafted by Malt Master Stephanie Macleod and her team, the whisky was first matured in refill and hogshead casks before being finished for two years in rare Tuscan Bolgheri casks. Bolgheri, a famed wine region on Tuscany’s coast, is celebrated for producing bold, elegant red wines.

“In keeping with our approach to innovation and exploration, we wanted to use these beautiful Tuscan casks again, for a second expression, as they contrast so wonderfully with the signature character of Aberfeldy,” said Aberfeldy Single Malt Scotch Whisky Malt Master Stephanie Macleod. “Fifteen-year-old whisky is known for being at an age where the influence from the cask reaches a certain peak. Bolgheri wines are known for being robust and full of dark fruit flavours with intense oakiness. Combining the two has crafted a beautifully rich and rounded Single Malt with soft ripe red cherries and creamy vanilla notes, spice and layers of dark chocolate and scented oak.”

Aberfeldy 15 Year Old Bolgheri Red Wine Cask Finish is a continuation in the distillery’s limited-edition wine cask finished whiskies, where previous iterations have included a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, a Pomerol, a Bordeaux, and a Rhône from France.

Aberfeldy 15 Year Old Bolgheri Red Wine Cask Finish is available for $84.99.

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Created by Aberfeldy Malt Master Stephanie Macleod, the whisky features notes of cherry frangipane and vanilla spice with flavors of sliced green peppers and limes and finishing with soft oak.

The Aberfeldy Red Wine Cask Limited Edition series is a passion project of Macleod, with a focus on cask finishes that compliment the character of Aberfeldy. Macleod uses her skills in sensory analyses to observe the maturation and flavor development in each cask until achieving the desired flavors. This is the fourth cask finish in this award-winning series.

The Aberfeldy 18 Year Old Limited Edition finished in Tuscan Red Wine Cask (86 proof) is available now for $129.99.

The post Aberfeldy Taps Tuscany For Latest Finish appeared first on The Whiskey Lifestyle.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Aberfeldy 12
• 1 tsp local honey
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• 1/4 oz Absinthe (to rinse)
• Expressed lemon peel garnish

Instructions:

Rinse inside of a chilled glass with Absinthe and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients (aside from lemon peel) in a mixing glass over ice and stir. Strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with the expressed lemon peel and enjoy.

Let us know if you have a cocktail recipe you love or if there’s a recipe that you want us to break down on social media with the hashtag, #TWLcocktail. Please drink responsibly.

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Ingredients:

• 2 oz Aberfeldy 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 oz local honey syrup (honey syrup = 1 part honey, 1 part water)
• 1 dash Angostura
• 1 egg white

Instructions:

Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker then remove ice and dry shake. Double strain into a rocks glass with clean ice and garnish with honeycomb.

Let us know if you have a cocktail recipe you love or if there’s a recipe that you want us to break down on social media with the hashtag, #TWLScocktail. Please drink responsibly.

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Aberfeldy is famed for its time-honoured techniques which conjure rare honeyed notes, leading the Highland dram to pair very well with honey-based cocktails and creating a unique connection between the whisky and the delicious natural resource. That’s why Aberfeldy launched its Barrel & Bees program in 2018 to support urban beekeepers by planting for honey bees, and to promote buying local honey.

Launched on National Honey Bee Day (August 21) and continuing throughout National Honey Month in September and beyond, the brand will showcase its commitment to helping bees through a variety of new Barrels & Bees activations, including a charitable sponsorship with The Bee Conservancy, a $15,000 philanthropic donation to The Bee Conservancy to support their important work, the additional donation of $20 per use of the hashtag #BarrelsAndBees on Instagram (up to $10,000, to drive public participation in the program), an educational video series with bee advocate and The Neighborhood star Beth Behrs, and a cocktail kit for people looking to get involved at home.

This latest Barrels & Bees initiative comes at a time when 1 in 4 of North America’s 4,000 native bee species are at risk of extinction, and honey bee colonies continue to die at unprecedented rates as they are plagued by stressors such as pests, pathogens and loss of habitat. In an effort to help reverse this trend, Aberfeldy’s sponsorship of The Bee Conservancy led to the creation of The Barrels & Bees Award, which will be granted to 16 bars and restaurants – and in some instances cared for by community gardens – around the country with the aim of supporting local bee populations.

Aberfeldy has gifted their used whisky barrels to The Bee Conservancy, which were used to create barrel garden planters that the organization has awarded to various bars, restaurants, and community gardens nationwide. The up-cycled barrel gardens, which were designed in partnership with custom wood and fabrication shop Brooklyn Woods, are custom planted with bee-friendly flowers and seasonal herbs native to the region they are in to support the foraging of local bee populations.

The barrels will be on display now through the end of October at local bars and restaurants in eight markets around the country – Miami, Tampa/Orlando, Dallas, Southern California, the Bay Area, Chicago, New York City and Washington, DC – after which they will be maintained locally at restaurants or by community gardens where they will continue to support bees throughout the year.

The Bee Conservancy’s community garden partners likewise will receive a Barrels & Bees Award funded by Aberfeldy to account for transportation needs while tending the barrel at the restaurant and bar partners. Each bar or restaurant that receives the Barrels & Bees Award will also serve Aberfeldy’s Herbed Honey Smash, a signature cocktail crafted to showcase local honey alongside Aberfeldy 12 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, lemon juice, and fresh herbs harvested from the pollinator garden.

“The Aberfeldy Barrels & Bees platform educates people about the plight of bees, while advocating provenance and the use of quality ingredients,” said Sara Ivy, Brand Director Single Malts at Bacardi. “We are proud to continue driving awareness for bees and to do our part to support their populations.

“The decline in bee populations and the toll of their loss is intrinsically linked to the ability of local areas to grow food. This is why beyond saving the bees, The Bee Conservancy strives to educate, engage with nature, grow food and community bonds and build sustainable economic opportunities,” added Rebecca Louie, Managing Director, The Bee Conservancy. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Aberfeldy, a collaborator that shares these same goals, as we continue our important work.”

A longstanding bee advocate and whisky lover, actress Beth Behrs (CBS’s “The Neighborhood”) partnered with Aberfeldy to create a digital content series which aims to educate viewers on bees, the issues they face, and what they can do to help from home. Behrs, along with her beekeeping mentor Phoebe Piper of The Hive Tribe, filmed the series at the Hive Tribe bee farm in Malibu, CA. The educational videos take viewers inside an apiary, giving them an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at how a hive works, how honey is extracted from a hive and the ways that individuals can help these powerhouse creatures from home – including mixing themselves a cocktail featuring the beautiful pairing of local honey and Aberfeldy whisky.

“Once I started learning about declining bee populations and how important beekeeping is to the longevity of bees and therefore our food source, I knew this was something I had to get involved with,” said Behrs. “As a whisky lover and someone who is passionate about protecting the bees, working with Aberfeldy on Barrels & Bees is almost as perfect a partnership as Aberfeldy whisky and honey.”

For people who want to support the cause but aren’t located near a Barrels & Bees Award-winning bar or restaurant, Aberfeldy is offering a limited-edition cocktail kit on ReserveBar.com, stocked with all the ingredients needed to create the signature Aberfeldy Herbed Honey Smash at home. The limited-edition cocktail crate, which includes a bottle of Aberfeldy 12, seed coasters and a seed package they can use to plant their own basil that can double as forage, gold-dipped glassware and a bottle of artisanal, small-batch honey, will be available for purchase on ReserveBar.com in time for National Honey Bee Day, lasting throughout National Honey Month this September for $45. With only 100 of these luxurious cocktail kits available for purchase, get them while supplies last.

The post Aberfeldy Abuzz Again For Barrels & Bees appeared first on The Whiskey Lifestyle.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Aberfeldy 12 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky infused with cacao nibs
• 1 shot of espresso
• 1/2 oz salted wildflower honey syrup (honey syrup = 1 part honey, 1 part water)

Instructions:

Infuse the whisky with cacao nibs overnight and after 4 hours strain the liquid. Once ready, combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake long and hard. Finely strain and serve the cocktail in a coupe glass.

Let us know if you have a cocktail recipe you love or if there’s a recipe that you want us to break down on social media with the hashtag, #TWLScocktail. Please drink responsibly.

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Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Aberfeldy 12 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• 1/4 oz Italicus
• 1/4 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz honey syrup*
• 1 oz mango puree
• Float Angostura bitters

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients apart from the Angostura bitters in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a rocks glass over block ice. Float the Angostura bitters and garnish with a mango spear.

*For honey syrup, add 1 part honey and 1 part water into a pot and boil until combined. Let cool before adding to cocktail.

Let us know if you have a cocktail recipe you love or if there’s a recipe that you want us to break down on social media with the hashtag, #TWLScocktail. Please drink responsibly.

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Ingredients:

• 2 oz Aberfeldy 12 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• ¼ oz Maraschino Liqueur
• ¼ oz Lemon Juice
• ½ oz Cointreau

Instructions: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds and strain into a golden sugar rimmed glass.

Let us know if you have a cocktail recipe you love or if there’s a recipe that you want us to break down on social media with the hashtag, #TWLcocktail. Please drink responsibly.

The post Cocktail of the Week: Aberfeldy Golden Crusta appeared first on The Whiskey Lifestyle.

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”19″ display=”basic_slideshow”]Savage & Cook’s Bad Sweater Bourbon

Bad Sweater Bourbon is sure to be a favorite accompaniment to holiday merrymaking. The 4-year old bourbon is made in Savage & Cooke Distillery and is spiked with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cacao nibs, and vanilla bean.

J. Rieger & Co’s 2020 Kansas City Whiskey Annual Holiday Label

The distillery recently announced its 2020 Kansas City Whiskey annual holiday label. Designed in collaboration with Charlie Hustle, the label was inspired by mid-century greeting cards and holiday ads, including a pre-Prohibition illustration from a  J. Rieger & Co. ad. The whiskey is the distillery’s signature blend of bourbon, rye and light corn whiskey, along with a hint of sherry.

Jameson Irish Whiskey’s Whiskey Trees

The Irish whiskey brand gave away its legendary Jameson Whiskey Tree, which stands at nearly nine-feet-tall and features a holiday lighting system that makes the 130 bottles of Jameson light up. If you didn’t win one, you can make your own — just do so responsibly.

Malbon x The Glenlivet Collection Sweatshirt

The Glenlivet is returning to the fashion world by teaming with Malbon to launch a limited-edition capsule collection of merch that breaks from the traditional golf look. The limited-edition collection, which includes a snapback, golf bag and sweatshirt (seen above).

The Bulleit x Yeti Bundle
Bulleit Frontier Whiskey collaborated with Yeti to debut its gift pack featuring the whiskey they love along with a specialty Bulleit rambler.

Aberfeldy Golden Hot Chocolate Gift Set

Aberfeldy has partnered with Miami’s Exquisito Chocolates to develop a limited-edition hot chocolate mix that creates a golden, shimmering take on the classic hot cocoa, with notes of honey and vanilla.

Woodford Reserve 2020 Holiday Bottle

Woodford Reserve has released its annual holiday bottle, which this year features the festive artwork by UK-based architect Nick Hirst. His painting “Winter Slumber” captures the contrast between the warm interior of the Woodford warehouse and its stone exterior.

The Balvenie x Questlove Holiday Gift Box

Questlove teamed up with The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky to create an at-home happy hour experience with some of his favorite treats from The Grey Market, Fieldtrip, ’57 Chocolates, JuneBaby and more. The box also includes a set of Glencairn glasses, and a set of coasters and cocktail napkins designed by the drummer. 100% of the proceeds will go to America’s Food Fund.

Coconut Cartel’s On The Run Old Fashioned Cocktail Kit

No, this isn’t whiskey but we love Old Fashioneds of all kinds! This cocktail kit includes all of the ingredients to mix six cocktails: Coconut Cartel Special Añejo Rum, cane sugar, Scrappy’s Bitters, muddler, spoon, cocktail picks, and linen coaster.

One Part Co.’s The Master Kit

This bottle infuses half of a standard bottle of spirits. It features a removable stainless-steel infusion basket ready to hold a single packet of any 1pt infusion blend, included inside. The kit also comes with a reusable tasting straw, an instruction guide, and cocktail suggestions.

Bushwick Kitchen’s Trees Knees Bourbon Maple

Making pancakes over the break? Then you definitely need this syrup. It is sourced from an 800-acre farm in NY’s Catskill Mountains and aged in charred American oak bourbon barrels.

The post 2020: A Pandemic Gift Guide appeared first on The Whiskey Lifestyle.

The Exceptional Cask Series consists of rare single cask expressions, double-casks bottlings and small-batch releases, and is a passion project of Malt Master Stephanie Macleod. The program gives Macleod the chance to observe the nuances of maturation and flavor development, using her skills in the sensory analyses of whisky through the exploration of different cask types.

Aberfeldy 20 Years Old Small-Batch initially spent 20 years in hand-selected refill casks before being transferred to mature for a further year in Sauternes wine casks. Sauternes is a sweet wine from France.

“When finishing whiskies, I want to complement the distillery character,” says Malt Master Stephanie Macleod. “Aberfeldy has a glorious honeyed richness, and with this expression, I wanted to add a further layer of flavor complexity and enhance the maturing malt but not mask it. The Sauternes wine cask helps highlight Aberfeldy’s sweet notes of honey and brings golden syrup balanced with citrus peel, peaches and almonds.”

Additionally, Aberfeldy has also released Aberfeldy 18 Years Old finished in French Red Wine Casks from Pauillac, Bordeaux. Initially spending 18 years in a combination of refill casks, the whisky has undergone a finishing period of around 4-5 months in Pauilliac wine casks, a rich and complex red wine from Bordeaux.

Pauillac is one of the most sought-after wine regions in Bordeaux. Home to world famous wineries, the appellation produces a collection of fine red wines that are unrivaled in terms of quality. Having the deepest gravel in the Médoc*, with some chalk and clay, soils and microclimates play a vital role in Pauillac. In Bordeaux, proximity to the river is also all-important. Vineyards located at the river’s
edge bask in a microclimate, and this is where the highest quality wines in Bordeaux are found.

MacLeod carefully monitored maturation and flavor development in the casks until the desired flavor profile had been achieved. Pauillac is a robust wine, so the goal was to use this cask type to complement and elevate the signature character of Aberfeldy, not mask it. “Pauillac casks are the aristocrats of the Médoc, they provide notes of black cherries, blackberries and a cedar wood spice,” MacLeod says. “Aberfeldy’s wonderfully soft signature honey and creamy vanilla notes are invigorated with swathes of plush ripe fruits and lovely nutty aromas to create an incredibly elegant and fruitful whisky.”

Aberfeldy 20 Years Old Small-Batch is priced at $200 and will be available exclusively in the US. Aberfeldy 18 Years Old French Red Wine Cask expression is Priced at $120.

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