Page 55 - Thirst Magazine Issue 2 June 2017
P. 55

whisky trends








 to watch           coming Irish whiskey revolution is Diageo’s   has already been a huge success since it was
                                                                William Grant and Sons’ Monkey Shoulder
                    attempt to get back into the sector, two years
                                                             launched in 2005, while last year, Johnnie
                    after selling one of the category’s jewels,
                                                             Walker recently reinstated the previously
                    Bushmills, to Mexican company Jose Cuevo.
                    Diageo recently launched a new brand, Roe
                                                             back into its core range. Not to be left out,
                    And Co, and is currently building a new
                                                             Chivas Brothers launched its first ever blended
                    distillery in Dublin.                    discontinued (except in Taiwan) Green Label
                                                             malt brand, Chivas Ultis, last year.
 By SJ Zheng        the new world catches up
                    Ireland is not the only one that is on the up.   GettinG experimental
                    Whiskies from other countries have also   With the shift towards NAS whiskies,
 rom Scotch to bourbon, Japanese to   the age statements off most of their bottlings.  started to trickle out into the market. Japanese,   distilleries will be looking to make their
 Irish, there is no doubt that whisky (or   In fact, NAS bottlings are becoming such   Canadian, Australian, and American whiskies   products stand out more to make up for the
 whiskey) is one of the biggest spirit   a trend right now that it’s become a tendency   are already well-established, but what’s   lack of an age statement. This could lead to
 categories in the world. In recent   for some distilleries to declare that they will   surprising is how quickly whiskies from other   more experimental whiskies or more unique
 F times, the category has experienced a   NEVER take away the age statement. During   countries are also getting a foot in the door.  bottlings in the market.
 worldwide boom, leading to an industry that   a visit to Kuala Lumpur last year, Glen Grant   Taiwan’s Kavalan, for instance, has been a   For example, Glenmorangie and Ardbeg
 is constantly evolving to keep up with global   master distiller Dennis Malcolm defiantly   massive success, winning numerous awards,   have released bottlings that experiment with
 demand. With that, several notable trends have  claimed that as long as he worked there, it   and expanding its reach far beyond Taiwan   unique cask finishes via the Glenmorangie
 emerged within the whisky world.  will always have a core range of whiskies   and Asia – it recently announced that it will be   Private Editions and the annual Ardbeg Day
 with an age statement. And in a strange plot   releasing five new bottles in the US this year.  limited edition bottlings (the recent one,
 twist, Johnnie Walker actually renamed their   In terms of volume, India is the largest   Ardbeg Kelpie, was aged in virgin Black Sea
 non-aGe statement scotch  Platinum Label to the Johnnie Walker 18-Year-  consumer of whisky in the world, though   oak casks).
 There is no denying it anymore – non-age   Old!  much of it is domestic ‘whiskey’ derived from   Glenfiddich also recently launched their
 statement (NAS) whiskies are here to stay.  molasses. The country does produce single   own experimental series, with two expressions
 They may argue that what matters is the   malt whisky as well though, mainly through   – the Glenfiddich XX (a blend of malts chosen
 flavour of the whisky, not the age, that is   two brands – Amrut and Paul John, both of   by 20 of the distillery’s brand ambassadors)
 most important, but the fact is more and more  the rise of the irish  which have also been getting a good reputation   and Glenfiddich IPA (finished in casks that
 whisky producers are coming up with NAS   Ireland was the country   overseas.  previously held IPA beer).
 bottlings these days largely to cope with the   that invented whiskey,   With whisky distilleries popping up   Some distilleries have been looking at other
 rising demand for whisky worldwide.  and was once the   everywhere, from Iceland and South Africa to   ways to influence their spirit, for instance, the
 While many of the established brands still   largest producer of   Belgium and Switzerland, don’t be surprised if   barley – Bruichladdich has whiskies made from
 retain the age statements on their core ranges,   the spirit in the world.   your next favourite whisky isn’t from Scotland   100% Islay-grown barley, while Springbank has
 many have   However, it fell by the   or Japan.             its Local Barley series.
 I don’t remember,   How old are   released NAS   wayside for a variety of   Even Johnnie
 does it matter?  expressions   reasons and historical       Walker is coming up
 you? Like 20?
 as well –   circumstances. Recently                         with experiments
 Glenlivet,   though, Irish whiskey                          of its own via the
 for instance,   is going through a                          Blender’s Batch series,
 recently   renaissance that has                             which sees master
 launched the   seen it become the                           blender Jim Beveridge
 Glenlivet   fastest growing spirit                          and his team
 Founder’s   category in the world.                          experimenting with
 Reserve, which   A recent Wall Street                       different cask finishes
 could well   Journal article reported                       and flavours in limited
 replace its core  that Irish whiskey has grown worldwide at a   edition bottlings.
 12-Year-Old   staggering 131% over the past decade compared   more malt-ernatives  As Scotch
 bottling in the   to Scotch’s relatively modest 13%. At the tail   Blended whisky may still be Scotch’s biggest   continues to grow,
 future. Over   end of 2016, it was estimated that there are   seller, but with increasingly discerning whisky   look out for more such
 in Japan, the   more than 30 new distilleries being built or   drinkers demanding more malt whisky, blended   ‘experiments’ in the
 two biggest   planned at the time.  malt (a blend of only malt whiskies) could be   future. It’s an exciting
 producers of   With new distilleries like Teeling Whiskey   another way for distilleries to go. Also known   time to be a whisky-
 whiskies there,  at its forefront and established brands like   as “pure malt” in Japan, the category may still   drinker, so don’t let a
 Suntory and   Jameson attempting to diversify its portfolio,   be rather small compared to single malt and   number (or the lack
 Nikka, have   these are exciting times for Irish whiskey.  blended whisky, but that could change in the   of one) on the bottle
 already taken   Perhaps one of the clearest signs of the   future.  limit your choices!




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