The world’s best selling Scotch Whisky brand, Johnnie Walker, have recently announced that have released the new ultra premium John Walker & Sons Private Collection 2016 Edition by Master Blender Jim Beveridge, making available just 8,888 individually numbered decanters for the third entry in a series that seeks to highlight the brand’s innovative spirit as well as the craft of the blenders behind these prestigious blends.
Collectively titled Fine Honeyed Notes, the 2016 Edition is a masterclass in balance, presenting with aromatic layers of honey sweetness from an array of the finest Single Grain Scotch Whiskies with a special Highlight Single Malt Whisky to accentuate their effects. Focusing on harmony in both palate and texture, the new edition puts a big spotlight on the radiance that grain Whiskies bring to John Walker & Sons Blended Scotch Whiskies.
These Whiskies were drawn from over 100 casks to create three vattings. Blenders hand-selected each of these casks of mature Single Grain Scotch Whiskies, including from five Johnnie Walker distilleries (Cameronbridge, Caledonian, Cambus, Carsebridge, and Port Dundas) to bring together in two styles – vanilla, woody, fudge notes most expressive of cask character, and a sweeter, estery, honey character from both cask and distillery
The third vatting was made as Jim turned to his stock of treasured experimental casks, which he reserves use of for these special releases, resulting in a Highland Single Malt Whisky that has been matured in American oak from a study in cask ends that has given a rich yet refined, soft fruit distillery character.
Each vatting was laid in casks for several months of marrying to allow their flavours to weave together and ensure a luxurious smoothness on the nose and palate, bringing together all three for one final blend.
“We couldn’t have achieved the soft sweetness and sophistication of the John Walker & Sons Private Collection 2016 Edition without the incredible access we have to rare casks of Single Grain Scotch Whiskies and our experimental stock”, said Beveridge. “We chose samples from over 100 casks to experiment with at the blending table, and it was wonderful work with the many subtle variations of grain whisky flavours and such a refined Highland Single Malt to marry into this elegant expression of Fine Honeyed Notes.”
The popular John Walker & Sons Private Collection started back in 2014 with a unique smokey blend which was declared “flawless” by Whisky writer Charles MacLean, and this was following by a 2015 edition which brought more of a Rare Fruit Character and was eventually awarded a Double Gold Medal at the authoritative 2015 San Fransisco World Spirits Competition, where it was also named “Best Blended Scotch – No Age Statement”.
With a short but celebrated history, this highly praised collection has already begun to look forward to 2017, but for now you can grab the 2016 Edition at select Dan Murphy’s stores for a recommended retail price of $977. This is one for the collectors!
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