Stateways

After it has reached maturity, the whisky is ferried back to the island for its final year in wood. The malt is bottled without chill filtration at 46.3% alcohol. Its suggested retail price is $129.99. Highland Park on the island of Orkney is the northernmost distillery in the world. The microclimate of the isolated and wind-swept island is dominated by the Highland Park Thor. North Sea and North Atlantic. Its acclaimed portfolio now includes a highly anticipated addition to Highland Park Orcadian Vintage Series. The Highland Park 1964 Vintage is the oldest within the Series, and due to the rarity of the whisky, only 290 bottles of this limited edition single malt will be made available. The vintage malt was obtained from two hogshead oak casks that were hand-selected by Highland Park���s whisky maker Max McFarlane. The release is bottled at 42.2% alcohol. Last spring the brand debuted Highland Park Thor, a limited-edition, ultra-premium single malt meant to be the first in a series of limited-edition releases called the Valhalla Collection. Finished in Oloroso sherry casks, the 16-year-old is produced at cask strength (104.2 proof) and retails for $199 for a 750 ml bottle. This January, Lowland giant Auchentoshan released triple-distilled Auchentoshan Valinch 2012, a limited-edition malt matured in predominantly first-fill North American bourbon casks and bottled non-chill filtered and at cask strength of 57.2% alcohol by volAuchentoshan Valinch 2012. ume. The 2012 Vintage represents the 2nd limited release of Valinch, which will be produced and released every year in small quantities. Approximately 1,300 bottles of Valinch 2012 are available in the U.S. for a suggested retail price of $59.99 for a 750ml bottle. M A Look at Blended Scotch elding dozens of various whiskies into a unified, cohesive spirit is such a rarified skill that only a handful of individuals can lay claim to the title of master blender. When done with StateWays I www.stateways.com I March/April 2013 skill and intuition, the various elements meld together into something genuinely sensational���a spirit made better for every strand in its blend. Sterling examples can be found throughout the often-overlooked sector of blended Scotch. By their nature, these whiskies are artistic endeavors, the combination of dozens of spirits varying in ages and compositions, all produced by a number of distilleries. These are certainly the best of times for devotees of exceptional whisky. The biggest names in blended Scotch have line extensions that will be hard to improve upon. ��� B ALLANTINE ��� S ��� Ballantine���s Ballantine���s ranks as one of 30-Year. the world���s most famous and successful brands of blended Scotch. In fact, two bottles of Ballantine���s are sold somewhere on the planet every second. Prestigious Ballantine���s 30-Year Whisky is highly aromatic with a light silky body and a complex palate featuring sherry, honey and a hint of peat. ��� BUCHANAN���S ��� Established in 1884, award-winning Buchanan���s De Luxe, 80 proof, is a 12-year-old blended Scotch whisky made with a core of Dalwhinnie single malt. The venerable brand also includes Buchanan���s Special Reserve, which is aged a minimum of 18 years and top of the line Buchanan���s 21-year old Red Seal. ��� CHIVAS CENTURY OF MALTS ��� Likely the most inspired blended whisky ever conceived, the Chivas Century of Malts is an unprecedented attempt to literally capture the spirit and essence of Scotland. It combines 100 distinctive single malt whiskies produced from distilleries in every appellation throughout Scotland. The result is a masterpiece, a complex, medium-bodied blend with an incomparable array of flavors. ��� CHIVAS REGAL 18-YEAR-OLD ��� The 18-year-old Chivas Regal is a most perfect compromise between the sublime character and intricate flavors of the 12-year-old Chivas Regal blend, and the finesse and elegance of the 21-year-old Royal Salute. The 18-year-old Chivas Regal blend presents a veritable feast for the senses. The blend is graced with a lush, full body and a complex ensemble of lavish flavors. It is decidedly smokier and possesses more dimension and character than the 12-year-old Chivas Regal. The artistry created on the palate softly settles into a long, sublime finish. ��� CHIVAS REGAL GOLD SIGNATURE ��� The special reserve blend is comprised of more than 40 whiskies, all of which were barrel-aged at least 18 years. The superpremium marque is aromatic and accessible. 39

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