New Products

Just a few things this week, nothing to get excited about, really - only kidding! Yes, the return of Port Charlotte and the arrival of the first official 'White' Bowmore have had whisky nuts tossing and turning for weeks, and probably losing sleep as well. Here they are at last. In all the furore and hubbub surrounding them though, let's not forget there are two other more modestly priced Bowmores to check out. The 1992 looks interesting and the '83 looks like it could be a belter. Best of all, though, will be the words of a living legend of whisky, the life and times of maestro Richard Paterson. Surely the perfect stocking-filler for the erudite whiskyfan.

Three very interesting new bottlings from Adelphi, including a young cask-strength Ardbeg. We also have a new bottling from the Number One Drinks Company, former Whisky Magazine publisher Marcin Miller's Japanese whisky venture. Sadly, the Hanyu distillery closed it's doors in 2000 and was dismantled in 2004, but the malts coming to market now are of outstanding quality, so we should enjoy them while they're still available. On the blog this week, we have a report on the Ardbeg Blasda tasting held at Vinopolis here , and photos of the event here . It was a great event, with plenty of top-class whisky to enjoy - many thanks to the TWE Vinopolis team for setting it up, and to Ardbeg distillery Mickey Heads for coming to talk to us.

Just like the clocks going back, here at TWE we know that the Christmas rush is just about upon us when Diageo's Special Releases arrive. Plenty to get excited about here, with the eighth release of Port Ellen and the first official bottlnig of Brora 25yo leading the way, but as ever there are other malts from less hyped distilleries that are likely to be excellent in their own right without causing quite as much damage to your pocket. We're tipping the Glen Elgin 16yo this year as the choice pick for the budget connoisseur (of whom TWE has more than one amongst our number), and of course there's the ever-reliable Lagavulin 12yo and the always-wonderful Talisker 25 and 30yo. In something of a departure from previous years, this year Diageo has released three expressions from the same distillery in 50cl bottles: Linkwood 26yo. Each of these bottlnigs was matured initally for 12 years in traditional casks before spending the last 14 years of maturation in different woods: Rum, Port and Red wine. These bottlings have provoked some debate in the whisky world - you can read about it alongside official tasting notes for each expression on the TWE Blog .

More (or should that be 'MOR') new goodies, including the eponomous Ardbeg 4.5L, now reincarnated as a 46% 10yo; we also have the new version of the Oloroso cask Laphroaig 27yo that did so well last year, picking up 92 points from Whiskyfun and scooping the Malt Maniac's Ne Plus Ultra award for top-scoring malt, two tasty Bunnahabhains from Signatory and a trio of Raw Cask malts from Blackadder including the rarely-seen Glenugie. All this and the Diageo Special Releases still to come - you lucky people...

Something for everyone here, with a Japanese gem, a rare indy Macallan from our friend Jean Boyer, a new Balvenie release and a couple of single cask offerings of Ben Nevis from Signatory: an old bourbon barrel and a younger sherry butt.

A cask strength 18yo Lowlander, a limited high-strength Bourbon bottled for Japan and two single cask offerings from great distilleries by a top independent bottler - what's not to like? Oh, and the small matter of the Ardbeg Blasda! Yes, Islays favourite sons are at it again, this time with a new lesser-peated version of their lovely spirit. Click here to go to the TWE Blog 's special Blasda article, with much more info and comment on Islay's latest new arrival.