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Fellow Drammers,
An event we have been working on for a long time has just been confirmed, and it will be the most ambitious online event we've ever done. On Thursday, January 15th at Noon Pacific / 3pm EST in the US and 20:00 in Scotland, we will welcome back the one and only Dr. Bill Lumsden, Director of Whisky Creation for The Glenmorangie Company (including Ardbeg). Any opportunity to host Dr. Bill is always reason for celebration, and we've had the honor of welcoming him numerous times over the years. But this event will be on another level. It will feature 6 expressions that are very, very hard to come by, all high-end releases from Glenmorangie (which is, after all, owned by the luxury titans that are LVMH). These bottles are normally reserved for Glenmorangie's most elite and dedicated collectors:
The Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection (MSRP: US$9,000). A 3 bottle set of Glenmorangie whiskies finished in rare wines. Only 600 sets were released globally, which featured 3 bottles aged 27 to 29 years. Each was matured first in ex-bourbon casks, and then was finished for an extra-long 18-20 years in rare wine casks:
29yo Margaux finish (red Bordeaux) 52.5% abv,
28yo Corton-Charlemagne finish (white Burgundy) 52.1% abv, and
27yo Barbaresco finish (Italian Nebbiolo) 51.3% abv.
The Year of the Horse 23yo (2026, MSRP US$1,750). Believe it or not, this is even more limited. This 2026 bottling is limited to only 388 bottles globally, and as far as we can tell no photos of this bottle have surfaced yet on the internet. Distilled in 2002, aged in a combination of bourbon and Sauternes wine casks, bottled at 23yo, 46% abv. The Year of the Horse is of course part of the Chinese Zodiac that tracks the years in a 12-year repeat cycle, each commemorating an animal that featured in the Chinese lore documenting a celestial race of the zodiac animals - with 2025 being the Year of the Snake. Here's how Glenmorangie describes this whisky: Layering soft, floral notes on luscious sweetness, our rare and vibrant creation deliciously marks Year of the Horse 2026 encapsulating the Chinese Zodiac animals vivacious character this limited edition was distilled in 2002, also a Horse year. Uniting single malt aged in bourbon casks with whisky finished over many years in Sauternes sweet white wine casks from France, its inviting complexity embodies the horse's generosity and verve. Vibrant, sweet and floral.
Bill Lumsden x Azuma Makoto 23yo (MSRP, US$1,395). This 23yo bottling was created as a collaboration between Dr Bill Lumsden and Japanese botanical artist, Azuma Makoto. Dr Bill first took a classic Glenmorangie, long aged in ex-bourbon casks, heady with aromas of lemon balsam and orchids. He then united that single malt with the first whisky from Glenmorangie to be finished in casks which once held Chardonnay white wine from the Meursault appellation in Burgundy. Inspired by that whisky’s complex notes of flowers, rain-soaked moss and earthy notes, Azuma Makoto created a botanical masterpiece, which now is pictured on the bottle. This expression was awarded two Double Gold medals at the International Spirits Challenge 2024 and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024 (MSRP: $1,395.99)
Drammers Pick: 19yo Ardbeg Single Cask (MSRP: US$1,000). Last but not least, the tasting will include an expression that marks a big moment for our club: Our Drammers pick Ardbeg single cask has just landed in the United States -- we couldn't be more proud or excited!!! Aged entirely in a refill sherry cask (it had previously been used for two years to age their Lasanta expression before it was filled with newmake and aged for nearly 20 years). Happily it kept its strength up, bottled at 55.3% abv. I had a chance to try this when we selected this cask earlier this year, and it's a beautiful whisky -- Dr. Bill has said that refill sherry cask is his favorite type of cask for Ardbeg, and it's easy to see why. You could even call it a delicate Ardbeg. Special stuff and an exciting moment for our club.
That's our lineup, a rather ambitious set of bottles, but we wanted to do something big in honor of our single cask arriving. The event will take place over Zoom on Thursday, Jan. 15th, and just want to make sure everyone saw that it will take place during the day for those of you in the US (Noon Pacific / 3pm EST which is 20:00 in Scotland). Please let us know if you have any questions.
Cheers!
Drammers Club