Scotch Whisky is a deeply evocative drink. It can stir up vivid memories of times gone past, transporting the drinker back to the moment and place they first tried a drop. Join us on a journey around the world as we sample four of the rarest Scotch Whiskies inspired by faraway lands.
Rare Scotch Whisky is unique in its ability to transcend the drinker, communicating the experiences of its creator, the whisky maker, a collective memory of the pivotal moments happening within the maker’s life, woven into the sense of taste. This storytelling shares the memories of the people, places and passions which once inspired the creator, with influences expressed through tasting notes, distillation methods and wood maturation choices.
Science undoubtedly plays its role in good whisky making, but this expression of memory is where the art behind blending comes into play – the spices of the souks, immortalised in notes of cinnamon and star anise; a love for friends the other side of the pond, unashamedly expressed with the use of active ex-bourbon casks; a love story between Scotch and Sherry, a tale of European Oak recorded in notes of dark, juicy fruits and chocolate.
Over seven decades, the House of Hazelwood has acted as the custodian of these moments, each one documented and preserved, each experience to be shared with discerning drinkers today.
Take a trip across the pond with The Transatlantic
It was no secret that Charles Gordon, of whom one of our collections is eponymously named in tribute to, had an affinity with the Transatlantic. His love for the route, and subsequently his friends and business across the other side of the Atlantic was unwavering. So unwavering in fact, that at the impressive age of 85, he made his final journey across the stretch of water, a journey that would prove to sadly be the last in a lifelong passion.
Stateside, Charles would embrace sports club culture, a relationship which would see many exclusive whiskies bottled, a liquid expression of the culture and history taking place. Of course, it comes as no surprise that for a whisky maker so well-travelled, the sourcing of active ex-bourbon casks was a priority, with only the best secured from the homeplace of Bourbon, of golden syrup and vanilla notes, the land of Kentucky.
Aptly named, one of our most recent releases, The Transatlantic, a 33-Year-Old Blended Grain Scotch Whisky takes on such significant characteristics from its time in Virgin American Oak, that if sampled blind, you could be forgiven for believing it was a Bourbon from the lands of Kentucky itself.
This lively character is a clear descendant of American Oak – expect all manners of Bourbon-like character, including buttery popcorn, golden syrup, candy corn – and even a touch of recently carved pencil shavings – a nod to its slumber in cask.
Embark on a Sojourn of Spice with The Silk Traveller
The Silk Traveller, a 44-Year-Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky, could not be further from the landscapes of Scotland in which it once matured. The liquid personification of a nomadic merchant, one whiff of this aromatic character immerses the senses in stories of spices, herbs and sweet treats, woven through the textured canopies of eastern souks and bazaars.
A truly unique presentation of a Scotch Whisky style famed for its softness, Whisky Magazine, upon tasting dubbed this expression with “This has real guts. Impressive.” And impressive it is – for despite maturation in ex-bourbon American Oak and Virgin Oak casks, The Transatlantic, this expression takes flight in the opposite direction.
Wanderers of the palate can expect a whisky that pulls no punches, beginning with dried herbs and aniseed, before moving into freshly-made leather – an aromatic allusion to tanneries, with wares baking out in the hot desert sun. An earthy smell, tempered by sweet liquorice root, an exceptional expression of the exotic, rarely found nestled in the back of a Scottish dunnage warehouse.
Admire Andalucía with The Tops
The Tops, a 33-Year-Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, is no wallflower. Each component which makes up this marriage of malt lays its roots in Speyside. The resulting spirit is luxuriously luscious in nature – with lashings of toffee, treacle, and caramel to be found in every glass.
But this expression is representative of provenance beyond the lush, rolling hills of Speyside to somewhere altogether different: a Spanish region famed for its sherry making in Andalucía: Jerez de la Frontera.
You see, this heavily sherried release would simply not be possible without the merits of European Oak, once used to house the fortified wine. It is well known that Sherry and Scotch make good bedfellows – Scotch’s ability to absorb the character of a Sherry Cask is proven to result in deeply decadent tasting notes. In modern times, the production of sherry is even dedicated to the Scotch Industry, with sherry bodegas seasoning casks with sherry for the single purpose of use in whisky maturation.
In the case of The Tops, there is no finer example of a rare Scotch Whisky that celebrates this relationship. Carefully curated as the result of exceptional maturation in European Oak, the blender has selected only the most elegant and expressive components – colloquially known as “the tops” or the very best. The resulting liquid is proud of its Speyside and Andalucian heritage, displaying a depth and complexity that even the most avid and well-travelled whisky drinker would find difficult to resist.
Traverse the Tropics with Sunshine on Speyside
In contrast to its aforementioned Speyside sibling, Sunshine on Speyside regales another tale altogether - one of vibrancy and effervescence, the complete contrast to what anyone could possibly expect from a Speyside Malt.
Indeed, this 39-Year-Old Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a bona fide rebel, and despite laying in cask, in similar conditions to its regional counterparts, rebelled against everything that was expected of it – there were no dulcet tones of dark fruits, berries and chocolate to be found here – but instead a taste of tropical paradise, expressed in an astonishingly bright presentation of fresh pineapple, charred fruit and zesty citrus.
An uncharacteristic expression, no doubt, but a look towards its era of distillation, the 1980s alludes to its character within: the era of brightly coloured, tropical flavoured cocktails – mini paper umbrellas in tow. Indeed, this particular parcel, as directed by its blender, truly enjoyed the allure of Club Tropicana, so much so, it opted to bring a taste of the tropical to Speyside.
Travelling the World of Rare Scotch Whisky
A metaphorical flight through some of our most distinctive releases is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to uncovering the potential that well-aged and rare Scotch Whisky has to offer. As for where it can take you? You’ll have to explore the depths of our collection to find out.
