More peat! Less Oban? Powered by Aberlour. Better Excuse?

More Peat

The crazy bastards at Bruichladdich are getting ready to fire up the stills for a new expression of yet another heavily peated mash.

This one, to be called Lochindaal (after the large body of water just yards from the front gate - and also one of the names that the now long gone Port Charlotte distillery went by) will be peated to 50 ppm +/-.

That's a bit higher than the recently released Port Charlotte (40 ppm) and much lower than the yet to be released Octomore (80 ppm +/-).

The first distillation is planned for October 26th 2007 and  the first 100 casks of the distillation will be offered for sale to the public at £1850 a cask.

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Less Oban?

A reader wrote to ask about rumors regarding Oban 14 year old being in short supply.

I pinged my contact at Diageo who denied this rumor:

Thanks for your question about Oban. I've checked with the brand team and they have confirmed that we will have the same quantity of Oban in the coming year in the US as we've had in the past couple of years.

Subsequently, some non-Diageo sources told me otherwise.

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Powered by Aberlour

Apparently Aberlour is the "un-official" favourite whisky of British troops in Iraq.

An Irish soldier, who formerly lived in Elgin, started recommending (and providing) it to his colleagues.

Officially speaking these soldiers aren't supposed to have whisky whilst "on duty", but whose going to deny them?

Maybe Gordon Brown can make friends among the troops and support Scotland at the same time by air-dropping a couple of casks?

No, I did not get this rumor from Aberlour ;)

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Better Excuse (than the last few?)

"The current plan to build a distillery at Catfirth, Nesting, has been delayed because of Blackwood chief executive Caroline Whitfield's personal circumstances regarding her divorce."

Later in the story...

"The shareholder added that following speculation that Blackwood may go into liquidation and then reinvent itself, he felt the company would be unlikely to attract local investors a second time."

Shetland Today (Thanks, Brian M.)

Comments

[Mark Taylor]

If you are a fan of Oban I suggest you stock up while it's still on the self at your local liquor store. Trust me this single malt will not make it to the New Year. With the boom of single malts in the past years any scotch over 14 years old is in jeparty of running out.

Mark@liquoroutletwinecellars.com

[Ian Buxton]

Perhaps Ms Whitfield will have to disclose the whereabouts of the Muckle Flugga in her divorce settlement...but don't all rush at once.

[Derek]

I havent seen Oban in Tucson for months. The bartender at a place I frequent said he cant get it right now and I havent seen it on the shelves in any store for a long time.