In 2015, Penderyn launched their Dragon range, three whiskies bearing the names of Legend, Celt, and Myth, along with the bold red dragon of Wales on the label. The range serves as an introduction to the brand, separated from their more premium malts, the Gold range. One of the few whiskies with a Kosher certificate. The Penderyn Celt was originally (and mistakenly, at first) finished in ex-Kilchoman barrels but now quarter casks from Laphroaig are used.
BenRiach has received a lot of attention over the years for their higher range age statements, both straight and peated series, as we’ve examined before. In recent years, the distillery has slimmed down the number of regular offerings, their flagship range now featuring a 10 year and this 12 year old. The BenRiach 12 Sherry Wood is sherry through and through, spending the entire maturation process before being finished with a mix of casks that once held Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherries. Whereas sherry is popular with finishing scotches, it is a rare scotch that can stand to spend the entire maturation process so.
Campbeltown is in some ways a whisky ghost town, once home to over 30 distilleries yet now only three remain, like gunslingers in an old Western. Looked at another way, however, and whisky in Campbeltown is resurgent. The three distilleries remaining are successful and robust, with Springbank leading the pack as one of the most well-regarded in Scotland. Still the only distillery to house the entire process on site, from malting to bottling, they have the capacity and foresight to experiment on the side while still supporting their core range (including the Hazelburn and Longrow lines). This Springbank 12 Year Burgundy has the spirit aged in first fill Burgundy barrels, which means the wine’s influence is stronger. The Longrow Red series typically experiments with wine finishes, so seeing the Springbank spirit treated thus is a welcome treat.