Club Corner
Single Malt Club Q1 2025: Nc'nean Quiet Rebels "Amy"
Nc’nean Distillery As our first selection of 2025 coincides with Women’s History Month, I am pleased to present a single malt whose namesake is a woman, from a distillery founded by a woman. Nc’nean distillery further distinguishes itself by being at the forefront of sustainability in Scotch Whisky production. This is a very approachable, pleasant whisky. I hope you enjoy it! Sláinte! Sam Crocker Spirits Buyer Nc’nean Distillery Quiet Rebels “Amy” Region: Western Highlands, Scotland “Annabel Thomas started Nc’nean to change the way the world thinks about whisky from Scotland. Her mission was to create a whisky which could exist in harmony with this planet we call home. After leaving her job in London in 2013, she spent four years raising funds and building the distillery from the ground up on the west coast of Scotland. In 2017, Nc’nean started distilling our very own organic whisky, and in 2020 our first bottle was born. We now have four different series of whiskies as well as a Botanical Spirit. Sustainability runs in our veins. We believe it is our responsibility to constantly improve our impact on this earth in terms of carbon footprint, pollution and biodiversity. B Corp certified, we use only unpeated organic Scottish barley in our distillery powered only by renewable energy. We bottle our whisky in a 100% recycled clear glass bottle (a first in Scotch whisky, we think), and we divert 99.97% of our waste from landfill. As of 2021 we became the first whisky distillery in the UK to be verified as net zero carbon emissions for scopes 1 and 2. The Quiet Rebels series is released each autumn, when a new bottling is selected by and named after one of our small team. Quiet Rebels Amy, named after our Visitor Manager and Head of Sustainability, includes whisky finished in ex-Maury casks from a small organic vineyard in France who produce a fortified wine that is made in a similar way to port. The 60-year-old vines are maintained with a variety of sustainable farming methods including agroforestry which involves integrating trees amongst the vines to improve soil richness. The farm also follows biodynamic principles such as following the lunar calendar which several studies show is an effective way to determine the best time to plant and harvest crops. These ex-Maury casks have been blended with Nc’nean’s house style STR red wine and Ex-Bourbon casks to create Amy’s dream bottling.”(source: www.ncnean.com) Founder: Annabel Thomas Cask Type: 63% STR (shaved, toasted, re-charred) red wine casks, 19% ex-Maury, 18% ex-Bourbon ABV: 48.5% Price: $118.99/700mL Tasting Notes: Lemon custard, damson jam and brown butter muffins.
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American Whiskey Club Quarter 3: Lost Lantern Far Flung Bourbon
Lost Lantern Far-Flung Bourbon Our featured producer this quarter has been making quite a buzz in the whiskey world as of late. Lost Lantern is an independent bottler and blender based in the small town of Vergennes, Vermont. Founded by two self-proclaimed whiskey nerds, they are devoted to showcasing the best craft distilleries across the country, some of which have never been distributed outside the borders of their home states. Lost Lantern has garnered numerous awards, including double gold and best in class at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Cheers! Sam Crocker Spirits Buyer Lost Lantern Far-Flung Bourbon Batch 1 Components: A blend of Straight Bourbons from - Frey Ranch Distillery, Fallon, NV - Watershed Distillery, Columbus, OH - Boulder Spirits, Boulder, CO - Still Austin Whiskey Co., Austin, TX Lost Lantern is an independent bottler and blender of small-batch and single cask whiskeys from craft distilleries across the United States. Founders Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski each got their start in different segments of the spirits industry; Nora as a Sales Manager at Astor Wine & Spirits, one of the country’s top spirits retailers, and Adam as a Senior Whisky Specialist at Whisky Advocate, focusing on new American distilleries. Together they are the tasting panel for Lost Lantern, with Nora heading production and operations and Aaron sourcing unique casks from craft distilleries around the country. Lost Lantern Far-Flung Bourbon is a blend of straight bourbons from four distilleries in four states that have never been blended before: 3-year-old bourbon from Still Austin, 5-year-old bourbon from Frey Ranch, 6-year-old bourbon from Boulder Spirits, and 7-year-old bourbon from Watershed. Frey Ranch is one of the country’s only estate distilleries, growing all their own grain for their distillery onsite in a uniquely arable pocket of northern Nevada. Their spicy, earthy whiskey reflects that climate. Boulder Spirits, founded by a Scotsman, makes a lot of single malt and their bourbon shows that influence with its uniquely high-malt mashbill. Coupled with high-elevation aging, their bourbon is incredibly bold and powerful. Still Austin makes their whiskies entirely with Texas-grown grains, reflecting the intensity of the Texas climate. Finally, Watershed is located in a more temperate climate, creating a whiskey that is full and balanced. The bourbon for this release came from a unique five-grain mashbill that includes locally grown spelt. Adapted from LostLantern.com Price: $107.99 Proof: 136.8 Tasting Notes: Oak spice, cocoa and ginger notes on the nose, with a rich, spicy palate balanced by clove and dark chocolate notes.
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American Whiskey Club Quarter 3: Lost Lantern Soaring Spice
Lost Lantern Soaring Spice Bourbon Our featured producer this quarter has been making quite a buzz in the whiskey world as of late. Lost Lantern is an independent bottler and blender based in the small town of Vergennes, Vermont. Founded by two self-proclaimed whiskey nerds, they are devoted to showcasing the best craft distilleries across the country, some of which have never been distributed outside the borders of their home states. Lost Lantern has garnered numerous awards, including double gold and best in class at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. This release is a blend of 4 barrels distilled at one of the country’s only farm distilleries, Frey Ranch. Longtime club members may recall that we previously featured two of our own single-barrel selections from Frey. They continue to produce outstanding whiskey, and we are thrilled to share this release with you. Cheers! Sam Crocker Spirits Buyer Lost Lantern Soaring Spice Bourbon Location: Vergennes, Vermont (distilled in Fallon, Nevada) Lost Lantern is an independent bottler and blender of small-batch and single cask whiskeys from craft distilleries across the United States. Founders Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski each got their start in different segments of the spirits industry; Nora as a Sales Manager at Astor Wine & Spirits, one of the country’s top spirits retailers, and Adam as a Senior Whisky Specialist at Whisky Advocate, focusing on new American distilleries. Together they are the tasting panel for Lost Lantern, with Nora heading production and operations and Aaron sourcing unique casks from craft distilleries around the country. Soaring Spice is the first bourbon in Lost Lantern’s Single Distillery Series. It is a blend of four barrels distilled at Frey Ranch in Fallon, Nevada, one of the only estate distilleries in the country. Fifth-generation farmers Colby and Ashley Frey grow all the grains used in their whiskies onsite at the Ranch. The Frey family has been ranching and farming in the region since 1854, when Nevada was still a territory. They are known for a rich and earthy style of bourbon. With this release, Lost Lantern set out to showcase their depth and range, seeking barrels that displayed rich baking spice flavors. Although made from Frey Ranch’s standard four-grain mashbill, Soaring Spice is quite distinct from Frey’s own Straight Bourbon, showing just how much of an impact natural barrel variation and deliberate blending choices can make. Price: $107.99 Proof: 127.6 Mashbill: 67% corn 12% malted barley 11% rye 10% wheat Tasting Notes: notes of clove, nutmeg, orange peel, cardamom, and allspice, a deep oak flavor, and a long, warming finish. Aged 4 years 900 bottles produced
Learn moreQ3 2023 American Whiskey Club
Is that a whisper of fall in the air? While I imagine most of you (like me) enjoy whiskey all year round, it is particularly suited for autumn sipping. As the leaves change and the temperature begins to drop, I reach for robust and complex whiskeys to savor. This quarter’s selection fits perfectly into that category. I hope you will enjoy this bottle as the days get shorter and the pours get taller. Cheers! Sam Crocker Spirits Buyer Barrell Whiskey Private Release finished in Sercial Madeira barrel Blend #AQ81 Location: Louisville, Kentucky Joe Beatrice founded Barrell Craft Spirits in 2013. A former marketing and technology entrepreneur, he experienced an aha moment when he tasted whiskey straight from the barrel. Rather than opening a distillery, Joe was inspired by the independent bottlers of Scotland, who select and bottle whiskeys from various distilleries. He began seeking out casks from well-known distilleries in Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and elsewhere, creating unique, small batch blends, and experimenting with numerous cask finishes. Barrell quickly grabbed the attention and praise of the spirits world and has garnered numerous awards, including 10 Double Gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. To highlight their blending expertise on a smaller scale, Barrell offers a unique Private Release Whiskey Program. Each Private Release Whiskey starts as a microblend that is then given a secondary cask finish before being bottled at cask strength. The AQ81 release is a blend of whiskeys from Kentucky and Indiana (Bourbon, Rye, Corn Whiskey and Light Whiskey) created by the blending team on a single barrel scale. It has been finished in a Sercial Madeira barrel, which adds dimensions of dry nuttiness and caramel notes. It is bottled at cask strength of 122.04 proof. Price: $95.99/btl ABV/proof: 61.02%/122.04 Tasting Notes: Appearance: gold Nose: cinnamon bark, hint of salinity Palate: tart cherries, almond cake Finish: dry, lingering
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