House of Hazelwood unveil rare whisky created in collaboration with expert Dave Broom

House of Hazelwood has unveiled a 33 year old blended scotch whisky created in a rare collaboration with renowned whisky writer Dave Broom.

Named The Accelerator & The Brake, this new House of Hazelwood whisky has been released alongside is a documentary celebrating the history of the Gordon Family – one of whisky’s foremost families.

Under blender Eilidh Muir’s watchful eye, Dave selected a dynamic aged grain and an elegant malt, inverting their ratios with unexpected results.

The aim was to celebrate the uniquely successful partnership of the Gordon brothers Charles and Sandy, who revolutionised the whisky industry throughout the second half of the 20th Century.

Whisky writer Dave was invited to discover more about House of Hazelwood and through that process uncovered unique stories about the two brothers. 

The Accelerator and The Brake were nicknames bestowed to Charles and Sandy Gordon by their employees, colleagues, and business associates.  

It was said that Charles Gordon was extremely driven and ambitious, whereas his brother and business counterpart was more measured and reserved.

‘This whisky captures the essence of the relationship between the two brothers,’ said Dave.

‘As I uncovered the history behind the House of Hazelwood, I wanted to create a whisky which reflected their complimentary personalities.  

‘Working with Eilidh Muir from the blending team, she helped to create what I believe is a truly brilliant example of blending with every element working together. 

‘I wasn’t sure if inverting the classic blending model would work, but with Eilidh’s guidance we found that by using a quiet malt alongside a parcel of full-flavoured grain it has resulted in an exceptional blend that gives balance and complexity but in an unusual formulation – the dynamic grain driving flavour and the malt acting as the quiet partner.’

The whisky also has an unconventional maturation as it was aged in American White Oak casks with a component matured for a time in Virgin Oak.

The result is a blend that is sweeter than you might first expect on the palate, with notes of heavy maple, pecan pie and in time chocolate. 

‘It’s clearly a mature whisky with rich black fruits while the oiliness provides a silky texture,’ Dave said.

‘The finish is long with intense spices that mellow into After Eight mints. Overall, it has a real energy and shows no sign of fatigue.’

Accompanying the whisky, the exclusive 30-minute documentary sees Dave Broom delve into the history of House of Hazelwood through interviews with family members

The Accelerator & The Brake, 33-Year-Old Blended Scotch Whisky is on sale now, with only 209 bottles worldwide. It has a 56.7% ABV and is priced at £1,700.

Read more news and reviews on Scottish Field’s food and drink pages.

Plus, don’t miss the November’s issue of Scottish Field magazine.