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56-year-old blended whisky set to go on sale

The Last Drop Distillers have announced the launch of their oldest blended Scotch whisky they have bottled to date.

The 56 Year Old blended Scotch whisky comprises over 60% single malts and is a truly remarkable example of balance, wearing its age with grace and dignity.

Launching in September, this marks The Last Drop’s 16th release within their esteemed portfolio. Their mission is to seek out and hunt down parcels of exceptional spirits that have been lost or forgotten.

Many years ago, deep in the heart of Scotland, a Master Blender began creating a 12 year old blended Scotch whisky. Reminiscent of an artist with his palette of colours, the blender was looking for light and shade, depth and variety. After meticulous trials and tasting, the final blend was chosen and bottled.

However, some liquid remained. This was transferred to sherry casks to allow for continued maturation before, a number of years later, the precious spirit was transferred from the sherry wood into four ex-bourbon barrels thus preventing the influence of the sherry from overwhelming the natural balance of the spirit. These barrels lay hidden and undisturbed in a warehouse for over 30 years.

The youngest whisky in this blend was distilled in 1963, a year in which the world was on the verge of great change. When The Last Drop chanced upon the four barrels, they discovered a magnificent, ultra-aged blended Scotch whisky.

Rebecca Jago, joint managing director of The Last Drop, said: ‘This venerable old whisky – the oldest blended Scotch we have released to date – has been resting for 56 years deep in the heart of Scotland. When we discovered it, we knew we had found a real gem: comprising over 60 per cent single malts, this would have been classed as a “deluxe blend” and we feel it represents the luxury and quality which is at the heart of everything we believe in at The Last Drop: it’s old and rare, but still fresh and absolutely delicious!’

James Espey and Tom Jago, the founders of The Last Drop, often said that a single malt is like a virtuoso instrument but a great blend is like an orchestra playing a symphony with a master conductor at the helm. The artistry of this particular blend has created a complex, layered whisky which is full of depth and beauty. The colour comes from many years in sherry casks, but years in bourbon wood have brought additional layers of vanilla and molasses. There are notes of Islay smoke, sweetness from Speyside, and a roundness and depth that is redolent of the Highlands.

As with all of The Last Drop releases, each bottle comes together with its signature 50ml miniature replica and pocket sized, tasting book with additional pages for your personal tasting notes.

The release has an RRP of ÂŁ3,750 and stockists can be found at www.lastdropdistillers.com/stockists.

The Last Drop Distillers specialise in discovering and hand bottling the finest, rarest and most exclusive spirits from remote cellars and warehouses across Scotland and the rest of the world. The team’s quest is rigorous and painstaking, choosing only liquids that are old and rare, but fresh and delicious; a juxtaposition that makes The Last Drop portfolio truly unique. In 2016 The Last Drop was acquired by the Sazerac Company, one of America’s oldest family owned, privately held distillers.

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