An iconic whisky distiller is turning back the clock on his career in blending to recreate White Heather as a premium aged small batch blend.
With more than 50 prestigious awards in three years, and a Master Distiller with almost 50 years’ experience at the helm, The GlenAllachie Distillers Company is launching its first-ever Blended Scotch Whisky: the limited release White Heather 21-year-old.
With only 2000 bottles available worldwide, and a particularly high single malt content, White Heather 21-year-old is a premium small batch blend, crafted by Billy Walker.
White Heather sees Billy call upon his first forays into the industry as a blender whilst taking inspiration from a whisky brand which was discontinued in the 1980s as the industry consolidated.
White Heather was acquired by The GlenAllachie Distillers Company, led by Billy , in 2017, along with The GlenAllachie Distillery and MacNair’s Lum Reek Blended Malt brand.
Billy has put his own unique spin on White Heather, elevating the favour profile with skilful wood management and a watchful eye on the maturation process.
To create this rare and luxurious small batch blend, Billy first sourced some of the finest single malt and grain whiskies from the Highlands, Islay and Speyside. The whiskies spent 18 years maturing in a combination of first fill American barrels, sherry butts and second-fill barrels and hogsheads.
In the GlenAllachie Distillery lab, Billy expertly crafted a unique recipe with an unusually high single malt content, including vintage GlenAllachie.
The blend was then laid down for an additional maturation period, highlighting Billy ’s acclaimed wood management skills; spending three years in a carefully selected mix of Pedro Ximénez puncheons, Oloroso puncheons and Appalachian Virgin Oak casks to let the flavours marry together and take on additional layers of depth and complexity from the wood.
The resulting whisky, which is presented at 48% ABV with no added colouring or chill-filtration, balances gentle peat from the Islay contribution, archetypal Speyside fruity notes, the heather honeyed sweetness of the Highlands, and a rich and rounded foundation from the grain components.
Billy said: ‘This whisky is particularly close to my heart. Creating this blend took me back almost 50 years to when I started my career at Hiram Walker. It was there I started to learn the art of blending and the specialist skills required to select whiskies that when interfaced with each other ultimately amplified the overall flavour experience.
‘With White Heather, I poured everything I’ve learned on my whisky journey into crafting a truly memorable small batch aged blend that sits proudly alongside even the very best single malts. I wanted to honour the original blend whilst recreating it in a much more premium form with exceptional wood. It’s a fine balance bringing together the character of such different whiskies and cask types, but I’m incredibly proud to now unveil the end result.’
White Heather is being unveiled in the same week that Billy is inducted into Whisky Magazine’s prestigious Hall of Fame. In 2022, he will celebrate a remarkable 50 years in the whisky industry.
White Heather 21-year-old is available from specialist retailers globally, with a UK RRSP of ÂŁ120.
Further information on the brand can be found at www.WhiteHeatherWhisky.com
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