Brenne Estate Cask
When ex-ballerina Allison Patel couldn’t find the whiskies she’d enjoyed during her global travels here in the US, she did the next logical thing and began creating a distribution company to remedy that dearth. During this process, she found a Cognac producer in France who had distilled some single malt on the side. A taste compelled Allison to collaborate with the producer over the next few years and in 2012, the first Brenne was officially launched. The Estate Cask is the flagship model (though a 10 year was released in October, 2015) with an average age of seven years, matured in French Limousine oak barrels before being finished in Cognac casks. With the drive of its young and motivated owner, along with an award-winning whisky, Brenne appears to have a bright future.
Teeling Small Batch
The Teeling name has a long history in the world of Irish whiskey, beginning in 1782 on Marrowbone Lane in Dublin. Teeling has been part of the Irish whiskey resurgence, as they opened a distillery in 2015 in Dublin, the first seen in that city since 1976. While their whiskey is currently sourced from the Cooley distillery, the plan is to use their own stock once it is ready. The Teeling Small Batch bottling is their flagship expression and was finished in ex-rum barrels, something not often seen in Irish whiskies. They also have a single grain and several single malt offerings.
Cragganmore Distillers Edition
Cragganmore is a 2-still distillery currently owned by Diageo and sits next to the Craggan burn. The stills are small and, being only two of them, the production of the distillery is limited. That being said, it is known for being one of the most complex Speyside whiskies. One contributor to the unique taste is that the wash ferments for a long time in wash backs* made of European Larch, one of the few distilleries to still use wooden wash backs. Before launching the single malt offerings, most of the output was used in blends like James Watson Number 10, and is still used today in Old Parr and White Horse.