Glenlivet Enigma
The Glenlivet Enigma was the fourth in the “Mystery Series”, a range in the 2010s that featured the Alpha (2013), Cipher (2016), Code (2018), Enigma (2019), and Spectra (2020). These bottles usually came with little to no details on the packaging or website and encouraged drinkers to explore the range of experiences Glenlivet had to offer without relying on marketing guidance. Some bottles featured puzzles or other clues the consumer could solve to reap notes or facts about the bottles in question. The Enigma was the highest-proofed offering from the series.
Deanston 18 Year Cognac Finish
Deanston began it’s life as the Adelphi Cotton Mill in 1785 but after the mill had run its course along the River Teith, the site became a distillery in 1966. Though founded by Brodie Hepburn in the village of Deanston, the current team is made up of master blender Julieann Fernandez, Distillery Manager Murray Kerr and Visitor Center Manager Belen Catalan. This team has crafted a set of offerings ranging from No Age Statements to distillery exclusives. This Deanston 18 Year Cognac Finish takes the concept of finishing too added lengths. After maturing for 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels, this whisky sat another 6 years in ex-cognac casks. Cognac, as a reminder, is named after a commune in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France.
Stranahan’s Distiller’s Experimental Batch 005
Stranahan’s is one of the oldest distileries in the United States. While they have kept a solid core offering over the years, they have also featured annual releases, single casks and limited series. The Distiller’s Experiemental Batch is only available at the distillery itself or the connected Aspen Whiskey Lodge. This series is, as the name connotes, made up of experiments concocted by head blender Justin Aden. Regulations surrounding whiskey allow much more freedom to experiment than some other places, which allows this series to really stretch into all kinds of finishes, grains and other territories not even seen in major releases. The Stranahan’s Distiller’s Experimental Batch 005 was released in 2022. This single malt was aged for six years and two months, and finished for a gin cask that had formely held a single malt scotch. The distillery has not disclosed what specific scotch or American gin the cask previously held, or the exact length of the finish.