White Heather 21 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky (700ml)

With only 2000 bottles available worldwide, Billy Walker's latest effort is aimed at collectors as well as drinkers. Taking inspiration from a whisky brand which was discontinued in the 1980s as the industry consolidated, White Heather was acquired by Glenallachie in 2017, along with the MacNair’s Lum Reek Blended Malt brand. Walker has put his own unique spin on White Heather, sourcing single malt and grain whiskies from the Highlands, Islay and Speyside. 18 years maturing in a combination of first-fill American barrels, sherry butts and second-fill barrels and hogsheads was followed by three years in a 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 single malt heavy, presented at 48% and with no added colouring or chill-filtration, perfectly 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.

Commenting on the landmark release, Walker 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.” Very limited stocks.