Scotch whisky company MacDuff International is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with the launch of a limited edition 25yo Lauder’s blended whisky and a new rare Islay Mist 8yo.
The 25yo Lauder’s, presented in a bespoke Wade decanter, is limited to 2,000 pieces and has a RRP of €200. MacDuff International described the expression as the “crowning achievement” in Lauder’s 180-year tradition and said it has been “snapped up” through pre-ordering.
MacDuff International Managing Director David Sloan said: “We are immensely proud of Lauder’s 25yo and are thrilled of the demand that this majestic whisky has met which hints at the strong value of the brand.
“The launch of the Lauder’s 25yo and our 25th anniversary comes at a fitting time where we have broken into the Top 10 worldwide duty free in the blended Scotch category and are on the verge of being Top 5 in Europe”. (According to Generation Research.)
Islay Mist 8yo, matured in Amontillado casks, is a rare bottling of 7,000 and has a RRP of approximately €40. It was created in collaboration with Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana of Spain, whose vineyards are located at the highest altitude of the Jerez (sherry) district.
According to MacDuff International, the altitude allows for the Atlantic sea breeze to reach the grapes and after harvest the Amontillado wine is matured by the sea in Sanlucar. “This creates a hint of saltiness which fits perfectly with the peaty Islay Mist,” the company stated.
Islay Mist was first created in 1922. It is a blend of whiskies from the Scottish mainland and Islay, with the peaty single malt from Laphroaig Distillery playing an important role in the final blend.
MacDuff International has launched a new website and websites for each of its brands: Lauder’s, Grand Macnish and Islay Mist. The company also has a @islaymisteryman Twitter account which features tweets from the ‘Islay Mist’ery Man’ who claims to offer “not a standard whisky, so no standard tweets”.
MacDuff International said the tweets bode well for “standing out from the crowd in a different, intelligent and characterful way”.
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