John Crabbie & Co launches its oldest Scotch whisky

by Owen Bellwood

Halewood Wines & Spirits has expanded its John Crabbie & Co Scotch whisky brand with the launch of two whiskies, including a 40-year-old Speyside bottling – the brand’s oldest release to date.

The Edinburgh-based whisky brand has unveiled Crabbie 25 Year Old and Crabbie 40 Year Old, which join its eight-, 12- and 30-year-old expressions. The 40-year-old whisky is non-chill filtered and bottled at cask strength of 44.5% abv. Only 350 individually numbered decanters have been produced, each presented in a high-gloss, red lacquered wooden presentation box alongside two engraved crystal glasses. On the palate, the whisky is said to have “a hint of treacle sweetness and a dash of dry wood spices plus a special tang of orange pith, black tea and extremely dark chocolate”. Crabbie 25 Year Old has been matured in Sherry casks for 25 years and bottled at 46.6% abv. The whisky has notes of “lightly roasted chestnuts and rich spiced fruitcake” alongside a hint of smoke. David Brown, managing director of John Crabbie & Co, said: “The Crabbie 25 Year Old is a very rare single malt from the same Speyside distillery and group of casks that produced our Crabbie 30 Year Old. “Our 40 Year Old, from another Speyside distillery, is quite a different beast. Beautifully packaged in an engraved crystal decanter with two signature glasses, this is the ultimate gift for anyone who loves Scotch whisky.” Earlier this year, brand owner Halewood announced it had altered the planned location of its John Crabbie & Co microdistillery in Edinburgh.