Whisky brands bottle coronation specials
British whisky brands have unveiled limited edition commemorative bottlings to mark the coronation of King Charles III this weekend (6 May).
London-based distillery Bimber has bottled its first special edition single malt whisky crafted from a unique marriage of American oak ex-Bourbon and ex-Bordeaux red wine matured single malts. Available directly from Bimber’s website from Friday 5 May, the special release of 1,400 bottles is the distillery’s first expression created from a unification of multiple wood types. The base of ex-Bourbon matured Bimber embodies the distillery’s textural, fruit-forward house style, whilst the addition of single malt whisky fully matured in red wine casks sourced from Bordeaux is said to add additional structure and complementary flavours of plump berries, shaved chocolate and tanned leather. The celebration release has been bottled at 52.2% ABV and will be available for RRP £85. The King’s Cask Meanwhile, The Bladnoch Distillery has unveiled a limited edition bottling that contains liquid selected by master distiller Dr Nick Savage from a one-of-a-kind Tokaji ‘Kings Wine’ cask. The Scottish distillery was opened by King Charles on 11 September 2019. The whisky has been matured in oak barrels ‘with centuries of royal affiliation’, and boasts floral and perfumed aromas, with notes of honey and tangerines. The palate is said to be rich and fruity, with hints of apricot jam, tangerines, and subtle white pepper. The finish is thick and sugary, with a lasting warmth. This limited edition bottling is presented at 47.7% ABV, and has been distilled, matured, and bottled in Scotland. Each bottle is individually numbered. "We are thrilled to release this special bottling in honour of King Charles III's coronation," said Savage. "This whisky has credentials that are truly fit for a King, and we are proud to release this bottle in celebration of this historic occasion. “With only 289 bottles available from this single Tokaji wine cask, this release is one or the rarest releases to date for Bladnoch Distillery.” The King’s Cask bottling will be available for purchase at the Bladnoch Distillery and selected retailers from 6 May for RRP £180 (US$226). Balmoral Coronation Edition Finally, The King’s Aberdeenshire retreat, Balmoral, has collaborated with local Scotch distillery Royal Lochnagar to bottle an exclusive whisky in commemoration of the coronation. Aged 18 years, the whisky is said to evoke the pine forests and grassy, floral nature of the surrounding area and is bottled at 48% ABV in a reference to the year the King was born (1948), as well as the first visit from Balmoral to Royal Lochnagar by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1848. A spokesperson for Balmoral said “We are delighted to have worked with Royal Lochnagar Distillery, our neighbour here on Royal Deeside, to create such an exceptional whisky for our Balmoral Coronation Edition in celebration of the historic crowning of His Majesty King Charles III.” Only five casks were chosen for this exclusive release, and 1,000 individually numbered bottles bearing a gold engraving of His Majesty’s Scottish cypher are now available to purchase for RRP £360 (US$452) per bottle on the Balmoral Castle website, and at the Balmoral Gift Shop from the day of the coronation. For more limited edition coronation spirits, read our round-up of our top 10 special releases that are marking the occasion.
