Jewish Whisky Company Announces Significant Changes in 2019 for Single Cask Nation and Whisky Jewbilee

Building off 2017’s successful expansion of Single Cask Nation from a membership-only model to offering additional single cask bottlings of malt whisky, grain whisky via retail stores, Jewish Whisky Company plans a further expansion of their Single Cask Nation line of independently bottled whiskies into UK, European and Canadian markets in 2019.

“We constantly see great demand for our whiskies from many non-US markets,” said Jason Johnstone-Yellin, the company’s COO, “and as a result, we are keen to break into these markets while mirroring how we currently operate in the US.”

Jewish Whisky Company offers two separate outlets for Single Cask Nation sales: online, referred to internally and amongst their membership as ‘Special Projects Division,’ and retail. Single Cask Nation retail bottlings are currently available in the following US states: CA, CT, IL, LA, MA, NJ, NY, RI, WI, and IN with additional states being added as part of a national rollout in 2019.

“We’re proud of the fact that we bottled 28 casks in 2018 across both online and retail platforms,” said Joshua Hatton, the company’s CEO, “but we have every intention of tripling that number in 2019.”

With grand plans in place for 2019 and beyond the company has decided to mothball their globally regarded Whisky Jewbilee whisky festival to allow the needed time and focus to successfully realize their 2019 Single Cask Nation aspirations.

Whisky Jewbilee was built as a whisky geek’s whisky festival and, in the minds of Hatton and Johnstone-Yellin, must continue to evolve and innovate, challenging those very same whisky geeks who helped reinforce the reputation of the events across the United States. With an aggressive expansion plan in place for Single Cask Nation in 2019 there is no longer adequate time or focus to keep the Whisky Jewbilee held in high regard. Accordingly, the decision has been made to mothball the Whisky Jewbilee while tickets remain in high demand. All thirteen events have sold out and online publications like the Spirits Business and ScotchWhisky.com have named Whisky Jewbilee among the world’s top whisky festivals.

“We never want to phone-in any Jewbilee event,” said Hatton, ”The support Whisky Jewbilee has received in New York City since its inception in 2012, combined with the support it has garnered since it first started moving west to include Chicago in 2015 and Seattle in 2016, has been unbelievable and very much appreciated. Whisky Jewbilee attendees have a reputation unsurpassed on the whisky festival circuit. We’ll miss seeing so many familiar faces at future Jewbilee events but we’ll still visit these wonderful markets to share new Single Cask Nation releases.”

While both Hatton and Johnstone-Yellin lament the need to mothball Whisky Jewbilee, Johnstone-Yellin said “when we launched our company in 2011 it was with the intention of being an independent bottler first. While operating a whisky festival has been fun it’s time to refocus on our number one priority and, as such, mothballing the event is necessary to ensure that our UK, European, and Canadian expansion starting in 2019 is as successful as we can make it.”

About Jewish Whisky Company:

Established in 2011 , Jewish Whisky Company is the first and only US-based independent bottler of scotch, bourbon, rye, rum, and other world spirits. Owned and operated by Joshua Hatton and Jason Johnstone-Yellin, the company is home to Single Cask Nation, Whisky Jewbilee, WhiskyGeek Tours, and One Nation Under Whisky podcast. For more information, visit www.jewishwhiskycompany.com or contact Joshua & Jason at INFO at JEWISHWHISKYCOMPANY dot COM.

We’re very pleased to announce reveal our festival bottling for our sold out Whisky Jewbilee Seattle 3rd annual event!

Only 150 bottles available, and bottled at 56% ABV, this collaborative whisky was distilled, matured, and designed by distillery founder and owner of San Diego Distillery, Trent Tilton (with a little help from us).

Flavor wise, this whisky is richly peated with a wonderful deep rich sweetness that is beautifully balanced by a sherry-driven spice and nutty quality.

Details of the whisky are as follows:

Be sure to stop by the Single Cask Nation​ and San Diego Distillery​ tables to get a taste of this amazing whisky.

Sign up at the Single Cask Nation table to get your very own bottling (which can be purchased *after* the event and shipped right to your doorstep).

 

 

We’re proud to announce our collaboration with Chicago’s own KOVAL distillery for this year’s Whisky Jewbilee Chicago festival bottling. We’ve long been fans of the distillery and the interesting bottlings that they release (their oat and millet whiskies are among our favorites).

This special release bourbon was matured for almost five years in a newly charred 30 gallon cask and is among the oldest bourbons at the distillery. We fell in love with this cask immediately and hope you will too. Bottled at 54.5% alc./109 Proof, 150 bottles are available exclusively to attendees of Whisky Jewbilee Chicago for $85 per bottle. Sign up on the night at the Jewish Whisky Company/Single Cask Nation table to secure your bottle or purchase using the URL we’ll share with all attendees after the conclusion of this year’s Jewbilee.

Here are our tasting notes:

Color – Dark amber

On the nose – Damp hay and cherry pits capture your attention before dill pickle brine, damp young wood, and turmeric round out the nose

Flavors on the mouth – Moderately oily texture and wonderfully effervescent on the tongue with vanilla, key lime, freshly grated ginger, and juicy Rainier cherries before hints of pickle brine tie the palate to the nose

Finish – Drying oak with lingering corn sweetness and a hint of cinnamon

Secure your ticket to Whisky Jewbilee Chicago soon!

Welcome to the morning of the SOLD OUT 5th Anniversary Whisky Jewbilee New York City!

If you’re anything like us you like to get a head start on your night by planning your whisk(e)y route nice and early (preferably during the work day). You’ll receive a show booklet with your tasting glass this evening but here are some resources to help with your day time planning:

Selected tasting notes:

Whisky Jewbilee NYC Festival Bottling
Laphroaig Lore
Douglas Laing’s Scallywag and Big Peat
John B Stetson Bourbon
Loch Lomond Single Grain
Glen Scotia Double Cask and 15 Year Old

Our complete pour list can be seen HERE.

The layout and table assignments for tonight:

See you tonight! Be sure to stop by the Jewish Whisky Company’s Single Cask Nation table to say hi and maybe taste a whisky or a even a whiskey! Oh, and reserve your bottle of this year’s highly collectable festival bottling.

Slainte & l’chaim!

As mentioned in our Glen Scotia Double Cask tasting note, Glen Scotia (aka Campbeltown’s other distillery) has seen a revitalization since 2014’s takeover by Exponent Private Equity. They’ve seen new wash backs, a new spirit safe, still upgrades, new roofs, and a visitor center. In 2015, their lineup was updated and this 15 Year Old was released. And in 2016 it will be in the US along with the Double Cask release.

Glen Scotia 15 Year Old is all ex-bourbon matured. Judging by the color of it there’s a fair number of first fill bourbon casks in there. Bottled at 46% alc/ 92 Proof without chill filtering.

Color – Dark Amber

On the nose – Immediately coastal with sea spray and wet seaweed but with a heavy maltiness at the core. Ginger snaps, sandalwood, sweet pipe tobacco and dried lemon peels are all in there, too.

Flavors in the mouth – Dry and spicy to the front but with a developing saltiness, sweet pipe tobacco note to the back

Finish – Medium length with dried figs and a very slight pepperiness

Overall – Another cracker from Glen Scotia! We really hope more of the line-up makes it into the US sooner rather than later.

Be sure to look for Glen Scotia 15 Year Old on the penthouse floor at Studio450.

Glen Scotia (aka Campbeltown’s other distillery) has seen a revitalization since 2014’s takeover by Exponent Private Equity. They’ve seen new wash backs, a new spirit safe, still upgrades, new roofs, and a visitor center. In 2015, their lineup was updated and Double Cask was released. And in 2016 it will be in the US along with a new 15 Year Old.

Glen Scotia Double Cask is a vatting of bourbon casks that were finished in ex-Pedro Ximenez casks for 3-4 months and bottled at 46% alc/ 92 Proof. This should be a rich and spicy dram.

Our tasting of the new Glen Scotia 15 Year Old can be seen HERE.

Color – Gold with a subtle green tinge

On the nose – Incredibly inviting with rich and spicy dark fruits, dried orange peels, warm bicycle tires, and just a hint of the coast

Flavors in the mouth – A continuation of the elements introduced on the nose, dark chocolate covered espresso beans, warm buttered toast, crème brûlée hard sugar topping

Finish – Long and comforting with ongoing orange spice, dark chocolate, and warm bread pudding

Overall – Such a revelation! Nose it for a while, taste it for a while, focus on the finish for a while. Then rinse and repeat. The sherry cask influence is unmistakable and so very welcome. We’ll be adding this to our liquor cabinet once it’s widely available in the US.

Be sure to look for Glen Scotia Double Cask on the penthouse floor at Studio450.

Loch Lomond distillery, located northwest of Glasgow, uses multiple stills (four Lomond stills, two pot stills, and one Coffey/column still) to produce an array of distillery styles with varying peating levels. Loch Lomond Signature and Loch Lomond 12 Year Old will be poured at the Jewbilee along with Loch Lomond Single Grain. Distilled from malted barley using their continuous column still this Non Age Statement single grain whisky is bottled at 46% alc., 92 Proof. Look for it around $30 or $35.

Color – Straw

On the nose – Bright and sweet with powdered sugar, yellow PEZ candy, dehydrated pineapple, and hints of desiccated coconut

Flavors in the mouth – A lovely oily texture that goes a little waxy, very grassy with more dehydrated pineapple and oat cakes

Finish – Short to moderate with lingering powdered sugar sweetness and some very gentle oak spiciness

Overall – It’s great to see Loch Lomond launch in the US. With a range of distillery styles there’s something to suit most palates and having an affordable single grain to drink all summer long is a great start. Watch this distillery closely.

Be sure to look for Loch Lomond Single Grain on the penthouse floor at Studio450.

As mentioned during our tasting of Scallywag, we’re honored to have Douglas Laing offerings being poured for the first time at this year’s Whisky Jewbilee NYC. Douglas Laing is a very highly regarded Scottish independent bottler established in 1948. Known for their excellent cask selection they also have vatted malts among their offerings. Today we’re tasting Big Peat, a vatted Islay malt.

Big Peat is a multi-award winning vatting of Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore, and Port Ellen whiskies. Bottled at 46% alc. and non-chill filtered this Non Age Statement offering can be found for between $55 and $65.

Color – Chardonnay

On the nose – A lovely coastal peat blast with sea salt, lemon citrus, and wet pebbles

Flavors in the mouth – Oily and mouthcoating with rubber soles, coal dust, beach camp fire smoke and abundant sea salt

Finish – Long and textured with remaing sea salt and lingering lemon citrus

Overall – A fresh, young Islay vatted malt that doesn’t disappoint. Fans of Ardbeg will love the citrus while fans of Caol Ila will love the coal dust. Fans of Islay drams will love Big Peat.

Be sure to look for Douglas Laing’s Big Peat on the main floor at Studio450.