William Grant & Sons is set to release the fourth expression in its range of single-grain scotch whiskies from The Girvan distillery.
The new limited-edition Proof Strength for The Girvan Patent Still brand will be available from November, with ABV of 51.7% – the alcohol strength that gunpowder ignites at.
It is aimed at bringing excitement to the scotch whisky category, appealing to whisky enthusiasts looking to experiment and showing off the variety and versatility of single-grain scotch. Grain whiskies have traditionally been used mainly in blends.
The new whisky has a surprisingly mellow taste profile for a higher-strength variant. The extra ABV brings out the vibrant, zesty notes of the whisky, giving it an extra intensity of flavour. Punchy on the palette with an unexpectedly light aftertaste, the whisky has a lingering sweet vanilla creaminess.
The packaging remains sleek and elegant, with a slender bottle giving a light, sophisticated feel. In the UK, it will be sold in retail at the recommended price of £75.
The release follows in the success of The Girvan Patent Still 25 Year Old, which was released a year ago, and the follow-up 30 Year Old and No 4 Apps Single Grain whiskies. It will be available in the UK initially plus additional markets in Europe, the US and Asia in 2015.
Kevin Abrook, global whisky specialist at William Grant & Sons, said: “We’re thrilled to release a proof-strength expression for whisky enthusiasts looking for something different – a vibrant, punchy single-grain whisky with a surprisingly light aftertaste.
“The release demonstrates our commitment to quality and just how versatile single-grain whiskies can be.”
The original Girvan Patent Still, known affectionately as “No 1 Apps”, a distillery term for apparatus, was built in 1963 under the stewardship of Charles Gordon, a whisky production pioneer and the great-grandson of William Grant.
It was the most advanced distillery in the world at the time. Further innovation led in 1992 to Charles pioneering “vacuum distillation” with the introduction of “No 4 Apps”. This distillation at lower temperatures results in a very pure, clean-tasting grain spirit that balances perfectly with the vanilla notes from the American white oak casks during maturation.
The Girvan Patent Still continuous distillation method takes high-quality cereal grains to produce a pure, fruity and clean-tasting grain spirit, which is lighter in aroma and character than most malt whiskies.
It is then matured in first-fill American white oak which adds flavour, character, colour and complexity, leading to characteristics of vanilla, toffee, honey and caramelised fruit notes.
