This really should be something that I keep to myself, but as Craigellachie’s Global Ambassador, Georgie Bell, says this is about sharing, so let’s share.
The incredible Craigellachie 51-Year-Old Scotch is coming to Australia and you are invited to try and share this amazing dram with friends.
The serendipity behind this dram is amazing, as Bell explained to Bars and Clubs. “We have 51 bottles of it. That wasn’t just us saying we’ll release 51 bottles, I think the whisky angels just looked down on us and said ‘yes this time we’ll do it’.
“The whisky comes from a refill Bourbon Hogshead, so obviously that level has gone down significantly over those 51 years. Starting with about 250 litres and leaving us with 51 bottles. And at cask strength it is coming in a 40.3 per cent ABV.”
If it has come in at under 40 per cent ABV then contingency plans would have been needed as technically it wouldn’t have been Scotch.
Bell continued: “Usually a whisky of the rarity it would have a crazy price tag attached to it, put in a collection or on display, but it may never be drunk. The team at the distillery back in 1962 didn’t make the whisky for that, and similarly the team that are working at Craigellachie distillery right this second aren’t making it for that either.
“They are making Craigellachie and they are making whisky to be whisky, they are making it to be drunk and enjoyed with friends and I think sometimes we lose sight of that.
“That’s one of the key things we wanted to do with Craigellachie 51, to celebrate not only the team who made it back in 1962 but also celebrate our teams within the distillery and in Scotland who left it patiently waiting.”
It is a whisky to be celebrated, it is amazing to have the opportunity to taste and enjoy such a rare whisky without the crazy price tag.
To help with this there are 80 places available at the pop-up Bar 51 special tasting and those who’d like to try this whisky that is over half a century old will have to enter a competition to win a spot at the bar with a friend.
The competition for Bar 51 opens on Thursday 1 August and closes on Friday 11 October (Midnight AEST). To be in with a chance to be one of the lucky 80 winners to attend Bar 51 for a tasting of Craigellachie 51, enter the lottery at www.craigellachie.com/bar51.
Sydney’s Bar 51 will run from 23-25 October at The Duke of Clarence with competition winners being treated to a private tasting of Craigellachie’s 13, 17 and 23 year old age statements before being guided to the Craigellachie 51 exclusive tasting led by Bell. The whisky experience will conclude with a cocktail made with Craigellachie’s 13-year-old expression.
