World-Changing Whiskies: The Whisky Exchange Releases Its Biggest Tasting Set to Date
The Whisky Exchange’s latest, 20-dram collection takes us on a journey through the ground-breaking whiskies of the 21st century
Words by Will Halbert
With a 20-year tenure in selling the world’s finest spirits, it’s safe to say that the guys and girls at The Whisky Exchange don’t deal in half measures. Perfect Measures are more their speed, as it happens – and their upcoming ’20 Whiskies that Changed the World’ Tasting Set, is a solid testament to that very fact.
Releasing this Friday, the set contains 20 whiskies divided into four themed flights, a pair of tasting glasses, and a tasting book packed with details of all the whiskies. It’s a veritable roll call of all that’s peated, punchy, fruity, and far-flung. From the iconoclastic grain alchemy of Compass Box’s Hedonism to the peat n’ oak powerhouses of Laphroaig’s Quarter Cask; from the sherry cask charm of Macallan 18 to the peppery-sweet bite of Blanton Gold’s Single Barrel bourbon. If it’s divisive, decisive, or just plain delicious then chances are it’s in the mix.
There’s more to the box than a boatload of barley-turned-booze, though. This is a very personal journey through the rich and storied terrain of whisky, one that seeks to invite newcomers and demystify a few enigmatic drams along the way. ‘For a new person coming into the world of whisky it can be a very frightening place,’ says Whisky Exchange co-founder, Sukhinder Singh. ‘You’ve got an array of wood finishes, ages, and single cask bottlings from a multitude of distilleries, blenders, and independent bottlers. For a new person, that’s quite scary.’
‘I wanted to help people come aboard and look at whisky in the right way – with open arms to all varieties,’ Sukhinder continues. ‘I wanted to give people a way to step into the world of whisky. To see the magic we see.’
The result is a beautifully presented and lovingly-curated little collection that doesn’t just chart the ever-shifting landscape of whisky but also serves as a testament to The Whisky Exchange’s standing within the wider industry. It’s the kind of collection that sees The Whisky Exchange move above and beyond their role as purveyors of great whisky to become chroniclers, historians, and impassioned storytellers. If you’ll forgive the obvious whisky pun, we think that’s pretty neat.
What’s in the Box?
We’re so, so glad you asked:
Whisky Revolution
Compass Box Hedonism – Blended Grain Scotch Whisky
Monkey Shoulder The Original – Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Clynelish 14 Year Old – Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Glenfiddich 15 Year Old – Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Johnnie Walker Blue Label – Blended Scotch Whisky
Magic of the Cask
The Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood – Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Cask – Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Glendronach 15 Year Old – Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Dalmore King Alexander III – Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength – Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Peat Makes the World Go Round
Talisker 18 Year Old – Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Springbank 10 Year Old – Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Laphroaig Quarter Cask – Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Lagavulin 16 Year Old – Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Octomore 10 Year Old Fourth Edition – Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The New World
The Yamazaki 12 Year Old – Japanese Single Malt Whisky
Nikka Coffey Malt – Japanese Single Grain Whisky
Amrut Fusion – India Single Malt Whisky
Blanton’s Gold- Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Rye – Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
The 20 Whiskies That Changed The World Tasting Set will be available from Friday 4 June. Find out more here.
