Auchroisk 23 Year Old 1994 (cask 13302) - Old Malt Cask (Hunter Laing) (70cl, 50%) ***sold***
A single cask of 1994 Auchroisk from Hunter Laing's Old Malt Cask series.
An indie bottling of delicious Auchroisk single malt, aged for 23 years in a refill hogshead. This was distilled in February 1994 and set aside to mature until February 2017, when Hunter Laing bottled the whisky up as part of their Old Malt Cask range. A release of 287 bottles.
Hunter Laing & Co was established in 2013 by Stewart Laing. Having co-managed his father's Douglas Laing company with his brother Fred since 1982, the two eventually decided to split the company assets and strike out on their own with two separate enterprises. Stewart was joined by his two sons, Andrew and Scott, absorbing their Edition Spirits company in the process. Hunter Laing had grand ambitions beyond its traditional independent bottling roots, and announced its plans to open Ardnahoe distillery on Islay in 2016. The first casks were filled there two years later under the guidance of the legendary Jim McEwan.
The Old Malt Cask series is one of the most established independent labels on the market. It was launched by Douglas Laing in 1998 and bottled by them until 2013 when the brand became part of the Hunter Laing portfolio instead.
Auchroisk distillery was built by Justerini & Brooks in 1972 to provide malt for their blends. Despite this, there was an immediate focus on its single malt as well, and it was first bottled in 1986. These were vintage-dated releases, and some of the earliest to use cask finishing. This was never advertised though, and the distillery left Balvenie to take the credit for the innovation. Its single malt has also appeared many times from independent labels like this.
*please note minor staining to label