VIP - FIRST RELEASE - Cask Strength - Double bourbon cask-aged English Single Malt Whisky

We are delighted to announce Whittaker’s 'First Release’, double bourbon cask-aged whisky is now available to pre-order.  The official release date is 1st August 2024.

We are offering you the unique opportunity to invest in the first ever single malt produced in the Yorkshire Dales. This is an exclusive VIP Package. You have only 48 hours in which to guarantee your pre-order of the 'First Release Collectors’ VIP Package’ (strictly limited to one per person) for the cost of £325 plus delivery. There are just 100 of this particular package available.

Our 'First Release’ is bold, innovative and light golden in colour. On the palate you will discover creamy caramel, with spicy, nutty notes finishing with fresh vanilla, old-fashioned toffee and apricot. It is likely to become a classic and we fully expect it to be recognised as one of the finest whiskies available. 

The 'First Release VIP Package’ will contain:

• A beautiful golden hare presentation box you’ll want to hold on to.
• Our 70cl 'First Release Collectors’ Edition’, bottled at cask strength (limited to approximately 500 bottles).  This is a pre-release so the whisky has yet to be bottled so the exact number is still unknown.
• A personal thank you letter from Master Distiller – Toby Whittaker – exclusive to the VIP Package.
• A limited edition print, created by Toby, depicting the spectacular scenery surrounding the distillery – exclusive to the VIP Package.
• Two Whittaker’s Distillery etched Glencairn whisky glasses.
• A 5cl bottle of our ‘First Release’ whisky so you can discover the whisky without opening your ‘Collectors’ Edition’ bottle.
• A 5cl bottle of Nidderdale Spring Water from our very own spring at Harewell.
• An option to purchase the 2nd single cask release available in November 2024 – exclusive to the VIP Package.
• 70cl bottle of the ‘2024 First Edition’ 48% double bourbon cask-aged whisky (worth £75). There will be approximately 2000 of these available.

The 'First Release' bottle's journey - you will notice that on your bottle label, it states Cask No R1,2,3 or 4.  We took 4 of our oldest first fill ex-bourbon ASBs (casks 2, 3 and 4) and finished them in first fill ex-bourbon quarter casks.  After sampling the whisky in the ASBs at 3 years, both the flavour and colour profiles were there, but we decided to finish the whisky in the quarter casks in order to further elevate both the colour, the flavour and accelerate the maturation.

ASB casks 2 and 3 were filled in February 2020 and ASB casks 3 and 4 were filled in April 2020.  The grain used to make this whisky was a combination of Laureate and Golden Promise and the new make spirit was originally casked at 72% ABV but when finishing in the quarter casks, we tempered the spirit down to 63.5% ABV for optimal maturation in the cask.