Master distiller Andy Watts.
Three Ships Whisky launched the 5th limited edition Master’s Collection release - an 11-year-old Single Malt Shiraz Cask Finish - last week, at an exclusive online sale held at the Norval Foundation, on the slopes of the Constantiaberg.
With only 400 bottles of this collectible release - the fifth of master distiller Andy Watts’ limited edition exceptional cask finishes - available for purchase at the sale, whisky collectors wasted no time in securing one or more for their private collection, with most of the bottles sold out within eight minutes.
The remaining 2 594 bottles will be available for purchase at leading retailers from November 9, at R949.95 a bottle - in time for the festive season.
The sale was co-hosted by Watts and DJ, radio and television presenter and MC Loyiso Mdebuka (DJ Loyd), and local artist Sipho Njengezi created his one-of-a-kind artwork, inspired by the latest Master’s Collection release.
Viewers could witness his creation-in-progress - a stone formation that perfectly illustrates the balance achieved from the cask finish of this whisky.
“To achieve the exceptional cask finish that is the mark of this Master’s Collection, the latest release was first matured for eight years in American oak barrels, before being finished in seasoned Shiraz oak casks for three years,” says Mr Watts.
Collectors and whisky drinkers can expect a harmonious interplay of cherries, roasted nuts, Christmas fruit cake and subtle orange with smoky undertones on the nose.
In the palate this whisky opens up to reveal spice and ripe red fruit from the seasoned Shiraz casks, interlacing with the peaty character of this single malt.
A warm and lingering mouthfeel with subtle peat and a savoury, smooth finish, rounds out this gentle but complex whisky.
The whisky is un-chill filtered and delicate rose gold in colour, presented in its natural form at a strength of 51.4%.
“This collectible release is a fine example of how South African whisky ingenuity is revolutionising the whisky category. It celebrates the tenacity of the dedicated team at the James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington, where this premium whisky range is produced,” adds Mr Watts.