The Cairn Distillery in Speyside is launching a range of blended malt whiskies in the lead-up to the launch of its own single malt.
The first expression in the new range, CRN57 Step One, is a limited-edition 12-year-old blended malt Scotch whisky. It is the first of a dozen expressions set to be released annually by the distillery each spring while its own spirit matures. Bottles will be available exclusively to visitors to the distillery, located near Grantown-on-Spey, and the number of bottles available – 1,309 – matches the height in metres of the tallest mountain in the Cairngorms, Ben Macdui.
Step One has been bottled at 43% ABV, and tasting notes supplied by the Cairn say it has notes of treacle toffee, baked apple, blackcurrant, sultana, Seville orange, and marzipan.
The Cairn Distillery was opened in 2022 by Scottish spirits retailer and independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail, intended as a more technologically advanced counterpart to the Benromach Distillery near Forres, which the company reopened in 1998 following an extension renovation.
The CRN57 blended malt whisky range – named for the number of degrees latitude which the Cairn sits from the equator – was launched to coincide with the distillery's opening. Aged from 12 to 70 years old, the CRN57 expressions have been designed to have a similar flavour profile to that of the Cairn's own spirit, which is not expected to be released for several years.
The Cairn's distillery manager Mhairi Winters said: "Step One is the first in an annual series of releases that will take us towards the Cairn’s first single malt. It will provide visitors with a taste of what’s to come and with only a handful of bottles available, we expect this to be popular amongst collectors and explorers who are looking for something extra special and unique.
"The CRN57 blended malt whisky range is just the start of the journey for us, as we look to give our visitors a hint of what we are creating, all available exclusively at the Cairn Distillery."
CRN57 Step One is available exclusively at the Cairn Distillery (RRP £49.99).
The first expression in the new range, CRN57 Step One, is a limited-edition 12-year-old blended malt Scotch whisky. It is the first of a dozen expressions set to be released annually by the distillery each spring while its own spirit matures. Bottles will be available exclusively to visitors to the distillery, located near Grantown-on-Spey, and the number of bottles available – 1,309 – matches the height in metres of the tallest mountain in the Cairngorms, Ben Macdui.
Step One has been bottled at 43% ABV, and tasting notes supplied by the Cairn say it has notes of treacle toffee, baked apple, blackcurrant, sultana, Seville orange, and marzipan.
The Cairn Distillery was opened in 2022 by Scottish spirits retailer and independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail, intended as a more technologically advanced counterpart to the Benromach Distillery near Forres, which the company reopened in 1998 following an extension renovation.
The CRN57 blended malt whisky range – named for the number of degrees latitude which the Cairn sits from the equator – was launched to coincide with the distillery's opening. Aged from 12 to 70 years old, the CRN57 expressions have been designed to have a similar flavour profile to that of the Cairn's own spirit, which is not expected to be released for several years.
The Cairn's distillery manager Mhairi Winters said: "Step One is the first in an annual series of releases that will take us towards the Cairn’s first single malt. It will provide visitors with a taste of what’s to come and with only a handful of bottles available, we expect this to be popular amongst collectors and explorers who are looking for something extra special and unique.
"The CRN57 blended malt whisky range is just the start of the journey for us, as we look to give our visitors a hint of what we are creating, all available exclusively at the Cairn Distillery."
CRN57 Step One is available exclusively at the Cairn Distillery (RRP £49.99).
