Blue Run's Flight Series, New Riff's 10th Anniversary Whiskeys & More [New Releases]

This week's new releases feature a new edition of Blue Run's Flight Series, a collection of six whiskeys made in micro-batches, with each "flight" made from a maximum of four barrels. The concept aims to poke fun at the term "small batch," which isn't legally defined and rarely reveals details on the quantities of each batch. On the tasting front, this new Flight Series contrasts bourbon and rye-led mashbills, and showcases their differences. Elsewhere in Kentucky, New Riff celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, and it bottled a commemorative bourbon and rye to mark the occasion. Both are now out, though at the distillery only. Meanwhile, Irish whiskey Proper No. Twelve climbs the age ladder with a new 13 year old single malt to show that it can be a contender, while scotch whiskies Glen Grant and Macallan have new ultra-aged offerings.

Blue Run Flight Series III Blended American

ABV: Varies
SRP: $125
Availability: Limited

Blue Run is back with the third edition of its Flight Series, a collection of six micro-batch whiskeys that are crafted by head of whiskey development and innovation Shaylyn Gammon. The names and ABVs of the six Flight Series expressions are as follows:

• Beach & Blooms, 54.95%
• Buck & Brush, 55.35%
• Filly & Fiddle, 55.65%
• Fit & Flair, 58.50%
• Sails & Rails, 57.5%
• Sun & Salt, 55.10%

This year marks the first time Gammon has used Kentucky straight rye and Kentucky straight bourbon for the six blends; previously, she blended from a variety of high-rye bourbon barrels. The whiskeys come from Castle & Key, Bardstown Bourbon Co., and a third, undisclosed distillery, and all barrels featured a No.-3 or No.-4 char. Gammon blended from a total of four mashbills, including 6 and 5 year old straight ryes made from a mashbill of 80% rye, 12% corn, and 8% malted barley; 5 year old bourbon made from a mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley; and 5 year old bourbon made from a mashbill of 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley.

New Riff First Decade Kentucky Straight Bourbon

ABV: 60.25%
SRP: $90
Availability: Distillery and New Riff Whiskey Club exclusive

New Riff First Decade Kentucky Straight Rye

ABV: 60.25%
SRP: $90
Availability: Distillery and New Riff Whiskey Club exclusive

New Riff opened its doors in 2014, and these two whiskies, bottled in 2024, commemorate the distillery's 10th anniversary. The bourbon is made with New Riff’s flagship mashbill of 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley, while the 10 year old rye’s recipe consists of 95% rye and 5% malted rye (the same mashbill used for the distillery’s bottled in bond and single barrel ryes). Both whiskeys are bottled at cask strength. For a taste of either the bourbon or the rye, New Riff fans have two options: Through the Whiskey Club, which has exclusive access to pick-up-only bottle purchases, or by the pour at the distillery’s Aquifer tasting room.

Proper No. Twelve 13 year old Irish Single Malt

ABV: 43%
SRP: $60
Availability: Limited; Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee, and Texas

Proper No. Twelve, the Irish whiskey label that was originally founded by MMA fighter Conor McGregor, has rolled out its first age-stated release. It’s a 13 year old single malt, which was aged in a mix of first-fill bourbon barrels and second-fill European oak ruby port casks. According to the brand, the bourbon barrels contributed notes of vanilla and spice, while the port casks lent layered ripe fruit flavors and gentle tannins. Proper No. Twelve is majority owned by Proximo, the international arm of the Cuervo group, which is best known for Jose Cuervo tequila, and McGregor is no longer connected to the brand. The liquid for this expression was distilled by Bushmills, which is also owned by Proximo. Proper No. Twelve has never been a big hit with whisky aficionados, despite its robust sales. We've yet to taste this one, but it will be interesting to see if some extra aging will improve things.

The Glen Grant The Glasshouse Collection: 30 Year Old Scotch Single Malt

ABV: 48%
SRP: $3,000
Availability: Limited

Speyside distillery Glen Grant has unveiled the third and final whisky in its Glasshouse Collection, a series that celebrates the art of maturation. Coming in at 30 years old, this whisky is the oldest in the collection and aged in a combination of bourbon barrels and oloroso sherry casks. It was preceded by 25 year old and 21 year old single malts. In conjunction with the release of The Glasshouse Collection, Glen Grant partnered with artist Lachlan Turczan on a new installation called “A Day in the Glasshouse.” The artwork features three reflective water-and-light sculptures, representative of the three whiskies in the series.

More on the collection’s name: Glen Grant founder James “The Major” Grant was a prolific traveler, and explored much of the world—along the way he collected many flowers and plants, and brought them back to Scotland for safekeeping in his own Victorian-inspired glasshouse (what we might call a greenhouse).

The Macallan 46 year old The Tree of Life scotch single malt

ABV: 46.2%
SRP: $Price on application. Interested buyers can email contact@themacallan.com
Availability: 112 bottles, sold by invitation only

The Macallan Art is the Flower scotch single malt

ABV: 50.4%
SRP: $1,000
Availability: Limited release, sold by ballot via the Macallan website, and available from specialist retailers

Macallan is launching a new limited-edition duo of Speyside single malts honoring the legacy of Scottish artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and drawing inspiration from his 1902 stained glass panel “The Spirit of the Rose.” Similar to the non-age statement whisky and high age-stated release of Macallan Time: Space in 2024, the new duo comprises Art is the Flower, a non-age statement expression matured in sherry-seasoned European oak casks, and The Tree of Life, a 46 year old with a peated flavor profile distilled in 1979 and drawn from two sherry seasoned casks. Tree of Life is bottled in a Lalique decanter encased in a metal frame inspired by Mackintosh’s designs.