The GlenAllachie Distillers Company unveils new rum

The GlenAllachie Distillers Company has unveiled its first-ever rum, crafted by master blender Billy Walker.

The new spirit will be the first in a range of small-batch rums, called Exploration Rum, and will be released under The GlenAllachie's MacNair's brand, which has been repositioned as a Boutique House of Spirits. 

The repositioning of MacNair's will also see a new-look design introduced for its Lum Reek Blended Scotch Malt Whisky brand. The Lum Reek sub-range will continue to feature the 21 Years Old, which scooped World's Best Blended Malt at the World Whiskies Awards 2020, and the 12 Years Old.

With the Exploration Rum sub-brand, The GlenAllachie Distillers Company's master blender Billy Walker will be putting his world-class blending and maturation skills to use in a new spirit field.

The first Exploration Rums instalment uses liquids sourced from Panama and features a 7 Years Old Peated, a 7 Years Old, and a 15 Years Old bottling. Each expression was initially matured in American oak in Panama before being transported to the GlenAllachie Distillery in Speyside.

The innovative peated rum underwent secondary maturation in casks that previously held heavily peated whisky distilled at GlenAllachie, while the 7 Years Old and 15 Years Old were filled into red wine, virgin oak and ex-Bourbon casks for more than two years. Each rum is presented at 46% ABV.

On the brand repositoning and new rums, Walker said: "I've long held a desite to explore and apply my expertise to a new spirit category, curious as to what the outcome could be. Rum was an exciting prospect as, in a similar vein to whisky, it allows for greater scope of innovation and experimentation, particularly in regard to maturation.

"I've spent a great deal of time sampling and tracking down what I deem to be the finest rums from across the world to bring to my lab at the GlenAllachie Distillery and put my own distinctive twist on. The result in this first batch of Panama experiences is what I believe to be a trio of really exciting and unique rums which explore the influence of wood, but also the impact of maturation in a cooler climate.

"I'm also delighted to see the Lum Reek blended malts be presented in a more contemporary and eye-catching pack. Blended malts are widely underrated within the whisky world; however, I truly believe MacNair's Lum Reek can sit proudly alongside even the best single malts."

MacNair's Boutique House of Spirits products are available to purchase via global specialist retailers, with further releases in the pipeline over the coming years.

13 July 2021 - Bethany Whymark