The hallmark of our single malt cooperage has always been ex-bourbon barrels, which we prize for their ability to showcase the delicate flavors we coax off the still. While we use some French oak as well, the signature of our aging is the way it stays out of the way—befitting a distillery that began as an eau de vie house. That said, we love what finishing can do to a whiskey, and for this 40th Anniversary release, we’ve amplified the fruit notes that have always been part of our whiskey with Cognac, apple brandy, and umeshu barrels. Port and sherry casks add even more fruit notes, along with depth and richness, while the California Sauternes-style casks that we began using with our 35th Anniversary release pull the diverse flavors together with a weighty, unctuous quality that delivers a long finish.

This is the first time we’ve used umeshu casks in our Lot series, and it was an important decision. According to head distiller/blender Dave Smith “We were inspired to finish a portion of our anniversary single malt in umeshu cask as we discovered that our Lot Series mash bill married perfectly with the stone fruit tones of umeshu and brought balance to the rich weight of Lance’s house-made tawny port casks.”