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Whiskies that flew under your radar

There are almost 130 distilleries in Scotland and an uncountable number of Scotch expressions. Knowing, let alone trying every Scotch out there would be like wanting to see all the Netflix and if you’re looking for lesser-known drams, it’s a mission even Tom Cruise would give up on. But you have us and we’re bringing five best-kept secrets of Scotch before they become the next big thing. Back in the day, there were buttloads of messiahs, but only one had good marketing. Same goes for Whiskies, which means there are always miraculous Spirits you never heard of. Sometimes distilleries come and go and come back again; or Whisky is used in blends only - and like Phil or Gabriel, some of them start a solo career to achieve the true Genesis. This box celebrates the unsung heroes – although … telling you about them will make them the sung heroes? Try these three Spirits that flew under your radar and uncover the veil that’s been hiding fantastic Scotch Whiskies for far too long. It's a Sherry-inspired box with a solo star that escaped a blended career, a revived treasure finished in PX casks and a lavish vintage from the archives. Forget, for a moment, the fancy names, the exotic origins, and the expensive behemoths. It’s time to go back to the roots, to the place where it all started: Scotland. Grow a beard and get a parrot, because you’re about to start a journey of exploration and meet indigenous and obscure delights before everyone and their mom realizes they’re awesome.

Slainte, lassies and lads! Smartass Corner 1) There are around 20 million casks lying around Scotland at the moment. That is roughly 4 per each Scottish citizen. 2) Glen Scotia’s Double Cask is a rare reinterpretation of the classic Victorian Campbeltown Malt, produced by one of the smallest Scottish distilleries (only 7 employees!) 3) In 2017, 39 bottles of Scotch were shipped overseas each second, which would amount to about 19 thousand miles if laid end to end. 4) The small distillery of Tamnavulin, thriving in Speyside, was recently revived, and is now releasing “back vocalists” that used to be mixed in more famous blends as standalone expressions. 5) The Scots always laughed in the face of the law. When the famous Act of Union tax came to life in 1707 and levied the golden water of life illicit distilling was in boom. At one point there was over 400 illegal stills in Edinburgh alone, eight of them were licensed. 6) The Knockdhu Distillery, the maker of An Cnoc, was shut down four times since its inception in 1893 but came back each time like a badass. 7) More than 520 million liters of Scotch were produced in 2008, and while a big shot like Johnnie Walker makes 160 million liters, a distillery like Speyburn or Knockdhu produces only a fraction of that. 8) British drinkers prefer adding just a splash of water to their Scotch, while the Spaniards mix it with cola. In Japan, they add a ton of water and ice, and the Chinese love it with cold green tea. 9) The Scots don't really care that much about Scotch - the majority is exported all over the world and Great Britain isn't even among the top 10 Whisky consumers. They prefer French champagne, while the French, in turn, adore Scotch. After the U.S., France is the greatest consumer of Scotch in the world - almost 200 million bottles per year. 

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