The Guinness Book of Records has some very novel entries in it, but one has just been revealed that cask whisky owners can really get behind.
Johnson Reserve, based in Glenfarg, has found itself rubbing shoulders with the likes of Usain Bolt and the world’s shortest and tallest women (who recently met in London for afternoon tea, but sadly not a dram). The reason was it has the ‘Greatest variety of flavours in a whisky’ – and that’s official.
The specific record-breaking whisky in question is Johnson Reserve Ascension. The Manual stated: “To create its sublimely complex flavour profile, a single cask of aged single malt whisky spent time in thirty-three unique casks, each adding new aromas and flavours.”
Among the flavours drawn in from various casks are Madeira Barrique, Ruby Port and Armagnac, with hints of cherry, burnt oak, pear, cocoa, butterscotch and much else besides, providing a truly unique array of tastes.
Explaining how it was developed, operations manager at Johnson Reserve Cameron Jessiman said: “The Johnson family has spent the past 12 years dedicated to this specific strategy, carefully sourcing the right stock, exploring optimal processes, and investing in extensive research and learning.”
Hundreds of casks were tested to find the ideal combination, she added, with the sequence in which they are used also being important.
Suffice it to say, most types of cask whisky will not have been through anything like as many as 33 barrels, but every whisky will have picked up something particular from each barrel it goes through. In the case of some labels, this will be the same thing each time and the virtue is to be found in replicating a superb taste.
In other instances, however, particular rare whiskies will have unique flavours owing to their scarcity, the use of unusual casks, how long they have matured, or a combination of all these things – and this is before anyone considers blended malts.
As it happens, the record-breaking whisky will only be released as a limited edition, with 40 bottles being produced, so anyone wanting one will have to sign up for a lottery to see if they get lucky. Only once potential buyers have signed up will they be told the price.
Of course, by collecting cask whiskies yourself, you can build up a portfolio that will provide a huge array of flavours. How these grow in value over time remains to be seen and while they may not set any records (that will only be for the Johnson Reserve lucky lotto winners), you may collect a truly wonderful array of whiskies that will be much sought-after in time.
Other Guinness World Record holders in the whisky category include the biggest bottle ever made, a Macallan single malt distilled in 1989 and bottled in Huntly in 2021 containing no less than 311 litres.The bottle, named The Intrepid, was sold at an auction in Edinburgh in 2022 for £1.1 million. It can safely be assumed the buyer, Nguyen Dinh Tuan from Vietnam, has got a lot of enjoyment from it.