Scapegrace – the New Zealand spirits producer best known for its innovative gins – has released a limited-edition range of single malts.
The four expressions – Rise, Chorus, Revenant and Timbre – are available in travel retail at selected airports in New Zealand: with Aer Rianta International (ARI) in Auckland, Lotte Duty Free in Wellington and Aelia Duty Free in Christchurch and Queenstown.
“We could not be more excited to bring our New Zealand single malt chapter to the world” – Scapegrace Co-founder and Marketing Director Mark Neal
The range is set to launch at Sydney Airport in collaboration with Gebr. Heinemann and will also roll out to Singapore Changi Airport (with Lotte Duty Free) and Hong Kong International Airport (with Duty Zero by cdf).
The single malts’ launch is backed by a ‘Whisky beyond its time’ campaign which underlines Scapegrace’s Kiwi roots and New Zealand’s location.
For the global launch of Scapegrace single malts, a series of billboards were aired around the world as a message from the future and featuring images captured and timestamped in Central Otago.
As the distillery’s website points out: “New Zealand’s time zone is ahead of the rest of the world, meaning lots of countries live a day behind us. If Scapegrace want to be leaders in New World whisky, why not tell the world that their whisky is made in the future.”
As reported, the single malts, like Scapegrace’s gin, vodka and ready to drink (RTD) products, have been distilled using the artesian water sourced from an aquifer 130m below the brand’s distillery in Central Otago.
Scapegrace, which takes its name from a word meaning rascal or libertine, was founded in 2014 by Auckland-based brothers-in-law Mark Neal and Daniel McLaughlin.  Four years later its Scapegrace Gold gin was named best London dry gin in the world at the International Wine and Spirits Competition. |
Scapegrace Co-founder and Marketing Director Mark Neal said: “The single malt journey has been part of the brand’s strategic direction since early creation, with a real focus on pioneering the movement of New Zealand single malt whisky on the global stage.”
The brand’s four rare, limited-release single malts are being released as a collectible set of numbered bottles. The expressions, according to Neal, will not be repeated.
Three expressions have been aged in virgin French Oak casks. Rise (aged for five years) offers notes of cinnamon, cloves with creamy vanilla and buttered toast while Chorus (three years) combines citrus blossom and poached pears with all-spice. Revenant, also aged for three years, is described as a Manuka Smoked single malt whisky, with notes of mocha and bitter chocolate.
Timbre was aged in Bulgarian oak casks for three years and offers notes of baked apples, stewed plums and vanilla sponge dessert.
According to Scapegrace Distillery, the production of the whiskies has gone hand in hand with the development of its new state of the art production and visitor centre facility, on the banks of Lake Dunstan, in the South Island of New Zealand.
The distillery is expected to open next year and will produce the entire Scapegrace portfolio.
Neal pointed out that the 45th parallel (the halfway point between the equator and the South Pole) runs through Scapegrace’s distillery, giving hot and cold temperature extremes during the year, an ideal environment for aging whisky.
“We have the facilities and natural resources to create some of the best whisky in the world and we are so excited to finally be delivering on our promise,” he said. “We could not be more excited to bring our New Zealand single malt chapter to the world.”
