Whisky Business: Johnson Reserve’s record-breaking release

Whisky Business: City AM’s monthly look at the world of whisky.

Whisky has become one of the hottest assets in the world over the past decade, but as the financial returns have stacked up for investors, quality has, in some cases, fallen by the wayside. Crafting a memorable whisky takes skill and effort, more so than time. It’s often mistakenly believed that time makes a good whisky. Time matters, but if the distillery cuts corners elsewhere, the investment in time is wasted.

Whisky maker and maturation specialist Johnson Reserve’s new release, Ascension, takes this principle into the extreme. The whisky has been awarded the Guinness World Records title for The Greatest Variety of Flavours in a Whisky, acknowledging Ascension’s intricate maturation and finishing process. Ascension has been aged through a sequence of 33 unique, carefully selected casks to build a depth of flavour that’s impossible to find elsewhere.

The flavour profile of this rare release is something you have to sample to believe. It’s a whisky that grows with every sip, leaving flavours on your pallet even after the glass is empty. From the first to last sip, the whisky is a joy to drink, although the last sip brought the whole tasting journey to a unique end with the smell of this drink lingering in the glass.

This is a whisky that’s meant to be drunk. It brings back the sense of good times and the social nature of opening a bottle in the evening and chatting with friends and family. The flavour profile that grows with every sip is something to discuss and savour.

Alexander Johnson, managing director of Johnson, tells City AM that the brand set out to “change the perception around how we think of the ageing process” with Ascension. The whisky gets its flavour not from the age but from the selection and quality of the casks used throughout the maturation process.

The focus on age over quality has become a big issue in the world of whisky as brands and distilleries have prioritised profit and volume over quality. Some distilleries use the cheapest casks they can find -third or fourth fill casks to keep costs down, but the end result can be disastrous. Whiskies matured in older, cheap casks fail to pick up the subtleties of the flavour of the wood, that’s if there’s any flavour to pick up in the first place.

This approach isn’t cheap. Alexander says selecting the right casks can take days, and each cask can cost upwards of £4,000. The managing director says he

usually takes personal responsibility for selecting casks, travelling to suppliers and laying out “hundreds of casks to take the smell” of each. Only a handful make the cut. And with so many cask changes involved in the record-breaking whisky, there’s lots of opportunity for things to go wrong. Two iterations of the whisky failed, Alexander noted, with one being moved to a lower-quality ex-sherry cask in his absence.

The care and attention that has gone into Ascension is all part of Johnson’s goal to bring the conversation back to the flavour of the whisky rather than the cost or age.

“People have stopped buying whisky because it tastes good,” Alexander notes. Ascension is a labour of love that’s designed as a homage to the skills required to create a one-of-a-kind drink.

Whisky Christmas gift guide

For the beginner: Drinks by the Dram Regions of Scotland tasting set
The Regions of Scotland Whisky Tasting Set is a perfect gift for whisky drinkers who want to explore Scotland’s whisky regions. The five 3cl samples each represent one of Scotland’s key 

Something unique: Uhuru 12 year old blended malt
Produced by Young Spirits, Uhuru (Swahili for freedom) encapsulates the brand’s conservation characteristics. Young Spirits has promised to donate 10 per cent of its profits to African wildlife conservation charity Tusk. The 12 Year Old blended malt whisky is matured in a Virgin Oak barrel. On the palate, macerated fruits intertwine with hints of vanilla and a touch of burnt toffee and peat smoke. uhuruspirits.co.uk £54.99, ABV 55%

For the Connoisseur: Glengoyne 38 year old single cask
The second release in the Russell Family Cask trilogy, this rare whisky is aged for four decades in a first fill American oak Sherry cask, paying homage to the original signature sherry style of Glengoyne. On the nose, the expression is dark and luxurious with rich toffee, blackberry tart and honey. The palate reveals fine dark chocolate and a warmth from ginger. To finish, the expression is long with notes of dark chocolate. Limited to only 241 bottles globally, this highly sought-after dram is available now. glengoyne.com £4,000, ABV 56.8%