World's first blend of Scottish and Japanese whisky launched

By Mathew Lyons

Published: 28 October, 2015

The Glover, a unique blend of Scottish and Japanese whisky, was simultaneously launched in Aberdeen and Tokyo this week.

It is believed to be the first time such a blend has been created.

The Glover includes whisky from one of the few remaining casks produced by the legendary Hanyu Distillery, which closed in 2005.

A full set of Hanyu Ichiro Cards Series whisky was recently sold at auction for £320,000.

Also key to the blend is whisky from an American oak ex-sherry hogshead distilled at Longmorn.

"We wanted the final whisky to present the unique flavours of both casks, but also to be even more than the sum of its parts," said Alex Bruce, managing director of the Adelphi Distillery, who created the blend.

The Glover also includes a dash of Glen Garioch.

It will come in two expressions. The Glover 22 Year Old is a one-off bottling, which is limited to just 390 bottles worldwide. It is expected to retail at around £1,000.

The Glover 14 Year Old is a limited release of 1,500 bottles, and is likely to be priced at £100.

Both will be available from mid-November.

The whisky is named after Thomas Blake Glover, the first foreigner to receive the Order of the Rising Sun from the Japanese Emperor.

Glover, who was born in Fraserburgh and raised in Aberdeen, was nick-named the "Scottish Samurai" for his contribution to modernising Japan in the 19th century.

The blend was commissioned from the Adelphi Distillery by a team led by Jim Millar, a political and policy advisor at the Scottish Parliament.

Millar holds the Consul General of Japan's Certificate of Commendation and the Scottish Samurai Shogun Award for promoting friendship between the two countries.

Bruce also has connections to Japan. His great-great grandfather, the Earl of Elgin, signed the first trade treaty between Japan and the UK in 1858.

Adelphi recently launched Scotland's western-most distillery on Ardnamurchan.

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