Highland Rye is hosting an online celebration on Burns Night after securing a landmark deal in Singapore for its new 1794 expression of Highland Rye, the world’s only Rye Scotch Whisky. In challenging times for whisky exporters, with both Brexit and US Trade Tariffs on whisky, Arbikie Distillery is delighted to secure a distribution deal in one of Asia’s most significant luxury spirits markets.

Arbikie Distillery at Lunan Bay in Angus, which distils Highland Rye, has been expanding the whisky element of its family of sustainable, field-to-bottle spirits and this new deal adds to the distribution partnerships it already has around the world, serving over 15 countries. The new deal in Singapore has been agreed with Spun Spirits, a specialist luxury spirits distributor run by whisky specialists, Matthew Fergusson-Stewart and Chris Chambers.

Following the successful launch of limited editions of Highland Rye in 2018 and 2019, the distillery is now launching its 1794 Highland Rye in markets across the globe in 2021. Its signature rye whisky combines the unique use of rye with charred American oak. Unlike the previous limited-editions, 1794 is not finished in a further cask, but was matured in fresh, virgin oak casks creating a whisky with a nose of fresh cloves, nutmeg, Christmas cake spices, creamy butterscotch; and a taste of cinnamon, a spicy burst tempered by sweet muscovado sugar and fresh honey. As with all whisky, barrel type has a major influence on its taste and the new charred American oak imparts a rich colour and flavour to complement the selection of rye, wheat and malted barley grains, all grown at Arbikie.

Arbikie Director, Iain Stirling commented: “We have been working very hard to expand globally and this new deal is a good start for us in the booming Asian whisky market. In a few years, from our launch limited-edition to expanding into major whisky markets, such as Canada and the US, to launching our signature 1794 Edition, it’s a very exciting time at Arbikie as we look for further expansion elsewhere in Asia and the Middle East.”

Highland Rye is hosting a global online celebration on Monday to officially launch 1794 and celebrate Burns Night as it is enjoyed around the world. The Stirling family has been farming for over 400 years and brothers, Iain, John, Sandy and David the latest Stirlings are celebrating their farm’s distant history of field-to-bottle distillation as far back as 1794. Arbikie has capitalised on the rising demand for terroir, provenance-focused luxury spirits by using both the existing crops on their farm and by growing new crops, such as rye and reviving heritage barleys to create unrivalled flavour and traceability in their luxury spirits.