William Grant & Sons, the company behind the popular Scotch brand Glenfiddich, has announced a collection of 50-year-old single cask whiskies, called Ladyburn Ha Chonghyun Edition. This is the latest expression from the once pioneering distillery’s closed archives, bringing together rare single malts and the world of contemporary art.
The story of Lady Barn is an abbreviation for the whiskey distillery. Founded in 1966 and located in Girvan in the Scottish lowlands across the Firth of Clyde from Campbeltown, the distillery operated for just nine years before closing in 1975. Scotch has made its greatest advances in the last 20 years. Today, Ladyburn is the oldest Lowland whiskey available on the market.
The new collection is named after Ha Chung-hyun, who was born in Sancheong in 1935. He is recognized as one of the most important artists in South Korea.
The Ha Chong-Hyun Edition is Ladyburn’s first product from its 1970s archives. Celebrating the distillery’s swan song with whiskey from two barrels numbered 3,219 and 3,216.
Want the latest whiskey news, deals and reviews? Sign up for the Whiskey Wednesday newsletter.
The complete collection consists of 11 different bottles adorned with 11 works personally curated by Ha Chung-hyun in collaboration with Seoul International Gallery. Each selected work is a representation of the artist’s groundbreaking conjunction series from the 1970s. Cask 3,219 will be released in 10 collections of 10 bottles and Cask 3,216 will be released in 85 numbered bottles.
Cask 3,219 was aged for 50 years in refill American oak barrels. It has a creamy vanilla scent with flaxseed and a hint of citrus, and a floral sweetness. Surprisingly rich on the palate, with flavors of toffee, crème brûlée, and toasted oak. The finish is sweet at first, then fades into dry oak that lingers.
Cask 3,216 was also aged for 50 years in refill American oak barrels. On the nose, polished leather and wood shavings are layered with classic Ladyburn linseed oil and barley sugar notes, leading to a refreshing minerality. The taste has a rich fruit flavor and a faint jam-like sweetness of licorice. The sweetness lingers until the aftertaste.
Reflecting the rarity of the Ladyburn Ha Chong-Hyun Edition, this collection is available only to private customers of William Grant & Sons.
Related: I’ve sampled hundreds of Scotch whiskies. This affordable classic is perfect for a quick drink