Elixir Distillers has announced the launch of a new series of independent bottlings designed to offer drinkers the ultimate journey through some of the world’s greatest spirits.

Developed by Sukhinder Singh, Managing Director of Elixir Distillers, the series debuts with the first instalments of The Whisky Trail and The Rum Trail, with plans to expand into additional spirits categories in the future.

Focusing on lesser-known yet outstanding whiskies and rums from around the world, the series also champions creative distilleries and inspired producers.

The inaugural release of The Whisky Trail features expressions from Denmark’s Thy Distillery, Derbyshire’s White Peak Distillery, the highly regarded Chichibu Distillery in Japan, and Seattle-based Westland Distillery. Meanwhile, The Rum Trail celebrates rums from distilleries in Barbados, Jamaica, Belize, Australia and Fiji.

With countless distilleries worldwide competing for attention, the Elixir Trails series aims to do the hard work of selection — shining a spotlight on producers that may lack a strong marketing voice, while also offering harder-to-source gems thanks to Elixir Distillers’ reputation as a respected independent bottler.

The Whisky Trail is comprised of:

Thy Distillery – 2020, 4 Year Old Malted Rye Whisky (50.5% ABV)
A field-to-barrel whisky from a family farm in western Denmark, incorporating spelt into its organic grain mash bill. RRP: £110.00

White Peak Distillery – 2018, 7 Year Old Single Malt Whisky (52.4% ABV)
A single malt influenced by the region’s heritage as a heartland of British beer brewing. RRP: £84.95

Chichibu Distillery – 2014, 10 Year Old Single Malt Whisky (54.5% ABV)
A Japanese single malt matured for six of its 10 years in an IPA cask from Shiga Kogen craft brewery in Nagano. RRP: £299.00

Westland Distillery – 8 Year Old Multi-Vintage American Single Malt Whisky (56.5% ABV)
Distilled in downtown Seattle and aged in rural Washington State in the Pacific Northwest. RRP: £125.00

The Rum Trail is comprised of:

18 Year Old Blended Rum from Barbados (48% ABV)
A blend of pot- and column-still molasses rums from a family-run distillery in south-east Barbados, aged for 14 years on the island in ex-bourbon casks, followed by four years of continental ageing in fresher bourbon casks. RRP: £115.00

11 Year Old Pot-Still Rum from Jamaica (48% ABV)
Produced in central Jamaica using molasses from the family estate, this rum was aged for four years on the island in ex-bourbon casks before a further seven years of continental ageing in second-fill rum casks. RRP: £64.95

9 Year Old Column-Still Rum from Belize (48% ABV)
Distilled in the capital using molasses from locally grown cane and a triple-column still. Matured for three years in heavily charred virgin American oak, followed by six years in ex-bourbon casks on the continent. RRP: £59.95

17 Year Old Pot-Still Rum from Australia (48% ABV)
From Australia’s oldest licensed rum distillery, this expression is first distilled in a column still before a second distillation in copper pot stills. Aged for 10 years in American oak in Australia, then a further seven years of continental ageing in second-fill bourbon casks. RRP: £94.95

11 Year Old Column-Still Rum from Fiji (48% ABV)
Produced at the country’s first rum distillery using molasses from a local heritage cane varietal. After one year in American oak in Fiji, the rum underwent a decade of continental ageing in ex-bourbon casks. RRP: £64.95

Commenting on the launch, Sukhinder Singh said: “These are the spirits I recommend to friends. It’s not about the status of certain distilleries or what’s fashionable to talk about. Quality is far more important than reputation. To make it into this series, a whisk(e)y or rum has to be unique and special. When we taste something that stands out, we visit the distillery to understand the full story — and more often than not, there’s a great story behind exceptional liquid. These are countries and distilleries creating a real sense of place, using specific grains, fermentation methods and local techniques to make their individual mark.”

He continued: “Elixir Distillers’ history of ageing and blending whisky is crucial. We don’t simply identify a good distillery and bottle something. We visit, select the best casks and then nurture the spirit further, using decades of collective judgement to choose the right wood and the ideal moment to allow a whisky to evolve — all while preserving its distillery character. It’s a fine balance. We buy in batches so our blending skills can be used to identify and unite different flavours, creating something greater than the sum of its parts.”

Sukhinder concluded: “One of the great joys of rum is the sheer variation in geographical style. We seek out rums that express a sense of ‘terroir’ — whether through locally grown cane, on-site molasses production or a distillation style unique to a particular island or region. Rum is often bottled at excessively high strengths, but when water is added in the glass it can fall apart. Water takes time to integrate with rum, so we prefer to dilute before bottling and allow that integration to happen naturally. We then bottle at an ABV that brings out the best flavour and character — always balanced, drinkable and delicious.”

The Elixir Trails series is intended to evolve, with further releases and additional spirits categories planned. The range is now available from The Whisky Exchange.