London distillers The Last Drop celebrate craftsmanship with an exquisite anniversary collection launch

The Last Drop Distillers celebrated the release of four exquisite new spirits with an exclusive dinner event at London’s Four Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity Square on 17 April, showcasing the gourmet pairing potential of the world’s rarest and most remarkable spirits. 

Hosted by The Last Drop Distillers managing director Rebecca Jago and master blender Colin Scott, the event saw the five-star hotel’s Thameside Suite transformed into an intimate fine dining space, where guests enjoyed an aperitif of The Last Drop’s 40 Year Old “15th Anniversary” Blended Scotch Whisky, followed by a three course meal designed to pair perfectly with the new releases. For starters, a 40 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Auchentoshan Distillery was accompanied by a soy and whisky infused royal cured salmon fillet and trout caviar; the main course paired a 55 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Tomintoul Distillery with guests’ choice of a beef Wellington with truffle ceps duxelles and spinach crepe, a pan-seared wild seabass with bouillabaisse sauce or a seasonal pea and asparagus risotto with Wigmore fondue. To finish, a rum release — the 22 Year Old Infinitum Rum from many different countries — was paired with a melt-in-the-mouth chocolate rhum baba with passionfruit confit.

Guests then headed into the suite’s lounge to enjoy a remarkable 150-year-old tawny port, and showcase her phenomenal mechanical decanter and automatic pourer, “Phoebe” — named for Rebecca’s daughter. Rebecca, who has previously spoken to Tempus about being a pioneering woman in the world of fine spirits — and her passion for rare casks —  showcased how the automata serves the perfect pour every time — using the 15th Anniversary pour as a fitting example.Rebecca describes the London distillery’s mission as: “A single-minded one: to seek out the world’s finest, rarest and most remarkable aged spirits to share with our discerning customers”. 

“Guided by our experts ‘noses’ and combining a life-long love of the finest liquids with a little help from our friends, we are on a hunt for the great, the astonishing,” she said. 

Of the three special releases, the 40 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is limited to just 74 bottles (£3,500 each), with a light straw-gold liquid that hails from Auchentoshan Distillery — renowned for being the only distillery in Scotland to distil its spirit three times. Colin described the whisky as light and delicate on the nose with hints of fruitcake and liquorice, while the palate enjoys rich black cherries, caramel and vanilla — with a hint of oak. Meanwhile, the extraordinary 55 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Tomintoul Distillery is the brand’s oldest single malt to date, first produced in the Speyside distillery in the Swinging ‘60s when it was just five years old. Aged in oak casks for more than 53 yearrs and finished for 20 months in an Amorose butt, this is a complex and morish whisky of 582 bottles (£6,600). Colin noted the dark fruit and sweet raisin olfactory notes that are clear from the rich amber colour, followed by gentle florals and toffees. On the palate, the 55 Year Old is an explosion of ripe fruits and caramelised appled, with the tingling herbs and spices effortlessly balance by a long buttery finish. 

The 22 Year Old Infinitum Rum has its origins in far reaching distilleries in Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Venezuela, Guadaloupe, Brazil and Fiji — blended and aged in oak rum casks in Liverpool for 22 years. The release from The Last Drop Distillers is available in 136 bottles priced at £2,200 each. 

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