Beam-Suntory’s New Scotch, a Blend of Whiskies From a Dream Team of Distilleries Including Laphroaig The Macallan, Arrives in the US

Ardray has landed in the U.S. (Photo: Ardray/Facebook)

The Spirits Business reported on Thursday that Beam Suntory’s new blended scotch brand, Ardray, had officially hit the U.S., with a ritzy reception in New York celebrating the spirit’s arrival.

According to the brand, Ardray is a blend of scotches from Beam Suntory-owned distilleries including Laphroaig, Bowmore, Auchentoshan, Glen Garioch and Ardmore, in addition to brands like The Macallan, Highland Park, Glenrothes and more.

Production of Ardray involved Beam Suntory’s own master blender, Calum Fraser, working alongside the megabrand’s Japanese blending team.

“One thing that we haven’t really done and we are starting to look to do – is collaborate, share best practice, learn [from] each other,” Fraser said, according to The Spirits Business. “Ardray, to an extent, is very much the genesis of collaborating between two areas of expertise. That opportunity to collaborate between two different areas of the company hasn’t really been in place before, especially in the context of Scotch.”

Ardray was originally launched in June, and the team apparently tasted over 200 whiskies before settling on the final blend.

“There was obviously an opportunity, we felt, to create a blended Scotch whisky that celebrated the terroir of Scotland, the rich character of some component whiskies, as well as the artistry of blending,” said James MacKenzie, director of advocacy at Beam Suntory. “Scotch whisky — it does have a little bit of a dusty perception. What we’re hoping we’ll be able to do is reignite some enthusiasm for blended scotch whisky among whisky enthusiasts.”

Ardray hosts a suggested retail price of $85 and is available in Los Angeles, London, New York and Shanghai for purchase.

“We’ve brought that all together to create a whisky which, for me, stands out among the crowd, and I appreciate that blended Scotch whisky has been in existence for a long period of timem” Frasier concluded. “There [are] several out there. We have looked to create something really unique, that is accessible to everyone.”

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