Biggar and Leith honours former prime minister with new Gladstone Axe Malt Whisky

Fine wine and spirits company Biggar and Leith has launched a new brand: The Gladstone Axe Malt Whisky.

Named after four-time prime minister, William Gladstone, the whisky is a modern twist on classic Scotch. Elwyn Gladstone, founder of Biggar and Leith, is his great-great-great grandson.

There are two expressions in the range – The Gladstone Axe American Oak and The Gladstone Axe The Black Axe, both bottled in an iconic bottle which tells the story of William Gladstone in a contemporary way.

Prime minister during the reign of Queen Victoria, William Gladstone had a legendary collection of axes. His passion was for felling trees as a way of relaxing and exercising and people would come from around the country to watch him chopping trees.

The Gladstone Axe American Oak is aged and finished in American Oak Bourbon barrels and blended from whiskies from 14 different Highland and Islay single malt distilleries. The Black Axe has a higher proportion of Islay malts to add just a touch of smoky character.

“We are really excited to be launching a new blended malt whisky bearing the name of my ancestor who was a great figurehead. In 1860, he signed the Spirits Act which allowed the blending of Scotch Whisky for the first time, essentially creating the Scotch Whisky industry as we know it today,” Elwyn Gladstone said.

“Our family origins are in Scotland and Gladstone had a love for the country.  He said, ‘There is not a drop of blood in me that is not Scottish’. I am proud to be able to honour him with this exciting new modern classic whisky.”

The bespoke bottles are designed in bright, contemporary colours and made of tinted glass – light blue for the American Oak and smoky grey for The Black Axe – with embossing on all sides. The embossing shows Gladstone felling a tree on the back of the bottle, the name of the whisky and the years of his premiership on the shoulder, thumb prints on each side of the bottle and his monogram on the base. The back label is axe-shaped and relates the whisky’s history.

The Biggar and Leith portfolio is available in the UK from Totton, Hampshire-based spirits distributor Craftwork. RRP: £32 for a 70cl bottle ABV: 41%