Bacardi is releasing a 13-year-old expression from single malt brand Craigellachie that has been finished in ex-Armagnac casks. The 46% abv whisky, the first in the 'Craigellachie Cask Collection', carries an SRP of GBP52.99 (US$69.58) and will be available in the UK, France and Germany from April. A US and Taiwan launch is planned for later this year. Following its maturation in American oak Bourbon barrels, the single malt has spent a year in Bas-Armagnac casks from the Gascony region of France. The use of French brandy Armagnac barrels in Scotch is a result of the Scotch Whisky Association’s relaxation of production rules and spirit cask maturation stipulations. The rule change in 2019 allows distillers to select casks for maturation from a wide range of spirits, including Tequila. “We are using these cask types to complement and elevate the signature character of the distillery, not mask it, to add an extra dimension of flavour and intrigue,” said malt master Stephanie Macleod. Four years ago, Bacardi chose to give away all the bottles of a 51-year-old iteration of Craigellachie in a move designed to counter what the company described at the time as "exclusivity" in Scotch. How big can American whiskey get now that UK tariffs have gone? - Click here for a Just Drinks focus