2000 Vintage Whisky

Whisky During the Sydney Olympics and the First Crewed ISS Expedition

The year 2000 brought the Sydney Olympics and the first crewed expedition to the International Space Station. This was the year Laphroaig 30-Year-Old was released, an exemplar of aged peat whisky that garnered high praise. Rich yet mellow, it showcased how peat influence could evolve over long periods. Macallan also continued to solidify its reputation as an investment-grade whisky with its Fine & Rare series, which highlighted vintage releases from as far back as the 1920s.

Meanwhile, independent bottler Douglas Laing introduced the Old Malt Cask range, which aimed to offer a "mini vertical tasting" by presenting different ages and vintages from the same distillery. The bottlings were often single cask and bottled at a preferred strength of 50%, offering a different perspective on familiar distilleries.
Whisky from the year 2000 perfectly captures the essence of a maturing industry that had become comfortable in its diversity, a magnet for both aficionados and new enthusiasts, and increasingly attractive for long-term investments.