A WHISKY specially selected by the late Doddie Weir is set to be released to raise funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
The Highland Single Malt, distilled and bottled by Ardnamurchan Distillery, was chosen from a single ex-Oloroso sherry cask dated June 9, 2017, for the Scottish rugby legend and will be on sale from Wednesday.
The 61-cap Scotland international was accompanied by friends and fellow rugby legends including former Scotland captain Rob Wainwright, Ireland great Keith Wood, and Scotland scrum half Gary Armstrong when he visited the distillery in Glenbeg shortly before he died to pick the final cask.
Weir died on November 26 last year after almost six years living with MND.
Others making the trip included close friend of Weir and ex-Scotland player Carl Hogg.
A total of 327 bottles have been labelled specially to support the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation’s fundraising efforts.
Four bottles - number one, two, five and 55 - will be kept aside for future actions to raise funds for the charity.
The release will be sold via Scotland’s leading specialist whisky retailer, Royal Mile Whiskies, with all profits donated to the charity.
Wainwright, who has helped raise millions for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “Doddie loved a dram, and it was very poignant to get the group back together for the trip to Coll and Ardnamurchan to select the final whisky with him.
"We didn’t know it then, but that was one of the last times many of us would spend with him.
“Doddie’s legacy runs throughout the Foundation and the continued mission to find a cure for MND, and it’s fair to say there’s a drop of it in every bottle of this special whisky.”
Bottled at 59.2% ABV, it has a colour of old oak and toffee lights. On the nose there is sweet and salted toffee, sea spray, chocolate coated raisins and a hint of banoffee.
The palate is said to be "mouth coating" with hazelnut praline, sea salt and bonfire embers, with a finish of "lingering milk chocolate".
Alex Bruce, managing director at Ardnamurchan Distillery, said: “We were incredibly honoured to welcome Doddie to our wee distillery at the beginning of October last year. His enthusiasm for life was unmatched, and I hope that everyone who manages to grab a bottle from this cask raises a dram in his honour.
“We look forward to donations from the sale of these limited edition bottles of whisky raising more funds to support the continued efforts to find a cure for motor neuron disease.”
Paul Thompson, director of fundraising at My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, added: “It’s particularly special to see the cask Doddie hand-selected just before he died now packaged in these beautiful bottles featuring the My Name’5 Doddie tartan.
“We’re confident the AD/06:17 cask will be highly sought after and raise a significant amount for our fundraising efforts and will support our search for a cure to motor neuron disease.”
Since the launch of Doddie Aid 2023, more than £2 million has been raised by fundraisers for the charity.
Around 40,000 people, including Lewis Capaldi and Ewan McGregor, took part in this year’s Doddie Aid, a six week challenge, made up of running, rowing and riding, which takes place over the first six weeks of every year from January 1.
