Rugby fans the world over will be toasting the late Doddie Weir with a rare whisky, selected by the Scotland rugby legend, which will raise funds for the charitable organisation in his name.
The Highland Single Malt, AD/06:17 – distilled and bottled by Ardnamurchan Distillery – was chosen from a single ex-Oloroso Sherry cask on June 9, 2017 for Doddie, who passed away at the age of 52 in November last year after almost six years living with motor neuron disease (MND).
The month before he died, the 61-cap Scotland international was accompanied by friends and fellow rugby legends on a visit to Ardnamurchan Distillery in Glenbeg.
There, accompanied by former Scotland captain Rob Wainwright, Ireland great Keith Wood, and Scotland scrum half Gary Armstrong, Doddie Weir OBE had the honour of selecting the final cask.
Others making the trip included close friend of Doddie 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.
Five bottles (numbers 1, 2, 5, 6 and 55) will be kept aside for future auctions to raise funds for the Foundation.
The release will be sold through Scotland’s leading specialist whisky retailer, Royal Mile Whiskies, who ship thousands of whiskies and fine spirits worldwide, with all profits donated to the charity.
The Edinburgh firm’s worldwide reputation is largely due to its enthusiastic and knowledgeable team of whisky enthusiasts.
Bottled at 59.2 per cent 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.’
The bottles’ attractive label bearing Doddie’s name is in the charity’s trademark My Name’5 Doddie Foundation tartan.
Rob Wainwright, who has helped raise millions for the 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.”
The Ardnamurchan Distillery was founded in 2014 and bottled its first whisky in 2020.
It is now available in 37 markets worldwide and has already earned a loyal and growing fan base.
Situated on the most westerly point of mainland UK, the distillery was the first in Scotland to be entirely reliant on locally sourced renewable heat and power.
Said its managing director Alex Bruce: “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.”
My Name’5 Doddie Foundation has a clear vision of a world free of motor neuron disease.
Around 400 people in Scotland are currently living with the condition which progressively damages part of the nervous system, leading to muscle weakness and visible wasting.
The charity was established by Doddie Weir and the trustees in November 2017 following Doddie’s diagnosis.
A trailblazer who leaves an incredible legacy behind him, it was founded in response to Doddie’s frustration at the lack of options given to MND patients: no effective treatment, no access to meaningful clinical trials and no
hope.
The Foundation aims to raise funds to aid research into the causes of MND and investigate potential cures, as well as make grants to individuals who have MND, to enable them to live as fulfilled a life as possible.
Since the launch of Doddie Aid 2023, over £2million 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 sporting challenge, comprising running, rowing and riding, which takes place over the first six weeks of every year from January 1.
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.”
To find out more about the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and to donate, visit https://www.myname5doddie.co.uk/.
