Grant’s Blended Scotch Whisky is revealing its refreshing side this summer and more of its rich family history with a range of delicious summer serves. As the evenings draw out, it’s the perfect time to relax with family and share stories over a glass of Grant’s with a twist.
As Scotland’s oldest family blend, Grant’s provides the ideal starting point for those warm summer nights and creates the perfect setting for a get together with loved ones to delve in to your family’s past..
As one of the world’s best loved and widely recognised Scotch whiskies, Grant’s Family Reserve with its harmonious balance of vanilla sweetness and delicate floral flavours, provides the perfect base for a range of serves, bringing its rich summer fruit notes to life.
Enjoyed for its complex and rounded flavours, Grant’s blend of grain and malt whiskies produces a deliciously long, smooth taste. Perfect on its own with water or ice, it’s equally at home at the heart of classic recipes like the Grant’s Highball to the raspberry rich Grant’s Twist, offering whisky lovers something different during the summer months.
Grant's Twist
As well as being famous for its whisky, Scotland is also known for its raspberries. Grant’s Twist marries the raspberry kick of framboise with Grant’s Family Reserve. A twist on the world’s oldest family owned blended Scotch; this drink is enhanced by adding a twist of lemonade to soften the sharpness, creating a serve that’s crisp and invigorating.
Ingredients
50ml Grant’s Family Reserve
Dash of framboise
Lemonade (cloudy or clear)
Garnish with two lemon slices
Method
Fill a glass with ice cubes. Mix Grant’s Family Reserve with the framboise and pour. Fill with lemonade. Zest a lemon over the glass and garnish with two lemon slices.
Grant's Godfather
Inspired by the Martin Scorsese film, The Godfather combines the uniquely Scottish, Grant’s Family Reserve and its unmistakable Speyside notes, which combined with the characteristically Italian Amaretto makes this perfectly refreshing drink.
The name is perfect. Our heritage as the world’s oldest family owned blend makes founder William Grant a true ‘Godfather’ of Scottish whisky.
Ingredients
50ml Grant’s Family Reserve
20ml Amaretto
Splash of orange bitter (or juice)
Garnish with orange zest
Method:
Fill a glass with ice cubes. Add Grant’s Family Reserve and the Amaretto. Splash over the orange bitter, zest an orange over the glass and garnish with a long slice of peel.
Grant's Highball
The Highball originated in 1898 - the year William Grant bottled his first blended whisky. Its name is said to derive from the US railways’ practice of raising a ball on a pole to get a driver to speed up, mirroring the speed the drink took to make, with ingredients simply poured over ice in a
tall glass.
Ingredients
50ml Grant’s Family Reserve
Ginger ale
Dash of angostura bitters
Garnish with an orange wedge
Method
Fill a highball glass with a tower of ice cubes. Add Grant’s Family Reserve and top up with ginger ale. Add a few drops of angostura bitters. Garnish with an orange wedge.
Grant's Redfire
Red is an important colour for Grant’s as it is the predominant colour of our family clan tartan and the colours are brought to life in this drink. The smooth gold of Grant’s Family Reserve and the bitter red of the cherry brandy clash, forming trickles of red to create a drink that’s as every bit of powerful as its name.
Ingredients
50ml of Grant’s Family Reserve
Dash of cherry brandy
10ml tonic
Garnish with sage leaf
Method
Fill a highball glass with crushed ice. Add Grant’s Family Reserve and top up with tonic. Drizzle the cherry brandy over the top. Garnish with one fresh sage leaf (optional).
Grant's on the Rocks
Perfect for a warm summer’s evening with friends, it is said the habit of drinking ‘Scotch on rocks’ originated from warmer climates when drinkers used to put pebbles from the bottom of a cool stream in their whisky to cool it down. Did Charles Gordon see this first hand on his epic journey of discovery to the Far East and Australia back in 1909?
Thankfully, ice is now a little easier to come by and it’s the perfect accompaniment to make Grant’s Family Reserve a supremely flavourful and refreshing drink.
Ingredients:
50ml Grant’s Family Reserve
Ice
Method:
Fill a tumbler with ice cubes and pour over Grant’s Family Reserve
Grant's Whisky, patiently crafted for you to enjoy responsibly.
Glenfiddich Rare Collection 1937 to break whisky bottle world record?
A 64-year-old Glenfiddich Rare Collection 1937 whisky could set a new auction world record when it comes to Christie's in June.
Distilled in 1937 and bottled in 2001, it is just one of 61 specimens produced, making it the rarest Glenfiddich ever released.
Bottle 42, which comes in its original wooden case with key, has an estimate of £50,000-70,000 ahead of the Fine and Rare Wines Including Rare Spirits sale in London on June 7.
It is unknown how many bottles remain of the collection. At the time of release it was the world's oldest single malt whisky.
The current world record for a whisky bottle at auction stands at $94,000 (£59,350), set by a Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve in March, a rise of 26.6% for the record in three months.
Chris Munro, the head of wine at Christie's London, commented: "The already global collecting base within the whisky market continues to grow, with a great deal of crossover from our established wine buyers, and I've no doubt this bottle will invite a flurry of interest from collectors both old and new."
Recent research by valuation experts Whisky Highland reveals that the top 10 performing whiskies grew in value by more than 400% between 2008 and 2011.
The sale will also feature a Glenfiddich Private Reserve 1955, valued at £8,000-12,000, and a Macallan Select Reserve 52 year old, estimated at £5,000-6,000.
We will bring you all the key results from the sale in June
Whether you are new to whisky or have always been a fan, GlenDronach Distillery is sure to enthral.
Jim Murray raved about the distillery in his 2012 Whisky Bible when he said: “This year, I have been absolutely blown away by its 18 and 21-year-old vintages, placing GlenDronach firmly in the Grand Crus of Scottish malt distilleries.
“If there was a Whisky Bible, Scotch malt whisky distillery of the year, GlenDronach would be it.”
GlenDronach, meaning valley of the brambles, is set among some of the most breathtaking scenery in Scotland.
The distillery offers historic stone buildings and an 18th-century cobbled courtyard.
The whisky haven is one of Scotland’s oldest and most traditional distilleries, producing some of the finest single malt Scotch whiskies, matured in sherry casks.
Benriach Distillery Company Ltd, near Elgin, became GlenDronach’s proud new owner four years ago and the team are happy with how the business has grown.
“I would say we would buy another distillery tomorrow, but this is just not the right time to buy,” said owner Billy Walker.
From the germination of the barley to the flow of the middle cuts of distilled spirit, every step of the process is taken with meticulous care and timing to a tee.
The immaculate copper top mash tun and great Oregon pine washbacks form the next part of the relatively simple whisky-making process.
GlenDronach’s four copper pot stills distil then redistil the finest spirit.
The distillery completes the magical process by maturing its single malt whisky in superior quality sherry casks, hand crafted from European oak.
The Discovery Tour will take you from the malting floor to the traditional dunnage maturation warehouses, where you will see the whisky-making methods which have been in use for almost 200 years revealed. Afterwards, you will be treated to a sample of one of the GlenDronach richly sherried expressions.
Go the whole hog and book your place on the Connoisseur’s Experience and enjoy an in-depth tour of the distillery, then a tutored tasting with Frank Massie, former manager of the distillery.
Round off your day at the gift shop where you can purchase some of GlenDronach’s very own whiskies. Or why not bottle some of your very own GlenDronach expression from the distillery manager’s cask, which is hand labelled and numbered, providing a one-of-a-kind whisky gift?
The distillery also offers an exclusive single cask bottling, available with each bottle hand numbered and presented in a gift box.
Father’s Day is just around the corner . .
Article Courtesy of the Aberdeen Press and Journal
IT WAS a case of whisky galore in Stirling at the weekend as the city raised a glass to its first-ever whisky festival.
Scores of enthusiasts flocked to the Albert Halls on Saturday (May 12) for the inaugural Spirit of Stirling event.
And organisers are toasting the cultural showpiece’s success, with tickets selling out well in advance and drawing people from the likes of New Zealand, the US, Hungary, Germany and all parts of the UK.
Tasting
Many well-known brands were present, including several local distilleries, with approximately 200 different whiskies available for tasting.
The festival was organised by two local businessmen, Cameron McCann and Iain McMenemy.
Mr McCann said: “We always believed that Stirling would be the ideal location for a whisky festival. As well as having some local distilleries right on our doorstep, Stirling has some of the best transport links anywhere in Scotland.
“We were delighted that tickets were in such demand and were particularly pleased to see many tickets being snapped up by local people who were not whisky enthusiasts, but were keen to discover more about their national drink.
“We were amazed at the distances that some people travelled to attend the festival. One gent from the US arrived on a long-haul flight that morning! That was true whisky devotion.”
Mr McMenemy added: “We hope to be able to make the festival an annual event and are looking into 2013 already. We hope we have demonstrated that events like this have the potential to bring tourists and day visitors into Stirling.
“Our aim is to grow the festival so that people will travel to Stirling and stay here for a few days to enjoy the whisky festival, but also to visit the great many other attractions in the area.
“We’d like to thank all the distilleries and other exhibitors who attended, without their support the event would never have happened. We’d also like to thank all our support staff who made the day go without a hitch.
“In particular, we’d like to thank all our guests who came along and made the day such a huge success. Everyone was in great spirits, pardon the pun, and this created an excellent atmosphere in the hall throughout the day.”
Stirling MSP Bruce Crawford, who attended the festival, said: “It was great to see so many people, not just from the local area, but from so many different parts of the world, visit Stirling to attend the whisky festival.
“Whisky as a brand has a huge international appeal and Stirling, with its central location and excellent transport links, should be an ideal location for visitors.
“I’d like to congratulate Cameron and Iain for organising the event; they did tell me that they would like to grow the event so that more local businesses can get involved and make the festival an annual feature in the Stirling calendar.
“I’d be delighted to offer them my support and look forward to seeing this event continue to grow and be a success for many years to come.”
Mid Scotland and Fife list MSP Murdo Fraser was amongst the Albert Halls crowd. He said: “The Spirit of Stirling festival was a great success and Stirling is a fantastic setting for it.
“The organisers are to be commended for all their work and putting on the event, which celebrates one of Scotland’s finest exports in one of Scotland’s finest cities.”
“The festival provided a real boost to Stirling – having sold out in its first year – and was well-supported by the local community. I wish the festival continued success in future years and I hope that it will become a permanent calendar fixture.”
Whisky aficionados and lovers of the ‘water of life’ will compete blindfolded in this year’s prestigious Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship.
The biennial event is sponsored by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) and will take place in Sydney’s Australian Museum Dinosaur Gallery Friday, June 15.
Eight malts will be served to blindfolded competitors, who will be asked to identify them from a list of nine well-known producers.
First prize in the competition is two places on the SMWS’ four day long weekend in Tasmania, the Ultimate Single Malt Whisky & Wine Autumn Tour in August/September, including flights and accommodation.
Speaking to TheShout, SMWS director and cellarmaster Andrew Derbridge said the championship is about bringing real Scotch whiskies to those that will appreciate them.
“The Society might be the leading and most active authority on malt whisky in the country, but on-premise and retail is the ‘front line’ where 99 per cent of our members are introduced to single malt.
“We’re thrilled at the way more and more retailers are taking their whisky portfolios seriously and have set about trying to educate their customers about malt, and give them more information about their favourite tipple.
“The Society runs whisky tasting nights all through the year in every city, and we love it that so many publicans, bar operators, bottle shop owners, sales reps and the like come along to our events and join in the fun. And we’re also chuffed that so many corners of the industry support what we’re doing and get involved.”
The SMWS began in Scotland in 1983 and now enjoys over 26,000 members worldwide with branches in 14 countries.
It has been active in Australia since 2002 and has hosted the Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship since 2008.
A RARE bottle of whisky, that will ultimately by handed to The Queen, will first make a stop at Elgin Museum.
Moray Lord Lieutenant Grenville Johnston was today handed the 60-year-old decanter of Glen Grant from representatives of Elgin business Gordon & MacPhail.
After the whisky has been displayed to the public in the museum, the Lord Lieutenant will deliver it to The Queen as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Lieutenant Johnston commented: "The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee will be celebrated around the world and Moray is no exception.
"Gordon & MacPhail’s decision to bottle this whisky in its 60th year is a fitting tribute to Her Majesty and her decades of service to the British people."
ONE of the oldest and rarest bottles of whisky in the world is on display at The Whisky Shop in York.
The special release of The Dalmore Zenith is the only one in existence, created exclusively for The Whisky Shop, and is on display at the Coppergate store until June 4.
The single malt, from The Dalmore distillery in the north- east of Scotland, is made up from precious stocks of three very old vintages of Dalmore single-malt whisky – The Dalmore 1964, The Dalmore 1951, and an historic Dalmore distilled in 1926, the year of the General Strike, and the year the Queen was born.
The Dalmore Zenith could make history as the most expensive bottle sold this year. Offers in excess of the reserve price of £50,000 have been made to The Whisky Shop chairman Ian Bankier and the final price could be another record breaker, with The Dalmore Tinitas being the first whisky to sell for more than £100,000, and a Dalmore Sinclair 62-year-old selling in Singapore for £125,000.
Glenfarclas is introducing a limited edition 58-year-old whisky, the oldest it has ever produced.
Only 400 numbered single cask bottles are being made available and date back to four casks distilled in 1953. The chosen cask, #1674, was selected by a panel of leading whisky experts including George Grant, the distillery owner.
The cask began its life in Spain where it was used to mature fine sherry to be sent to Scotland. Glenfarclas filled it with whisky on November 20, 1953 and aged at the distillery's Highland Dunnage warehouse. The 400 70cl bottles were bottled at cask strength 47.2%.
The bottles are being sold with a specially written book on the history of Glenfarclas - Glenfarclas - An Independent Distillery - by whisky writer Ian Buxton and the whisky is presented in a plain oak box.
The whisky will also be made available to customers of Wealth Solutions, a Polish based wealth investment company.
GALLOWAY airline pilot Stewart Gibson took part in the ‘World’s Highest Whisky Tasting’ last week as part of the Walking With the Wounded expedition to Everest.
Unfortunately, the charity for wounded servicemen were forced to abandon their summit attempt, due to un-seasonal warm weather which resulted in a large scale avalanche down the western slope of the mountain, claiming the life of a fellow sherpa. Despite this, the Walking With The Wounded Expedition Team raised a glass at base camp to Mother Nature and vowed ‘We’ll be back’.
They also took part in a 45 minute live broadcast that attracted over 20,000 viewers who tuned in to watch the expedition team toast the world’s highest mountain.
Glenfiddich Whisky have helped sponsor the expedition, and Stewart was one of four members of the public who won a nationwide search to trek to Everest Base Camp to deliver the Glenfiddich 12, 15 and 18 year old single malts for the whisky tasting.
Stewart, from Balmaclellan, near Castle Douglas said: “After a grueling ten-day trek through the Nepalese mountains, it was fantastic feeling to reach base camp and raise a glass with the wounded servicemen who have been involved in this expedition. To take part in a live broadcast from over 5,364 meters above sea level is pretty incredible and I’m so proud to be an inaugural member of the Glenfiddich Explorer’s Club’.
Astonishing life of Scots woman who took whisky to Japan
FEW know her name in Scotland but in Japan Rita Taketsuru is a legend.
The doctor’s daughter, from Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow, is hailed as one half of a pioneering couple who took whisky to Japan, where their distillery is today creating drams hailed as the best in the world.
In 1920, Rita married chemistry student Masataka Taketsuru and together they took the secrets of Scotch to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Every year, members of The Rita Taketsuru Fan Club make a pilgrimage to her grave in Yoichi, Japan, and her life and love story have even been turned into a cartoon book.
Her story is so incredible, her great-nephew Harry Hogan, 64, from Newton Mearns, near Glasgow, is surprised no one has made a film about Rita and Masataka.
He said: “My great-aunt was a remarkable lady and I’m always surprised at how few people in Scotland know about her.
“In Japan she and Masataka have legendary status and are celebrated as ‘the mother and father of Japanese whisky’.
“Their story would make a fabulous film or TV drama.”
“This year, their distillery’s Taketsuru blended malt was declared the best in the world for the fourth year in a row.
“It’s thanks to them the Japanese are beating the Scots in the whisky stakes.”
Born in Scotland in 1896, Jessie Roberta Cowan – known as Rita – enjoyed a happy middle-class upbringing with her sisters Isabella and Lucy and brother Campbell.
But in World War I her fiance was killed in Damascus and, in 1918, her dad died of a heart attack.
In 1919, her mum Robina decided to take in a lodger to help with the finances. The man she chose was Masataka, from Hiroshima.
The 25-year-old worked for a drinks company and had been sent by his bosses to learn the secrets of whisky-making.
He took courses in organic chemistry at Glasgow University and travelled to distilleries all over the country.
Dad-of-two Harry, who runs a catering equipment firm, said: “While staying with my great-grandma Robina, love blossomed between Rita and Masataka.
“One legend has it that they fell in love during a duet of Auld Lang Syne and another has them pulling the ring and sixpence from a Christmas pudding and realising their future lay together.”
In January 1920, the couple married at the Calton registry office in Glasgow and, 10 months later, they arrived in Japan, with Masataka ready to start making bona fide Scotch whisky.
But his managers were more interested in turning a quick profit with cheaply flavoured spirits and did not take on board his ideas. Disillusioned, Masataka resigned from the firm and Rita started teaching English to children and housewives to bring in money.
Harry, whose grandmother Lucy was Rita’s sister, said: “Rita was so brave to move thousands of miles from home to a country where no one spoke English and the culture was so different. My gran was very fond of her.”
By 1923, word had spread of Masataka’s research trip to Scotland and he was hired by Shinjiro Torii – the founder of the Suntory group – to help build a whisky distillery in Yamazaki.
But he quarrelled with Torii over the fineries of whisky production and he quit, realising he would have to set up his own firm if he wanted to make proper Scotch.
In 1934, he set up the Dai Nihon Kaju firm – now called Nikka Whisky – with the help of two investors and built a distillery at Yoichi, on the island of Hokkaido. Harry said: “Masataka was determined to do everything right and make true Scots whisky. He built his distillery in the style of a Highland still and planted heathers round the door to make it more authentic.”
The war proved a blessing for the distillery. Before the conflict, the Imperial Japanese Navy had been among the nation’s most avid consumers of imported Scotch whisky. Now, with imports from enemy countries banned, the sailors grew thirsty.To ensure they wouldn’t go without, the Yoichi distillery was classified as a war industry. It made its first profit in 1940.
The war was not so kind to Rita. As a Japanese citizen, she was spared internment and allowed to stay in Yoichi but the secret police suspected her of being a spy.
They accused her of having radio equipment to contact Allied submarines and staged a series of raids on her home. They also shadowed her every move. Harry said: “As the war escalated after Pearl Harbour, her neighbours turned against her – the town’s children pelted her house with rocks and adults ignored her in the street. It was a distressing time.
“I don’t know how she stayed strong in those years. It must have been frightening being so far from home and everyone suspecting you of being the enemy.”
After the war ended, the distillery continued to prosper and the Taketsurus began to think about who would take over the business when they were gone.
The couple, who adopted a daughter, Rima, in 1930, took on Masataka’s 20-year-old nephew Takeshi as their heir.
Takeshi married a local girl Utako and Rita became a proud grandmother to Khotaro and Minobu.
In 1959, Rita’s youngest sister Lucy travelled to Yoichi. It was the first time Rita had seen any of her family since her last trip home in 1931.
In January 1961, Rita passed away after a long struggle with liver disease. Masataka outlived her by 18 years. They are buried together on a hillside near the distillery.
Takeshi took over Nikka Whisky – owned by the Asahi beer firm – who now run the Ben Nevis distillery in Fort William.
In 1998, a museum was built in memory of Rita and her husband. Harry and his mum Valerie travelled to Japan for the opening.
He said: “There are huge pictures of Rita on the wall and they have recreated her Scottish living room. Takeshi, who is now retired, showed us round and we laid flowers on their grave.
“It was incredible to see first-hand the legacy my great-aunt left behind. I’m proud of her and Scotland should be too.
Arran's Special Edition Charity Whisky is a Sell-Out
The award-winning Scotch whisky producer, Isle of Arran Distillers http://www.arranwhisky.com, has raised over £6,000 for charity through the sale of its limited edition single malt whisky, The Sleeping Warrior.
Created especially to raise money for the National Trust for Scotland, the unique product was released last summer and has a rich and fruity flavour, which went down well with consumers as the 6,000 limited-edition bottles sold out within weeks of it hitting the shelves.
As a premium product, The Sleeping Warrior was matured in a combination of European and American oak. It was named after an area in the north of Arran that famously resembles a resting human figure. A donation was raised from each bottle sold with the money raised put towards restoring the footpaths around Goatfell, Arran’s highest mountain, with the first restoration project beginning in summer 2012.
Euan Mitchell, Managing Director at Arran Whisky, says: “The National Trust for Scotland plays a vital role in maintaining our iconic Scottish countryside for future generations. As a leading independent distillery, we’re determined to make a positive contribution to our local area and I’m delighted that The Sleeping Warrior was so well received by the public. The money we have raised is going to a great cause, and I sincerely hope we can work with and support the National Trust again in the future.”
The Trust’s Head Ranger on Arran, Kate Sampson, says: “This generous donation from Arran Whisky is a big contribution to our conservation work on Goatfell. Keeping our footpaths in good order means that we can protect this delicate mountain environment from erosion, and ensure that Goatfell remains a stunning and iconic place for everyone to enjoy.”
RAF Kinloss commemorative whisky now on sale to the public
A SPECIAL commemorative whisky produced by RAF Kinloss is now on sale to the general public.
In keeping with many special occasions over the year where the RAF has commemorated the event by producing a special bottling, a final bottle has been commissioned.
the final bottle has been commissioned in association with Gordon and MacPhail, to mark the closure of the base as an RAF station, and its 73 year history.
‘The Last Hunter’ is suitably named, not only to reflect the last in a long tradition, but as a final tribute to the importance RAF Kinloss has played throughout its distinguished history.
There is now an opportunity to open the availability of this unique whisky to the wider public. Stocks are limited and will be dealt with on a first come, first serve basis.
It can be ordered by sending the completed order form, available on the RAF Kinloss website or the Combined Mess Reception, to the CM Manager (kevin.hastie216@mod.uk) or the CM Clerk (marie.bowron107@mod.uk).
The maximum purchase is three bottles per individual. The cost per bottle is £79.99 with all proceeds donated to local charities. Payments must be completed prior to the release of the product. Postage and packing charges will apply as indicated.
This Limited Edition Blended Malt is individual in its make up and produced to reflect the time RAF Kinloss has been a RAF Station. It has been bottled at 41.6% volume, which is 73 degrees and intimates the 73 years of the Station’s life span. A single cask production, limited to approximately 500 individually numbered bottles; it incorporates a 25 year old Speyside Single Malt blended with a Speyside Single Malt from 1939, making it unique.
The label is taken from the Coastal Command Commemorative Window, depicting the motto ‘Constant Endeavour’. The window was conceived and planned by Air Vice Marshal C.E. Chiltern C.B., C.B.E., Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Coastal Command in approximately 1960 and this is a poignant part of the history at RAF Kinloss.
Set up earlier this year, The Whisky Ambassador programme has the combined aim of educating on-trade staff about the different styles of Scotch whisky as well as the product’s heritage and distillery information.
Through these twin approaches, the programme hopes to encourage trading up among customers by fostering a “Drink Less Drink Better” attitude, while promoting distilleries as tourist destinations.
At a time when the Scotch whisky industry is seeing impressive growth, there are signs of increasing consumer interest in discovering more about the drink. Between 2008 and 2010 Diageo alone reported a 20% footfall uplift across its 12 visitor centres to 210,000 people.
“There are some excellent whisky bars but so many people even in high end bars and hotels know very little about our national drink,” remarked Victoria Brierley, co-founder of The Whisky Ambassador, observing: “That’s seriously bad for the trade.
“Bar staff should be able to talk about what whisky is, the colour, the age, the peatiness, the sweetness, and how it has come to find its way into bars all over the world,” Brierley continued.
The programme, which is both ILA Scotland and BIIAB accredited, so far includes sessions in Edinburgh (11 and 15 May), Manchester (11 June), Perthshire (12 June), St Andrews (19 June), Oban (26 June) and Ayrshire (3 July).
The ILA Scotland accreditation means that on-trade employees earning £22,000 per year or less will qualify for funding assistance towards these day-long courses, which cost £200 per person.
Glenfiddich to broadcast world’s highest whisky tasting
Whisky brand Glenfiddich is to broadcast the world’s highest ever whisky tasting from Everest base camp, joined by a team from military charity Walking with the Wounded.
From 7pm tonight Mark Austin from ITV News will host the ‘nose’ and ‘taste’ event live as the team quaff their way through a range of single malt reserves.
An eminent panel of guests will join the proceedings from the London Stock Exchange, including Dr. Ian Davis (renowned adventure doctor), Jamie Milne (Whisky Expert), Ed Parker (Charity Founder) and Mark Thomson (Director ofDramatic Whisky).
Adventure specialists Creative Minds Communications have masterminded the event whilst Steam UK will provide the live stream and technical support.
The 45 minute show will be streamed live on the Internet, on Telegraph.co.uk, on Absolute Radio’s website as well as a special Glenfiddich microsite. Twitter users can follow proceedings using the hashtag #WWTWLive.
Diageo has reported a six per cent rise in quarterly sales largely from booming demand for Scotch whisky in emerging markets.
Sales for the first three months of 2012 were also lifted by a return to growth in the North American markets, which offset a decline in European sales.
Diageo, which owns the whisky brands Talisker, Bells and Johnnie Walker, said a strategy to sell more premium whiskies in booming Asian countries was paying off.
Chief executive Paul Walsh said: “In Asia Pacific, our premiumisation strategy in Scotch in the emerging Asian markets continues to deliver double digit growth and therefore, while in Australia and North Asia consumer trends are weaker, the year to date performance is in line with the first half.”
Overall sales for the first nine months of the current financial year have risen by 18 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean, by 12 per cent in Africa, 10 per cent in Asia Pacific and five per cent in North America.
Sales in the European regions have fallen by one per cent overall for the nine-month period. Including sales from new acquisitions, quarterly sales rose by 11 per cent overall.
DRINKS giant Diageo warned about the prospects for sales in western Europe but said the thirst for Scotch among affluent consumers in emerging markets will help the company maintain growth.
In an update on trading, the Johnnie Walker whisky and Smirnoff vodka-maker provided renewed evidence of the challenges facing exporters as the problems in the eurozone stifle demand in important markets.
London-based Diageo said underlying sales in Europe fell by 1% annually in the first nine months, with even the strong demand in Germany proving unable to compensate for problems elsewhere.
While the company did not break down sales by country, Diageo confirmed that trends in the third quarter had been in line with the second quarter.
First half sales in western Europe trod water.
At Diageo's interim results announcement in February, its executives highlighted the polarisation of the European market between fast-growing areas such as Russia and Western countries, including the UK, in which first-half sales fell by 2%.
The head of the European business, Andrew Morgan, said at the time that Diageo had cut its marketing spend in Greece and Spain because there was no point spending large sums where customers were struggling to buy its products.
In yesterday's update Diageo indicated that directors do not see any sign of an improvement in trading conditions in countries such as Spain, a significant export market for whisky producers, or the UK.
"Despite strong performance in markets such as Germany, we remain cautious for the outlook in western Europe," it said.
But Diageo continues to reap the benefits of a successful attempt to cash in on the emergence of a new class of affluent consumers in countries that include India and China.
"In Asia Pacific, our premiumisation strategy in Scotch in the emerging Asian markets continues to deliver double-digit growth and therefore, while in Australia and North Asia [Japan and South Korea] consumer trends are weaker, the year to date performance is in line with the first half," Diageo told investors.
Underlying sales increased by 10% in the first nine months annually in Asia Pacific.
Diageo has developed products to capitalise on the trend for consumers in countries such as India to drink high-end Scotch whisky products such as aged single malts.
Sales increased by 18% in Latin America and the Caribbean in the first nine months.
"Our year-to-date performance continues to demonstrate that Diageo is well positioned with our balance of businesses across categories and with a large and increasing presence in the faster growing emerging markets," said chief executive Paul Walsh yesterday.
In the quarter ended March, Diageo grew underlying sales by 6%, excluding acquisitions and currency movements. Sales grew by 7% annually in the first nine months.
Mr Walsh has said demographic change in emerging markets could support growth in sales of whisky for years.
In February, he held out the possibility that Diageo could open another distillery in Scotland, where it employs 4000 people.
Other whisky-makers, such as Highland Park distiller Edrington, have enjoyed big growth in sales to Asian countries.
Scotch whisky exports reached a record £4.2bn in 2011, up 23% annually, according to the Scotch Whisky Association.
Diageo's success may be regarded with mixed feelings in Kilmarnock following the company's controversial decision to close the historic bottling plant in the town in 2009, to centralise operations in other plants in Scotland.
The closure process completed in March.
Of the 707 people affected, 431 accepted redundancy packages, new roles were found for 194 at other sites while 82 were made redundant compulsorily.
In a related development, 23 people lost their jobs when Diageo closed a distillery and cooperage at Port Dundas, Glasgow, where 145 people worked.
The chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has said the annual event has become a "keystone" of the area's tourist trade.
Jim Royan said the 13th festival, which runs until Monday, has attracted thousands of visitors.
It comes despite fears that uncertainty over the future of the area's defence bases was hurting the local economy.
Events in the festival include tastings, tours, masterclasses and concerts.
Mr Royan said: "It started from a group of enthusiasts and now has become a major business.
"Particularly now for Moray, we came through a particularly traumatic year last year with the effects of the defence spending review.
"But we actually got ourselves out of that bit of a trough and part of the currency of Moray and the Moray coast and Speyside is actually the tourist offering."
A rare bottle of Glenfiddich whisky has been auctioned for £42,000.
The 55-year-old single malt was created to honour Janet Sheed Roberts, granddaughter of William Grant, founder of the Glenfiddich Distillery.
Mrs Roberts celebrated her 110th birthday in August 2011 - the oldest woman in Scotland when she died in April this year.
Only 11 bottles of the whisky will be released to the public, one to celebrate each decade of her life.
Click here to find out more!
The rare whisky, bought by the World Duty Free Group, comes in a hand-blown glass bottle with a bottle stopper pressed with Mrs Roberts's initials, encased in a leather box inspired by her leather travelling truck, with a deer horn toggle and lined with silk.
Artist Alison Watt OBE has created a limited edition signed print to accompany each bottle. Money raised from the sale of bottle number 7 will go to the Lotus Flower Trust and help pay for the building of a school and home for children in Ramnagar, India.
Rita Greenwood, from William Grant and Sons, said she was "absolutely delighted" with the winning bid.
"It is, of course, extremely sad that Mrs Janet Sheed Roberts passed away in April of this year. However, these 11 bottles are a true legacy to her fantastic life and amazing spirit," she added.
"I am sure she would have been delighted at the incredible sums of money that these auctions have raised."
Sarah Branquinho, from World Duty Free Group, said: "This has been a wonderful and generous effort by William Grant & Sons. The children in Ramnagar will be eternally grateful."
Planning permission has been granted for a new whisky distillery in Ardnamurchan on the west coast of Scotland.
This confirmation sets in motion a project that has been planned by the Adelphi Distillery since 2007 as a solution to growing demand for Scotch whisky from markets around the world.
Since its own distilling operations ceased at the beginning of the 20th century, Adelphi’s business has focused on bottling single casks of malt whisky from a number of other distilleries.
However when the independent company began searching for the best solution to meet the uplift in demand for Scotch whisky, sales & marketing director Alex Bruce explained: “We have always wanted to return Adelphi to its distilling roots.”
Located 1.5 miles from Adephi’s Glenborrodale Castle headquarters, the new distillery will be the most westerly in mainland Scotland and aims to become operational before the end of next year.
With no other distilleries in the immediate area, Bruce outlined the character expected to come from this corner of Scotland, saying: “Just as Islay has its iodine and Orkney a more heathery smoke, Ardnamurchan should be both maritime and sweet.”
As part of a drive to encourage this distinctive style, Bruce added: “If possible, we plan to use Ardnamurchan peat in our traditional floor malting on site to provide these new flavours.”
Initially the company plans to produce three main styles. Bruce described these as “a coastal Highland”, which will be peated to around 20 parts per million, considerably lower than many Islay whiskies; as well as a “lighter peated version” and a non-peated style.
While the most peated part of the range will be matured predominantly in American oak, the two lighter styles will use ex-Sherry casks.
According to Bruce, Adelphi hopes to release its first “mainstream” whiskies at between five and eight years old, although he emphasised: “This will depend on how the makes mature.” In addition, Bruce revealed: “We would also hope to release special single casks as and when they mature.”
By building a distillery from scratch, Adelphi has been able to incorporate a number of environmentally friendly elements into its design.
The distillery’s main source of fuel will come from a wood chip-fuelled biomass plant, supplied from the sustainable woodland around the estate. The site will also generate hydro-electric power from the river.
Built into the plans is a further collaborative project with Napier University in Edinburgh and recently established firm Celtic Renewables, which will see bio-fuel created using pot ale and draff by-products from the distillation process.
You can lead the locals to the whisky bar, but you can't make them drink.
That's the lesson to be learned in Glasgow. Just minutes outside of the city, Scotch whisky (no "e" in "whisky" here) distilleries dot the landscape. There's no question that Scotch is the iconic beverage, and visitors flock to this vibrant city to bend elbows in one of the city's many whisky bars and pubs.
But just try telling that to Glaswegians, who favor wine and "white spirits", namely vodka and gin, or perhaps a Tennent's Lager.
"Although white spirits sell in higher volumes in Glasgow (as elsewhere in the world)," says Iain McCallum, master of malts at Auchentoshan-, Bowmore- and Glen Garioch producer Morrison Bowmore Distillers, "There are a high number of whisky bars in Glasgow that people will visit from around the world. This can't be said of any other drink."
Further, he notes that the city's best bartenders are experimenting with whisky in cocktails, helping to boost local interest in darker spirits.
McCallum recommends the grand Blythswood Square Hotel (here) as a first stop for business travelers, especially if meetings are on the agenda.
"It's steeped in history; the building dates back to the early 19th century, and was the headquarters for the Royal Scottish Automobile Society from 1910 until 2002," he adds.
Mal Spence, the Blythswood's head bartender, says that gin-based cocktails lead his top cocktail sellers, while vodka "was and has been the most popular spirit over the years."
This doesn't mean that no one is drinking Scotch. For a dram and a taste of "the more traditional Glasgow," choices abound.
McCallum turns to whisky bars such as Bon Accord (www.bonaccordweb.co.uk/), the eclectic Ben Nevis (thebennevis.co.uk/) where folk bands often play, or The Whisky Bar at Oran Mor (oran-mor.co.uk/), which is located within a converted church and boasts over 250 whisky offerings.
Other options include the laid-back Lismore Bar (206 Dumbarton Rd) and The Pot Still (thepotstill.co.uk/), a Victorian pub dating back to the 1800s.
For an end-of-day drink, McCallum's picks include Blue Dog (www.bluedogglasgow.com/) in the city centre, reputed to have the best rum selection in the city, or Booly Mardy's (www.bloodymarys.co.uk/) in the West End (the bar originally was going to be called Bloody Mary's, but was changed after a trademark dispute).
Both bars offer elaborate cocktails - the lion's share of which do not include whisky.
RECIPE: GARDEN, GRAIN AND GRAPE Courtesy of Mal Spence, Blythswood Square Hotel This original cocktail is "one of the most popular" at Blythswood Square, barman Spence says. He recommends using a rye-based vodka, such as Belvedere or Ketel One, for a smoother and creamier effect. 4-6 green grapes 50 ml Vodka 25 ml White Wine 50 ml Pressed Apple Juice 25 ml simple syrup Dash of egg white (optional) Squeeze and drop the grapes into the shaker, then add the remaining ingredients. Fill shaker three-quarters full with ice, shake hard for 10 seconds, then use a fine tea strainer to double-strain the drink into a coupe glass, to remove grape pulp. Garnish with the top 3 leaves of a small mint sprig.
Spirited Traveller: Scotch not the only game in Glasgow
You can lead the locals to the whisky bar, but you can't make them drink.
That's the lesson to be learned in Glasgow. Just minutes outside of the city, Scotch whisky (no "e" in "whisky" here) distilleries dot the landscape. There's no question that Scotch is the iconic beverage, and visitors flock to this vibrant city to bend elbows in one of the city's many whisky bars and pubs.
But just try telling that to Glaswegians, who favor wine and "white spirits", namely vodka and gin, or perhaps a Tennent's Lager.
"Although white spirits sell in higher volumes in Glasgow (as elsewhere in the world)," says Iain McCallum, master of malts at Auchentoshan-, Bowmore- and Glen Garioch producer Morrison Bowmore Distillers, "There are a high number of whisky bars in Glasgow that people will visit from around the world. This can't be said of any other drink."
Further, he notes that the city's best bartenders are experimenting with whisky in cocktails, helping to boost local interest in darker spirits.
McCallum recommends the grand Blythswood Square Hotel (here) as a first stop for business travelers, especially if meetings are on the agenda.
"It's steeped in history; the building dates back to the early 19th century, and was the headquarters for the Royal Scottish Automobile Society from 1910 until 2002," he adds.
Mal Spence, the Blythswood's head bartender, says that gin-based cocktails lead his top cocktail sellers, while vodka "was and has been the most popular spirit over the years."
This doesn't mean that no one is drinking Scotch. For a dram and a taste of "the more traditional Glasgow," choices abound.
McCallum turns to whisky bars such as Bon Accord (www.bonaccordweb.co.uk/), the eclectic Ben Nevis (thebennevis.co.uk/) where folk bands often play, or The Whisky Bar at Oran Mor (oran-mor.co.uk/), which is located within a converted church and boasts over 250 whisky offerings.
Other options include the laid-back Lismore Bar (206 Dumbarton Rd) and The Pot Still (thepotstill.co.uk/), a Victorian pub dating back to the 1800s.
For an end-of-day drink, McCallum's picks include Blue Dog (www.bluedogglasgow.com/) in the city centre, reputed to have the best rum selection in the city, or Booly Mardy's (www.bloodymarys.co.uk/) in the West End (the bar originally was going to be called Bloody Mary's, but was changed after a trademark dispute).
Both bars offer elaborate cocktails - the lion's share of which do not include whisky.
RECIPE: GARDEN, GRAIN AND GRAPE Courtesy of Mal Spence, Blythswood Square Hotel This original cocktail is "one of the most popular" at Blythswood Square, barman Spence says. He recommends using a rye-based vodka, such as Belvedere or Ketel One, for a smoother and creamier effect. 4-6 green grapes 50 ml Vodka 25 ml White Wine 50 ml Pressed Apple Juice 25 ml simple syrup Dash of egg white (optional) Squeeze and drop the grapes into the shaker, then add the remaining ingredients. Fill shaker three-quarters full with ice, shake hard for 10 seconds, then use a fine tea strainer to double-strain the drink into a coupe glass, to remove grape pulp. Garnish with the top 3 leaves of a small mint sprig.
THE year 1952 was one to remember in Britain. It had been six years since World War II ended, and the British economy was bust. But the entire nation had something to rejoice about – it was the year Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne.
This year, the Queen celebrates her 60th anniversary as ruler, and to commemorate the momentous occasion, John Walker and Sons Ltd (the super premium arm of Scotch blending house Johnnie Walker) has released the Diamond Jubilee, a unique and expertly crafted blend of whiskies all distilled in (and maturing since) 1952.
Only 60 editions of Diamond Jubilee have been produced, one for each year of her reign, and they are for sale at £100,000 (about RM500,000) each.
Proceeds from the sale will go to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, which preserves rare craft and conservation skills and enables them to flourish.
The entire Diamond Jubilee package is practically a collection of work by some of Britain’s finest craftsmen.
Standing on a base with six radial legs (to reflect each decade of the Queen’s reign), the gorgeous diamond-shaped decanter that holds this precious liquid was made by luxury crystal makers Baccarat, and decorated with Britannia silver adornments that include the John Walker & Sons Royal Warrant, an entwined JW&S monogram and a collar that boasts a half-carat diamond, crafted by Scottish silversmiths Hamilton & Inches.
Each edition of Diamond Jubilee comes with a pair of specially crafted lead crystal glasses by Cumbria Crystal, hand-engraved by Philip Lawson Johnston. There is also a hand-bound artefact book that tells the story of the crafting of the whiskies, created by QEST Scholar Laura West. The book will be personalised with the name of each owner by Sally Mangum, the QEST scholar and calligrapher by appointment to Queen Elizabeth.
That’s not all. Each and every one of these lovingly crafted elements are housed in a bespoke cabinet made by N.E.J. Stevenson, incorporating oak and native Caledonian pine from Queen Elizabeth’s Sandringham and Balmoral estates, and decorated with fine marquetry using timber veneers from around the Commonwealth.
According to Johnnie Walker Super Deluxe brand ambassador Jonathan Driver, the purpose of the bottle and the whole enterprise is to generate revenue for QEST.
“The trust is very important to us and the future of sustainable craft. We don’t want crafts like crystal, steel engraving, book binding and so on to disappear. Therefore, we didn’t want to do just another commemorative bottling, but rather, one that would put a lot back into these industries,” he says.
Now, all this attention to detail and craftsmanship is all very well, but what about the whisky? After all, whisky making is an art as well, and whisky blending is a craft that involves exceptional skills.
According to Driver, it took a while for Johnnie Walker to come up with a whisky that could do justice to the concept.
“Unlike single malts, we couldn’t just go into our warehouses, pick up a cask and say, ‘We’ll sell this for £100,000.’ It just wasn’t that easy. When we started out three years ago, even our master blender Jim Beveridge couldn’t get a grip on it!”
They eventually decided to go with a blend made up of whiskies that were distilled in 1952 and have been maturing since. Even then, they had problems coming up with the blend, mainly because most of their whiskies from that year were nigh unusable.
“Frankly, most whiskies from 1952 aren’t very good. Occasionally, if you are a single malt house, you can find a great cask of 60-year-old malt whisky. Unfortunately, most of what we had was unusable,” Driver explains.
Fortunately, the blenders eventually found a cask of malt from Speyside, and an unusual cask of North Highland vatting from 1952 by the now-defunct Distillers Company Ltd. However, while both these malts were great and had wonderful flavour on their own, there was still something missing in the blend.
“Both these malts were just right – they both had a huge amount of maturity and wood, immense dark fruit and extraordinary wood character. But they would always lack something. We didn’t get a lot out of those malts until we added the grain in.”
Finding the correct grain whisky for the Diamond Jubilee proved to be a bigger challenge than finding the malts, mainly because grain whiskies tend to absorb a lot more of the woody characteristics from the barrel they are matured in. Therefore, the older it gets, the more it tastes like you are chewing on your furniture.
“We were struggling (with the blend) till we found the grain. We found a few casks of grain that had survived 60 years, but most of them just weren’t right,” Driver says. “Then one day, we found a cask of 1952 North British grain whisky. Amazingly, it was completely almost lacking in wood flavours.”
The magic ingredient in the Diamond Jubilee turned out to be this cask of North British grain whisky. That barrel was a virtual whisky time machine, coming from an age when whisky making had still not been developed to today’s high technological standards.
“That particular grain was probably held in a barrel that had been used multiple times, and it had become just a vessel to hold the whisky. If you did that today, you’d probably be fired!” says Driver.”Finding that barrel of grain whisky was a stroke of luck. Without it, we wouldn’t have this whisky.”
With that final ingredient, the company was able to create a whisky that has the brooding body and presence of North Highland vatting, the rich, potentially sweet flavour of Speyside, and the energy and freshness of the grain whisky, which also served to lighten and bind them all together.
The blend was finished in a marrying cask of English oak from the Queen’s Sandringham Estate – another component of the dedication to craftsmanship.
“We made the marrying barrel ourselves, literally from tree to cask. After all, with all the craftsmanship going into the package, one thing we weren’t really highlighting was the fact that without the wood, there wouldn’t be any whisky,” Driver adds.
“It was a fantastic project for our coopers, who never make casks these days – they usually only reassemble American or European casks. It gave our apprentices the chance to make a barrel from scratch!”
The marrying barrel was then conditioned with sherry and really old grain whisky for a year-and-a-half, and filled with the final blend last October. The whisky was finally bottled on Feb 6, exactly 60 years to the day of the Queen’s ascension.
“There is a chunk of history in that bottle. You’ll probably never ever taste a whisky like this ever again. It took skill to blend, but it also took a lot of luck,” Driver says. “As a blending house, we always want to create a whisky that tells a story, and the story of the Diamond Jubilee is ‘1952’.”
The app is being tag lined as “the world’s first whisky app bringing together people, places and products,” but a launch date has not yet been confirmed.
Mark Thomson, director of Dramatic Whisky, is the creative force behind the project as he aims to “bring London and whisky to life.’
The concept is that a whisky you like can be added to a virtual cabinet and the app will show what venues in the area stock that particular brand of whisky.
There is also a membership section that provides invitations to tastings and offers.
Mark Thomson said at The Whisky Lounge event, “The idea of the app is that the complexity around whisky is taken away and things become simpler.
“Less guess work – with the expert tasting notes and less leg work – with the GPS. The idea is that your night out can be simple as the app can find the he right brand and the right venue for your occasion.”
“The Whisky Lounge shows are always bringing new and exciting aspects of whisky to its audiences. The company produces young, forward-thinking events which suited my approach and which will attract the right kind of audience for The Mash.”
A feature of the app which appeal to brands is the use of Augmented Reality to play video and enhance packaging.
Key features of the free app include:
*GPS enabled venue recommendations
*Top shelf distiller tasting notes
*Augmented reality bringing logos and packaging to life with video.
*Social media enabled for constant brand visibility
*Virtual cabinet where you can store your favourites and be offered cocktails and similar whiskies as recommendations
*Mash jukebox
Johnnie Walker has already sold more than 20 bottles of its extremely rare Diamond Jubilee whisky, which was exclusively unveiled to Sydney's liquor trade media last night.
Diageo Australia last night played host to the world's only touring bottle of Diamond Jubilee, which was produced by John Walker & Sons to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years of reign.
Only 60 bottles of Diamond Jubilee have been made available for sale with an incredible £100,000 ($156,000) price tag. Profits will be directed to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, a Royal charity that celebrates the preservation and conservation of craftsmanship.
John Walker & Sons global brand ambassador Jonathan Driver personally escorted the Diamond Jubilee bottle to Sydney, where he detailed the steps behind the selection process in which master blender, Jim Beveridge explored deep within the distiller's stocks to find exquisite whiskies suitable for the blend.
The liquid was crafted using a unique blend of grain and malt whiskies that have been distilled and matured since 1952 (the year the Queen acceded to the throne). It was placed in two small marrying casks of English Oak from the Queen's Sandringham Estate before being bottled in bespoke diamond-shaped hand blown Baccarat crystal decanters on February 6 this year - exactly 60 years since the Queen took to the throne.
The specially-made decanters of Diamond Jubilee stand on a base of six radial legs, each reflecting one decade of the Queen’s reign. Each bottle is decorated with Britannia silver adornments, the John Walker & Sons Royal Warrant and a collar that features a half-carat diamond.
Driver last night revealed he had already sold 17 bottles of the Diamond Jubilee to buyers spread across every continent.
"The intention is to sell the 60 during the course of this year," he said.
We all work hard; at least I’d like to think there is a good, solid work ethic among our readers. You’re all not taking international holidays all the time, are you? Laid out on some sun lounger somewhere, while an attractive local serves you exotic cocktails made with the juice of handpicked fruits that only grow atop a mountain known locally as ‘‘The Mount of Certain Death”...
And, as the wage of sin is death, the reward for hard work on this planet should be a nice pay-cheque, or, if you’re really well looked after, a nice big bonus.
At Indulge, our job is to give you pointers on the luxuries in your life—the watches to wear, the cars to compare, the suits to suit you. See us as your sat-nav to splendour, your guide to gratification, your adviser to affluence and your leader to luxury.
However, you don’t want to spend all your life working, do you? At some stage you want to kick back on your sun lounger, pour yourself a large Johnnie Walker Blue Label, and not worry about office politics, rush hour traffic and rising taxes. You want to spend more time with your grandchildren, travel more, watch more cricket...you get the picture.
To enable this life of leisure, we are encouraged to invest our earnings of today to create returns for tomorrow. And indeed, this is all very sensible advice. But in today’s volatile markets, where do you put your ‘‘hard-earned” money?
Well, most people will look towards the stock market, property, bonds or pension funds. These are all well-trodden paths with plenty of people to offer you, at a cost, sage advice along the way.
There are, of course, always ‘‘alternative” investments. Wine, art and cigars are all worthy of investment. But wine doesn’t always win; art can often be far from crafty; and cigars...well, your investment can go up in smoke.
Last month in this space, I mentioned the very expensive John Walker and Sons Diamond Jubilee whisky (priced at £100,000 a bottle), released to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 60-year rule in the UK. I went on to talk about recently released figures, which show that ‘‘from 2008 to the end of 2011, the top 10 performing whiskies gained more than 400% in value, with the top 100 returning a 245% gain, and the top 250 running at a 180% gain. Compared with gold, which grew by 146% over the same period, whisky looks to be a jolly good investment”.
Needless to say, I received mails with questions about collecting and investing in whisky. (I must say that what follows is a rough guide to investing in whisky. As with all investments, you must expect some risks.)
If you are keen to diversify your investment portfolio away from stocks and shares, and into liquid assets (excuse the pun!), the first thing to do is get educated. Go out and buy some books on whisky. Do a quick Google search and order the Malt Whisky Yearbook, 101 Whiskies To Try Before You Die and Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. This will familiarize you with the big brand names.
Now, let’s be clear about this: the most collectable whisky in the world at this moment is the Scotch, and, within that, the single malts. Irish, American and Japanese whiskies all have their place in the market, but none quite get collectors as hot as those unusual and exclusive bottling from the home of the single malt.
Within this arena, the current champions are from celebrated closed distilleries such as Port Ellen and Rosebank. These are ‘‘fallen soldiers” of the distilling world, from a time when whisky wasn’t as popular and the owners took ‘‘head over heart” decisions to stop production at certain sites. An example of the madness that these bottles can create can be seen each year when the owner of Port Ellen—Diageo—puts out an annual release from the leftover stocks of the distillery (which closed in 1983). This year was the 11th in the series and it hit the shops at £299. The run of just 2,988 bottles worldwide sold out immediately, and, a few weeks later, the same bottle was at auction sites for over twice that price. Crazy stuff.
Other wise investments are rare or limited edition bottles from single malts such as the Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Macallan and Dalmore. Especially, the whiskies from the Isle of Islay—Lagavulin, Bowmore, Laphroaig and Ardbeg are all worth a punt. When it comes to blends, Johnnie Walker limited editions tend to go well, too.
If you are looking to invest, go for bottles that are ‘‘limited edition” or ‘‘single cask” and try and buy what are known as ‘‘Own Bottles” (i.e., releases by the distillery owner, not independent bottlers). Very old bottles (those from the 1970s, 60s and 50s) are always going to be very rare. However, when you’re looking at such bottles, make sure the liquid inside is neck-high (a bottle can lose contents and, hence, value). Also make sure the labels are in good condition. And, unlike wine, you should store the bottles upright. This is to stop the alcohol eating away at the cork. Try to store them in a cool, dark place away from damp air and at a constant temperature too, if you can.
The main piece of advice is this: have some fun. Whisky shouldn’t be stored away as it was made for drinking. So if you are going to invest, try drinking some, too. I promise it’ll make the ones you have hidden away an even greater pleasure!
Finally, as per the advice earlier, investments can go down as well as up...but unlike stocks, if the bottom does fall out of the whisky market, you can always have one hell of a party with your ‘‘investments”.
The question: I just bought a bottle of whisky and the label says “non-chill filtered.” What does that mean?
The answer: Most conspicuously, it means your whisky may turn hazy if served on 'the' rocks. But that’s not a bad thing. Chill filtering is a step most distillers take to remove chemical compounds such as esters, proteins and acids produced during fermentation and maturation. The spirit is cooled to roughly 0 C, which causes the compounds to precipitate out of the solution. This makes it possible to trap them in a fine filter. Mainly, it’s a cosmetic procedure. Whisky bottled at a typical alcohol content of less than 46 per cent will become cloudy if subsequently chilled, either during transport or in the presence of ice.
Technically, the unfiltered compounds might be viewed as impurities, but many people believe, as do I, that they convey extra flavour and texture. The telltale sign is a richer oiliness, which can give the whisky a longer, lip-smacking finish. It’s a subtle phenomenon, to be sure, but more and more distilleries are seeing the benefit of skipping the chill-filtering step, especially for higher-end offerings, courting savvy consumers who prefer their spirits au naturel, as it were.
And because most superpremium whiskies, such as pricey Scottish single malts, tend to be served neat rather than on the rocks, cloudiness is not an issue. Besides, if you happen to prefer your full-flavoured Scotch over ice, what’s the harm in a bit of fog? It may even remind you of a Scottish mist.
UK: Chivas Brothers has signed a five-year partnership deal between its scotch brand Royal Salute and the royal gun salutes at the Tower of London. The first of which will be for the Queen’s Jubilee in June.
The partnership is to support the work of Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity responsible for the Tower of London.
Gun salutes are customarily fired, both on shore and at sea, as a sign of respect or welcome. For the upcoming Diamond Jubilee, Royal Salute will support the official 41 Gun Salute from the Tower of London: 21 rounds to mark a royal occasion, and a further 20 rounds fired as it is held in the Royal Palace of the Tower of London.
Neil Macdonald, brand director for Royal Salute, said: “The occasion is particularly poignant as this royal tradition provided the inspiration for the brand’s name when it was launched on Her Majesty’s coronation in 1953.”
The partnership is to be sealed with an “official marque” to be applied to Royal Salute’s packaging, and will also allow the brand to provide hospitality opportunities for guests in London
A dormant whisky bottling plant in Coatbridge has been brought back into full production, creating 33 jobs in Lanarkshire.
Finance Secretary John Swinney, officially opened Angus Dundee Distillers modernised facility today (24 April). He also toured the buildings and warehouses that have been brought back to life as a result of investment by the company and a £460,000 Regional Selective Assistance Grant from Scottish Enterprise.
Angus Dundee supplies four per cent of the world’s Scotch whisky and blended and single malts are sent to 70 countries across the world from the Coatbridge site, contributing to the 23 per cent growth in whisky exports from Scotland last year.
Increasing exports is an essential part of the Scottish Government’s Economic Strategy and the whisky industry makes a huge contribution to building sustainable economic growth.
Finance Secretary John Swinney said:
"The global success of Scotch whisky contributed a record breaking £4.23 billion pounds to the Scottish economy last year. Seeing this bottling hall up and running again underlines how this filters down to local economies, creating jobs in the process.
"I am pleased that the Scottish Government has been able to assist with this development in Coatbridge and we will continue, through our National Food and Drink Policy, to support the whisky industry.
"The industry makes a huge contribution to our economy, it directly employs ten thousand people and indirectly supports another 35,000 jobs as well as creating £1.1 billion of demand for Scottish suppliers.
"Angus Dundee has a reputation as one of Scotland’s finest whisky producers and through continued investment this will continue to grow and strengthen, both at home and abroad."
Chairman of Angus Dundee Distillers Plc, Terence Hillman said:
"The Coatbridge plant has been renovated by Angus Dundee Distillers Plc after being dormant for many years.
"As an independent British company, with two Single Malt distilleries, we are pleased that we have been able to create more than 30 new jobs within the local community by re-opening the bottling hall. We are continuing our improvements of the 10-acre site, which also includes warehousing and blending facilities.
"This is part of Angus Dundee Distillers Plc’s expansion to meet the increasing demand for its Scotch Whisky products worldwide."
Company growth support director for Scottish Enterprise Jim Watson said:
"Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International have worked closely with Angus Dundee to provide an integrated package of account management support including help in targeting new overseas markets and increasing international exports, advice on improving strategy development, and Regional Selective Assistance funding of £460,000 towards the development of this bottling hall.
"Angus Dundee is a globally focused, outward-looking company that is committed to improving its productivity, increasing its turnover and creating long-term sustainable success. We want to encourage more businesses to learn from Angus Dundee's experiences and investment in its own growth. In doing so, we can help drive home renewed growth for the Scottish economy."
Treat your Dad to the new Limited Edition Glengoyne ‘Auld Enemy Dram’ this Father’s Day (17 June 2012)
Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Whisky has launched a special limited Edition ‘Auld Enemy Dram’ in time for Father’s Day – 17th June 2012.
The Auld Enemy Dram has been launched to recognise and celebrate the great sporting rivalry that exists between the two great nations of Scotland and England.
The Glengoyne 1990 Single Cask bottling makes the ideal gift for Father’s Day with its robust nose, powerful palate.
The Auld Enemy Dram has a rich mahogany colour with a heavy and robust nose of hazelnut, prunes, cocoa powder, and liquorice with BBQ spice.
The palate is powerful with good balance of red apple, raisins, wafer cone and subtle citrus. The finish maintains strength with increased fruits and dry spice.
Retailing at just £175 per bottle (reduced from £195 for Father’s Day), The Limited Edition Glengoyne ‘Auld Enemy Dram’ is now available to buy at Vino’s Edinburgh stores and online at www.vinowines.co.uk or at www.glengoyne.com
All proceeds from sales of The Limited Edition Glengoyne ‘Auld Enemy Dram’ go to support Help for Heroes* and The Bill McLaren Foundation*.
The Glengoyne Core Range
Award-winning Glengoyne is one of the leading premium malt whiskies in the world and has been distilled at Glengoyne distillery since 1833. Using methods passed down for generations, Glengoyne is made with knowledge, passion and craftsmanship, a key combination for a perfect Father’s Day gift.
Glengoyne is a subtle, complex whisky in which all of the delicate flavours are freely allowed to express themselves The full Glengoyne portfolio consists of the 10 Years Old, 12 Years Old Cask Strength, 12 Years Old at 43%, 17 Years Old, 21 Years Old and Vintage 1972 as well as other limited edition special bottlings.
Glengoyne 10 Years Old is a great introduction to this award winning range, golden in colour with a sweet nose, warming mouthfeel and a smooth and delicate palate leaving a fruity finish behind.
70cl, 40% Vol, £32.49 per bottle
For the very first time Glengoyne has used first fill bourbon wood in one of our core range, Glengoyne 12 Years Old. There is also less sherry wood as a result giving a completely different taste and nose.
The majority of the wood is USA/European refill casks, the whisky is also chill filtered. Glengoyne 12 Years Old is nothing like the cask strength, the only thing that is the same is the age statement.
70cl, 43% Vol, £37.99
The Glengoyne 21 Year Old has a deep copper appearance, which leaves a spicy, warm and dry finish. This Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Whisky achieves the optimum balance of flavours and the maximum benefits from specially selected 100% first fill European Oak Sherry casks.
70cl, 43% Vol, £92.99 per bottle
The Glengoyne core range is available online at www.glengoyne.com and from all good UK specialist retailers and the 10 Years Old is available from Sainsbury's and Asda in Scotland.
TAYLOR’S Auctions Rooms on Saturday will be a dram-drinker’s dream with more than 520 lots of whisky, wine and port being offered for sale.
The whisky includes a wide range of blended and single malts from the 1970s and ‘80s as well as malts bottled more recently. The older malts include some from close-by like Fettercairn, Glenury Royal from Stonehaven, Glen Garioch from Old Meldrum and also Old Pulteney all the way from Wick.
The highlight of the sale is a range of whisky from the Macallan Distillery. Macallan has been described as the “Rolls-Royce of Whisky”. The distillery opened in 1824 at Craigellachie, Banffshire, and since then has continually led the way in the world of whisky.
The wide range of Macallan single malts include 25-year-old anniversary malts, 18-year-old Gran Reserva malts, the 1874 replica and the 1950 malt.
However, the Macallan’s culminate with the second and third in the Lalique series, the 55 and 57-year-olds - the first estimated at £9,000-11,000 and the second estimated at £10,000-12,000.
Also to be sold are a wide range of champagne, claret, burgundy, etc., including Chateaux Margeaux, Lafite, Mouton Rothschild, etc.
Compass Box creates some of the finest blended whiskies available on the market today, from the superlative Spice Tree to the powerful Peat Monster.
The first 250 people to buy a bottle of Compass Box from Master of Malt’s online shop will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win three superb bottles: the exalted Canto Cask 48, the original illegal Spice Tree blend, and Canto Cask 20.
In addition to the prize draw, every bottle of Compass Box will come with a free 3cl dram of one of the company’s other whiskies to savour.
Here’s a list of eligible Compass Box products.
Every bottle bought increases the odds of winning, and remember there are only 250 chances, so there is no better time to discover the Compass Box range at Master of Malt.
The Prizes:
Canto Cask 48
The Canto Cask Range was a first for Compass Box, a fascinating experiment into the effects of oak. Compass Box took sixteen single cask, cask-strength Scotch malt whiskies. Each cask held the same whisky, but for the last 18 months the whiskies were aged in a range of different new oaks, both French and American, in a variety of different toasts. Number 48 used a heavily toasted French oak cask.
Illegal Spice Tree
When the award-winning Spice Tree was first launched back in 2005, the Scottish Whisky Association (SWA) decided the practice of using new oak staves in the finishing process was against the rules, and threatened to take Compass Box to court unless the company stopped making its popular blend. To cut a long story short, the process was modified, Spice Tree was resurrected in 2009, and there was much rejoicing. But Master of Malt has an original, illegal bottle of Spice Tree to give away… keep it under your hat.
Canto Cask 20
Number 20 is strikingly different from 48; it was finished in medium-toasted American Oak, and the effect has produced a very different whisky to the heavily toasted French oak matured 48.
About Master of Malt:
*Established in 1985
*Master of Malt is one of the UK’s leading Online Whisky & Spirit Merchants, with a huge range of whiskies, rum, brandies, gins, cocktails and many other fine spirits.
*UK Next Day Delivery from £6.95
Whisky brand anCnoc reveals design collaboration with illustrator Peter Arkle
Acclaimed illustrator Peter Arkle has created a limited edition range of designs for Scotch whisky brand anCnoc.
Arkle, who was born in Scotland and is now based in New York, has designed bottles and packaging for an exclusive single malt range that will be available in the UK, USA, Sweden and other selected European markets in 2012.
His black ink packaging design depicts each of the single malt's ingredients - malted barley, spring water, heat, yeast, time - and also 'magic'.
Arkle said: "My dream job was to design a whisky bottle, something I mentioned less than a fortnight before anCnoc contacted me, and sitting in the dusky warehouses at Knockdhu I knew I was on to something special.
"When I returned to New York my ideas took on a life of their own – and I’m both proud and pleased to see the results."
Only 1000 cases of the first Peter Arkle Limited Edition will be released globally. Royal Mile Whiskies have the exclusive selling rights for this release in the UK, with an allocation of 200 cases.
A second limited edition release will come out later in the year and a bespoke design will also be released for the Swedish market.
Gillian Gibson, anCnoc brand manager, said: “anCnoc has always drawn inspiration from the visual arts and we are hugely excited to reveal this ambitious project – which brings our passion to our packaging.
"Peter's Scottish roots, vivid and quirky style and genuine love for whisky made him the ideal choice as a collaborative partner."
DIAGEO, the British-based maker of Johnnie Walker, received 120,000 yuan (US$19,046) compensation from two Chinese companies that used the Scotch whisky's name on their skin-care products, the Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration said yesterday.
Diageo brought the trademark-infringement suit to the Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court, saying two Chinese companies in neighboring Jiangsu Province used the name and pattern similar to Johnnie Walker's registered trademarks and seeking 500,000 yuan in compensation.
The defendants, Bishuang Biological Technology Co and Wuxi Yongru Biological Cosmetics Co, argued that their Johnnie Walker product name was registered under a different category from the whisky maker in 2007.
"Chinese customers will not be misled because our name was used on olive oil skin-care products," the defendants said.
Diageo argued that using the Johnny Walker name would mislead Chinese buyers to believe the cosmetics companies had something to do with the whisky maker.
The court said the issue came down to whether Johnnie Walker was a famous trademark deserving protection under the Chinese Trademark Law.
Over the past five years, Johnnie Walker has invested nearly 800 million yuan on advertising and promotion activities in China. The foreign firm also provided evidence including its latest market share to prove Johnnie Walker was a famous trademark.
This was one of the 10 typical intellectual property cases in Shanghai announced by the Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration yesterday. Among the 10 cases, six were related to trademark infringement, followed by copyright and patent infringement.
In another case, Baidu Inc, the owner of China's largest search engine, was ordered to pay 500,000 yuan to a Shanghai entertainment information-technology company for offering search results linking to the pirated version of five novels owned by the Shanghai company.
According to a white paper released by the administration yesterday, Shanghai police last year nabbed 1,731 suspects accused of producing and selling counterfeit products worth 880 million yuan. Local courts accepted about 3,000 IPR civil cases, up 14.8 percent from 2010.
"We carried out more than 260,000 inspections to crack down counterfeit products across the city. We've seen this measure as effective and will continue to protect the rights of IPR holders," said Lu Guoqiang, director of the administration.
The white paper also revealed that Shanghai handled a record number of patent applications last year, exceeding 80,000. The biggest increase came from invention patent applications, which made up 40 percent of the total. But the volume of design patent applications dropped 21.5 percent from 2010.
"Design patents require less technology than invention and utility model patents," said Nei Li, a publicity official with the administration.
"And there are a lot of junk patents under that category," Li said.
Whisky lovers, take note: the Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams tour is stopping in Calgary on Thursday and with it comes a rare opportunity.
The Scottish whisky distillery is touring across the country and will be in Calgary from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Oakridge location of Calgary Co-op Wines & Spirits (2570 Southland Drive. SW). Calgary is one of only 10 cities to be included in the tour.
At the event, guests are invited to write their own personal dream on one of the Glenfiddich casks — starting with the phrase, “One day I will . . . ” — before the barrels are taken back to Scotland to be filled with whisky. After aging, the whisky will be bottled up and sent back to Calgary in time for the holiday season.
If that’s not tempting enough, there will also be a chance to win a trip for two to Scotland to see the limited edition Cask of Dreams whisky get bottled up for sale.
Find more information about the Cask of Dreams here.
There is no cost and invitations are not required for the event. (Though, of course, you have to be at least 18.)
Success stories are few and far between in this time of recession, but the Scottish distilling industry, supplied by Scottish cereal growers, is thriving.
A recent report by the Scotch Whisky Association showed Scotch whisky exports grew again last year, hitting a record £4.2 billion shipment value, up 23 per cent on 2010.
Rising demand in both emerging and more mature markets has resulted in export values increasing by an average of 10 per cent a year over the last five years, says the report. Scotch Whisky exports now contribute £134 per second to the UK balance of trade.
Exports to the USA, the biggest market by value, broke the £600 million barrier for the first time in 2011 to reach £654.9m - up 31 per cent on 2010. France, the second biggest market, saw exports grow by 27 per cent to £535.4m.
“Affluent young professionals in fast growing economies are increasingly developing a taste for Scotch Whisky,” says the report. “This is contributing to growth in countries across Asia and Latin America.”
To meet this demand, distillers are investing record amounts in Scottish production capacity.
In the last four years, the Scotch whisky industry has invested over £1bn in new facilities. There are five big commercial distilleries in Scotland, of which Diageo’s Cameron Bridge is the biggest, and more than 100 smaller malt distilleries, each producing their own brand of single malt.
The crop
People tend to think of malting barley when considering distilling, but most of the Scottish wheat crop is destined for distilling. The alcohol produced can be used both in blended whiskies and in other drinks.
According to the Scotch Whisky Association, Scotch whisky distillers mashed 317,139 tonnes of malting barley in the first half of 2011 and 331,016t of other cereals, mainly wheat, for grain whisky. In 2010 the figures were 533,657t of barley and 560,965t of other cereals.
Bairds Malt is the biggest sales maltster in Scotland. It operates five malting sites across the UK, stretching from Inverness to Essex. Total annual production capacity is more than 245,000t of malt, which is used primarily in the distilling industry at home and abroad.
According to Keith Headridge, commercial director for Scotgrain, the Scottish Agricultural Merchanting division of Bairds Malt, based at Arbroath, there were about 1mt of wheat grown in Scotland in 2011, of which three quarters went to the distilling sector.
Of the 1.5mt of spring barley grown, around 800,000t was also used in the distilling process.
It is anticipated the wheat crop will be down slightly this year, due to poor sowing conditions in the autumn, and spring barley will be farmers’ first choice to replace it, as long as they can keep nitrogen levels down and make malting quality to achieve the premium, says Mr Headridge.
Surprisingly, considering last year’s poor harvest weather, the Scottish barley crop was of very good quality, while in England and France the crops suffered from high nitrogen levels, he says.
“Barley with low nitrogen levels - less than 1.65 per cent - is used for pot still malt production, while high N barley (1.75 per cent plus) can be used for grain distilling, along with wheat, or for brewing, although there is a limited amount of brewing taking place in Scotland these days.”
He says Concerto will overtake Optic as the number one barley variety this year, both in terms of yield for the grower and quality for the maltster.
As far as wheat goes, most soft endosperm varieties are acceptable to the distilleries as long as they meet the specification of below 15 per cent moisture and minimum 72kg/hl.
“Because this spec is the same for feeding as distilling, it trades at a similar price to feed,” says Mr Headridge. “However the situation with malting barley is different, with prices loosely based on a £20/t premium over November wheat futures.”
New developments
Breeders’ interest in developing soft wheats for the UK market has increased since English growers started supplying ethanol plants in the south. Scottish growers and distillers are also starting to see the benefits.
A new potential distilling wheat called Horatio has performed well in Scottish Agronomy trials and is likely to have a significant impact on the market.
Andrew Gilchrist, senior agronomist with the company, says: “Horatio looks like it will be the real deal.
“It has a slight yield advantage over the current leading variety, Viscount, is clean in terms of disease and has good sprouting resistance, which is particularly important in Scotland.
“Last harvest was extremely wet and the variety performed well under some pretty testing conditions.”
The Scotch Whisky Research Institute is responsible for pre-tests on new varieties to determine their potential for distilling. According to Dr James Brosnan, Horatio has provisionally been rated ‘medium’, with consistent, reasonable alcohol yield levels and no processing problems.
Limagrain also has two new malting barley varieties, which have shown promising results.
“Both Odyssey and Chronicle have produced excellent results, but we are particularly excited by Odyssey, which is the first time in 20 years a new variety has been top of the tree in terms of yield combined with whisky quality,” says Mr Gilchrist.
SAC is optimistic about the new varieties, which could extend the malting sector options for growers to replace current favourites, Optic and Concerto, says cereals researcher Dr Steve Hoad.
According to the SWRI both varieties have shown promise in laboratory testing for distilling and brewing and are undergoing testing which will be completed in summer 2013 with full scale commercial trials.”
The growers’ view
Old Cullen Farms of Cullen, Buckie, is one of the biggest spring barley growers in Scotland with 891 hectares (2,200 acres) grown on contract to local maltsters.
The barley all makes the minimum specification of 1.65 per cent nitrogen, and average yields in recent years have been just below 7t/ha (2.8t/acre).
This year, about 70 per cent Concerto and 30 per cent Optic has been sown. Farm manager Ronnie Urquhart is looking for a variety to replace Optic, which he says, yields lower each year.
He likes the sound of the new varieties, but says it will be the 2014 harvest before the maltsters will take them.
Mr Urquhart says the huge global demand for malt may lead to a price boost for farmers, but the biggest influence on price is supply and demand.
“There is a lot of spring barley in the ground in Scotland this year because people did not manage to get wheat sown in the autumn, so contracts will probably average out at about £170/t.
“The best thing that could happen is that we have a decent autumn so farmers can get back to growing wheat and the barley area will reduce in 2013.”
Much further south, Alex King, Wolfstar, East Lothian, has 148ha (400 acres) of spring barley sown this year, with about one quarter of the crop on contract to Bairds Malt.
Mr King likes to keep his options open and, with good storage facilities on his farm, he usually sells the larger portion of his Optic crop on the open market.
He also grows a variety called Braemar, on a buy-back contract with Bairds.
“Scotch whisky cannot be made without malting barley and Scottish farmers are best at producing the quality required,” says Mr King.
HIGHLAND councillors will meet on Tuesday to rule on plans to build Scotland’s newest whisky distillery in Lochaber.
Members of the Highland Council south planning applications committee will hold a site visit before meeting at Shielbridge Hall, Acharacle, to determine the application from Adelphi Whisky Ltd to build the distillery and visitor centre at Glenbeg on the Ardnamurchan peninsula.
Planning officers have recommended approval of the scheme which Adelphi say will provide up to 10 new, long-term jobs, and support up to 100 local construction jobs.
The ambitious plans at the small hamlet overlooking Loch Sunart had been due to be decided on by the planning committee in Inverness last month.
But the application was put on ice after Lochaber members persuaded their reluctant, mainly Inverness-based colleagues to agree to the site visit which comes in the midst of campaigning for the council elections in May.
The scheme has attracted international interest and 52 objections - more than 30 from outwith the local community - mainly in relation to the siting of the distillery at Glenbeg, near the RSPB Glenborrodale Reserve.
Another 105 expressions of support have been sent to Highland Council including from Sunart and West Ardnamurchan community councils.
Ahead of Tuesday’s D-day, Adelphi revealed that its new distillery - if approved - is to be named ‘Ardnamurchan’.
A spokesman said the new distillery would begin producing 100,000 litres of single malt each year, rising to a capacity of 250,000 litres, to sell into a global market which is growing rapidly.
The distillery and visitor centre would run as a year round visitor attraction, with the potential to bring 20,000 visitors per year to the area, linking in with the West Coast Whisky Trail.
Company chairman Keith Falconer told Lochaber News: "Our vision is to help put the name of one of Scotland’s most beautiful locations on the global stage.
"We are convinced that the distillery will raise the profile of the peninsula, help strengthen the local economy and, most importantly, bring further traditional and sustainable jobs back to this Highland community. All vital to enabling local families to remain in the area, with a health and education infrastructure to support them.
"The location has been chosen after a long search for a site with the perfect quality and quantity of crystal clear water for our precious spirit, and a cool and damp climate for its long maturation.
"We are also able to use local timber and on-site hydroelectricity to heat and power our small but technologically advanced facility, and will be sourcing our barley from one of the finest farms in Scotland."
Subject to council approval, Adelphi anticipate the distillery will open in the summer of 2013, with the first whisky produced shortly afterwards.
'You'll have a Dram?', by whisky connoisseur Andy Simpson, of Whisky Highland
I’VE written a lot about rare, old and expensive whiskies recently, not all of which remain on collectors’ shelves gathering dust; a lot are still consumed by passionate ever-curious whisky fans worldwide.
The big challenge is in knowing whether you’re actually going to like one of these often expensive whiskies. If you’re going to spend hundreds and sometimes thousands of pounds on a whole bottle of Scotch, it’s always a good idea to try it first.
This month I take a look at three distinctly different local whisky bars where you can do just that.
The Dornoch Castle Hotel, the Sutherland Inn and Fiddler’s, Loch Ness, all have public bars specialising in selling some of the rarest, most-sought-after whisky by the dram. There are, of course, other whisky bars in the Highlands, but I’ve chosen these three as they all represent something different and are well worthy of a visit in their own right.
Dornoch Castle Hotel
This ancient, historic hotel with a contemporary twist is the home of a whisky bar which specialises in rare examples from local distilleries. The bar is primarily managed by Philip and Simon Thompson, who are part of the family team which owns the hotel.
While the bar itself doesn’t have the largest selection in the world (usually around 110 to 140 different whiskies), Philip and Simon are what sets this place apart – they are absolute whisky nuts! Their passion for our national drink is clearly evident in virtually everything they do.
If you’re an experienced connoisseur or a whisky virgin, Phil and Simon will help guide you through their range to select something you’ll enjoy, whatever your palate (and your budget). You’ll often find older discontinued versions of current bottles in the bar. This enables a direct comparison of whisky distilled many years ago to its current incarnation... a really nice touch.
A great selection of Balblair and Glenmorangie complements an array of whiskies from every region of Scotland and much further afield. My "dram to die for" is their Balblair 1988; a stunning whisky from one of our prized Highland distilleries.
Sutherland Inn
Set on the A9 in Brora lies the Sutherland Inn. A relative newcomer to the world of whisky bars, owner Leon tells me it has a selection of over 400 different whiskies. By any standards that’s some collection.
As you walk into the Sutherland Inn, you know you’re going to be in for something pretty special when you see a glass cabinet on the right hand side full to bursting with bottles of Scotch. As you progress through to the bar, the glass cabinet effect continues. The bar walls are adorned with similarly full glass-screened shelves displaying some incredible whisky.
In similar vein to the Dornoch Castle, the Sutherland Inn specialises in local distilleries. Its collection of whisky from silent distillery, Brora, is incredible. The official bottling of the 25-year-old, many of the 30-year-olds and last year’s 32-year-old are all open and readily available to take by the dram.
It’s not just about very rare whisky though; when you move to the bar area, its focal point is what can only be described as a pyramid of whisky bottles to meet every budget and every palate. My "dram to die for" here is the 1973 Ladyburn... You don’t see many of these bottles open and available to drink any more.
Fiddler’s, Loch Ness
Fourteen miles south-west of Inverness, in Drumnadrochit, Fiddler’s sits just off the A82. Established in 1991, this pub, restaurant, whisky bar and café has an incredible selection of whisky. Its famous "whisky library" has something from every distillery – from Aberfeldy to Tullibardine.
The big speciality at Fiddler’s are bottles from the now-legendary silent distillery on Islay, Port Ellen. Every year since 2001, owner Diageo has released a Port Ellen Annual Release. These bottles currently sell at auction for around £400 to £500 each, with the iconic first release now selling for around £1000 (if you can find one).
This is part of what I love about whisky bars; you’ll often find these incredible whiskies for sale by the dram. At Fiddler’s you’ll find most, if not all, the official Port Ellen releases. These are all definitely whiskies to try before you die!
I’ve been to many whisky bars where you’ll find the person serving you doesn’t have any idea about whisky. I find that a little disappointing, as I think the diversity of our national drink is worth shouting about.
The three whisky bars here have one thing in common – they are all owned and run by passionate, knowledgeable whisky enthusiasts. That makes for a real experience if your palate needs guiding through the wide variety of flavours whisky has to offer.
Something else these three have in common – they offer accommodation. So if you find you’ve had one too many fine drams (responsibly of course), if you book in advance, you’ll not even need a designated driver!
Diageo is to create a £30,000 whisky inspired by Formula One driver Jenson Button.
As part of the company’s “Step Inside the Circuit” global campaign for the Johnnie Walker sponsorship of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 team the Diageo brand is creating John Walker & Sons Signature Blend Vodafone McLaren Mercedes edition.
Formula One world champion Jenson Button visited the Johnnie Walker House in Shanghai to initiate a ‘rare blend’ of Johnnie Walker whiskies. Nick Morgan, Diageo’s head of whisky outreach and blending expert, was there to guide Button through the flavour discovery experience, which uses a nosing technique similar to that used by the master blender.
The flavours and scents selected by Button are to serve as a foundation for Johnnie Walker’s master blender, Jim Beveridge, to blend John Walker and Sons Signature Blend, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes edition.
The limited edition will be available exclusively at Shanghai’s Johnnie Walker House - the first whisky embassy and Johnnie Walker boutique outside of Scotland. The purchaser will also receive a Johnnie Walker Step Inside the Circuit experience with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes – which includes hospitality and behind the scenes access to Formula One at a race city of their choice.
Twenty bottles of the blend will be created and Button will receive one. The £30,000 bottles are to be sold by invitation only at Shanghai’s Johnnie Walker House, from September.
WHISKY contained in a bottle made by famed French glass-maker Lalique is set to fetch £15,000 bottle when it’s auctioned later this month.
The limited edition 57-year-old Macallan is one of more than 1,500 bottles of spirits and wine set to go under the hammer in Montrose, Angus.
The world’s second oldest ‘vintage’ Macallan whisky will be sold in a crystal decanter made by the famed glass firm.
It is the third decanter in the Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection and contains an exceptionally rare single malt.
The batch was vatted together from two casks, the first, a 1950 American oak sherry butt, the second a vatting of Macallan from Spanish oak sherry butts originally filled in 1949, 1951 and 1952.
Launched in 2009, just 400 were ever produced.
David Cox, director of fine and rare whiskies for the Macallan said: “It is the second oldest ‘vintage’ Macallan whiskey ever released, only surpassed in age by the legendary 1926, a 60-year-old Macallan bottled in 1986.”
The star attraction is expected to draw crowds of up to 400 people to Taylor’s auction house on April 28.
Owner Jonathan Taylor said there was a “massive market” for whiskey collecting, with common labels bought in the 1980’s and 1990’s now worth selling on.
He said: “We have been doing these for a while because a lot of people are into it.
“There is a massive market for whiskey now and bottles that might have been picked up in the local off-licence for £8 or £9 around 20 years ago can be worth anything up to around £120.
“Obviously if it is a limited edition like the Macallan, it is going to be that bit more popular. A lot of people in the area are very interested in their whisky.”
Scotland's oldest woman, much-loved matriarch of the Glenfiddich whisky family, dies aged 110
Scotland's oldest person - a member of the famous Glenfiddich whisky family - has died at the age of 110.
Janet Roberts said the secret to her long life was 'hard work and laughter' when she celebrated the record birthday with a bash at the distillery last summer.
Tributes have been paid to the 'much loved' centenarian - who saw an extremely rare bottle of malt produced in her honour months before her death.
Mrs Roberts, known to her nearest and dearest as 'The Wee Ja', died at her home near Dufftown, Moray, on Good Friday.
Born just months after the death of Queen Victoria, she was the last surviving grand-daughter of William Grant, the founder of Glenfiddich Distillery.
Mrs Roberts was the matriarch of the Grant family which still owns and runs William Grant & Sons Ltd.
The firm is one of the last remaining independent distillers in Scotland and best known as the producers of Glenfiddich - the world's leading single malt whisky.
A family statement said Mrs Roberts had expressed a wish to remain in her home, just a few yards from the famous distillery, in her later years.
It added: 'The family would like to express their thanks to the team of dedicated people whose excellent standard of care meant that her wish was fulfilled.'
Mrs Roberts had no children but was described as a 'much loved' aunt and great aunt.
Born in the Cabrach, she descended on her mother's side from Alexander Grant, who fought at the Battle of Culloden in 1746 and lived to the age of 103.
She studied at both Glasgow and Edinburgh universities and practised law for many years.
It was while she was working with Edinburgh law firm McGrigor Donald that she met her future husband, Eric Roberts. They married in 1938, though he was soon drafted overseas to serve in the war.
Following Mrs Roberts' brother William's sudden death in 1953, her husband was persuaded to join the whisky trade and ended up serving as a director of William Grant & Son for 24 years.
He went on to become chairman of the firm but died in 1980.
Today, Mrs Roberts' nephew Charles serves as Life President to the company and her great-nephew Peter Grant Gordon is the current Chairman, though several other family members play significant role in running the firm.
The latest Sunday Times Rich List ranks the family business at around £950 million.
At her birthday celebrations last August, Mrs Roberts said her famous grandfather had taught her the key to success and a long, happy life.
She said: 'I've learned much from my grandfather, William Grant, who taught me the value of self-belief, hard work and determination.'
A party at the distillery's visitors' centre saw a unique spirit - the Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve - commissioned in her name.
The whisky had been poured into an oak barrel by the distillery's former malt master at Hogmanay 1955 and had been maturing for more than half her life.
In February, bottle No.2 of the reserve sold for £44,000 at an auction in London.
All proceeds from the sale have been donated to the charity Walking With The Wounded, which helps injured servicemen and women.
Glenfiddich chairman Peter Gordon said: 'We have lost an incredible woman.
'My great aunt Janet Roberts' contributions and unwavering support for the business and for the family members who did so much to make the company the success it is today is immeasurable.
'She lived a remarkable life, and witnessed great change at the Glenfiddich distillery over the past 110 years, and she will be sadly missed by all of us. She was a gracious Highland Lady.'
First Minister Alex Salmond yesterday said Mrs Roberts had been a 'wise' woman.
He said: 'She had a very long life and my condolences go out to all her family and friends at this sad time.
'Her secret to a long life are wise words indeed.'
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead added: 'She will be remembered as a very special member of a very special family.'
Although never directly involved in the running of William Grant and Sons, Mrs Roberts made a huge contribution to the company through her unwavering support of her family.
She travelled the world with her husband Eric, attending functions and award ceremonies.
And as an older woman, she attended important moments in the firm's development as well as taking care of both her elderly mother and sister.
Mrs Roberts' funeral will be held at Mortlach Parish Church in Dufftown on April 18.
The sale of the Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve whisky will raise funds for children's charity The Lotus Flower Trust
Liquor supplier William Grant & Sons is to auction a bottle of the Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve whisky on behalf of children’s charity The Lotus Flower Trust.
The 55yo single malt Scotch whisky honours Janet Sheed Roberts, the granddaughter of William Grant ―founder of the Glenfiddich distillery ― who celebrated her 110th birthday in August 2011 and is the oldest living person in Scotland. Only 11 bottles of the Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve will be released to the public, one to celebrate each decade of her life. Each bottle will be auctioned for the benefit of various charities as a totally non-profit making exercise. Bottle number seven has been presented to the William Grant & Sons global travel-retail team and its sale will pay for the building of a school and home for physically and mentally disadvantaged children in Ramnagar, India.
The winning bid will be announced on May 1 during a special event at London’s Mall Galleries, which will showcase the work of renowned portrait artist John Wonnacott. The event will be attended by William Grant and Sons chairman Charles and Peter Gordon, Glenfiddich malt master Brian Kinsman and the William Grant & Sons global travel-retail team headed by Rita Greenwood. World Duty Free and Lotus Trust chair of trustees, Sarah Branquinho and Tax Free World Association (TFWA) president Erik Juul Mortensen will also be in attendance.
Bottle number three of the Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve has already fetched a world record price of $96,00 at an event on New York’s Liberty Island hosted by actor Adrian Grenier. Other bottles are being auctioned at premium locations in the US, UK, Taiwan, Canada, Russia, China and India and in global travel-retail.
William Grant & Sons managing director global travel-retail Rita Greenwood said: “It was an honour to be entrusted with one of only 11 bottles of the Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve. I am delighted that such a rare and precious bottle will be offered for auction through global travel-retail and that we can play our part in raising money for some outstanding charities. All of the profits from every sale of the Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserves are being donated to charities closely linked to William Grant & Sons.
“Not only are we celebrating Mrs Robert’s 110th birthday―a great woman in the history of scotch whisky, and arguably also one of the first ‘Women In Travel’―we are also supporting Women in Travel, which has become quite an influential group of women within the travel-retail industry, raising significant sums of money for various worthy causes. The Lotus Trust also happens to be one of the Tax Free World Association’s supported charities this year and our own Erik Thomsen is, of course, one of the board members there. The bottles auctioned to date have raised really quite incredible sums of money for charity and I am sure that, through the travel-retail industry, our own bottle will fetch sufficient funds not only to enable the school to be finished, but also to cover the cost of an accompanying home.”
World Duty Free Group business relations and external affairs director and Women in Travel founding member Sarah Branquinho commented: “I really cannot thank the global travel-retail team at William Grant & Sons enough for its decision to choose The Lotus Trust and, specifically, its school and home building project for mentally and physically disadvantaged Indian children in Ramnagar as its chosen charity to support.
“The Lotus Trust and the Ramnagar project were nominated last year and a wonderful fund raising effort in Cannes raised almost €13,000 ($16,987). If the money raised from Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts auction enables us to finish the project―we need a minimum €40,000 ($52,269) to complete the school and a further €35,000 ($45,736) to build the home as well―then it really will be a dream come true for at least 100 children.”
Samples of unmatured malt and charred oak have been sent to the International Space Station for a gravity experiment.
An island distillery is carrying out experiments in space to find out how its product matures without gravity.
The Ardbeg Distillery on Islay blasted compounds of unmatured malt - known as new make spirit - to the International Space Station (ISS) in an unmanned cargo spacecraft on October 30 last year.
It also sent up particles of charred oak and, once the spacecraft docked at the ISS, the two sets of molecules were mixed.
Scientists want to understand how the two sets of compounds interact at close-to-zero gravity.
The molecules are tiny parts of the two substances known as terpenes - a set of chemicals which are often aromatic and flavour-active.
It is believed the experiment is the first time anyone has ever studied terpenes and other molecules in near-zero gravity.
The team are also measuring the molecules' interaction at normal gravity on Earth so they can compare the way the particles mature.
The molecules will stay on the ISS for at least two years so scientists can understand how they change in a near-zero gravity environment.
The experiment, unveiled at the Edinburgh International Science Festival today, is led by US-based space research company NanoRacks LLC.
The results could be used for different industries, including future generations of Ardbeg whisky.
Michael Johnson, chief technical officer of NanoRacks LLC, said: "By doing this microgravity experiment on the interaction of terpenes and other molecules with the wood samples provided by Ardbeg, we will learn much about flavours, even extending to applications like food and perfume.
"At the same time it should help Ardbeg find new chemical building blocks in their own flavour spectrum."
Dr Bill Lumsden, head of distilling and whisky creation at Ardbeg, who unveiled the experiment, said: "This experiment will throw new light on the effect of gravity on the maturation process. We are all tremendously excited by this experiment - who knows where it will lead?"
'THE water was not fit to drink. To make it palatable we had to add whisky. By diligent effort, I learnt to like it."
So said legendary British statesman Sir Winston Churchill, extolling the virtues of a drink relished by the rich and famous for generations.
If that be true, then we can only guess how often the big man would have visited the tap - if only to justify his indulgence.
This from a man who apparently, when once confronted by a woman who accused him of being drunk, reportedly fired back: "Yes, Madam, I am. But in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly." Ouch.
Fortunately Churchill's watery predicament is hardly the problem of the middle class across the world, who supp whisky with almost infinite gusto today - often on the rocks or with mineral water.
Their insatiable appetite for whisky is underscored by figures released by the Scotch Whisky Association (source: South African Whisky Handbook), which show that Scotland exported 569million bottles of the malt in the first half of 2011.
It might well be that three of those bottles found their way to my booze cabinet last year.
Nonetheless, the trio - Glen Grant's The Major's Reserve, the 10 Year Old and the 16 Year Old - could never claim that they got a cold reception from me.
My curiosity about them saw me spiriting off a double tot from each in the order of their age - first The Major's Reserve, then the 10 Year Old and lastly the 16 Year Old. Whisky, being a fairly new phenomenon to me, having started drinking it around the early 2000s, I have approached it with a measure of respect. This because of my first experience with it, way back in 1980, when a friend offered me a swig of one near poisonous plonk called Haddington House that he brought from Kimberley.
Thankfully the whiskies imbibed today are a million years ahead of the fossilised HH.
As any serious whisky drinker will tell, the art of enjoying the tipple is to familiarise oneself with the different regions that produce it. This, because each region imparts peculiar characteristics in the whisky they produce.
So, Glen Grant being a single-malt whisky from Speyside, I had been forewarned to look out for a whisky that is smooth, a bit sweet and with a dry finish.
That thanks to the masterclass conducted by Glen Grant's master blender, Dennis Malcolm, at the Kream Restaurant in Pretoria last year.
The idea of tasting the three whiskies in one fell swoop is priceless - all because of the opportunity to appreciate the differential nuances of taste, texture and aromas simultaneously.
The Major's Reserve has a lighter gold colour than many whiskies I have seen. It's soft and slightly with undertones of nuttiness while the rich gold 10 Year Old is intense and fruity. The 16 Year Old is the most mellow of the triumvirate, with a richness that comes from the length of maturation in the barrels.
If you don't like heavy, smokey version of the whisky, the Major's Reserve seems the best bet while the 10 Year Old offers both maturity and exuberance of youth.
As grand ol' timer, the 16 Year Old is imbued with superlative finesse that reminds one of old gezzar whose rough edges have been smoothed by time and replaced by wisdom.
Johnnie Walker Green Label, a 15-year-old blended malt, is to be phased out in the coming months, but will be given a 12-month stay of execution in the US. It will also remain on sale in Taiwan, where the blended malt category is thriving.
Johnnie Walker Gold Label, an 18-year-old blend, will also be phased out by the end of the year, but will be given a one-year extension in the US.
In their place Diageo has announced the global launch in May and June – possibly longer in one or two world territories – of Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve, with no age statement, which has been sold for the last five years in south-east Asia; and Johnnie Walker Platinum Label, an 18-year-old blend.
“The Johnnie Walker team has always been about delivering a high quality liquid and as you know, it has done this consistently and this is no different,” said Diageo’s Dr Nicholas Morgan.
“The heart of the new Gold Label Reserve will still be Clynelish to deliver taste and mouthfeel. But this should not be approached just as a matter of age.
“The Johnnie Walker team have attempted to put together a portfolio of whisky which provides a taste journey for the consumer so that at each level and at each price point the consumer has a different taste experience. It was felt that the old portfolio didn’t quite deliver that and the new additions are intended to provide a more balanced overall offering.”
The news marks the latest stage by Diageo to grow its blended category. The company has made no secret of the fact that it sees the future of Scotch whisky in the blended sector rather than single malts, and is keen to focus media and “opinion former” attention on the positive side of the blended category.
But the company won’t be drawn on whether it is buying up any available stocks of whisky it can get its hands on.
“If you look at the amount of blended whisky we sell, then we are of course committed to it,” said Dr Morgan. “Do we want to grow Johnnie Walker? Yes, of course.
“We can grow the brand in a number of ways. We have a series of marketing initiatives in different markets. We have massively expanded Glen Ord and Caol Ila, all our distilleries are practically working flat out, and we have built Roseisle. We have also always sourced whisky from elsewhere and that no doubt is continuing.”
A ground-breaking Michelin-style scheme for pubs and hotels - based on their staff’s knowledge of whisky – has been approved by ILA Scotland, the Scottish Government scheme that helps pay towards the cost of training.
The Whisky Ambassador Programme, the UK’s only BIIAB accredited whisky training scheme and administered by People Solutions, leading experts in training within the licensed trade, has been attracting keen interest from some of the country’s best known businesses since its launch earlier this year.
It aims to provide a boost for tourism and the whisky and hospitality industries by developing expertise among bar staff about Scotland’s national drink.
The ILA accreditation means hospitality workers interested in gaining new skills can qualify for assistance with the unique training project if they have an income of £22,000 a year or less, or receive benefits.
Training under the scheme, which is also backed by VisitScotland, the national tourism agency, will be offered at a series of events planned across Scotland. They include Glasgow (18 April), Inverness (3 May), Ayrshire (8 May), Edinburgh (15 May), Aberdeen (22 May), Perth (12 June), Dundee (19 June) and Oban (26 June).
Organisers believe the initiative will help ensure excellent service in the hospitality sector.The growing network of whisky ambassadors can instantly explain to customers not only the difference between a peaty Islay and a sweet Speyside but also recount stories of the origins of whisky, why it has become an internationally-renowned tipple and tell tourists where to find the nearest distilleries.
The scheme also aims to give staff confidence to upsell, persuading customers to upgrade and "Drink Less Drink Better"
Jo Graham, a spokesman for Whisky Ambassador, said: “There are some excellent whisky bars but so many people even in high end bars and hotels know very little about our national drink.
“That’s seriously bad for the trade. Bar staff should be able to talk about what whisky is, the colour, the age, the peatiness, the sweetness, and how it has come to find its way into bars all over the world.
“They should be able to tell customers where a particular whisky is extinct because it isn’t being produced any longer and be knowledgeable and confident enough to up-sell, encouraging people to try a malt even if it costs a couple of pounds more than a blend.”
Whisky tourism is booming with more than 210,000 people passing through the doors of Diageo’s 12 visitor centres in 2010, a 20% rise on the figure for 2008.
So far the programme, used by leading establishments including Principal Hayley’s Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow and Radisson Blu - has boosted sales of premium whiskies.
Lorna Jackson, HR Manager from Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow said "As a luxury venue in a major tourist destination, it is vital to us that we maintain extremely high levels of customer service. The Whisky Ambassador programme gives our staff confidence to talk to customers about our national drink and make recommendations. It has also motivated them to go away and learn more. Customers get a better experience which relates directly to profitability . It has been a win-win all round.”
Speyside distillery Tamdhu is set to reopen and relaunch its malt whisky after it was bought from the Edrington Group by Ian Macleod Distillers last year.
The distillery’s new owners have drafted in design company Good to create a new, modern identity for the distillery and its malt whisky, which is to relaunch next year.
Tamdhu, whose name in Gaelic means “the little dark hill”, opened in 1897 and was mothballed by Edrington in 2010.
Good co-director Chris Lumsden said: “Tamdhu was one of the first Speyside distilleries. It was founded by a consortium of leading local business entrepreneurs who put a lot of money into building what, at the time, was a cutting-edge facility.
“It was a highly ambitious venture to produce the finest whisky they possibly could using every modern technique available to them. It’s that spirit of entrepreneurialism and innovation that we want to reflect in the new brand image.”
Co-director Keith Forbes added: “The chance to work on a brand of Tamdhu’s quality and provenance, but with pretty much a clean slate, doesn’t happen very often.
“It’s a huge responsibility but we are relishing the challenge and are looking forward to the journey of building what we know will be an outstanding premium global brand.”
Three of Scotland’s whisky distillers took part in a whisky making and barrel filling ceremony at George Washington’s Distillery in the US to celebrate the centenary of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).
The ceremony, toasting the Scottish connection to George Washington’s Distillery in Mount Vernon, was the culmination of three days work using 100% Scottish barley and specially-constructed oak barrels.
Bill Lumsden, master distiller for Glenmorangie, Andy Cant, master distiller at Cardhu Single Malt Distillery and John Campbell, distillery manager at Laphroaig Distillery joined George Washington Distillery master distiller David Pickerell to mark the occasion.
After three years of aging in accordance with the maturation period for Scotch Whisky, a limited edition of one hundred of the bottles - marking the 100th anniversary of the SWA - will be auctioned for charities around the world.
Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, said: "This exciting project brings together three master distillers of scotch whisky to produce what will be a unique single malt. It is a fitting way to celebrate scotch whisky's continued success in the United States and the Association's centenary year."
Exports of Scotch Whisky to the US broke through the £600 million mark for the first time last year, to reach £654.9m
Edinburgh-based Scotch Whisky Experience has opened the doors to its whisky shop, following a £1million refurbishment.
The new facility is “forecast to increase the attraction’s retail revenue by 15% in 2012, adding to the 55% growth in this area over the last three years”.
The new shop is the latest stage in the attraction’s multi-million pound overhaul.
Susan Morrison, director and general manager said: “Recognising the importance of retail to our business, we have invested in our shop to create an interactive, customer-friendly environment with a quality of experience which leaves a lasting impression.
“With many of our visitors coming from abroad, our shop plays a key role in promoting whisky and educating people about the industry following the experience of the tour. We find our visitors respond well to the use of flavours in choosing their whisky, encouraging diversity in choice as well as using the traditional methods of geography or well loved brands.”
Key features of the new shop include an interactive flavour map and touch-screen distillery guide. Touch screens can be accessed in 20 languages including Arabic, Korean, Chinese, Russian and Brazilian.
Scotch whisky exports are now worth over £4.5 billion annually, and while the USA continues to dominate in terms of overall spend, demand from Asian and South American markets is increasing rapidly. In line with these trends, 80% of visitors to the Scotch Whisky Experience in 2011 were from overseas, with significant growth in the number of visitors from China and Brazil.
Scottish Distillers make single malt whisky at George Washington's distillery
Mount Vernon Whisky Flavored With Tartan: Scottish Distillers Make Single Malt at George Washington's Distillery
Raising a glass to toast the Scottish connection to George Washington's Distillery, three of Scotland's top distillers joined with representatives of the Scottish Government, Mount Vernon Estate, the Distilled Spirits Council and the Scotch Whisky Association in celebrating U.S.-Scotland ties and the first ever Scottish-style Single Malt at the Founding Father's distillery.
The barrel-filling ceremony was the culmination of three days of hard work using 100% Scottish barley and specially constructed oak barrels to produce the whiskey by Bill Lumsden, Master Distiller for The Glenmorangie Co.; Andy Cant, Master Distiller, Cardhu Single Malt Distillery, the home of Johnnie Walker; and John Campbell, Distillery Manager, Laphroaig Distillery. They were joined by George Washington Distillery Master Distiller David Pickerell and a dozen reporters from around the country.
After three years of aging according to the Scotch style, a limited edition of one hundred of the bottles -- marking the 100th anniversary of the Scotch Whisky Association--will be auctioned for charities around the world to further celebrate George Washington's history as a whiskey producer and the global appreciation of whiskey and whisky (however one chooses to spell it).
The Scottish Connection to George Washington's Distillery
In 1797 George Washington's farm manager, a Scot named James Anderson, convinced his employer that producing whiskey made from corn and rye grown on the plantation would be a natural complement to his milling business.
Washington was initially skeptical but soon granted permission to build the 2,250 square foot distillery, making it among the largest whiskey distilleries in early America. By 1799, Washington produced 11,000 gallons of whiskey, worth the then-substantial sum of $7,500. The distillery ceased operating in 1814 when the building burned.
Beginning in 2000, with a $2.1 million grant from the distilled spirits industry, Mount Vernon began the excavation and restoration of the distillery. In the Fall of 2006, the distillery was officially dedicated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony presided over by Britain's Prince Andrew and then-Virginia Attorney General Robert McDonnell.
Previously, master distillers have recreated George Washington's Rye recipe, with the first two bottles selling for $100,000 in 2006. Since then, small batches of limited edition rye have been produced periodically and sold to the public.
Other specialty distilling projects have produced Rum, Peach Brandy and Apple Brandy. All were spirits either made by Washington at the distillery or consumed at the mansion table.
Robin Naysmith, Scottish Government Counsellor, North America, stated, "It's a fitting tribute to the enduring friendship between Scotland and the USA, that more than 200 years after George Washington embraced our national drink, Mount Vernon is once again looking to Scotland and our finest whisky makers to produce this unique single malt. I hope the funds raised for charity and educational purposes from the auction of this unique product will further strengthen the relationship between our two great nations."
Dennis Pogue, Mount Vernon Estate's Vice President for Preservation, who spearheaded the distillery reconstruction project for Mount Vernon, added, "Given that the man who operated George Washington's distillery, James Anderson, was a Scot, Mount Vernon is pleased to help celebrate that historic connection by hosting this first-ever production of malt whiskey at Washington's reconstructed distillery."
Gavin Hewitt, Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, said, "This exciting project brings together three modern masters of Scotch Whisky making to produce what will be a unique Single Malt. It is a fitting way to celebrate Scotch Whisky's continued success in the United States and the Association's centenary year."
Distilled Spirits Council President and CEO Peter Cressy stated, "We are very grateful to the master distillers and their companies for their hard work and support of the George Washington Distillery. This project once again showcases both the global nature of our industry today and its important historic roots in the heritage of both countries."
Bill Lumsden, Master Distiller for The Glenmorangie Co., said, "Modern day distilling is all carefully controlled, measured, analyzed, and automated, so I am truly thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this project and actually roll my sleeves up and get my hands dirty! As a Master Distiller, you genuinely learn something new every single day, so I can't wait to supplement my knowledge of making Glenmorangie with something a little bit more 'old fashioned'."
Andy Cant, Cardhu Master Distiller, said, "Over the past 35 years, I have had the distinct pleasure of working at several of Diageo's Scotch Whisky distilleries -- Lagavulin, Caol Ila and now Cardhu. It is a privilege to craft a single malt that is as highly sought after by malt enthusiasts as it is by blenders. I am honored to be a part of this barrel-filling ceremony, surrounded by such remarkable industry talent. Thank you to DISCUS for inviting all of us to Mount Vernon today."
John Campbell, Distillery Manager for Laphroaig Distillery, stated, "I am honored to be a part of this momentous event at the George Washington Distillery at Mount Vernon. I look forward to working together with my fellow Scotch Whisky distillers to craft a truly historic Whisky."
George Washington Distillery Master Distiller David Pickerell, formerly of Maker's Mark Bourbon, stated, "It is an honor to be involved in such an historic event at Mount Vernon. This was a particularly challenging opportunity in that we had to invent and build a relatively efficient means of hand separating the grain solids from the liquid between the mashing and fermenting operations, using items that would have been generally available in the late 1700's. That is a major difference between the whiskey production process in the US and Scotland. In the US, we generally tend to leave the grain in during fermentation and distillation.
The Laphroaig PX Cask is the first expression of the Islay single malt whisky to be matured in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks
Beam Inc and Maxxium Travel Retail will launch in April a new global duty-free exclusive expression for Laphroaig Islay single malt whisky. Laphroaig PX Cask is the first Laphroaig expression to be matured in Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry casks, in addition to American oak and quarter casks.
According to the supplier, the different barrels “impart a subtly different character and the final maturation in the PX casks provides rich, sweet and full-bodied notes” to complement the peat-smoke tang of the whisky. Beam added that Laphroaig PX Cask replaces the former travel-retail exclusive Laphroaig Triple Wood, which was rolled out to domestic markets worldwide in September 2011.
The launch of Laphroaig PX Cask will also be communicated and made available to the Friends of Laphroaig, the 450,000-strong community that links and rewards fans of Laphoraig as well as whisky connoisseurs and Islay enthusiasts.
Beam Europe, Middle East and Africa travel-retail business manager Antony Kime said: “Laphroaig is the number one Islay whisky and as a global icon [it] performs very strongly in travel-retail. As a showcase channel, it is a great environment for the trial and discovery of new whiskies and we are confident that Laphroaig PX Cask will encourage interest in malt whiskies. With Laphroaig Triple Wood moving to distribution in domestic markets, an opportunity has opened up for us to drive innovation in malts and bring something new into travel-retail.”
Maxxium Travel Retail managing director Glen Williams added: “Laphroaig is a very special brand with a strong following of consumers who continually seek out new expressions. Laphroaig PX Cask will be available across our customer base and we anticipate wide-scale interest from the brand’s fervent fan base.”
Laphroaig PX Cask will be available at several European travel-retail locations through retailers including Gebr Heinemann, World Duty Free Group and Aelia in 1L bottles with an recommended retail price of £57/ €69 $91.
Scotch Whisky Experience unveils new £1 million shop
Edinburgh based five star visitor attraction, Scotch Whisky Experience, has opened the doors to its innovative new whisky shop, following a £1m refurbishment.
The new facility is forecast to increase the attraction’s retail revenue by 15% in 2012, adding to the 55% growth in this area over the last three years.
The new shop is the latest stage in the five star attraction’s multi million pound overhaul and marks the most significant development since the unveiling of the Diageo Claive Vidiz Scotch Whisky Collection – the largest of its kind – in 2009.
Key features of the new shop include an interactive flavour map and touch-screen distillery guide, which will enable customers to discover new options at the tap of a button, based on brands or flavours with which they are already familiar. The flavour map has been created with the help of the Scotch Whisky Research Institute and involved a comprehensive evaluation of Scotland’s single malts to plot their individual characteristics.
Whisky connoisseurs will also be able to enjoy a new VIP area in which to browse the premium collection on a tailor made iPad application.
New touch screens can be accessed in 20 individual languages including Arabic, Korean, Chinese, Russian and Brazilian – reflecting the importance of emerging markets for the Scotch whisky industry.
Premium Scotch whisky brand calls on whisky enthusiasts
The Glenlivet – the single malt Scotch whisky that started it all – is calling on UK whisky enthusiasts to share their area’s local legacies on www.tastetheglenlivet.co.uk, for the chance to win a rare bottle of The Glenlivet Helios Single Cask Edition.
History and heritage are at the heart of identity. Some legacies are very personal – an inspirational relative, for example, or a family business handed down through the generations – while others have an impact on entire communities and national culture.
In two hundred words or less, the brand is searching for key individuals, inventions, designs, products or industries that have helped to shape the UK’s history and culture, with each entry being plotted onto a map of the UK for visitors of the website to explore.
Entries to date include Barkham Blue cheese, the Victorian-built Glasgow water supply system, the brass iron stand, Clifton Suspension Bridge, Oldham’s cotton mills and the Birmingham canal system. At the end of March, the most compelling legacy will win a bottle of the £150 premium limited-edition Scotch whisky, of which only 48 bottles are available to consumers in the UK.
To promote the competition, The Glenlivet is using Facebook advertising to increase awareness of the campaign amongst its key target audience and drive traffic to the brand website. In addition, the brand will drive a second wave of engagement in May when a rare bottle of The Glenlivet Josie Single Cask Edition** will be awarded to the most compelling local legacy.
A GROWING taste for Scotch whisky helped to push Scottish food and drink exports to an all-time high last year.
The country sold food and drink worth £5.4bn overseas, which is six years ahead of target. And the biggest success was sales of whisky which broke new records by increasing 23% to £4.23bn. Fish and seafood were the biggest food exports.
Scotland’s top food and drink export markets were France and the US, with strong growth in Singapore and China, according to the latest figures from HMRC.
They are said to “exceed all expectations”, with the industry having already met its 10-year target to increase exports to £5.1bn by 2017.
The US remained the biggest single market by value for whisky exports, with a 31% increase to £655m. France remained the biggest market measured by volume – up by more than 25% to £535m.
World Whisky Day launched by Aberdeen student Blair Bowman
World Whisky Day is being celebrated thanks to a University of Aberdeen student.
Blair Bowman, 21, established what is believed to be the first ever such event as he saw that other drinks were recognised in this way.
His World Whisky Day website has already encouraged thousands of people to take part on Tuesday.
Hispanic Studies student Mr Bowman, who grew up in Edinburgh, said 30 different countries were involved.
Among more than 150 planned international events is a bar in Kuala Lumpur holding its grand opening to coincide with World Whisky Day.
'Whisky booming'
Hotels, restaurants and homes are also lined up to host events across the UK as well as in countries including Canada, Russia and Australia.
Mr Bowman explained: "I'm hoping that it allows more people to become interested in whisky and could also boost tourism for Scotland.
"Whisky is booming right now, all over the world. I can't think of a better way to celebrate this famous Scottish export.
"I've had people from all over the world get in touch with me saying they are doing something where they are."
A Worthy Splurge: Old Pulteney 21-Year-Old Scotch Whisky
Few single-malt Scotch whiskies are as connected with maritime history as Old Pulteney, which was founded in the port city of Wick during the height of the herring boom in 1826, years before road links to the town were established.
The recently-released Old Pulteney 21-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($130) is among the finest spirits on the market today, with an aroma of leather and canvas, flavors of caramel and vanilla, and a blissfully long finish. Close your eyes and you can even taste a salty sea breeze in there, but fortunately, no herring.
AN ENTREPRENEUR who hopes to transform a listed building into malt whisky distillery has raised more than £100,000 in three days, with the help of an innovative website which allows anyone to become an investor.
Founder Doug Clement is trying to raise £2m to fill what he calls a ‘glaring gap’ in the Scotland’s malt whisky geography, by establishing a visitor-friendly craft whisky distillery at the East Newhall Farm Steading on the Cambo Estate, near Kingsbarns.
He hopes the craft distillery, which will produce malt whisky and other spirits such as gin, liqueurs and schnapps, will sell directly to many of the estimated 2.8m visitors who come to St Andrews and the surrounding area every year.
Although Mr Clement has received a £150,000 grant from Scottish Enterprise, he said attracting further funding has proved challenging because of the long-term nature of his proposed business, as his primary product, single malt whisky, will take several years to mature.
In a bid to find alternative sources of funding, Mr Clement turned to Crowdcube, a ‘Dragons’ Den’-style investment site, which allows lots of people to invest small amounts of money in businesses they want to see succeed.
Mr Clement said: “We are talking to several whisky industry players and potential funders from as far afield as Canada, China and South Africa but, having seen the recent fund-raising success of another proposed distillery on Crowdcube, we thought it might work well for us too.
“Since we launched on Crowdcube on March 16 we have already received £110,000 of new investment which represents six per cent of our fund-raising target of £1.85m, so the initial signs are very encouraging.”
Mr Clement hopes to raise enough funds over the next few months to begin restoration work on the distillery site early this summer.
A master bourbon distiller shares four tips for tasting whisky
Maker’s Mark paid for our travel and expenses to visit the distillery outside of Louisville, Ky.
We recently had a chance to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Maker’s Mark distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, one of America’s biggest bourbon producers.
Of course, no tour of a distillery would be complete without a taste of the final product.
We sat down for a tasting session with master distiller Greg Davis, who got his start brewing wine and beer in his college dorm room, and today runs Maker’s Mark’s entire bourbon-making operation.
He gave us some pointers about the right way to taste whisky. They’re good to keep in mind if you ever wind up at a work-related tasting event and don’t want to look like a complete amateur.
*When tasting anything that’s high-proof, part your lips slightly. After you take a sip, breathe in through your nose.
*Exhale in a long, smooth breath out of your mouth. Alcohol is volatile, and a controlled breath “keeps it from exploding in your sinuses,” Davis said.
*Taste an amount that’s comfortable for you. There’s no need to swig the entire glass. And don’t be embarrassed to swirl and spit, if whisky isn’t your thing.
*Pay attention to how the whisky affects all your senses, including the scent, the feeling on your tongue, and the color.
As for the right way to drink bourbon, it used to be standard to drink it straight up.
But these days, anything goes, Davis said, adding, “bourbon is a bog, bold spirit. You can throw in ice and water, and you can’t mess it up.
Asked how he takes his bourbon, Davis said it depends on the season.
In the winter he drinks it with a few ice cubes, and in the summer he adds more ice.
Oh, and if you don’t know the difference between bourbon and whisky, here’s a quick guide:
*There are lots of types of whisky, but all whisky is distilled from a mash made from grain (usually some combination of corn, wheat, rye, or barley), and aged in oak barrels.
*Bourbon is a specific type of whisky distilled from no less than 51 percent corn, and aged in new charred oak barrels. Bourbon doesn’t have to come from Kentucky, but most of it does.
DEANSTON Distillery has signalled its support for Stirling’s first-ever whisky festival.
The Deanston single malt will be one of the drinks on show and available for tasting at the inaugural Spirit of Stirling event, to be held at the city’s Albert Halls on May 12.
Drymen businessman Cameron McCann, who is one of the people organising the event, welcomed the news and added several other brands – including Bunnahabhain, Ledaig and Tobermory – have also been confirmed.
The expanding line-up also includes Arran Distillers, who are based in the local Touch Business Centre, are also attending and will be running one of the festival’s master classes in the afternoon.
Counterparts atTullibardine, located between Dunblane and Perth, have also indicated that they will be supporting the event.
And Mr McCann said: “It seems fitting that the first-ever whisky festival planned for Stirling should showcase the brands made by local distillers. We are delighted that Deanston, together with the other products in their range, will be available at our event in May.
“When you add these popular whiskies to the dozens of others that are going to be available, we really will have all regions and parts of Scotland covered.
“Somewhere in the region of two-thirds of our tickets have now been sold and we still have two-months before the day itself, so we are expecting a busy, lively, fun inaugural event.”
Tickets can be purchased by telephoning Drymen’s Ealain Gallery on 01360 660996; Stirling firm Abbey Antiques on 01786 447840 or the Albert Halls on 01786 473544.
Glenfiddich brings in Porter Novelli and Finn to boost brand
Glenfiddich, the world's number one selling single malt Scotch whisky brand, has brought in two agencies to cover its global and UK remits.
Porter Novelli has been charged with 'amplifying Glenfiddich's quality and single malt credentials' across the world, while Finn PR has gained the UK consumer account. Both briefs were previously held by GolinHarris.
The six-figure global brief was awarded following a four-way pitch process.
Porter Novelli will help expand the brand, which is owned by William Grant & Sons, across its priority markets in the UK, France, US and Taiwan. Travel retail will also provide a PR focus.
The agency's consumer practice leader Jo Patterson, who led the pitch, told PRWeek: 'The whisky market is incredibly complex and in the comms scrum of heather and tartan it's difficult for brands to stand out.
'Our focus is to bring to life Glenfiddich's pioneering spirit, embodied by the brand's founder, William Grant.'
The aim is to target whisky-drinking men, aged 35 and over, who are 'passionate, professional and ambitious'.
Projects will include the brand's 125th anniversary, its 'Artists in Residence' programme and an inter-agency campaign called 'One Day You Will'.
Meanwhile, Finn's remit for its own six-figure account will include consumer media and blogger relations, sponsorship maximisation, experiential events and content production.
Finn PR won the brief after a four-way pitch.
Annabelle Clarke, senior brand manager for Glenfiddich, said she was seeking an agency with 'robust, strategic thinking, commercial understanding and focused, well thought out ideas'.
A Master Bourbon Distiller Shares 4 Tips For Tasting Whisky
Disclosure: Maker's Mark paid for our travel and expenses to visit the distillery outside of Louisville, Ky.
We recently had a chance to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Maker's Mark distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, one of America's biggest bourbon producers.
Of course, no tour of a distillery would be complete without a taste of the final product.
We sat down for a tasting session with master distiller Greg Davis, who got his start brewing wine and beer in his college dorm room, and today runs Maker's Mark's entire bourbon-making operation.
He gave us some pointers about the right way to taste whisky. They're good to keep in mind if you ever wind up at a work-related tasting event and don't want to look like a complete amateur.
*When tasting anything that's high-proof, part your lips slightly. After you take a sip, breathe in through your nose.
*Exhale in a long, smooth breath out of your mouth. Alcohol is volatile, and a controlled breath "keeps it from exploding in your sinuses," Davis said.
*Taste an amount that's comfortable for you. There's no need to swig the entire glass. And don't be embarrassed to swirl and spit, if whisky isn't your thing.
*Pay attention to how the whisky affects all your senses, including the scent, the feeling on your tongue, and the color.
Julie Zeveloff/Business Insider As for the right way to drink bourbon, it used to be standard to drink it straight up.
But these days, anything goes, Davis said, adding, "bourbon is a bog, bold spirit. You can throw in ice and water, and you can't mess it up.
Asked how he takes his bourbon, Davis said it depends on the season.
In the winter he drinks it with a few ice cubes, and in the summer he adds more ice.
Oh, and if you don't know the difference between bourbon and whisky, here's a quick guide:
*There are lots of types of whisky, but all whisky is distilled from a mash made from grain (usually some combination of corn, wheat, rye, or barley), and aged in oak barrels.
*Bourbon is a specific type of whisky distilled from no less than 51 percent corn, and aged in new charred oak barrels. Bourbon doesn't have to come from Kentucky, but most of it does.
Edinburgh attraction Scotch Whiskey Experience has reopened its new retail experience following £1 million renovation.
The new concept is said to reflect evolving shopping trends and modern attitudes to whisky. This includes an interactive flavour map, touch-screen distillery guide in multiple languages, a VIP area and whiskies are organised by region.
“We want to continue to challenge traditional preconceptions of Scotch Whisky in everything we do; blowing away common myths and stereotypes,” said Susan Morrison, director and general manager of the attraction. “The whisky shop has established itself as a key element of the attraction. In the last three years, revenue has risen by over 55 percent and, as of last year, it represents almost half our total revenue”.
DEANSTON Distillery is to support May’s whisky festival in Stirling.
The Deanston single malt will be one of the drinks available for tasting at the inaugural Spirit of Stirling event, to be held at the city’s Albert Halls on May 12.
Drymen businessman Cameron McCann, who is one of the event organisers, said several other brands – including Bunnahabhain, Ledaig and Tobermory – have also been confirmed.
Mr McCann said: “It seems fitting that the first ever whisky festival planned for Stirling should showcase the brands made by local distillers. We are delighted that Deanston, together with the other products in their range, will be available at our event in May.
“When you add these popular whiskies to the dozens of others that are going to be available, we really will have all regions and parts of Scotland covered.”
Tickets can be bought from Drymen’s Ealain Gallery, Stirling firm Abbey Antiques or the Albert Halls.
Benriach's Enhanced Peated Range Takes Customers Back To The Future!
from subtly-peated malts to peat so thick you could dance on it, the four are sure to become firm favourites!
INTRIGUINGLY, BenRiach’s revamped range of peated single malts shows the award-winning Speyside distillery going back to its nineteenth-century roots to give its twenty-first century customers a truly unique and authentic taste experience.
Back in the 1800s, the majority of Speyside distilleries were producing pungent, peated whiskies, but this trend changed in the 1960s when the US market emerged and a softer, easier-drinking style of whisky was preferred.
BenRiach was one of the first Speyside distilleries of the modern era to release a peated expression, with the 10 year-old Curiositas in 2004. The majority of the distillery’s output is the more traditional, non-peated style that most people associate with Speyside, but the peated range certainly represents a unique selling point.
Over the last few months, the distillery has been working to come up with a revamped, definitive range of four peated expressions that will be available on an ongoing basis. The final line-up can now be confirmed as Birnie Moss, Curiositas aged 10 years old, Septendecim aged 17 years old and Authenticus aged 25 years old.
From subtly-peated malts to peat so thick you could dance on it, the four are sure to become firm favourites!
Birnie Moss is an area of windswept moorland close to the BenRiach Distillery and it’s this wild place that gives our single malt its name. This is a younger expression of peated BenRiach, capturing the peaty, phenolic characteristics at their most pronounced. It’s also something of a “first” under the new owners, as it’s the first core expression that uses whisky distilled under the new stewardship of BenRiach. Initially launched around three years ago, Birnie Moss has recently been re-packaged to synchronise it with the rest of the BenRiach range.
Curiositas, the 10 year-old, is BenRiach’s core peated expression and has been available since the company formed in 2004. Traditionalists believe that peated malts achieve optimum balance of peat-bittersweet and oak infusion after ten years’ maturation, and Curiositas proves that point superbly.
Septendecim, the 17 year-old, was only launched in January and already has acquired a reputation for being a magnificent, moody, multi-layered malt with fantastic length. On the palate, it gives sweet, concentrated peat flavours which dominate from the start. Bold and intense, the peaty heart is united with honey-infused raisins, roasted nuts and a luxurious leather impression. Overall, it’s a real robust heavyweight, full-bodied and beautifully balanced with enormous impact. Septendecim is non chill-filtered and bottled at natural colour, with a strength of 46% vol.
And completing the impressive quartet is the full-bodied and audacious Authenticus, formerly available as a 21 year-old and now available and re-packaged as a 25 year-old peated single malt. At 46%, it’s bright, warm and amber gold in colour. On the nose, it offers elegant aromas of ripe pineapple, fresh mountain herbs and a profusion of sweet peat. On the palate, it’s a fantastic fusion of rich peat and smouldering embers bound together by fresh herbs - oregano, aniseed and chicory in particular. Overall, it carries terrific weight and development which leaves a powerful lasting impression long after the glass has been drained.
Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “Peated malt whisky production only represents approximately six weeks’ worth of the annual production at BenRiach, but the peated whiskies have become an important part of the distillery’s portfolio as they offer something new and unexpected from the Speyside region.
“We wanted to offer our consumers a range of peated BenRiachs that would span the age range – one that would both allow the development of the malt to be charted and also be available on a regular basis. Hopefully, with these four expressions, we will achieve that.”
Article Courtesy of the Press Release
Press Release
20 March
2012
Single-minded visionaries
This pioneering family-run distillery has adopted the beer barrel, writes Willie Simpson.
You've got to hand it to a company such as William Grant & Sons, which dates to 1886 and is now run by the fifth generation of a family that continues to drive innovations in distilling and blending.
It was the first distillery to launch a single-malt whisky brand - Glenfiddich - in 1963 and it is still No.1 in the global malt-whisky category. And while Glenfiddich and Grant's The Family Reserve are mainstays in Australia, brand ambassador Ludo Ducrocq was in town to launch an extended range of its whisky blends, including Grant's 12 Year Old, Grant's Sherry Cask Finish and Grant's Ale Cask Finish.
''Other single-malts have used cask finishing, but we were the first to experiment with cask finishing for blends,'' Ducrocq says.
''We were also the first to use ale cask finishing [2001] and, so far, no one else has followed us.''
Creating Grant's Ale Cask Finish was a challenge, Ducrocq says, because various Edinburgh breweries had to be commissioned to produce a ''strong ale'' to put in a bourbon cask for one month. At this point, the beer was poured ''down the drain'' and the cask refilled with blended whisky for three months or so.
''It's not an exact science, but we start with an elegant [whisky] blend and it's easy to overdo the cask finishing; we aim for something subtle. We tried the Family Reserve, but small amounts of peat don't work with ale, so we produced a special blend without peat.''
Along the way, a brewery tasting panel got hold of a sample of the wood-finished beer and gave it the thumbs up.
This led to a joint-venture company that bottled and marketed the ale under the Innis & Gunn label, which Grant's has since sold its interest in.
The Grant's distillery has a lengthy connection with Australia. ''[Founder] William Grant's grandson came to Australia in 1909,'' Ducrocq says. ''So our brands have been here for more than 100 years. We opened a new office in Sydney in 2001.
''[Our brand] is growing in Australia, with about 15 per cent growth in value over the past six months, which is very encouraging.''
When I met Ducrocq about seven years ago, he seemed precociously young to be a global brand ambassador and, at 25, he was younger than some of the whiskies he was representing. Born and raised in northern France, these days Ducrocq speaks English with a distinct Scottish burr and is the modern face of this family company, which remains the exception in an age of globalised spirit brands. ''Being a family company gives us an advantage when it comes to decision making,'' he says.
And it seems the Grant family isn't about to sell to outside interests any time soon. ''They see their role as looking after the business for the next generation and leaving it in better shape,'' Ducrocq says. ''[The company] is in better shape than ever, with expanding new markets like China and South America.''
Having a colourful family history is also part of the allure behind the brand. ''People drink whisky because they like the taste,'' he says. ''But then they like to hear the stories behind the whisky.''
Tasting notes
Grant's The Family Reserve (40 per cent), $36.95 Light golden-brown. Nose: juicy malt, fruit cake, wisps of peat smoke. Palate: chewy, sweet-tinged malt; dried fruit and delicate floral notes; heat and gentle smoke emerge later and come together in a satisfyingly long finish. Overall: one of the best blended Scotches around.
Grant's 12 Year Old (40 per cent), $54.95 Deep gold-amber. Nose: hints of dried apricots, sandalwood and pralines. Palate: dense malt upfront; mid-palate suggests chocolate-covered nougat, cinnamon and dried peaches; honey and delicate smoke intertwine in the finish. Overall: a marvellous balance of opulent flavours.
Grant's Ale Cask Finish (40 per cent), $43.95 Medium gold. Nose: gentle hints of linseed oil, honey and jasmine. Palate: crisp malt initially; hints of dried fruit and vanilla in mid-palate; sweet-laced finish. Overall: a novel concept but it's a struggle to detect any ale characters.
A Boat, A Scot, and the Most Expensive Whisky in the World
Moored to the pier on the south end of New York's Battery Park, the white yacht pitched up and down on oily waves. But even a queasy ride across the harbor couldn't deter the host of whisky lovers, journalists, PR professionals and assorted party people from streaming aboard, eager to begin their trip to the Statue of Liberty. It was going to be a historic night.
In honor of its 125th birthday, Glenfiddich -- the world's top-selling single malt scotch -- has released what is, arguably, the most expensive whisky in the world. The Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve, a 55-year-old scotch, is being auctioned off in an extremely limited edition of only eleven bottles. The first two have already broken records: Bottle No. 1 sold for $72,630 and No. 2 went for $69,656. Thursday's auction, the third, wasn't expected to fetch as much -- generally, the first and last bottles of a limited edition whisky run sell for top dollar, while the others go for a fair bit less. Still, it promised to be an interesting evening.
On the boat, spirits were high as a pair of smiling bartenders poured glass after glass of the evening's first signature cocktail from a large plastic tank. As the boat swayed across the harbor, party-goers washed down their queasiness with the fruity, scotch-laced potion and made jokes about the Titanic.
The evening's venue made a certain kind of sense: Like Glenfiddich, the Statue of Liberty is celebrating its 125th birthday. In fact, the evening commemorated a series of anniversaries. The 55-year-old scotch, for example, was named after the last living granddaughter of Glenfiddich's founder, who celebrated her 110th birthday last August. This isn't the first extremely limited edition whisky to be named after Roberts: William Grant's sole remaining granddaughter had whisky lines bottled in honor of her 100th, 105th and 107th birthdays. The 110th, however, has proven the most valuable by far.
At the base of the Statue of Liberty, a few hundred feet behind her majestic backside, representatives from William Grant & Sons, the company that owns Glenfiddich, erected a capacious tent. Inside, the third golden bottle of the Janet Sheed Roberts reserve perched on a narrow wooden table, illuminated by a single spotlight that cast a pale halo around the precious spirit. Behind, a stern Eastern European guard stood sentinel, prepared to step in should any inquisitive party-goers venture too close to the hallowed whisky. Nearby, Glenfiddich brand ambassadors poured shots of the company's 12, 15, 18, and 21-year-old whiskies as a live band played at the other end of the tent.
A Slow Maturation That Led to a 'Richer, Deeper Flavor'
Brian Kinsman is one of the few people who know what Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve tastes like. The Master Mixer for William Grant and Sons, he's the man who determines when a scotch is ready to go to market. As he explains it, "When a spirit is first put in a cask, it has two basic flavors: a grassy taste and a fruity, almost pear-like flavor." Over time, the grass dissipates, while the fruit taste grows more strong and vibrant. Generally, whisky doesn't take 55 years to mature, but, for some reason, the Roberts Reserve aged very slowly. In the process, its "fruitiness became more concentrated," Kinsman stated, ultimately yielding a "richer, deeper flavor that is not unlike dried fruit."
As the evening wore on, the bidders fought furiously to join Kinsman in the small cadre of people who have tasted the Roberts Reserve. Host Adrian Grenier joined the crowd in its cheers as the price rose higher and higher, first surpassing the second bottle, then the first, before finally finishing at $94,000. The winner was real estate developer Mahesh Patel. Proceeds from the auction will go to SHFT Initiatives, a green-lifestyle group that promotes sustainable living.
While news reports were quick to tout the record-breaking sale, $94,000 doesn't quite qualify the Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve as the most expensive single malt in history -- that honor goes to a bottle of 64-year-old Macallan scotch that sold for $460,000 in 2010. However, the Roberts Reserve certainly ranks high. And, as a company spokesperson noted, the Macallan's price was partly attributable to the one-of-a-kind Lalique decanter in which it was packaged, which means that the Roberts Reserve qualifies as the highest-priced single malt ever sold solely based on the liquor itself. And even this modest record may soon be broken: Over the next few months, the remaining seven bottles of Roberts Reserve will go up for auction in cities around the world.
In the meantime, Glenfiddich has also done something for whisky lovers who can't afford to drop almost six figures on a fifth of booze. The company is slowly expanding its product line in order to offer fresh tastes, offering -- among other products -- a new whisky, Solera, that uses a two-cask aging method, finishing its 15-year-old whisky in virgin oak casks. While seemingly minor, this is a big move for the distillery, which has historically used only old bourbon casks for aging. The two-stage method gives the tipple a flavor that Kinsman describes as "big, lush, and full of caramel and vanilla."
As for the future, Kinsman is tight-lipped: "Some of our long-term experiments are just hitting the market now, but we've got other things in the distilling stage that won't come to fruition for 12, 15, 18 years or more. It's not an instant gratification business," he laughs, admitting that "The thing I like most is laying things down for the next generation. We're filling the pipeline for the future."
Minimum alcohol price 'illegal', claims Scotch Whisky Association
In a letter to Downing Street, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), whose members include Diageo, the Edrington Group and Chivas Brothers, says the policy would act as an “illegal” barrier to free trade within Europe.
David Cameron is expected to override his Health Secretary and announce a consultation on a minimum unit price. The Government’s delayed alcohol strategy will be published within days of the Budget, and the Prime Minister is understood to have scrapped previous proposals for a “floor price” in favour of a much harsher regime, despite concerns from his own ministers. An announcement is expected on Thursday or next Monday.
Much of the drinks industry was more comfortable with recommendations of a floor price of duty plus VAT, which would have prevented supermarkets from selling alcohol at a loss.
A minimum unit price would have a far more dramatic effect. For example, a 50p unit price would add 27pc to the cost of a bottle of Scotch. The drinks industry believes this would hurt responsible households and do little to deter the minority of problem drinkers.
The SWA, whose 56 members employ 35,000 people in Britain, argues that minimum unit pricing would be illegal under EU trade rules as it would amount to a domestic barrier to free trade.
Rare Scots whisky continues to break records at auction
The special whisky celebrating the granddaughter of the Glenfiddich founder sells for nearly £60,000.
The Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve single malt was created in honour of its namesake, the granddaughter of William Grant, founder of the Glenfiddich distillery.
Mrs Roberts celebrated her 110th birthday in August last year and is the oldest living person in Scotland.
The first of 11 bottles to be released to the public, broke records by selling for £47,000 at auction in December.
The third bottle has now beaten that record, selling for nearly £60,000 at auction in New York.
Each bottle of the single malt Scotch celebrates a decade of Mrs Roberts' life. The second bottle was sold to an anonymous bidder for £44,000/
Proceeds from the recent sale, made during a charity event on New York's Liberty Island, will benefit the charitable arm of the sustainable development company SHFT.
Drinks logistics specialist JF Hillebrand Scotland is proud to announce they have become one of the official sponsors of The World Whiskies Awards.
JF Hillebrand Scotland will sponsor the Blended Malt Whisky category at the prestigious awards, which take place in London on 22 March.
James Bryson, Managing Director, JF Hillebrand Scotland, said: “The event is one of the most hotly contested drinks’ awards in the business, so becoming a sponsor is a real honour.”
“The event sees more than 300 whiskies battle it out over three stages to be declared as the best whiskey in the world for its particular category.
The awards represent the annual selection of the very best proprietary whiskies and promote the “best whiskies in the world” to the trade across the globe.
The whiskies are entered by distillers, agents, importers, wholesalers and retailers for whisky or whisky from anywhere in the world.
Categories are based on the commonly held whisky groupings which define both the style and process of whisky and whiskey production.
All judging is conducted blind and held in three stages.
Stage 1: Each whiskey is tasted by region and where relevant in age sub-categories.
Stage 2: The winning whiskies in each age sub-category are tasted against each other, selecting the best whisky in each category.
Stage 3: The best whiskies in each category are then tasted against each other in two phases to select the World’s Best Whiskies.
JF Hillebrand wish the best of luck to all entrants and hope everyone who plans to attend the awards an enjoyable evening.
Using Master of Malt’s online blending kit, Blair has put together a truly superb dram for the inaugural World Whisky Day on March 27, when whisky lovers from across the globe will come together to simultaneously celebrate their favourite spirit.
Rich and malty with some smokiness, Blair’s blend, priced at £39.95 for a 70cl bottle, combines whiskies from some of Scotland’s very finest distilleries, and it’s the perfect way to enjoy World Whisky Day with fellow aficionados.
Unsurprisingly, Blair has done a sterling job and the blend pairs perfectly with good conversation and company. Here are some more detailed tasting notes:
Blair Bowman’s World Whisky Day Blend
Colour: Amber.
Nose: Burnt orange peel, fresh black pepper, soft smoky heather, lemon drizzle cake, crunchy red apples, fudge dipped in melted milk chocolate.
Palate: Crème brûlée, burnt brown sugar, cooked apples and pears, caramelised ruby red grapefruit and blood oranges, syrup and treacle tarts, singed heather.
Finish: Lingering and sweet.
"If you fancy having a go at blending yourself, just visit our website and get mixing. It’s fantastically simple, and you can draw on some splendid whiskies to combine into your very own Scotch. And in no time at all we’ll deliver your blend direct to your door, complete with a personalised label." Master of Malt
About Master of Malt:
Established in 1985
Master of Malt is one of the UK’s leading Online Whisky & Spirit Merchants, with a huge range of whiskies, rum, brandies, gins, cocktails and many other fine spirits.
World Whisky Day is the brainchild of Blair Bowman, an Aberdeen-based Scotch enthusiast who dreamt of creating a global whisky event, to bring the whisky community together to share a dram or two and to introduce new people to the fascinating world of fine spirits.
Whisky outperforms gold in 'meteoric rise' as an alternative investment
Investment-grade whiskies are outperforming other alternative investments and commodities including gold, according to new figures.
Four-year numbers recorded between 2008 and the end of 2011 show that the "top 10" performing whiskies have grown in value by more than 400%.
Meanwhile, had you invested in the "top 100" you could be 245% better off. Or 180% to the good had you invested in the "top 250". This is according to figures compiled by valuation experts, Whisky Highland.
So, how does this compare to gold - especially considering its "renaissance" in recent times? Gold rose by 146% over the same period while diamonds rose by just 10%.
These latest figures should promote the virtues of "whisky assets" among high-end investors. Although they are already catching on...
Whisky sales in general are on the rise, with 8,500 bottles sold at auction last year in comparison to 1,500 four years ago. The global whisky markets totalled £4m in 2011.
If that isn't impressive enough, market experts reckon the 2020 whisky markets could be worth £17m, a rise of 325%.
The booming whisky markets have been reflected in various big sales recently. Like the commuter who purchased a rare bottle of The Dalmore 62 at Changi Airport in Singapore.
He paid a World Record £125,000 price for the bottle in the airport's branch of Harrods.
Meanwhile, a bottle of Macallan 64 year old "Cire Perdue" remains the world's most expensive whisky after it sold for $460,000 in 2010.
"The demand for rare and limited edition whiskies is exceptional, and it's a trend that is set to continue in line with the uplift in other luxury goods markets," said David Robertson, rare whisky director for The Dalmore.
"We are going to see more distilleries and brands release very special whiskies which are designed to meet the growing demand from luxury consumers looking for the ultimate in unique products, whether to use and enjoy or to collect and invest."
In 1887 William Grant fulfilled a lifelong dream by filling his first cask of Glenfiddich whisky, which has since become one of the best-selling single malts in the world. To celebrate the 125th anniversary of that first cask, Glenfiddich has released Cask of Dreams single malt ($99), a limited edition only available in the United States.
To create Cask of Dreams, in 2011 the distillery shipped 11 new, uncharred empty white oak barrels to the United States. Then, Glenfiddich brand ambassadors Heather Greene, Freddy May, and Mitch Bechard rolled these casks around the streets of major cities, inviting people to write their aspirations and dreams on the outside of the barrels, which were then shipped back to the distillery. Then they were filled with specially selected single-malt whiskies that had been aging from 14 to 16 years in ex-bourbon barrels. After the whisky was “finished” in the new white oak barrels in Warehouse Number 8 for an additional three months, there was just enough to fill 3,500 bottles.
Aging single-malt Scotch in once-filled ex-bourbon barrels, which by law have to be charred, typically yields various degrees of smoke, vanilla, and floral tastes. But then finishing these whiskies in the much more pungent environment of uncharred, unused white oak brings forth dramatic flavors not normally encountered. In the case of Cask of Dreams, there is a hint of light sherry (even though no sherry barrels were used), then apricot, vanilla, raisins, red apples, and a touch of cedar kicks in, with a long fruitlike finish. Bottled at a higher-than-normal 97.8 proof, this is a whisky with depth, and it proves that for single-malt aficionados, dreams can come true, whether in Scotland or the United States.
A LIMITED edition 34-year-old bottle of Coleraine Whisky has been sold for £1,200.
Whisky lovers from across the globe converged on Glasgow last week to snap up a selection of some of the world’s rarest examples of the amber nectar.McTear’s February sale of rare and collectable whisky raised over £90,000 from 500 lots, with classic examples of the Macallan, Highland Park and Laphroaig attracting huge interest and big prices.
The bottle of Coleraine Single Malt Old Irish - distilled in 1959 - had a price tag of between £800 and £1,000, but it was eventually snapped up by a collector for £1,200.
Coleraine Distillery was established in 1820 when it was converted from an old mill in Newmarket Street. It quickly built up a high repution, for in 1845 it was delivered to the London House of Commons and therefore put “HC” on its labels.
At the time, Coleraine Distillery produced 100,000 gallons of triple-distilled Malt Whisky (always spelled without the “e”).
After proprietor Robert A. Taylor had died in 1902, the distillery fell into decline and was silent for most of the 1920s. It was bought by the Boyds of Bushmills Distillery in 1933 and distilling continued in 1938 for a short period before World War II and the shortages of barley stopped production again.
Sadly, last distilling took place in 1964, and the Coleraine brands disappeared.
A rare 1951 Macallan was sold for £2,800 at the auction. A collection of five Cadenhead miniatures was sold for a whopping £900.
“It was a great sale with some fantastic bottles going under the hammer,” said McTear’s Managing Director, Brian Clements.
Preparation for 2012’s most unique whisky event is hotting up as the inaugural Edinburgh Whisky Stramash, which takes place at Surgeons’ Hall on 26th & 27th May, reveals some of the mystery behind the exciting plans and ‘drams’.
Glenfiddich Warehouse 47 will tease all five senses by immersing small groups in an atmospheric room where guests will be taken on a pioneering virtual tour of the Glenfiddich Distillery stillhouse, cooperage and warehouses.
Hosted by Glenfiddich Ambassador, Jamie Milne, the experience will also feature whisky barrels, aroma samples, photographs and advertising images from Glenfiddich's past and present, as well as a chance to try your hand at making a whisky barrel. The whole experience will really bring a tasting of Glenfiddich 12, 15 and 18 year old whiskies to life.
Multi-award winning mixologist Jon O’Connor will be on-hand to create bespoke whisky cocktails at The Cocktail Pod. Visitors will help the bartender choose from an amazing array of ingredients to create their perfect cocktail and they will receive a copy of their recipe so they can recreate it at home.
The Molecular Experiments will focus on whisky in different and unusual ways including: whisky caviar, a range of gourmet infused whisky and smoking unpeated whisky by Stramash’s very own Heston Blumenthal-esque chemist.
A Sweeney Todd-style bladed barber surgeon, in partnership with Dewar’s Blended Whisky, will offer those brave enough to volunteer procedures of the follicle kind.
Jura Single Malt Scotch Whisky is sponsoring the Murder Mystery, which will entice and entertain. The classic whodunit will give one lucky visitor the chance to win a once in a lifetime trip to Jura, including a special distillery tour, if the cunning culprit is guessed correctly.
The Balvenie’s crack team of top brand ambassadors will enlighten dram enthusiasts about the craftsmanship behind the nation’s top tipple. This captivating tour around the show will ensure an exciting and engaging learning experience, guiding visitors through an exploration of all things whisky.
Scotland's largest independent brewery, BrewDog, is serving its extraordinary creation of Jura whisky beer; beer matured in casks to infuse the ale with the wonderful flavours of the finest dram. Robert Graham will be sampling a range of its special premium single cask bottlings including Linkwood, Ben Nevis and Deanston.
Darroch Ramsay, founding partner of the Whisky Stramash, said: “As the event draws closer, we are increasingly excited about the number of whisky brands who have signed up. It’s great to be able to offer the industry something unique and a far cry from the usual whisky associated events. Plans are falling into place and we can’t wait to see it all in action!”
Confirmed so far, is:
*Glenfiddich Warehouse 47
*The Cocktail Pod
*Molecular Experiments
*Dewar’s Barber Surgeon
*The Jura Murder Mystery
*The Balvenie Brand Ambassadors
*Glen Moray, Surgeons’ Hall’s own whisky, Dancing Stag Single Bottlings, along with the already announced; Bunnahabhain, Finnieston, Isle of Mull, Arran Single Malt, Dalmore, Fettercairn, Whyte & Mackay, Aberfeldy, plus many more will be in attendance
The Stramash will be held on three sessions over the 26th and 27th of May 2012:Saturday 26th of May 2012: 12pm – 4pm and 5pm – 9pm and Sunday 27th of May 2012: 1pm – 5pm.
Drinks Enthusiast: Whisky tasting sessions at Kro Bar with Morrison Bowmore Distilleries
Last night was the return of the monthly whisky tastings held at Manchester’s Kro Bar. This time Morrison Bowmore Distilleries were the guests, bringing with them Bowmore, Auchentoshan and Glen Garioch.
Again for those of you who don’t know what Kro Bar is, they’re a Danish family business who specialise in Danish food and beer. A popular idea in the Manchester area, they’ve expanded from one outlet to five in the space of 10 years.
Our host for the evening was Paul, with help from Tim who represented their agent Cellar Trends.
Now many regulars who follow me might well recognise the word Auchentoshan, having visited their distillery back in January. However, the great thing about these whisky tastings is that you get the chance to try the rest of the range, which in my case, was to add the Auchentoshan Classic to my repertoire. I have sold the Bowmore range from my work at Casa Tapas Bar & Grill, and Glen Garioch is a whisky that I’ve never come across in my travels. So armed with Paul’s exciting enthusiasm, myself and Dalia of The Circle 360 got stuck into our first offering – Auchentoshan Classic.
Auchentoshan Classic – 40%
Matured in first filled American bourbon barrels, it gave off a light, delicate vanilla scent on the nose, with white fruit coming through near the end. The palate enjoys a sweet vanilla, with a fresh citrus flavour that creates a lingering aftertaste.
Auchentoshan Three Wood – 43%
Matured in three different cask types, American bourbon to Spanish Oloroso sherry and finishing in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, a nose of sweet orange and raisin with blackcurrant. The palate has some dry fruitness with fresh lemon and butterscotch resulting in a long oak finish.
Bowmore 12 year – 40%
A pre dinner whisky from the oldest Isle distillery in Scotland, a heavy nose of burnt peat blended with chocolate follows on the palate with a deep, smokyness balanced out with flavours of lemon and honey.
Bowmore 15 year – 43%
Finished for three years in a Oloroso sherry butt, it creates a light, fruity nose with raisin aromas and a slight smoke note. Treacle flavours on the palate, again with a slight smokyness with a short finish.
Glen Garioch OB Founder’s Reserve – 48%
A light, corn led aroma on the nose, with sweet vanilla, fresh green fruit and citrus on the palate that creates a fresh finish.
Glen Garioch 12 year – 48%
A mix of fudge and pear blend well on the nose to create a sweet offering. The palate is rather sharp to begin with but mellows quickly. Ripe banana moves to a slight smoke and salt flavour with the pear notes coming through at the end.
To compliment the whisky selection, the Head Chef at Kro Bar created us all a traditional beef burger with chips. Simple, but effective!
So another thoroughly enjoyable event in which we were able to sample a good range of Scotland, visiting the Lowlands, Highlands and Isla. Personal highlights were the Auchentoshan Three Wood and Glen Garioch OB Founder’s Reserve.
Hopefully I’ll be at next months whisky tasting, where 6 more whiskies will be on offer to a crowd that is steadily rising as the months go by. Care to join me?
The market for Investment Grade Scotch (IGS) is continuing to outperform alternative investments - including gold and diamonds - according to whisky valuation experts Whisky Highland.
Four year figures, from 2008 to the end of 2011, suggest that an investment in the top 10 performing whiskies would have achieved a gain of more than 400%. An investment in the top 100 would have returned a 245% gain, whilst the top 250 would have returned 180%.
In comparison, gold has risen 146% over the same period, and diamonds by just 10%.
A total of 8500 bottles were sold at auction in 2011, compared to 1500 four years ago. The value of that auction market reached £4M in 2011 and is expected to rise to £17M by 2020. Global investor and collector bottle retail sales confirm that the retail sector is also booming with bottle sales thought to total 85,000 per year worth around £44 million.
The fourth quarter of 2011 saw a “significant jump” in both sales and volume, with more than 3000 bottles coming up for auction in the UK with sales totalling more than £600,000, compared to fewer than 2000 a year earlier with sales reaching around £400,000.
Last year, a bottle of The Dalmore 62 was sold at Changi Airport in Singapore for a world record £125,000, following on from the sale of a bottle of Dalmore 64 in Harrods for £120,000. The most expensive bottle ever sold at auction is a bottle of Macallan 64 year old ‘Cire Perdue’ which sold at auction in the US for $460,000.
The data was revealed by Whisky Highland founder Andy Simpson, at the world’s first Whisky Investment Seminar at the 2012 Universal Whisky Experience in Las Vegas.
Andy Simpson launched Whisky Highland in 2010 with the aim of offering a whisky valuation service for whisky collectors and investors.
He said: “Over the last twelve months, the market for whisky investment has begun to catch the eye of the investment community. Some of the rare and limited bottlings from the top performing distilleries such as The Dalmore and Macallan are achieving eye-watering returns at auction, outperforming most other forms of alternative assets. I’m confident that it won’t be long before whisky is viewed in the same light as art, wine or classic cars, offering a genuine and creditable alternative to these more established asset classes. We can already see this happening with the growth of the dedicated whisky auction market. Where you would previously see a few bottle of whisky bolted on the end of a wine auction, there are now a number of dedicated whisky auctions taking place across the UK and further afield in countries such as Hong Kong.”
Rare Whisky director for The Dalmore, David Robertson said: “The demand for rare and limited edition whiskies is exceptional, and it’s a trend that is set to continue in line with the uplift in other luxury goods markets. We are going to see more distilleries and brands release very special whiskies which are designed to meet the growing demand from luxury consumers looking for the ultimate in unique products, whether to use and enjoy or to collect and invest.”
From Cask To Glass, We Learned How Macallan Crafts Its $150-A-Bottle Whisky At An Event In New York City
Flavored whiskey is a booming market in the U.S., and it's one that Scotland's Macallan has been eyeing for a few years now.
Twice a year, Macallan's attractive crew travels to 11 major U.S. cities to share the brand's story while attendees sip on the spirit's 10-, 12-, 15-, 17- and 18-year-old single malts.
We stopped by the latest event at a cool warehouse in SoHo, and had the opportunity to speak with Charlie Whitfield, the brand ambassador who hosted the event.
"Basically, my job is to try and educate consumers, to give people the information that helps them understand scotch whisky," Whitfield told us. "I find that when people understand what they're drinking, it really helps them enjoy it as well. They're enjoying whisky, it makes me happy and it makes them happy."
He explains why Macallan, which retails for around $150 for the 18-year bottle, is better than its competition:
"Our rich, full-bodied flavor is what sets us apart from our competitors and that complex flavor is mainly due to the exceptional oak casks we use to age our whisky. We spend upwards of $20 million a year on our casks alone —more than all our main competitors put together. "
And given whisky's rise as an alternative investment, Macallan's tour is happening at a critical time.
Jason Kephart in InvestmentNews reports that whisky can now be seriously considered as an investment. According to the Whisky Highland Index, an online whiskey valuation library, buyers who purchased collectible bottles of the spirit in 2008 for around $66,929 at auctions are able to sell them today for $149,395, a 121 percent gain.
WHISKY veteran Billy Walker is on the lookout for acquisitions after his BenRiach Distillery Company secured a £27 million funding package from Royal Bank of Scotland.
Mr Walker, the former operations director at East Kilbride distiller Burn Stewart, acquired the Elgin-based BenRiach distillery from French giant Pernod Ricard in 2004.
He added GlenDronach distillery, in Forgue, Aberdeenshire, in 2008 and the Newbridge bottling plant in 2010.
The deal, which also sees RBS Royal Bank of Scotland Corporate & Institutional Banking become the new full banking partner to BenRiach, significantly increases its previous funding facility.
Mr Walker, managing director at BenRiach, said: "With demand at an all-time high, we are delighted to have finalised this funding package with the Royal Bank of Scotland corporate banking team in Edinburgh.
"Having filled more than 10,000 casks of single malt in 2011 for the first time since the distillery changed ownership in 2004, this new funding facility will enable us to expand our business to meet the worldwide demand for our highly-regarded whiskies. "
The company said the funding will be used for investing in stock and facilities, capital expenditure, and also for acquisitions if opportunities arise.
Eddie Rintoul, managing director of Royal Bank of Scotland CIB, said: "We are delighted to be able to contribute to BenRiach's ongoing expansion and success with this funding package and new full banking relationship.
"By linking the financ-ing to stock levels, we are able to supply BenRiach with a highly flexible facility that will help the firm meet its global business aspirations."
Whisky brand Smokehead releases new limited Rock Edition
Smokehead, the rich and powerful Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Ian Macleod Distillers, has released a new limited Rock Edition to celebrate its credentials as the rock n’ roll spirit of choice for 2012.
The limited edition evolves from the design of Smokehead’s existing tactile metal presentation tin, demanding attention with the introduction of a smoking skull, the time-honoured symbol of rock. Cocooned within the skull are the many adjectives that capture the Single Malt’s boisterous, outrageous, and deep peaty flavours.
Like the original award-winning packaging, The Rock Edition maximises its impact using embossed and debossed techniques to heighten the 3-D ‘reality’ of the new skull design and create a premium feel. The main Smokehead branding is also embossed, while a square letterpress block motif on the rear of the tin, reflecting the bottle label design is joined by a full flavour descriptor that also highlights Smokehead’s connection with music.
Entering its third year as the official drinks sponsor of The Marshall Ultimate Band Contest, the unsigned band showdown, in partnership with legendary Marshall Amps and Lick Library, Smokehead has also established itself as the drink of choice at big rock events including the annual Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards 2009-2011. The must attend event for rock artists and industry heavyweights, previous attendees have included iconic rock legends Slash, Brian May, Jeff Beck and Gene Simmons.
A rich, seaweedy and intensely peaty Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Smokehead is not for the faint hearted. With immense fresh and fruity flavours that burst with notes of sherry, iodine, toffee, smoke and sea salt, Smokehead hits the palate like a cannonball.
Smokehead ‘The Rock Edition’ will be available in the UK and international markets throughout 2012. Smokehead is widely available throughout the UK and worldwide, RRP £33.49. Details of some stockists can be found on the website www.smokehead.com
Highland Park is launching a 21 year old single malt into its UK portfolio for the first time, two years after it was removed from global distribution following a complete sell out of the award winning product.
Limited stock of Highland Park 21 year old, which was named ‘best whisky in the world 2009’ in the World Whisky Awards, is now available. Significant demand is expected, including in the restaurant trade which has seen a 151% increase in premium malts sales.
Matured in mainly American oak Sherry casks, Highland Park 21 year old is full flavoured with hints of candied orange peel and spicy dark chocolate leading to a rich smoky sensation. It is Orkney sunset reddish gold in appearance, with a complex sweet smoky finish.
Peter Sandstrom, Marketing Director, Highland Park commented: “Bottling the 21 year old at 47.5% gives this particular expression maximum flavour delivery, which is always a priority for Highland Park. It also has drier smokier notes allowing whisky drinkers the opportunity to taste another side of Highland Park. It is fantastic to be bringing this to consumers in the UK. ”
More information:
Highland Park 21 year old will join Highland Park’s permanent portfolio of 12, 18, 25, 30 and 40 year old single malts. It will be available from specialist independent whisky retailers throughout the UK, the Highland Park distillery and www.highlandpark.co.uk at a RRP of £100. It will also be available in selected bars and restaurants.
Whisky-loving connoisseurs and collectors finding you the perfect whisky from anywhere, anytime.
Master of Malt is a retailer of whisky and other fine spirits with a proud heritage of over 25 years in the whisky world. Known as ‘whisky Evangelists’ in the biz, Master of Malt has painstakingly compiled their vast catalogue of fine single malt scotch whiskies to provide one of the most expansive ranges of fine and rare malts to be found anywhere in the world, and if they don’t have it – they will hunt it down for you.
Master of Malt offers an extensive & ever-expanding range of single malts, blended malts, bourbons, rye whiskies, Japanese whiskies & other delicious drinkables. They offer a sample service dubbed Drinks by the Dram, bringing the whisky tasting room to you, and a Personalized Whisky Bottle service—aka bespoke whisky. This brand is THE go-to place to help you make informed decisions about the whisky you drink, and as Brits themselves you know you’re talking to the right people.
Master of Malt uses a grueling tasting process to select samples to bottle, with as many as 150 different whiskies being tasted before a single cask is selected to bear the brand’s name. Before a whisky is approved for bottling, it will be nosed and tasted blind by each member of their very experienced selection team in isolation, then re-tasted together with details of the cask to hand to enable them benchmark it against other comparable whiskies. Only if they all agree that the whisky is exceptional will they approve it for bottling. That’s excellence in quality and customer service for you.
Drinks by the Dram tasting sets are perfect for the new and curious or the seasoned and wise. From super-peaty, to smooth and mellow; from ultra-rare whiskies to cheap and cheerful everyday drams…it’s an opportunity to taste and experience certain whisky’s that you perhaps would not normally invest in, or pop open for an everyday nightcap. It also mitigates the risk of purchasing something you just might not enjoy.
The Old and Rare Whisky Tasting Set is the ultimate chance (perhaps of a lifetime) to try some of the rarest, oldest and most revered whiskies in the world, including a 1958 Glenfarclas, a 1988 Miyagikyou, Highland Park 41 Year Old 1968, and BenRiach 42 Year Old 1966. Mind-blowing. MSRP £125.95
Master of Malt’s Personalised Whisky is an incredibly unique and distinctive gift for the whisky lover in your life, or just a chance to spice up your own collection with a bespoke bottle similar to your custom tailored suit. You select your bottle of fine Scotch whisky and then add a message of your choice to the label, finishing it off with touches like the mahogany finish presentation box and/or a whisky tasting glass. We recommend a Bob Dylan quote on the Master of Malt 50 Year Old Speyside, from their Secret Bottlings Series…the oldest and rarest whisky from this collection, a superbly complex and multi-layered single malt from a well-known Speyside distillery. MSRP £259.90
It's rubbish to suggest a whisky has to be ten years of age before it's ready for consumption, according to the founder one of Scotland's newest distilleries.
Anthony Wills (pictured), who founded Kilchoman Distillery in 2005, this week said many distilleries are now releasing younger single malts that are "very youthful, vibrant and of good quality".
At a tasting event at Sydney's Oak Barrel on Monday, he said the belief that the longer a single malt is aged, the better it will be is misleading.
"We are not suggesting for a minute that our three-to-four year old is better than a ten or 12 year old, but it shows a lot of promise, it's got a lot of character and it's rubbish to suggest it has to be ten years of age before you drink it," he said.
"The old adage is age matters, but older isn't always better, you are just going to pay more for it.
"Sometimes you are going to get an absolute gem… but sometimes you will buy something and it won't deliver what you expect."
Wills, whose boutique distillery is the first to be built on Islay in 124 years, said Kilchoman is holding as much stock back as it can afford to for the purpose of maturing it, but even then the aim is not to let it age for too long.
"Our mature stock is not going to go on maturing forever and a day," he said.
"The majority of it is going to be sold between 7 and 12 years, there won't be much older than that. That's not because we need to sell it for the money, it's because it's so attractive at this stage that we won't need much more maturation to round it off."
Wills said the main message he is trying to get across to people is that they should choose their single malt whisky based on the reputation of the brand and not just on the age statement.
"Age doesn't bloody matter. Really what we are targeting is whisky enthusiasts and trying to get our whisky in front of them and get them to try it."
If you live in Scotland, the same whisky that energize your visits to the pub may also energize your home: Contracts are underway to construct a combined heat and power plant that runs on the leftovers of some of Scotland’s most famous distilleries. Scheduled to be up and running by 2013, this particular alcohol-powered project is Scotland’s first whisky-fueled energy project that will provide electricity to the public.
Sixteen whisky labels located in Speyside, Scotland—including Glenfiddich, Chivas Regal, and Famous Grouse—will contribute material to the new power plant. They’ll transport their spent grains (or draff) from the distilleries to the biofuel plant, where it’ll be combined with wood chips and burned, generating over 7.0 MW of power. This energy output—about the same as two large wind turbines—is expected to power at least 9,000 homes. In addition, the residue called pot ale, which accumulates in the distilleries’ copper stills, will be turned into animal feed and fertilizer for nearby farmers.To minimize the energy used to run the plant and ensure the process is energy efficient, no draff will be collected from distilleries farther than 25 miles away. Still, while Sam Gardner, a climate policy officer for WWF Scotland, admits that “the project looks to be a very welcome addition to Scotland’s renewable industry,” he’s concerned that the wood might not be locally sourced. “We would want to see assurances” of that, he told Guardian News.
Whisky and green energy seem to go hand-in-hand in Scotland. In Fife, for example, Scotland’s largest distillery is almost done constructing an on-site bioenergy plant that will meet most of the distillery’s energy needs. And don’t forget the researchers who last year developed a way of producing biofuel from whisky by-products that could fuel cars in the near future.
India-owned United Spirits Ltd (USL) has confirmed it is considering selling a 49% stake in its Glasgow-based subsidiary, Whyte and Mackay.
USL, which is part of billionaire Vijay Mallya's UB Group, said it was one of "several options available" to the firm to reduce its debt.
In a statement to the Bombay stock exchange, the company added no decision had yet been taken.
USL bought Whyte and Mackay in 2007 for £595m.
The Indian company has been struggling with debts of hundreds of millions of pounds.
The stock exchange move followed an India media report, which quoted UB Group chief financial officer Ravi Nedungadi as saying that there had been interest from "a number of private equity players" in Whyte and Mackay.
In the report, he denied any cash raised would used to pay off debt at Mr Mallya's troubled Kingfisher Airlines.
Loss-making Kingfisher recently had its bank account frozen for non-payment of taxes.
It has been talking to banks to secure funding so it can continue operating.
RICH and smooth is an oft-used claim in the whisky market.
At 12-years of ageing, The Singleton is relatively young in whisky terms but time-honoured treatment of local barley and water at this single Glen Ord distillery to the west of Inverness gives conveyance of flavour and smoothness a special edge.
Since 1838, the Black Isle maker has proved resilient through world wars, voluntary liquidation, takeovers and creeping demands of technology to maintain a heritage of slow nurturing and patient production in a small range.
In a satellite holding pattern among world-beating single malts, it is also a whisky of choice at this year's World Class Bartender of the Year competition.
Organisor Behind Bars says "its sweet and honeyed Highland characteristics are ideal for complementary flavours" and a "rich body enables it to be paired with contrasting flavours like salty, smokey or sour notes".
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Tasted as a standalone, its nose is rich with green apples and burnished berries and has folds of oaky appeal from European barrels and a hint of charred American oak. On the tongue, its creamy allure means one is not quite enough and two will almost do.
The twist: Water at the distillery comes from two White Burn lochs; one fed by springs, the other by rainfall. "Waters of heaven and Earth," say the locals.
Our columnist finally gets around to sampling a whisky that is one of the most popular in the world.
MUCH has been said on the subject of whisky in this column, especially blended Scotch whisky. However, I recently realised that I have been neglecting one particular major brand – Chivas Regal. It’s a huge oversight on my part, considering it is one of the most popular blended whiskies not just locally, but globally as well.
Fortunately, I had the privilege of meeting Chivas Brothers master blender Colin Scott when he visited Kuala Lumpur recently, and he graciously gave me an overview of what Chivas is all about. One of the most well-respected men in the Scotch whisky industry, Scott joined Chivas Brothers in 1979, and has been the master blender for Chivas Regal for the past 22 years.
Chivas Regal is produced by the Chivas Brothers, which was first established in 1801 in Aberdeen, Scotland, and is now part of global conglomerate Pernod Ricard. Malaysia is its second largest market, behind China.
There are currently three main expressions under the Chivas Regal brand – the Chivas Regal 12 Year Old, the Chivas Regal Gold Signature 18 Year Old and the Chivas Regal 25 Year Old. Chivas Brothers also produces the premium Royal Salute range, which is not part of the flagship Chivas Regal brand, but rather, an entirely different family of blends altogether.
According to Scott, the heart of the Chivas Regal blend is single malt whisky from the Strathisla Distillery. Located in the heart of the Speyside whisky-making region, it is the spiritual home of the brand, being the first distillery to be acquired by Chivas Brothers back in 1950. “Strathisla is a great cornerstone to build the Chivas Regal blend, which has a very Speyside influence and style – gentle, smooth, rich and harmonious,” Scott said, adding that each of the Chivas Regal blends follows the signature style that was passed down by James and John Chivas in 1840-50.
As such, Chivas Regal does not possess a predominant flavour in its whisky, unlike other blends, which may have a very definite taste profile. “We are keen to impart more of a harmony of flavours, with equal floral, fruity, sweet and nutty notes so you don’t get just one singular nose, taste and finish. Instead, you would get something like a cacophony of flavours.”
If there were a predominant characteristic of the style, however, then it would be the whisky’s fruitiness. According to Scott, the best way to differentiate between the three expressions is to compare the fruitiness of each one.
Chivas Regal 12 Year Old
The most common and popular of the three expressions, the 12 Year Old dates back all the way to 1938, when the first batches of the blend were shipped to America before subsequently being unleashed upon the global market in 1949. Since then, the blend has grown to become a global icon, and one of the best-selling whiskies in the world.
“The 12YO is fresh, easy to drink, and can be drunk any time of the day,” said Scott. “Its predominant fruitiness is that of autumn fruits such as apples and pears.”
Chivas Regal Gold Signature 18 Year Old
Released in 1997, the 18 Year Old consists of whiskies that were hand-selected by Scott himself, and each bottle bears the signature of the master blender.
“We didn’t just take the 12YO and age it for an additional six years. That would just give you an older version of it, which wouldn’t be a huge difference,” said Scott, who personally thinks that the 18YO is the smoothest amongst the three blends, and is also the best in terms of richness of flavour.
“What we did (with the 18YO) was pick a different selection of whiskies, but blend them in the same style. With that, you get a different, richer fruitiness compared to the 12YO, that of fruitcake, dried fruits, sultanas and raisins.”
Colin Scott is the master blender for Chivas Regal, and one of the most well respected men in the Scotch whisky industry.
Chivas Regal 25 Year Old
First launched in 1909 as the original luxury Scotch (yes, it predates even the 12 Year Old!), the 25 Year Old was discontinued in the 1920s during the American Prohibition. Almost 100 years later in 2007, the expression was reintroduced into the market, and is available only in limited quantities.
With very slight hints of smoke but an overwhelming bouquet of floral, fruity notes, the 25YO is yet another step up from the 18YO. The fruitiness of the blend veers more towards the freshness of spicy, citrus-y oranges and warm peaches.
Royal Salute
Launched in 1953 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the whisky was named after the traditional 21-gun royal salute that is fired during ceremonies involving members of the British royal family. While there are several other limited-edition expressions under the Royal Salute banner (including a 38-year-old and a 50-year-old blend), the most easily available one is the Royal Salute 21 Year Old, which comes bottled in striking porcelain flagons.
According to Scott, although the heart of Royal Salute is still Strathisla, the Royal Salute 21 Year Old has more of a punch to it compared to the Chivas Regal family. “Royal Salute is a whisky that commands respect. It is all about power, age, nobility, sovereignty and respect; and thus, it is a totally different style of whisky compared to Chivas,” he said.
“Chivas Regal is a whisky you can pick up and drink at any time of the day, no matter whether it is the 12, 18 or 25 Year Old,” said Scott. “However, the Royal Salute is a whisky that is best taken at the end of the day when all you want to do is sit back in an armchair and relax with a good whisky.”
British whisky brand the toast of Argentina and America
Britain and Argentina may be having a difference of opinion over the Falkland Islands – or Las Malvinas as the Argentines prefer to call them – at the moment, but one thing they do agree on is the importance of whisky.
And one business that is reaping the rewards is Kent-based premium spirits firm Old St Andrews, who design, bottle and distribute whisky and gin in their distinctive, unique bottles.
Argentina, along with many other countries around the world, can’t get enough of the drinks from the firm that almost went under four years ago.
Now, though, sales are booming with foreign purchases accounting for 90 per cent of revenue, and exports are expected to increase by 30% within the next year after the firm, which has an annual turnover of more than £1m, signed a new $300,000 deal with an American distributor.
"We've just signed up our latest distributor in New Jersey as a direct result of an UKTI market visit last autumn,” explains managing director Bob Gorton.
"The first annual contract is worth $300,000 but we expect this figure to double as sales roll out across the States. Without meeting the distributor face-to-face we wouldn’t have been able to sign the deal."
And thanks to overseas sales, the company is now able to employ three full-time members of staff, as well as Bob, plus at the moment it has eight temps working at its West Kent factory.
As well as their popular brands, such as Clubhouse and Twilight whiskies and Pink 47 and London 40 gins, Old St Andrews also makes bespoke products to order, as Bob explains: "Close production control along with reliable supplies of excellent whiskies and premium quality gin give us the flexibility to offer bespoke bottling and labelling to individuals and companies that require their own labels for corporate gifts and 'house' products as well as to the gift pack industry."
Working closely with UKTI South East International Trade Advisor Terry Dunk, Bob has seen the business grow between 20%-40% annually, over the last four years, thanks to its export sales across many markets via more than 30 worldwide distributors.
Yet only four years ago the company was on the brink of bankruptcy before being bought out by Bob, who was then a local business advisor. He saw potential in the company, but decided the business needed a change of direction to target the high-end of the whisky and gin markets.
Describing OSA's products, Bob said: "The British brand is very much associated with credibility and quality, so our product very much caters to this, with our unusual golf ball-shaped bottle for our Scottish whisky product and our diamond-shaped gin bottles. These are very memorable products and stand out from the crowd.
"However, as a small business, we have very little time and money to market ourselves or test market our product, which is why going on various UKTI-led market visits has been invaluable to help us get to where we are today.
"We've found having face-to-face meetings abroad virtually guarantees business. You can target the right people and qualify their level of interest via initial emails and phone calls, before flying out to meet them to discuss the finer details and convince them of the product.
"Terry Dunk has been a great port of call for general advice, such as where to get help with funding and advice on the best UKTI product to suit us and the value of having an OMIS (Overseas Market Introductory Service) which basically does all the homework for you on a new market.
"Peter Warren, UKTI regional food and drink specialist, has also been a very useful contact for getting specialist advice on the drink industry, as he understands where the potential markets are for our product."
OSA has also won small orders from countries ranging from Estonia to South Korea, highlighting the niche appeal of the product. The company is now looking at selling more within the BRIC countries ( Brazil, Russia, India and China) with assistance from UKTI, particularly with the help of China specialist, ITA Chris Lowsley who is providing advice and support on dealing with cultural, business and language differences.
"The main result of working with UKTI has been to grow our US market quicker than would otherwise have been possible, by helping us find our new distributor," Bob said. "UKTI deserve recognition for this and we are very grateful for all the help we’ve had from the team, especially Terry, Peter and Chris."
Glenmorangie Introduces Artein, A Monumental Whisky -- Born Of Stone -- At Tom Colicchio's Famed Meatpacking Restaurant, Colicchio & Sons
Glenmorangie, Scotland's favorite single malt scotch whisky, proudly unveiled Artein, the third and latest release in its award winning Private Edition series. Glenmorangie marked the U.S. launch of its uniquely aged scotch whisky with a fittingly elegant pairings dinner at world-class Chef Tom Colicchio's restaurant, Colicchio & Sons in New York's Meatpacking District. This event was co-hosted by Chef Colicchio himself, along with Glenmorangie's Dr. Bill Lumsden, Head of Distilling & Whisky Creation.
THE whisky of Timboon has gone from an illegal substance in the 1890s to a revered drop featured in an international whisky bible.
The Timboon distillery scored 93 points out of 100 in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2012 for the August 2008 small batch of port barrel aged whisky.
Timboon Railway Shed Distillery owner Tim Marwood said to be recognised out of 4500 whiskies around the world was a proud achievement.
"There really aren't many that get above the 90s," he said.
"We consider ourselves to be a nano distillery."
Mr Marwood said the small barrel distillery was a testament to the result and had ensured the whisky had a developed character and complexity.
He said using smaller barrels meant there was a smaller surface area which assisted quickening the process.
"We've certainly applied a traditional Scottish formula for our single malt process," he said.
"It's such a high points score considering we're such a small handmade distillery."
Mr Marwood said Timboon's notorious distiller during the 1890s, Tom Delaney, had a reputation for producing high quality whisky and he wanted to acknowledge it.
"We did set up to emulate that process and celebrate that history," he said.
"Tom Delaney was producing the best whisky going around in the colony.
"It's a nice parallel."
Out of the 42 Australian distilleries entered, the Timboon distillery received the third highest score.
Last year the distillery received an 85 out of 100 for its May 2008 distilled whisky.
Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) celebrates 100 years
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) is celebrating its centenary this year. One of the highlights is set to be a major exhibition, Scotch Whisky: From Grain to Glass, in the Scottish Parliament.
Also to mark the landmark year for the industry trade body, Liz Lochhead, the Makar or Scottish national poet, will unveil her specially-composed poem. The verse will be read by Ms Lochhead for the first time at an event in Edinburgh in June – approximately 100 days in advance of the SWA’s anniversary in October.
The Scotch Whisky: From Grain to Glass exhibition will be held in the Main Hall of the Scottish Parliament from 29 November 2012 to 25 January 2013. The exhibition will show the scale and diversity of the Scotch Whisky industry. It will bring together materials from distilleries across the country, including bottles from the early 20th century to classic advertising campaigns. It will be the first time many of the exhibits have been put on public display.
A brochure tracking key SWA and industry events of the last century will be published. A comprehensive independent study on the economic impact of Scotch Whisky in the last 100 years will also be launched.
Other events, in the UK and in overseas markets where Scotch Whisky is popular, will be announced throughout the year.
Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, said: “This year is about celebrating the colourful past and looking forward to a successful future for Scotch Whisky. Our centenary gives us an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of this globally successful industry at home and abroad.
“The SWA relies on a dedicated team that works hard to protect, promote and represent the Scotch Whisky industry around the world. Events, such as the exhibition at the Scottish Parliament, will allow us to showcase the value of our work to a wider audience.”
--Makes contingent financial planning for European debt crisis
--Pushing scotch and rum sales in stronger parts of Europe
--Ramping up sales, marketing teams across emerging markets
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Diageo PLC , the world's biggest liquor maker by revenue, said it's scaling back marketing in Southern Europe's troubled economies, and stands ready with contingency plans should the continent's sovereign debt crisis worsen.
In an interview with Dow Jones Newswires, Andy Fennell, chief marketing officer, said Diageo is still spending money on expanding its market share in Western Europe despite the prolonged slowdown in spending there, but said fast-growing emerging markets are now the main focus.
Earlier this month, the maker of Johnnie Walker scotch whisky and Smirnoff vodka said it spent just 4% more on marketing in Europe in the first half of its fiscal year as sales declined in Greece, Spain and Ireland. This compared with a 25% increase in Latin America, a 13% rise in Africa and a 10% hike in Asia Pacific. The percentage calculations exclude any acquisitions, disposals or currency movements.
"We have reduced our investment quite significantly in those Southern European economies. We have shifted that money to Northern Europe and to other parts of the world," Fennell said, adding the company was prepared for disaster scenarios, such as a Greek default.
"We, like every other big company, have done lots of scenario planning. Clearly if something radical happens (in Europe), then we'll need a commensurate response."
Still, Fennell said Diageo is still investing "aggressively" to drive rum and whisky sales in stronger European countries, including France and Germany.
"We do see opportunities in Western Europe, which is tough in the macro-economic sense right now, but we want to grow [market]share," he said.
Fennell said ever more investment is channelled to developing economies, including Brazil, Russia, India and China, as global economic growth shifts eastwards.
"We have been shifting both financial and human resources toward emerging markets, which means more sales people, more and more senior marketing people," he said. "We want to make sure that we are fully resourced in these emerging markets. You have gross domestic product growing in high single digits -- you have got to go after it."
Do you have a million bucks lying around? Perhaps you might want to spend it on a limited edition bottle of 60-year-old whisky.
John Walker & Sons' Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky is a "unique blend of grain and malt whiskies", says its makers.
But whisky lovers will have to part with a considerable amount of money to get their hands on a bottle: £100 000 (about R1.2 million), to be exact.
The special edition whisky is in celebration of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee and was distilled in (and has been maturing since) 1952, the year the Queen became ruler of England.
The whisky is in crystal decanters that are set on a base of six legs, each representing a decade of the Queen's rule. The decanters each have a half-carat diamond on them, while the casts for the various whiskies are made from oak trees found on the Queen's Sandringham estate.
Each edition of the whisky comes with a pair of lead crystal glasses and a hand-bound artefact book about the creation of the Diamond Jubilee whisky.
All of this is encased in a bespoke cabinet made from oak and Caledonian pine from the Queen's Sandringham and Balmoral estates.
John Walker & Sons created a Diamond Jubilee edition to be presented to the Queen and two more for their archive.
But (not so) ordinary folk haven't been left out: 60 more editions are available through private sale for those who would like their own bottle.
Profits from the sale will go towards the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust.
Jura Launches “Whisky Pursuit” to Win a Free Bottle Every Week for a Year
Jura has launched a second version of its Pub Quiz aimed at testing the knowledge of its community of ‘honorary Diurachs.
Called “Whisky Pursuit”, the quiz will pose a different question every week, each one themed around one of six categories, in honour of the much-loved board game! Every week for six months, Jura will be giving away one bottle of Jura Superstition to a different lucky recipient for correctly answering the Question of the Week which will be posted on www.isleofjura.com.
The person or people who have given most correct answers at the end of the 6 months will be entered into a prize draw for a limited edition bottle of Isle of Jura 1976, worth around £500, of which there only 500 in the world.
The quiz will cover all sorts of weird and wonderful facts and trivia concerning both Jura and whisky more generally. From the Writers’ Retreat to the history of the island, the quiz is designed to be a true test of trivial knowledge! To take part, contestants will need to register at www.isleofjura.com.
Distillery manager Willie Cochrane said:
“More than 5,000 contestants took part in our first online pub quiz, so we thought we’d bring it back with a twist! Anyone who grew up playing the old board game will hopefully feel a bit nostalgic playing our special Jura version. We’ve come up with lots of trivia about our whisky and the island, so hats off to anyone who answers every question correctly. They will be worthy winners of our special Jura 1976!”
For all enquiries, please contact: Harry Hussain at Weber Shandwick on 0131 556 6649 or hhussain@webershandwick.com
Article Courtesy of the Press Release
Press Release
18 Feb
2012
Scanlon backs Scottish whisky trade
NORTH MSP Mary Scanlon has highlighted the importance of the scotch whisky industry to the area.
Mrs Scanlon, who is the Tory spokeswoman for enterprise and tourism, hosted a reception celebrating the industry on the day a report was published by the Scotch Whisky Association highlighting the various employment opportunities available across Scotland in the trade.
The MSP, who is also co-convener of the cross-party group on whisky, said it was great to welcome so many people involved in the whisky industry to the parliament and recognise the huge contribution whisky making plays across the Highlands and Islands.
“The Scottish whisky industry supports over 35,000 jobs and contributes £2.7 billion in gross value added annually to the Scottish economy and from this report it is clear the industry plays an integral role in communities throughout the Highlands and Islands and Scotland,” she said.
“The people who came to the parliament, and those included in this report, are just a small snapshot of the huge range of employment opportunities within the whisky industry.”
She added: “At a time when other sectors are struggling in these difficult financial times it is encouraging to see the 23 per cent increase in exports of Scotch whisky and the growing reputation of Scotland’s national drink around the world.”
This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the Scotch Whisky Association
A student has founded what is said to be the first World Whisky Day to celebrate the spirit.
More than 7,000 people around the globe have signed up to register events as part of the celebration on March 27.
University of Aberdeen student Blair Bowman, 21, decided to found the special day after discovering there was no dedicated international celebration in honour of the drink.
Through his website worldwhiskyday.com, people from as far afield as India, the United States, South Africa and even Kyrgyzstan have signed up to take part.
The student, who is in the third year of an MA in Hispanic Studies, said: "I've already had messages from people saying they're planning to open 40-year-old bottles to mark the occasion and a whisky bar in Kuala Lumpur is holding its grand opening on the day.
"World Whisky Day is about sharing and appreciating the drink with friends - not binge drinking - and will be a great way for those new to the spirit to get involved. I'm hoping the day can grow year-on-year and I'm already looking to 2014 as it is such a significant year for Scotland, with the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and more Homecoming celebrations planned."
The student, who works part-time as a barman at St Machar Bar in Aberdeen, has also created his own blend through the Master of Malt website to mark the occasion.
Mr Bowman's interest in whisky came from his parents and grew when he joined the university's malt whisky society.
He was the third member to join the newly-formed society which now has 250 members, around 50% of whom are women.
The student came up with the idea for World Whisky Day when he travelled to Spain for the year abroad which was part of his degree.
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — If you're wondering why an article about Scotch whisky has found its way to the arts and entertainment section, just ask Robert Sickler.
“Making whisky is an art, much like the art of making wine,” said Sickler, who is known as a “master of whisky,” a title somewhat similar to a sommelier. “It's an art passed down through ages.”
It makes sense, then, that for its largest winter fundraiser, the Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts (GSCA) has chosen to host a Scotch tasting event featuring six fine single malt whiskies from the Scotch-producing regions of Scotland.
“From the light, drafty lowlands, the heathery highlands, and the rich peaty coasts,” said Sickler, “each region has its distinctive style.”
Conceived by GSCA executive director Gayle Mortell and now in its fifth year, The Favorite Malts of Scotland is being held this Saturday at the arts center.
Besides focusing on the artistic components of fine Scotches, there's another reason that a Scotch tasting is a good choice for an arts center fundraiser, said Christina Brusig, GSCA program assistant.
“A new audience who might not typically come to one of our art exhibits may enjoy attending a Scotch tasting,” she said.
A master of whisky
The GSCA's staff would be hard pressed to find anyone more capable to host their tasting than Sickler, who works for Diageo, an international spirits, wine and beer distributor.
To become a master of whisky, Sickler has received extensive classroom training in whisky history, chemistry, and production. Diageo has invested in Sickler as well, sending him to Kentucky, Tennessee, Canada, Ireland and Scotland to apprentice at Diageo's various brand distilleries.
“Scotch is a fascinating part of Scotland's culture,” Sickler said of his travels throughout the country. “Going to Scotland and not experiencing Scotch is like going to France and not eating.”
Sickler also has an extensive background leading tastings. Although his initial territory included six Midwest and western states, now he focuses exclusively on Colorado.
“Twelve of us are based throughout the U.S. in key geographic areas,” he said of his fellow whisky masters.
The art of tasting
During the past seven years, Sickler estimates he's conducted more than 1,100 Scotch tasting events — and they're all different. This will be the second tasting he's conducted for Glenwood's arts center.
“Sometimes they're relaxed, like Saturday's will be,” he said. The event will focus solely on tasting Scotch, with just rice crackers being served to cleanse the palate between tastings. “Other times, they're very elaborate and formalized — a Scotch paired with every dish being served.”
Don't expect to slam down shots in quick succession. A Scotch tasting with a master like Sickler is much more refined. This is sipping, not shooting.
“The whiskies being served are elegant,” said Sickler. “They're to be contemplated.”
The six Scotches served at Saturday's tasting are:
• Talisker, from Scotland's northwest coast on the Isle of Skye and a favorite of Robert Louis Stevenson.
• Caol Ila, from Scotland's west coast on the Isle of Islay; founded in 1846.
• Cragganmore, from inland, in the Speyside region; established in 1869.
• JW Green Label, a blended whisky from Johnnie Walker.
• Clynelish, from the northern highlands; founded in 1819.
• Oban, from the western highlands; founded in 1794.
What makes each whisky unique
At a tasting, Sickler takes participants on an in-depth journey of the history of whisky — how it's made and what influences its taste. Factors such as ingredients, water, regionality, barrel wood and time make up a Scotch's flavor.
“And once we tackle why this fantastic liquid is so unique, we taste it,” he said.
Ken Robinson of Roaring Fork Liquors in Glenwood Springs is supplying much of the whisky that will be sampled on Saturday.
“Ken is a big supporter of the arts,” said GSCA's Brusig.
Robinson also appreciates a good whisky.
“Scotch isn't just Scotch,” said Robinson, of the qualities inherent in a fine whisky. “It's like beer or wine. It has different characteristics based on where it's from.
“Whisky produced closer to the water can be more masculine. As you go up in the Highlands, it can turn more feminine, leaner. Water and territory have a lot to do with its flavors.”
Sickler said that he understands enough about fine whisky that he can identify Scotch during a blind taste test.
“I can tell you what region a whisky is from,” Sickler said.
“I'm sure he can,” Robinson said. “Guys like that spend their lives learning about things like that. They're like sommeliers.”
Planning ahead
Brusig said it's beneficial for attendees to eat dinner prior to the tasting.
“Besides Scotch, a cleansing bite of cracker and spring water are all that will be served during the tasting,” said Sickler.
And although the amount of alcohol per person will be relatively small, the center is making Valley Taxi available to anyone who may need a lift home.
Rare bottles of whisky expected to fetch top price
Two exceptional and rare bottles of 50 year old Glenfiddich are expected to fetch big prices at auction.
The malts which will go under the hammer at Bonhams Whisky sale in Edinburgh on March 7 are estimated at £13,000 to £15,000 each.
In 1991, 500 bottles of Glenfiddich from casks filled in 1937 and 1939 were released.
Bottles 250 and 449 from this batch feature in the Bonhams sale.
The whisky has been described as having a complex nose with floral notes, tobacco leaf and a hint of smoke and an initial taste of orange marmalade and vanilla toffee followed by aromatic herbs, soft fruits, and gentle smoke.
Bonhams whisky specialist Martin Green commented: “The Glenfiddich 50 year old is regarded as one of the truly great achievements in whisky making and bottles from the 1991 release are very highly sought after. "I was lucky enough to be at the launch and to have tasted the whisky then and it is easy to appreciate why it has such a high reputation. ”
Also for sale is a bottle of The Macallan 52 year old-1950, distilled in 1950 and bottled by hand in 2002 (£5,000 to £7,000) and a Bowmore-40 year old distilled in 1955 and bottled in 1995 in a Caithness Crystal decanter (£5,000 to £7,000).
The company, formed in 2006 after a management buyout, supplies temporary workers to many of Scotland's leading drinks producers as well as in other sectors.
The group said turnover was up 43% to £26.2 million while pre-tax profits jumped by 68% to £949,000 last year, both figures significantly above expectations due to a surge in sales in the last few weeks of 2011 which has continued into 2012.
The business supplies up to 1500 workers a week to blue-chips and SMEs throughout Scotland and has trebled its own headcount to 38 since 2006.
Another six staff are likely to be hired to handle increased volumes from a deal with an online retailer.
Group managing director Anthony Knight said: "The temporary employment market has always been more resilient and robust than the permanent, although we expect that to pick up as Scotland continues to buck the UK economic trend."
Brightwork is now targeting a £50m turnover within five years, Mr Knight said, adding: "Given the sales growth we have seen to date this aspiration doesn't feel at all outlandish."
Alexander Inglis & Son expanding on strong whisky sales
Grain merchant Alexander Inglis &Son is expanding its business with the purchase of two grain stores financed through a £2.5 million funding package from Santander.
This new capacity will provide storage for grains mainly for use in the malting and distilling industry in Scotland.
These new grain stores, located to the south west of St Boswells and west of Swarland, have a combined storage capacity of 110,000 tonnes of grain - enough to produce around 50 million litres of whisky.
Alexander Inglis & Son's expanded capacity is now more than a quarter of a million tonnes in total.
The Tranent-based company is owned by former Scottish rugby captain Jim Aitken and his sons.
Aitken, who led the Scottish rugby team to the Grand Slam in 1984, bought the company in 1985 and has since grown the business into a £50 million turnover firm with grain stores across east Scotland and the Border areas.
Scotland produces around three million tonnes of grain every year, of which around two million tonnes of wheat and barley is for use in the malting and distilling industry.
CPLG is continuing to build the licensing programme for The Famous Grouse, with the latest move being a food and drink recipe book.
The Famous Grouse: A Whisky Companion - Heritage, History, Recipes & Drinks will launch this month from Ebury Press, priced at £9.99. Publishing is the latest category extension for the brand - which is exported to 100 countries across the globe. CPLG has also signed deals with confectionary company Kinnerton for chocolate bars and fudge, while preserves specialist Mackays is on board for a range of marmalade, honey and mustard.
Susan Bolsover, European category director, publishing at CPLG, said: "This new book is a natural extension of The Famous Grouse brand and offers something for everyone. Not only has the rich heritage of the brand and its place in the whisky industry story been captured, but the recipes and cocktails offer a fresh take on using whisky.
"It may be one of the oldest whiskies in the world, but this book aims to capture The Famous Grouse spirit with something for The Famous Grouse devotees and newcomers to whisky alike."
Arran whisky drinkers have provided a generous donation to the National Trust for Scotland,which owns and cares for Goatfell.
The money given to the NTS by Isle of Arran Distillers will enable the conservation charity to carry out vital footpath repairs on the iconic Arran hillside which is one of Scotland’s most popular walking destinations.
The funds have been raised through the sale of the Isle of Arran’s Sleeping Warrior Whisky,which has pledged £1 to the National Trust for Scotland for every bottle sold.
March 2012 sees the launch of Whisky Week London. The week will commence on March 19 and finish with the Whisky Live show on Friday March 23 and Saturday March 24.
The World Whiskies Conference will also take place during this week, on March 22 at the Waldorf Hilton. The Icons of Whisky & World Whiskies Awards will also take place on this day.
Whisky Live is to take place at The Honourable Artillery Company, Armoury House. It will feature sampling, masterclasses and Cocktails Live – a new cocktail show.
Award-winning Scotch whisky producer Isle of Arran Distillers have launched a limited edition of 6,000 bottles; The Eagle. The bottling will be released in the UK and worldwide in March.
The single malt Scotch whisky was drawn from a combination of 14 Ex-Bourbon Barrels and 7 Ex-Sherry Hogsheads carefully selected by Master Distiller James MacTaggart from the 1999 distillation. The result is a powerful dram which has hints of tropical fruit salad, vanilla pods and caramel coated hazelnuts to the nose and, to the palate, leaves a buttery lemon drizzle cake sweet and citrus taste.
The Arran Eagle has been named and dedicated to the pair of Golden Eagles who nest in the mountain above Lochranza, just behind the distillery. They have been an integral part of the Arran story since it opened its doors in 1995.
The new limited edition whisky is the fourth and final release of the successful Icons of Arran series that have included ‘The Peacock’, ‘Arran Rowan Tree’ and ‘The Westie’ – all named after important animals and flora that are found in and around the unique distillery.
Euan Mitchell, Managing Director at Arran Whisky comments “We are delighted to launch the last of our successful Icons of Arran, The Eagle.
“Each of these Icons has a special place in our hearts, featuring some of the delights that can be found in this area. It also showcases what is great about the distillery through the quality and attention put into each of these drams and The Eagle is no exception.”
As with all Arran malts, The Eagle has no added colouring and is made using some of the purest waters in Scotland.
The Eagle (46% abv), RRP £41.99, is available from The Arran Malt Shop (http://www.arranwhisky.com) and specialist shops across the UK and worldwide.
PLANS for a multimillion-pound whisky distillery which could bring jobs and hundreds of thousands of pounds to a remote Highland glen are threatening to split the community.
Now there are fears that the project on Ardnamurchan might be scuppered as two local businessmen go head to head.
Acclaimed photographer Michael MacGregor, whose home and five-star holiday cottages sit next to the proposed development, is building a case of objection to take to planning officials.
The bottle of Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve was sold at auction in London to an anonymous telephone bidder.
It is the second of 11 to be released to the public.
The first sold at Bonhams in Edinburgh in December for a record breaking £46,850, topping the previous world record of just under £30,000 for a bottle of single malt.
The 11 bottles of the 1955 tipple are being released to honour Janet Sheed Roberts, the granddaughter of William Grant who founded the Glenfiddich distillery.
Mrs Roberts, who celebrated her 110th birthday in August, is the oldest living person in Scotland, a spokeswoman for the distillery said.
Each bottle celebrates a decade of her life.
Proceeds from the sale at the Honourable Artillery Company will go to Walking With The Wounded, a charity dedicated to the re-training and re-education of injured servicemen and women.
The distillery is also supporting a group of injured veterans from the charity who are attempting to conquer Everest.
Royal Sandringham oak used in exclusive £100,000 Diamond Jubilee Scotch whisky
Oak from trees on the Royal estate at Sandringham has been used to create the casks for a very special blend of £6m whisky bottled this week for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
The move was a calculated risk by experts at John Walker & Sons, as English oak is not often used for the delicate art of producing Scotch fit for the wealthiest people in the world.
The stakes were extraordinarily high as this particular whisky costs £100,000 a bottle and only 61 have been created to mark the Royal milestone - with one destined for the Queen.
“We did not know what would happen with English oak. We had no plan B,” said master blender Jim Beveridge when the finished product was bottled on the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession on Monday.
“Thankfully Norfolk did not let us down and the gamble paid off,” he added.
“I feel an immense sense of pride to be involved in this project. An extraordinary amount of care and attention has gone into every stage of crafting this Scotch Whisky and there has been a great sense of excitement.”
Norfolk expert whisky writer Dominic Roskrow, of Wymondham, was one of the privileged few to taste the blend this week.
“Jim Beveridge is a genius and what he created is absolutely fabulous,” he said.
Mr Roskrow added that it had been a risk to put such an expensive drink into English oak as it could have gone horribly wrong.
“I have tasted some 50-year-old blends which really were not very nice at all. I would like to think that in this case it was the last process which helped mellow it and make the whisky balanced. It really is whisky fit for a Queen,” he said.
Two hand-made casks were created from the Sandringham oaks to ensure every possible royal connection could be made to the exclusive bottles.
The whisky within was blended in 1952 and was put in the hand-made casks in October last year to create a unique drink which is presented in a diamond-shape bottle. Invitations have been issued to those with the means to buy a bottle with a £100,000 price tag.
The presentation case also includes elements of Sandringham oak but a spokesman for distillers John Walker & Sons’ parent company Diageo, said it was unlikely to herald a new line of enterprise for the Royal estate.
“Usually you can get two casks from one oak tree and they need to be grown on a huge scale. I would imagine any oak from Sandringham would be going for cabinet making,” he said.
The Queen and Princess Ann coincidentally planted oak trees on the estate last week as part of a Jubilee Wood project with the Woodland Trust.
The casks used for whisky have to be pre-used and usually come from North America where they have stored bourbon or wine, or from Spain where they have been used in the sherry industry.
“It is unusual to use a new cask and so these were filled with Pedro Ximenez, a powerful dark, sweet, sherry before being used for the whisky,” said the spokesman.
John Walker & Sons used more than 60 artisans to create bespoke pieces to present and accompany the whisky.
The diamond shaped Baccarat crystal decanters stand on a crystal base with six radial legs and are adorned with Britannia silver. The collars are set with a half-carat diamond, the Royal Arms, John Walker & Sons monogram and individually numbered seals.
Each bottle comes with a pair of lead Cumbria Crystal glasses and a commemorative artifact book, hand-bound and personalised for each owner.
All the elements are housed in a chest made by the cabinet makers incorporating oak from Sandringham to echo the casks, and Caledonian pine from the Balmoral Estate.
The bottling was completed on Monday at Royal Deeside at the Royal Lochnagar Distillery near the Balmoral Estate.
The profits from the sale of the special whisky are being donated to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) with a guaranteed amount of at least £1m to support the excellence of craftsmanship symbolised by the Royal Warrant.
Buy Whisky Online, Watch Whisky Reviews & more on Whisky Marketplace
When searching for liquor online through a regular search engine, it’s easy to become confused. There are so many search results, it is hard to know which whisky retailers are reputable and if they are offering the best deals, without doing extensive research. It is for this reason that search and price comparison websites, such as Whisky Marketplace, are becoming a popular way to buy whisky, scotch, and other types of liquor online.
Whisky Marketplace does the research for you and allows users to compare prices among various trusted retailers within the UK. However, this website is not UK exclusive; most liquor retailers listed on the site ship internationally, as well! For users, the website is simple to use and allows users to set advanced search filters, such as Price, Age, ABV, Date, Liquor Type, Country of Origin, and more. For example, if a person is looking to purchase Irish or Japanese whisky, they can make sure that only the best deals for that type of whiskey are shown. Results are updated constantly, and thus are always relevant, which is invaluable to those who want to buy liquor online quickly and easily.
A catalogue of special offers and deals for the liquor buyer who wants a bargain is available through Whisky Marketplace. The percentage of discount and prices before and after each special offer deal are displayed, so that every user knows exactly how much they are saving before they buy one of many types of whisky, such as single malt scotch, or bourbon online.
Whisky Marketplace is not only a place to find liquor and compare prices, but a valuable resource of whisky knowledge as well.
The site has a series of video podcasts called WMTV, which consists of interviews, whisky reviews, and recipes for meals that complement the taste of each type of whisky. The most recent episode of WMTV includes recipes for a four course Burns Night supper, as well as a tasting of Glenmorangie Artein and Glengoyne 17 year old whiskies.
To find the best deals on whisky, scotch, bourbon and other top brand liquors, or to learn more about them, please visit: http://www.whiskymarketplace.com
Emerging markets enjoy a drop of Diageo's whisky as drink sales falter in the UK
Diageo sounded a note of caution over the global economy in 2012 even as the drinks giant raised its dividend and confirmed it will meet guidance for the medium term, thanks to a growing thirst in emerging markets.
A taste for whisky among the burgeoning middle classes in Asia, Latin America and Africa more than made up for the dismal performance in Western Europe – where troubled eurozone members, including Greece, Spain and Ireland, didn’t seem to find solace at the bottom of a glass of Johnnie Walker.
Still, the world’s biggest spirit group – owner of Guinness, Tanqueray, Bailey’s and Smirnoff – said France and Germany posted double digit sales growth in the period.
‘We’ve delivered good growth in an uncertain world,’ chief executive Paul Walsh said. ‘It’s wise to still be cautious about the outlook.’
Total sales rose 8 per cent to £5.75bn, while profit fell 20 per cent to £953m – due to a 45.2 per cent tax rate compared with 21.8 per cent a year earlier.
The dividend was 7 per cent higher at 16.6p, sending the shares 6.5p higher at 1468p.
Demand for whisky has ignited the group’s performance and accounted for over half of its growth in the six months to December 31.
The West London-based drinks giant, formed in 1997 following the merger of Grand Met and Guinness, said that emerging markets now account for nearly 40 per cent of the business.
‘Scotch is doing very well, everywhere,’ Walsh told reporters following the group’s results.
‘It accounts for £125-a-second in export revenues for the UK.’ The performance in North America – still the group’s biggest and most profitable market – was ‘encouraging’ given the mixed signs of an economic recovery.
Diageo said marketing costs rose by 8 per cent, with spending on campaigns which focused on the increasing ethnic diversity of consumers, and new promotions for Smirnoff vodka and Captain Morgan rum.
South America registered a stellar performance thanks to the continent’s growing taste for whisky – added to its traditional love of rum, vodka and liqueurs.
Net sales jumped by 23 per cent. ‘Diageo has delivered another strong performance,’ said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Keith Bowman.
‘The group’s early and ongoing focus on the emerging markets continues to blossom, with sales growth comfortably compensating for more troubled European markets. Increased marketing spend continues to play its part.’
As Ernest Shackleton knew, nothing is more essential for an epic expedition than good Scotch. Unlike the intrepid Antarctic explorer, however, the Walking With The Wounded team attempting to scale Everest this year on behalf of the military charity won't be drinking any en route or leaving a secret stash behind. Instead, to mark this remarkable adventure Glenfiddich is offering you a chance to toast their success with a bottle of something truly special.
To help raise funds for the heroic undertaking, the whisky maker is this Friday auctioning off a bottle of its coveted 55-year-old Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve, named after Glenfiddich founder William Grant's granddaughter. It's only the second-ever bottle of the ultra-rare expression to go under the hammer - the first went for £46,850 in 2011, breaking the world record for the most expensive single malt ever sold.
The Glenfiddich Walking With The Wounded auction takes place from 6.30pm on 10 February at Armoury House at the Honourable Artillery Company, London. By invitation only. To attend or organise a phone bid, e-mail glenfiddich@threepipe.co.uk.
The Scotch Whisky Association has launched a report, which outlines the number of jobs supported by the scotch whisky industry.
According to the SWA, the industry directly employs more than 10,000 people across Scotland.
The report, entitled The jobs…the people includes 22 case studies of employees from Glasgow to Orkney. The jobs range from master blenders to coopers, to packaging and marketing.
The report also outlines career opportunities, including the Spirits Industry Vocational Qualification and apprenticeship schemes including coppersmiths, coopers, mechanical and electrical engineering.
Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, said: “It takes only three ingredients to make scotch whisky – water, yeast and cereal. But behind that simple recipe are thousands of highly trained and skilled people who are vital to the scotch whisky industry. Our report illustrates well the dedication of our employees, many of whom spend their entire career producing Scotch Whisky.
“The report also shows how the Scotch Whisky industry is an integral part of many communities across the country.”
A company which makes biofuel from whisky by-products has won a £40,000 award for their idea.
The team from Edinburgh Napier University revealed their discovery in August 2010 and launched Celtic Renewables earlier this year to produce the fuel on an industrial scale.
They say the fuel can be used in ordinary vehicles without them undergoing special adaptation.
It was developed by Napier’s Biofuel Research Centre over a two-year period, using samples from East Lothian’s Glenkinchie Distillery.
Scientists discovered that by using the two main by-products from whisky production, the "pot ale" liquid from copper stills and the spent grains known as "draff", they could produce butanol to be used as fuel.
On Tuesday, the company won a £40,000 award from Shell Springboard for low-carbon business ideas.
Mark Simmers, from Celtic Renewables said: "This is a fantastic endorsement of our business and will allow us to analyse, in real detail, the best opportunities to deploy our technology in Scotland. A major benefit to our technology is that it is able to respond directly to rural communities’ needs by delivering real economic impact by providing sustainable biofuels and long term employment."
Angus Gillespie from Shell said: "Through Springboard, Shell aims to encourage others to innovate as well, helping to support the transition to a lower carbon economy and seizing this new market opportunity.
"I congratulate Celtic Renewables on their success, and wish all of our finalists the very best for the future.
Maxxium showcases limited editions at Viking Line Whisky Fair
Liquor distributor Maxxium Travel retail (MTR) will showcase its whisky portfolio at this year’s Viking Line Whisky Fair, which will take place on February 16–19, in partnership with The Edrington Group and Beam Inc.
Among the products highlighted are (pictured), a 60yo single malt whisky of which only five decanters are available in European travel-retail and which retails at €14,500 ($18,960). Other whiskies presented on the MTR stand include the premium blend Teacher’s Origin, Laphroaig 25yo, Highland Park Drakkar and The Famous Grouse Celebration Decanter.
About 6,000 whisky connoisseurs will be on board the three 21.5-hour cruises from Stockholm to Åland Island, where they will have the chance to sample and buy exhibitor whiskies and extend their knowledge at a series of masterclasses.
MTR managing director Glen Williams said: “The Viking Line Whisky Fair is a unique travel-retail event and allows us to present our range of premium whiskies to a large number of loyal whisky consumers and talk to them in-depth about our brands…The Nordics is an important market for Scotch whisky and we are delighted to launch special initiatives like Laphroaig Brodir and The Macallan in Lalique Curiously Small Stills at the fair this year.”
Viking Line tax-free manager sales and purchasing Kim Engblom added: “The fair is now in its fourth year and due to growing demand has been extended to three days. The event is a great opportunity for customers to explore their interest in whisky and meet face to face with the people behind the brands and by working successfully in partnership with companies such as Maxxium Travel Retail we will deliver again this year an exciting experience, designed to stimulate interest and lively interaction.”
With Latin American markets becoming more stable, consumers south of the border are raising a dram.
Scotland’s whisky industry has long placed its bets on Asian countries as drivers for future growth, but as Latin Americans’ taste for global luxury increases, the distillers are hedging their bets.
Scotch whisky exports to Central and South America increased by 44 percent in January to October 2011, compared to the same period in 2010, according to data available from the Scotch Whisky Association.
Brazil and Venezuela are the region’s top two markets.
Scotch whisky exports to Brazil increased by 53 percent to $134 million in that same period last year, and by 50 percent to Venezuela, to $112 million. That made Brazil the 9th, and Venezuela the 12th largest markets worldwide.
“Scotch whisky has experienced exciting growth in Latin America for a number of years, driven by the same sort of factors that have helped increase exports to Asia,” David Williamson, SWA spokesman, wrote in an email.
“In other words, companies have been investing in building their brands, whilst economic growth is creating new increasingly affluent and aspiring consumers who want to buy premium, imported products.”
The Brazilian market has grown so drastically that Diageo, maker of Johnnie Walker and Buchanan’s, has developed advertising customized to the Brazilian lifestyle.
“Johnnie Walker creative has long been global and coming from London. It’s fairly Anglo. Now we’re seeing brilliant creative ideas and programs and advertising coming out in different parts of Latin America,” said Stuart Kirby, head of communications for Diageo Latin America and the Caribbean. “No longer are the days of imported-to-Brazil. It’s all created by Brazilians for Brazilians.”
Pernod Ricard, makers of Chivas and Ballantine’s, has designed integrated campaigns to appeal to a younger legal-drinking-age demographic — a growing market in the region.
For young people, social media plays a major role in brand marketing. In Brazil, Ballantine’s partnered with electronic music superstar Tiesto for a program that involved a DJ contest and online voting. The winner opened for Tiesto at a giant concert.
Ballantine’s Facebook page gained 140,000 new fans after the event, according to Geoffroy Germano, vice president of marketing for Pernod Ricard Americas.
“In the US, the Scotch whisky category has the image of being well-established and traditional for mature markets,” Germano said. “That’s not the case in Latin America. It’s an exciting, aspirational, energetic category.”
Philippe Giraude, CEO of Actium, the company that distributes Whyte & Mackay, makers of the eponymous brand, says Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru are his focus markets. In addition to staff trainings and consumer tastings, White & Mackay sponsors a Formula 1 racecar. “It’s a powerful sport in Latin America, so we can use that in terms of communication,” he said.
Citizens in nations like Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela have long been devoted to indigenous spirits, such as Cachaca, tequila and rum. But the interest in the Scottish export has actually been a constant for decades.
Kirby of Diageo said some of the first foreign drinks brands established in Latin America were Scotch whiskies, and their presence there has endured despite many countries’ turbulent periods.
“Latin America is more resilient than other parts of the world,” Kirby said. “And one of the constants Latins enjoyed over the last 60 years is a stable commodity in form of Scotch.”
The growth of the industry in the region doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon. Williamson of SWA points out that trade barriers and tariffs are being eliminated or reduced. The European Union and the smaller markets of Colombia and Peru negotiated a free-trade agreement that’s about to go through its ratification process.
“Once implemented, a number of longstanding issues will be addressed. The 15 percent tariff on Scotch whisky will be gradually removed and other issues, such as tax discrimination in favor of local aguadiente, tackled,” he wrote in an email. “This will help create a more level playing field for Scotch whisky and open up new opportunities which should bode well for the future.”
£100,000 whisky served up to celebrate Diamond Jubilee
Only 60 bottles of the Diamond Jubilee scotch, made by Johnnie Walker distiller Diageo, have been produced for sale, and are being offered to known collectors of rare and expensive whiskies.
Another single bottle will be given to the Queen.
The whisky is a blend of grain and malt whiskies all dating from 1952, and finished in casks made of oak from the Queen's Sandringham estate.
In case you don't have £100,000 to spare and are wondering what it tastes like, the master blender for all Johnnie Walker whiskies, Jim Beveridge, said he is "surprised and delighted" by the way the Jubilee whisky has turned out.
"With as whisky as old as 60 years, sometimes it can be a bit crusty and the flavours can be a bit subdued. But this one is very vibrant," he said. "It has a fresh fruity flavour, and a finish which is smoky and also has an exotic fruit taste."
A charity is hoping that a rare bottle of whisky will smash a world record when it is sold at auction on Friday.
The bottle of Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve is the second of 11 to be released to the public.
The first sold at Bonhams in Edinburgh in December for £46,850, topping the previous world record of just under £30,000 for a bottle of single malt.
The 11 bottles of the 1955 tipple are being released to honour Janet Sheed Roberts, the granddaughter of William Grant who founded the Glenfiddich distillery.
Mrs Roberts, who celebrated her 110th birthday in August, is the oldest living person in Scotland. Each bottle celebrates a decade of her life.
Proceeds from the sale at the Honourable Artillery Company in London will go to Walking With The Wounded, a charity dedicated to the re-training and re-education of injured servicemen and women.
Entrance to the auction is by invitation only and anyone interested in bidding for the whisky, either in person or on the phone, should apply for their place by email at glenfiddich@wwtw.org.uk or by calling 020 7632 4827.
Mighty Thor remains one of the most renowned of all the Norse gods. A powerful and brooding figure, it is said that using his hammer, Thor could carve valleys out of mountains and that his enemies would quake in terror at the thunderous sound the weapon created. Son of Odin, the ruler of Asgard, Thor was avidly worshipped by Viking warriors as the defender of mankind and gods alike.
In honour of this great warrior and in celebration of its own unwavering Norse heritage, Highland Park brings you Thor. This stunning 16 year old single malt is believed to be the first whisky ever designed specifically around an individual’s character. With a natural strength like its namesake, drawing influence from the environment unique to Orkney, Thor is a truly elemental spirit. Distilled where sea turns to ocean, it represents a meeting point of nature’s forces, exuding a dynamic and bold character on the surface, but with an unexpected softer side at its heart
Thor represents the first coming for Highland Park’s stunning Valhalla Collection; a range of four unique whiskies, released annually, taking inspiration from the legendary Nordic gods of old. Not for the faint hearted, only those brave enough to accept the challenge of Thor shall be rewarded with the ultimate experience; a whisky of divine power.
Bottled at a robust 52.1% abv this limited edition whisky comes housed in a unique wooden frame, which echoes the fearsome contours of a traditional Viking long ship.
Gerry Tosh, Global Marketing Manager, said, “Building on the success of The Magnus Series, we wanted to create an exciting new range which offers Highland Park fans something both affordable AND collectable. This is no ordinary whisky and as we wanted it to truly reflect Thor’s character you will find some of the classic Highland Park aromas in there; it has a sweetness and a subtlety, but it will also surprise you with a little bit more smoke and dryness and there definitely is a lightning strike on your palate also.”
The Valhalla Collection is about more than great whisky, it gives an insight to the very being of the brand, its inspiration and raison d’etre. We’ve put Thor first, as he is such a mighty character and deserves his rightful place at the very forefront of this range. Everything about this whisky bellows power; this is quite honestly a true whisky of the gods.”
Thor will be available from specialist independent whisky retailers, at the Highland Park distillery and at a RRP of £120.
THIS month I take a look at a rapidly growing alternative use for whisky. Full sealed bottles of some of the rarest whiskies are being used as an alternative investment. Does it work and is it right?
Over the past 12 months it’s been a hugely controversial subject which has divided many well-known whisky writers and journalists. Whisky being used as an investment isn’t something new. However, with some of the recent gains being seen, it’s had a lot more press and PR recently.
This isn’t about buying a cask of whisky – that’s usually a very difficult thing for anyone other than the distilleries to make any money from. It’s about full, sealed bottles of predominantly single malt Scotch whisky. Unlike wine, Scotch doesn’t generally go off, so if kept in the right conditions, a bottle of whisky can outlast the average person.
So why has Scotch gained a lot more press recently as an investment? Like a lot of recognised alternative investments – such as art, wine, precious metals and even children’s toys – whisky is something which has a massive worldwide following. With increasing numbers of whisky collectors seeking out a diminishing number of rare bottles, supply and demand is forcing rapid price increases.
It’s these price increases that have brought whisky to the foreground. The top 250 bottles of single malt Scotch increased in value by 123 per cent from 2008 to the end of September last year. The top 100 increased by 163 per cent and the top 10 by a staggering 298 per cent. These are auction values so buyer’s/seller’s commissions need to be factored in (data source Whisky Highland).
Now, I’m clearly a whisky investment consultant and independent valuer, so many would argue it’s in my interest to be extolling the virtues of Scotch as an investment. As an independent (not tied to any distillery) I always point out that you can get it very, very wrong.
Unless you know the market inside out, the likelihood of making losses is a stark reality. On the flipside of the growth coin, the bottom 250 bottles went down in value by 46 per cent, the bottom 100 by 56 per cent and, if you’d bought the bottom 10 performing bottles in 2008, you’d now be staring at a crucifying 73 per cent loss.
In terms of what to buy in order to minimise the risk, stick to limited editions and single-cask releases from some of the iconic distilleries. Macallan, Dalmore, Glenfiddich and Balvenie have all performed admirably. Bottles from some of the closed (silent) distilleries are also heavily sought after and have shown large increases in value. Port Ellen and Brora are among the best performers.
On a more local level, I’m finding Clynelish values are increasing at a healthy rate. In fact, had you purchased a portfolio of bottles from Clynelish in 2008, the increase in value would be around 39 per cent overall. Some of the best-performing bottles include a number of the Rare Malts Selection bottles (discontinued in 2005) which have seen rises of in excess of 100 per cent. The 17-year-old Managers’ Dram bottle was selling for around £100 in 2008; it now sells for £220 to £250 at auction.
Whilst some collectable bottle values from Glenmorangie have seen a recent general decline in values, a bottle of its “Truffle Oak” release sold for £620 just last week. When you consider this bottle originally retailed for £65, that’s an incredible increase.
So whilst there’s a viable alternative investment in whisky, it’s clearly not for everyone. There are a great many whisky enthusiasts who, rightly so, buy their whisky with the sole aim of drinking it. That’s another great plus side to whisky as an investment – as bottles are continually being removed from the supply chain it makes the remaining bottles rarer, therefore further increasing values.
It’s well worth checking out that old bottle that’s been in the loft for 20 years as it might be a true piece of liquid gold. Above all else, as with any investment, always remember values can go down as well as up, but if the market ever crashes, nothing goes down (the throat!) as well as a fine Scotch!
The Monthly Dram
ONE of the hottest bottles of investment-grade Scotch to be released over recent years was the Highland Park Earl Magnus bottle (15 years old, 5976 bottles released).
It originally sold for a retail price of £85. At auction you’d expect to pay around £250 to £300 for a bottle. If you found one at a specialist retailer you’d expect to pay around £500.
Nose: At its cask strength of 52.6 per cent there’s some initial nose prickle. Get through that and there’s a real honeyed spiciness with ginger and clove oil. The fruitiness reminds me of caramelised strawberries (if there is such a thing!). The peat is definitely in there but adds depth rather than taking a prominent position.
Palate: There’s a slight tongue tingle with the strength of alcohol but nothing like you’d expect from this strength of spirit. Very smooth, there’s an initial sweetness and the spices carry through with wonderful oakey vanillas and a soft smokiness.
The Best Whisky Book Ever - A Must Read For Drinkers!
Since I write a fair amount on wines and spirits, and especially whiskies, I have amassed a decent library of books on these subjects for reference. But until I got The World Atlas of Whisky as a gift from a friend (Thanks PG!), I had no idea what I was missing.
Author Dave Broom has already won the coveted and prestigious Glenfiddich Award for Drinks Book of the Year – twice – for his earlier works Drink! and Rum, and he is the editor of Scotch Whisky Review and editor-in-chief of Whisky Magazine: Japan. He has been writing on whisky for a quarter of a century and contributes regularly to the Daily Telegraph and many other UK publications. In short, he knows a wee bit about the water of life.
But knowing is not the same as telling, and this is where Broom excels – at imparting useful information. Booze can be a pretty dry thing to read about, and no amount of words like “Darjeeling tea,” or “kumquat peel,” will help anyone understand whisky.
Well, those words do appear here, in detailed flavor and tasting profiles of each whisky covered, but they are incidental to the larger missions which are describing the house style and major bottlings of very major whisky producer on earth, and even more importantly, giving concrete suggestions for what new things you should try if you already like something. This is about the most helpful info any whisky fan who is not a world-class expert like Broom can get. For example, as I have often said here, my favorite single malt whisky is The Macallan, so Broom suggests I try some things I already know I like, such as the Dalmore, and some other things I have never tried, like Singleton of Glen Ord 12 year old – I’ll put it on my list. This feature alone is worth the price of the book (MSRP $35, currently $23 from Amazon), less than almost any of the bottles contained within.
But there is so much more, all beautifully wrapped up in a well-illustrated and handsome coffee table volume. He covers the rules and differences of whisky production in Scotland, Ireland, Kentucky and other places, the differences between grain and malt versions, explains how to learn to taste, describes the major flavor components, and provides maps done by flavors. Then he covers every top whisky producing country in depth, especially Scotland, which he breaks into no less than 16 single malt regions, plus blended Scotches, then Ireland (whiskey), Japan, Canada, the US, Europe, South Africa, India, and Australia. As a result, the rather unwieldy subtitle is “More Than 350 Expressions Tasted, More Than 150 Distilleries Explored.”
While meant as reference book it is also quite readable, or at least skimmable, and with no disrespect to Michael Jackson or any of the other historically great writers on whisky, it makes every other book I own pretty much obsolete. It makes a great gift for any whisky fan on your list, including yourself.
Dramfest '12 brings wealth of whisky to Christchurch
This popular biennial event, organised by Michael Fraser Milne of Christchurch whisky specialist store, Whisky Galore, takes place in Christchurch from 24-26 February 2012.
The expo starts on Friday, February 24 with a screening of the classic comedy, Whisky Galore! (includes whisky appreciation and canapés - 1940s dress optional).
The Main Event is on Saturday February 25, from 2pm to 6pm, in the DramFest Marquee at Peterborough Street, Christchurch, opposite the Christchurch Casino.
On arrival you are provided with a Dramfest Glencairn Glass (to keep) a DramFest Pen and a DramFest catalogue, which has a stand guide, all whiskies present with prices and also room for tasting notes.
Over 36 distilleries will be showcasing their whiskies, including six new exhibitors as well as several new expressions of whisky from some of Whisky Galore's favourite establishments. Each stand has between 3 - 10 whiskies on display for tastings.
Highlights of the event include the presence of the reborn Glenglassaugh distillery that has fired up its sills again after 22 years in mothballs, reviving a 100-year-old classic spirit character and the new kid on the block, Kilchoman that has become a cult drink around the world.
Among the 11 visiting experts Anthony Kills from Kilchoman, Susan Colville from Wemyss Vintage Malts, and Alex Bruce, KQ from Adelphi Distillery will be on hand to talk about their whiskies.
Sorry, but the Sunday, February 26 tasting sessions are all sold out.
A full programme of workshops and exhibitors is available at dramfest.co.nz. Please note: This event replaces the one that was cancelled last year because of the February earthquake.
Glenmorangie adds Artein to its Private Edition range
Artein is the third release from Glenmorangie's Private Edition range made from a combination of 15 and 21 year old single malts, extra matured in Super Tuscan wine casks.
The whisky looks to reflect the importance of stone in the making of Glenmorangie and is named after the Scots Gaelic for stone. The distillery uses hard water from the Tarlogie Sping which passes through layers of limestone that add to the whisky's rich minerals and complex fruity aromas. The ancient Hilton of Cabdoll Stone stands close to the distillery and has been used as a motif for the whisky.
Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie's head of distilling and whisky creation, was keen to build on this stone heritage by maturing the whisky with Super Tuscan wines, famous for being produced on the rugged, stony coastal hills of Tuscany, with the intense flavour of the grapes coming from vines that have to dig deep in to the soil to find water.
He said: "Wine is one of my huge passions and I was fascinated by the role stony ground played in cultivating the vines. I was inspired to experiment with extra maturing Glenmorangie in these wine casks and was thrilled with the result - a rich, outstandingly fragrant whisky - born of stone."
Artein is produced in American white oak, ex-Bourbon casks of 15 and 21 year old whiskies, which are then matured in Super Tuscan wine casks. Bottled at 46% abv Artein is available around the world in the UK at £69.99.
Island distillery breakthrough in bid to produce 100% homegrown whisky
The world's most northerly whisky distillery has been working with agricultural experts to produce a 100% homegrown product.
Highland Park has been making malt whisky on the outskirts of Kirkwall in Orkney for more than 200 years.
However, at present the distillery has to import its malting barley because the crop is not farmed extensively in the islands. Island distillery breakthrough in bid to produce 100% homegrown whisky.
Bosses called in the help of the Agronomy Institute at Orkney College in an effort to find a reliable and local source of malting barley. Agricultural experts undertook a series of trials to find the right barley to suit the fickle Orkney climate.
Dr Peter Martin said: "We found one variety which had a good combination of yield, it was well-adapted to the Orkney season and it was also early.
"Above all it had very good malting characteristics."
A group of five Orkney farmers have now produced around 100 tonnes of the locally grown barley for the distillery. The barley has been turned into whisky which will now spend the next 12 years ageing in casks before anyone will be able to taste the difference.
Edrington Group-owned scotch whisky brand Cutty Sark has launched the new limited-edition Tam o’Shanter (abv 46.5%) blended scotch whisky in travel-retail. The brand is the first expression created by Cutty Sark master blender Kirsteen Campbell and is a development of the Cutty Sark 25yo. It takes its name from the poem written by Robert Burns in 1790/
The Cutty Sark Tam o’Shanter bottle features a scene from the poem etched around the bottle and a wax closure showing Tam’s face. The bottle is presented in a premium bespoke oak gift box, decorated in the style of famous Scottish painter Alexander Goudie, which contains a 134-page book telling the story of Tam o’ Shanter through over 50 illustrated scenes by Goudie. Only 5,000 bottles of this new blend have been created for selected domestic, duty-free and travel-retail outlets, where the recommended retail price is $329.
Cutty Sark blended scotch whisky brand controller Jason Craig said: “Our Tam o’Shanter bottling is an exploration of the Cutty Sark brand’s fascinating heritage, and tells the story of how our whisky got its name. Our master blender [Kirsteen Campbell] has brought a darker edge to our award winning 25 year old blend, echoing the sinister imagery of the Goudie artwork adorning the gift box and bottle, which stays true to the adventurous spirit of the Cutty Sark brand.”
US: Pernod rolls out Aberlour non-chill filtered whisky
Pernod Ricard USA is set to launch Aberlour 12 year old non-chill filtered in the US, following its introduction in France earlier this year.
The whisky is 48% abv with a suggested retail price of $59.99 for 75cl.
Michael McLaren, associate brand manager scotch at Pernod Ricard USA, said: “Aberlour is a Speyside whisky with a growing word-of-mouth following here in the US. The whisky’s double cask matured style reveals the depth and complexity of the whisky. Previous expressions and in particular, A’bunadh have been extremely well-received by whisky aficionados and enthusiasts alike.”
Aberlour’s key markets are France, the UK, the US and travel retail, and is now the seventh most popular malt whisky in the world.
Vinopolis and The Whisky Exchange host sell-out event in London
Vinopolis, London’s premium wine and spirit tasting destination has beaten the January blues by hosting a sell-out Burn’s Night event in partnership with The Whisky Exchange.
The traditional event, which took place on Wednesday 25 January, offered a taste of all things Scottish. Guests received a welcoming whisky cocktail on arrival and also enjoyed a traditional three course Scottish feast including whisky pairings courtesy whisky pairings courtesy of Chivas, First Drinks, Diageo and Whyte & Mackay, and ending the night in the traditional way with a classic Ceilidh.
Sarah Loxton, Brand Development Manager at Vinopolis commented: ‘It’s such a great achievement for us that our first event with The Whisky Exchange has sold out, despite January blues and post-Christmas abstinence! We hope to work with The Whisky Exchange again and keep up the great success rate.’
The Scotch whisky industry could suffer a “serious downturn” as a result of minimum pricing, an academic warned.
Dr David Wishart, a researcher from St Andrews University, said the measure would be “a massive shot in the foot for our most successful industry”.
He said the cost of a bottle of blended Scotch whisky was estimated to rise by £3.50, leaving the drink “seriously disadvantaged” in the domestic market.
Dr Wishart further warned minimum pricing could pave the way for “swingeing taxes” on Scotch overseas.
He said: “Scotch whisky is the top export from Scotland, with distilleries being reopened and newly built from Annan to Elgin to Lewis.
“Our industry, which currently employs 40,000 directly and many more indirectly, could be set for a serious downturn.”
The academic, who has researched the histories and profiled the whiskies of 100 distilleries throughout the UK, said: “The tax on alcoholic drinks is set to increase later this year, regardless of the Budget, if the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill is passed at Holyrood.
“It is estimated that a bottle of blended Scotch whisky will rise by £3.50 in Scotland from this summer.
“Aside from the impact on the domestic market, where Scottish retailers will be seriously disadvantaged, it will give immense succour to several export markets when they come to review their duties on Scotch whisky.”
Dr Wishart said exports of Scotch whisky had increased by 22% last year, to £3.5 billion. He added that exports to Singapore rose by 64%, with a 56% increase in the amount of whisky sent to Brazil and a 45% rise in exports to Taiwan.
Whisky biofuel could be on forecourts in few years
A biofuel made from whisky by-products could be in Scottish forecourts in a few years' time.
The scientists behind the project have set up a company to produce the fuel on an industrial scale.
The team from Edinburgh Napier University revealed their discovery in August 2010 and launched Celtic Renewables on Wednesday.
Whisky biofuel could be on forecourts in few years
They say the fuel can be used in ordinary vehicles without them undergoing special adaptation.
It was developed by Napier’s Biofuel Research Centre over a two-year period, using samples from East Lothian’s Glenkinchie Distillery.
Scientists discovered that by using the two main by-products from whisky production, the "pot ale" liquid from copper stills and the spent grains known as "draff", they could produce butanol to be used as fuel.
Professor Martin Tangney said: "We found we could add these together and make a soup which we could ferment and distil off our products which would derive far more value from the original draff and pot ale and we're left with this butinol which is a direct substitute for petrol which can be used in cars as a blend or neat without modifying engines."
The scientists are confident it will be successful as it uses a by-product of one of the biggest export industries in Scotland. It is also hoped the fuel will create more jobs at distilleries.
Mark Simmers from Celtic Renewables said: "The feed stock we're using to make the fuel is a residue from another industrial process, so the carbon footprint from that is very small.
"Also that feed stock is made here in Scotland and will be here for a long time to come, so that gives us a sense of energy security. It reduces out carbon footprint and gives us a sustainable source of fuel for the future."
Michelin star system for bars serving whisky in Scotlands
It is Scotland's most famous tipple, so perhaps it is no surprise that the tourism industry wants to introduce a Michelin-style grading system in bars serving Scotch whisky.
The star scheme would recognise bars north of the border where staff had been trained to explain the difference between whisky brands and make recommendations.
The Whisky Ambassador is the brainchild by Victor Brierley, who runs popular Glasgow Whisky Tours, and will provide courses so staff can provide guidance to visiting tourists.
Mr Brierley said: 'There are some excellent whisky bars and a lot of knowledge in some places, but many bar staff even in high-end bars and hotels don't know what they are talking about.
'Premises will have sommeliers who can talk about champagne and red or white wine until it's coming out of their ears, but shockingly, they often don't know the first thing about whisky, our national drink.
'Recent VisitScotland research has indicated that the bar trade in Scotland could be doing better and of course, knowledge is power. We're giving them this knowledge.'
Mr Brierley said Scotch whisky is the 'Rolls Royce' of alcoholic luxuries, and said the country should not be 'under-selling' it.
He added: 'Bar staff should be able to talk about what whisky is, the colour, the age, the peatiness, the sweetness, and how it has come to find its way into bars all over the world.'
The scheme has a broader tourism role, as the trained-up staff will also be able to tell tourists where to find the nearest distilleries on their travels round Scotland.
It is being piloted in Glasgow with staff from the Grand Central and Radisson Blu hotels, who will become the first to receive the 'whisky ambassador' status.
VisitScotland is backing the project to provide a boost for the tourism, whisky and hospitality industries.
Stella Callaghan, project manager of the Glasgow Tourism Service Initiative at VisitScotland, said: 'Glasgow Service with Style applauds the innovative approach being taken by Victor Brierley in his creation of the Whisky Ambassador training scheme.
'We wish them all the best with this venture that aims to raise the standards of service being offered to Scotland's visitors and helps instil pride in those who are promoting one of Scotland's best-known products.'
I was once unwise enough to taste a range of 60 per cent proof cask whiskies in Scotland. The following day I suffered a rather extreme attack of pins and needles as the neat spirit slowly percolated through my nervous system. Thankfully the blended and malt whiskies we buy are watered down to 40 per cent before bottling. Although malt whisky has become more fashionable of late we decided to taste 10 bestselling blended whiskies (a mixture of malt and grain distillations) to discover how much variety they offer. And the answer is, a lot.
Our tasters were the Gourmet Celeb (GC), the Discerning Litigator (DL), the Gluttonous Pig (GP) and, appropriately enough, the Bibulous Shipowner (BS). Our technique, mindful of the hazards, was to dilute the whisky with water, half and half, and spit out the samples. A small amount of water helpfully releases the drink’s aromas without over-diluting it. Neat spirit is not only powerfully intoxicating but also has a strange anaesthetising effect on the lips. Expert whisky blenders, unlike us, can judge a brew simply by “nosing” it. Indeed I once challenged a great whisky noser to identify four different malts on live television. He calmly projected his magnificent hooter into each glass for a nanosecond and precisely identified their provenance – a Lowland, a Highland, a Speyside and an Islay. The blended whiskies, of course, rely on different combinations of these malts, which is what makes their tastes so distinctive. Some are smoky from the smouldering peat sometimes used to flavour the malted barley, some creamy from the oak barrels used for maturation. Others are gentler altogether.
All our products are well-established, quality brands. We can only tell you which we favoured on the day. The Gourmet Celeb hedged his bets with a double recommendation. The first was Claymore: “touch of peat, sophisticated, good for a blend”. His other was Whyte and Mackay: “classic, smooth, not bad if you like ’em mild”. The Bibulous Shipowner, who prefers stronger stuff, took issue with this, comparing W&M to a “bland, unappealing” party leader. This column leaves the politics to others in the FT so his remarks were struck from the record.
The Bibulous Shipowner and the Discerning Litigator agreed on their top whisky – Johnnie Walker Black Label 12-year-old: “smoky, satisfying (BS); “rich aroma, agreeably astringent” (DL). The Gluttonous Pig went for another 12-year-old, Chivas Regal: “the distinct smell of prohibition – a bourbon creaminess”.
On the day we were surprised that the whisky which left us underwhelmed with fewest plaudits was The Famous Grouse. It bills itself as “Scotland’s favourite whisky” but we found it a trifle timid with less character than its peers. Its makers, though, would no doubt chide us for missing its greater subtlety.
It’s no surprise that our overall runner-up was Chivas Regal 12-year-old from Keith, Banffshire. Its publicity claims flavour notes of wild herbs, heather, honey, orchard fruits, hazelnut and butterscotch. Blimey – quite a cocktail – but we’d go along with vanilla and butterscotch.
Our top whisky was the aforementioned Johnnie Walker Black Label 12-year-old from Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire. If you only buy one bottle of blended whisky a year, our clear advice is to trade up to a 12-year-old. The extra £5-£7 is worth it. And note that the peatier Johnnie Walker (owing more to Islay) and the more buttery Chivas Regal (closer to the Speyside flavour) offer a good choice of styles. Finally, of the cheaper proprietary whiskies in our blind tasting, Teacher’s was the most enjoyed (“smoky, baby, like a flame-grilled whopper” – GP).
After our labours the Bibulous Shipowner generously took us all out to dinner. Could this be the first twitch of the barometer towards economic recovery – when a shipowner pushes the boat out? You read it here first.
Angus Dundee distillers has launched a range of whiskies under the Charles Hamilton brand.
The regional malt range features four regions: Speyside, Highland, Islay and Lowland. Each region is presented in a cylindrical carton with a different colour scheme to represent the region.
Duncan Baldwin, senior brand ambassador said: “The Hamiltons product range is designed to encourage regional experimentation. Each expression provides product descriptions for each region in a comprehensive and inviting style.”
The range is bottled at 40%abv and will available in “key European, duty free and selected world markets”. The range is to retail £18 - £22 or €22-26 per bottle.
Angus Dundee distillers also owns the Tomintoul and Glencadem distilleries.
William Grant has launched a new expression of its Glenfiddich whisky brand: Glenfiddich Malt Master’s Edition.
The whisky was created to celebrate Glenfiddich’s sixth malt master, Brian Kinsman. It has been double-matured in two different casks – traditional oak and sherry.
Kinsman became Glenfiddich malt master in 2009, having first served an eight year apprenticeship under his predecessor David Stewart.
Kinsman is in charge of the whisky making process; from cask selection to overseeing the marrying of different ages and characters.
The 43%abv whisky is to retail for £49.99. This is Glenfiddich's first double-matured whisky.
Glen Catrine's Impressive Single Malt Sales Growth In 2011
Glen Catrine's Impressive Single Malt Sales Growth In 2011
Glen Catrine, one of only 3 drinks companies to have 2 brands in the top 10 best selling UK spirits (Glen's vodka & High Commissioner blended scotch whisky - Nielsen report, OLN, 16 Sept. 2011), is proud to announce that worldwide sales of its single malt brands (Loch Lomond, Glen Scotia, Littlemill and Inchmurrin) grew in volume by an impressive 57% in 2011, well ahead of the estimated industry average sales growth for this sector.
Glen Catrine is confident that sales of its single malt brands will continue to outperform the industry average as it is planning to double its worldwide distribution in 2012, introduce new premium packaging for 3 of its single malt brands and expand the range of ages and bottlings available.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
19 Jan
2012
BENRIACH LAUNCHES NEW 17 YO RICHLY- PEATED SEPTENDECIM
BenRiach’s Septendecim, its newest addition to its celebrated peated range, will be available worldwide later this month, the distillery announced today (19 January 2012).
The new 17 year-old has been matured only in ex-bourbon casks and continues BenRiach’s quirky trend of using Latin names – such as Authenticus, Curiositas and Heredotus Fumosus - for its richly-peated expressions.
The tasting notes confirm Septendecim – Latin for “seventeen” - is a magnificent, multi-layered malt with fantastic length.
The colour is rich summer gold with a freshly harvested barley impression.
On the nose, it’s full of energy and vibrancy - a complex mix of fresh peaty aromas constructed around a central core of apples and toasted nuts dowsed in wild mountain honey.
And on the palate, it gives sweet concentrated peat flavours which dominate from the start. Bold and intense, the peaty heart is united with honey-infused raisins, roasted nuts and a luxurious leather impression.
Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “Septendecim is a real robust heavyweight, full-bodied and beautifully balanced with enormous impact. It’s another fine example of our distillery going back to its nineteenth-century roots - a time when, unlike today, the majority of Speyside distilleries were producing peated whiskies.”
Peated malt whisky production only represents approximately six weeks’ worth of the annual production at BenRiach, but the peated whiskies have become an important part of the distillery’s product portfolio as they offer something unexpected from the Speyside region.
Septendecim is non chill-filtered and bottled at natural colour, with a strength of 46% vol. Unlike the recently-launched BenRiach Solstice, the Septendecim is not a limited release and should be continually available for years to come.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
19 Jan
2012
The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve will be available from late February in duty-free and travel-retail
Liquor supplier Whyte & Mackay is set to launch a new expression of The Dalmore Scotch whisky in duty-free and travel-retail next month. The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve is aimed at cigar-loving whisky drinkers and will be available from late February on general release including duty-free outlets.
The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve is bottled at 44% abv, featuring notes of cinnamon, vanilla and red fruits on the aroma and tropical fruits, banana toffee and vanilla ice cream on the palate, with a finish of orange zest, bergamot and crushed spices.
“Many of our fans were disappointed when the old Cigar Malt left the range in 2007, so we set about creating an even better whisky that would allow those fans to experience a great single malt that has been specifically crafted with cigar pairings in mind," said The Dalmote master distiller Richard Patterson.
"Aged in 30-year-old Oloroso sherry butts, American white oak and premier cru cabernet sauvignon wine barriques, this whisky provides cigar and malt fans with an incomparable experience and succinct pleasure,” he added. “It’s a great match to a number of cigars but I would highly recommend enjoying it with a Partagas No2 Cigar as in my opinion the flavours work in perfect harmony together."
The new whisky has a suggested domestic retail price of £70 ($108).
World's Best Whiskies Hit Vegas - For One Weekend Only
I wish I was going to the Universal Whisky Experience in Las Vegas in March, but alas, duty calls and I have a prior commitment many miles way.
I had the good fortune to meet the event’s creator, Mahesh Patel, at an event for the launch of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky, a re-creation of the custom blend Ernest Shackelton took to Antarctica a century ago (I wrote about this unique whisky here). I have met a lot of people in the liquor industry over the years, some of them zealots, but I do not think I have ever seen anyone as passionate about whisky as Patel, a successful commercial real estate developer from Atlanta. He is a connoisseur and a collector, going so far as to travel around Scotland buying his own casks for aging and later bottling, and in fact, the Universal Whisky Experience was born out of his own passion for all things whisky. As he told me, “I’ve been an aficionado of whiskies for a long time. I don’t discriminate, I don’t only drink cask strength or only single malt or only Japanese – I try them all!”
So he created the Rolls-Royce of whisky tasting events, the Universal Whisky Experience, held annually in Las Vegas – of course. This year’s version will be at the Wynn March 2-3. “The show won’t have more than 350-400 people. Last year we had 232 different expressions of whisky to taste, with all the major brands of Scotch, Bourbon, and Japanese whiskies represented.” This quantity alone explains why the event last two days.
The most interesting and compelling feature of the event is the opportunity to try some whiskies so rare you could rarely find, let alone afford them. “There are about 30 stands, and at each one there is a ‘super pour,’ a very rare and expensive whisky that cost from $1000 – $30,000 a bottle.” These include whisky lovers’ fantasies like the Macallan 50 year old, Glenlivet 70 year old and Glenfarclas Family Cask 1960. The regular admission ticket gets you all the normal tastings and tokens for two “super pours” of your choice, while the VIP ticket lets you try all 30. Each of these would retail for over $300 per glass – if you could find them.
In addition to a whole lot of drinking, the event includes food, parties, seminars, such as a financial one by “whisky investment expert” Andy Simpson, a scotch and cigar pairing class, and a series of Master Class specialty tastings, many of them led by master distillers, hosted by Morrison Bowmore, Jura, Highland Park and other famed distilleries. The entire schedule is available online.
Given the price of the whiskies involved, the tickets could be considered a bargain, with the basic or Connoisseur’s package at $525 including those two $300 super pours and much more. The High Roller Package is $1995 with all the super pours, and adds a private tasting of the original 50- year old Glenfiddich, which runs up to $20,000 per bottle. Thoughtfully, there is also a companion package for your non-whisky loving significant other, which does include a premium wine and champagne session, for $255.
But don’t buy a ticket just yet! Patel generously extended my Forbes readers a discount that amounts to a bottle (or two) of good whisky. If you are interested in attending the Experience, make sure you use these discount codes online to get $100 Off the Connoisseur Ticket (UWECT1) or $200 Off the High Roller Ticket (UWEHT2).
Banish the winter chill with a wee dram of golden nectar at the fourday Victoria Whisky Festival, which opens tonight. Unfortunately for the last-minute crowd, all festival events are sold out, including Saturday's Consumer Tasting evening.
This is the seventh year for the popular event, which has been called the best-organized whisky festival in the world by some.
More than 90 presenters and product ambassadors from distilleries from around the world are participating in the event.
"The festival is an opportunity for people to meet the distillers themselves," says Lawrence Graham, president of the Greater Victoria Whisky Festival Society, a non-profit organization. "It is an opportunity to educate people about the product."
Up to 1,400 locals and outoftown visitors are expected to sample some of the 165 whisky brands available. Whiskies on offer hail not only from Scotland, but from India, Japan, United States, England, Ireland and Canada - including two from Vancouver Island.
Several workshops will be available during the festival for those wishing to learn more about whisky, including one on the art of pairing whisky with chocolate.
Organizers urge participants to leave their cars at home. Fourteen vehicles will be available, along with volunteer drivers, to chauffeur people home after the event.
Bottles bear names that look names that look suspiciously like they're trying to be Scottish; Royal Stag, Bagpiper and McDowell's. And Indians have quite a thirst for it.
Indeed, India is the world's biggest market for whisky. Most is domestically-distilled from molasses, and matured only briefly, as the loss of spirit in India's heat is rapid.
In European eyes, it's not really a whisky at all, which rankles a bit.
A standard bottle will cost between £2 and around £9. Or you can try the 'country liquor', which is unbranded and, let's say, a bit rough.
It costs around £1.50 per bottle, though it's often sold in smaller sachets for those with cash liquidity issues.
While 210m cases of country liquor are sold each year, that's true of 250m cases of whisky.
Indian Made Foreign Liquor is even bigger, with 250m cases sold annually. And only around 1% of that market is in Scotch whisky exports.
Crucial phase
It's not that Scotch doesn't hold much attraction to dram-swilling Indians. The brand names suggest otherwise.
It's more to do with the 150% tax slapped on imported whisky by the Indian government. It could be worse, and it was. It came down five years ago from 400%.
This has been one of the main targets of the Scotch Whisky Association lobbying arm, working with European Commission trade negotiators to push India into opening up its markets.
It has had significant progress through free trade with South Korea, and it's pushing for progress on tariffs in South America.
But it's the scale of the already-established India market could transform an industry that's already booming.
And while the current round of talks have dragged on into their fifth year, the next few weeks are being described in Brussels as "a crucial phase".
The EU wants a deal tied to the summit between Commission president and Indian prime minister on February 10, and it's let it be known it is ready to walk away if it doesn't get one.
Catastrophe
But as with any trade deal, there are vested interests who feel threatened by it, sometimes powerful, sometimes justified in their apprehension.
India's distillers have political clout. While visiting Delhi this week, I've been hearing from the head of the All India Distillers Association, Virendra Nath Raina.
His members run 325 distilleries, which are already being walloped by rising cost of molasses.
He thinks that a significant cut in import duties would boost Scotch rapidly and would be a "catastrophe" for domestic distillers.
Most would go, he says, and central and local government would lose revenue.
And he sees Scotch and other European spirits as having the unfair advantage of agricultural subsidies for their grain.
Incidentally, his most prominent member, Vijay Mallya, who has 40% of the Indian market as well as owning Scotch distiller Whyte & Mackay, is in a lot of financial bother with his Kingfisher airline.
But rumours of a fire sale of assets such as his Glasgow prestige purchase are being hotly denied.
Instead, there are moves to open up investment in airlines to foreigners for the first time, largely to help out the troubled domestic sector.
Humongous
Arguing the case for a cut in duty was whisky industry consultant and ex-Pernod Ricard executive Jatinder Byala. He says the Indian government will give some protection to distillers, but says a cut in duty on Scotch to 75% would see sales multiply sharply.
The potential, he says, is "humongous".
A more likely outcome is a tiered and phased cut in duty, to protect Indian distillers who compete at the cheaper end of the Scotch range.
That would help India's premium brands most.
Of course, wines and spirits are not the only sticking point of these hard-grinding trade talks.
Germany is taking the lead on pushing for access to India's markets, with import duties at 100%.
The European Union wants to break down numerous barriers to services, such as finance, law and accountancy.
Again, that would benefit British businesses most.
Deal or no deal
But it's Britain that's also facing one of the most awkward parts of this deal as it takes shape.
India wants access for its software engineers and other IT specialists, so that they can back up Indian companies as they service contracts within Europe.
That means temporary work permits, and Britain has a government pledged to cap immigration, as a response to public concerns that jobs are being lost to cheaper nations.
The way round it would have to be with yet more quotas, and strict time limits, so those considerations are still in the balance.
Will a deal get done? At a time of job insecurity, and hostility to big business, it's hard to sell the advantages of free trade.
But the downturn is also seen, at least in British government circles, as a reason for doing the deal, putting some stimulus into growth.
And it would provide evidence that progress can be made on expanding free trade, particularly as the Doha Round of multi-lateral trade talks has stalled so badly that it's hard to see it being resuscitated.
Scotch whisky brand Glenfiddich seeks agency after parting with GolinHarris
Glenfiddich, the world's number one selling single malt Scotch whisky brand, is hunting for an agency to handle its international consumer account.
The William Grant & Sons brand is currently promoted globally by GolinHarris, which has declined to repitch for the estimated £100,000-a-year contract.
A GolinHarris spokesman said: 'We have valued and enjoyed our three years working with the Glenfiddich team, but have declined the offer to repitch for the consumer work.'
However, the agency will continue to provide internal comms and digital support.
Agencies are yet to be shortlisted for the brief, but William Grant & Sons confirmed it would have a new global agency in place by the summer. Its key target markets remain Asia and the US, but also the UK and France.
The brand celebrated selling in excess of one million cases last year - the first Scotch whisky to do so.
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Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
19 Jan
2012
Whisky: A proud Canadian tradition
I attended a whisky seminar at which I was able to sample three distillates produced from three different grains. The first was made from rye grain like a true Canadian whisky, the second was made from malted barley like a scotch, and the third was made from corn, like bourbon. These three whiskies had amazing flavours, each with their own distinct characteristics and all possessing endless blending and aging possibilities.
All three were skillfully crafted by John K. Hall, owner and first-generation whisky maker of the award-winning Forty Creek whisky. Hall, a wine maker by trade for over 20 years, was looking for a new challenge: he set out to create a Canadian whisky that would capture the heritage of small-batch Canadian whiskies made years ago.
Hall has stated that his five key ingredients are great grains, great stills, great barrels, patience and passion. Forty Creek Barrel Select is the cornerstone of Forty Creek. Hall uses rye, barley and corn, all distilled and aged separately. He then blends them together, and the final aging is done in sherry oak casks. This gives Barrel Select its smooth, balanced flavour.
Hall’s expertise as an accomplished wine maker and whisky maker are evident in the finished whisky, as he uses small copper pot stills and the best oak barrels, toasted to his standards to bring out certain flavours from the distillates. The copper pot stills maintain alcohol levels while capturing the flavours. This allows Hall to create more outstanding award winning whiskies.
Forty Creek has three other award-winning products available in Manitoba, including Confederation Oak, Double Barrel Reserve and Hall’s latest whisky, John’s Private Cask No. 1, for which he has chosen 23 outstanding barrels to create a limited release of 9,000 individually numbered bottles, available only in Canada.
Hall’s innovative whisky-making style — along with his pure passion — has my palate anticipating John’s next work of art. These whiskies are for those who like to enjoy the finer things in life. Hall is a proud Canadian, giving new life to our proud whisky heritage; if it comes from Forty Creek, you can be assured it’s of the highest quality. .
My grandmother, a native of Greenock, Scotland, used to say, “God helps them who help themselves.” Nowhere is this homespun proverb truer than with Donna Wolff opening up The Caledonian. To say it surprised her to find no proper Scottish pub in Toronto when she arrived in Canada some 13 years ago from Huntly (about five-and-a-half-hours drive north of Edinburgh) is an understatement, given the city — the entire country for that matter — owes so much of its history to the can-do spirit of Scottish immigrants. Nothing for it but to start her own, then. With husband David, co-owner and whisky buff, Wolff brought some of Scotland’s best spirits and suds across the pond and has been serving up the culture in the 16 months since The Caledonian’s opening.
The vibe: You only have to take a quick glance around The Caledonian to see Wolff’s heart is in the Highlands. In an area populated by Portuguese-Canadians and hipsters, the Rampant Lion and St. Andrew’s Cross flags waving over the street are as conspicuous as a windswept kilt. Inside, it resembles a pastoral Highland cottage: lots of dark browns and photos of the auld country flank a portrait of the Battle of Culloden — a pitched 1746 battle between Jacobite rebels and English forces. Prepare for a proper blether with Scots, some of whom come from out of town just to drink here. Indeed the loyalty of the clientele has turned the bar into something of an ad hoc cultural centre.
The drinks: It has been said whisky may not cure the common cold, but it fails more agreeably than most things. With around 100 whiskies here, you can fail spectacularly. David Wolff says the Auchentoshan ($9.50 to start) and Ardbeg 10-year ($10.50) rank among the most popular, the latter dram is used in the signature Ardbeg Caesar (mixed with Clamato and horseradish for $14). Flights of three are based primarily on region (Speyside, Islay and the Lowlands, for example) and start around $12. Ten beers — mostly Scottish — are on draught here. Wolff notes the Innis and Gunn Original and the Caledonian 80 Shilling Heavy (around $7 for a pint) are top sellers. Bottled beers include Fraoch Heather Ale and Traquair Jacobite Ale (about $7.50 each).
The food: Forget the stingy stereotype (a common joke of Scottish restaurants is that they keep the knives warm so you can’t use too much butter), the cuisine is quite earthy, generous and rib-sticking. Wolff says the $15 taste of Scotland (Scotch egg, haggis fritters and sausage rolls) and the $16 haggis, neeps and tatties (mashed potatoes and turnip) are the go-to meals. What’s in haggis, you ask? Deliciousness, that’s all you need to know. If your heart hasn’t exploded yet, try the deep-fried Mars bar ($7).
Dress code: Casual, but kilts happen quite a bit here.
Must know: Burns Night (Jan. 25) sold out a month ago, so The Caledonian will stage a Burns Week of pipes, tastings, dancing and spoken word on the week of the 23rd to accommodate.
There's just one problem with participating in a whisky tasting, sampling some of Scotland's best whiskies as if they were fine wines – whisky is powerful stuff. It is magical, and it is lethal. If you drink neat vodka you know you are dicing with the drink devil, but to savour a single malt is to be lulled by honeyed, dulcet, earthy flavours that warm the cockles of your heart even as the alcohol does its work. This is one of the most aesthetically pleasing ways you can possibly get drunk, which makes it one of the demon's dirtiest tricks.
If you are going to be tempted by the 40% devil, the Gilbert Scott bar at London's St Pancras hotel is a fine gothic location, its pointy perpendicular windows, rich Venetian gilding and lofty Victorian vaults offering the kind of place where someone might fall prey to his inner dark side in a story by Robert Louis Stevenson. I am here for a master class in whisky connoisseurship, to prepare for Burns Night, on 25 January, when Scots and lovers of Scotland all over the world will be drinking the national drink and eating haggis in celebration of Robert Burns. But my favourite Scottish writer has always been Stevenson and as whisky expert Cory Soutar pours out different shades of translucent wood-coloured liquids, I can't help thinking of the potions of Dr Jekyll. Am I about to become Mr Hyde?
It is no coincidence whisky is the colour of wood because it is coloured, and flavoured, by the stuff. Preferably oak. Soutar has with him a bottle of pure white spirit, a sample of raw distilled whisky before it has been aged in oak. We sip the fruity, 64% proof chemical. It is far nicer that some commercially sold liquors I have tasted. It goes down easier than grappa, for instance.
Scottish whisky, Soutar explains, is made from barley that is roasted (malted), mashed, brewed and distilled to produce this white liquor. The best whiskies are single malts, made from one source of barley at a single distillery. Then the subtle part begins: the result is aged in oak, in the case of the best whiskies for 10, 18 or 30 years.
I sip (I say sip but, after the raw distillate, things are warming up at this table of drink science) my favourite single malt, a 10-year-old Ardbeg from the island of Islay. The terrain of Islay is sodden with peat and Ardbeg tastes of this richly decayed vegetable matter. It is at once pure – all the good single malts have this crisp watery purity that sets off their other flavours – and memorable, like drinking smoked salmon.
It is pure chance that I happen to know it so well. I once went to interview the artist Douglas Gordon in Glasgow and turned up just as he was absorbing some private bad news. To get through the interview he opened a bottle of this amazing stuff, which we polished off. If I purchase whisky, it is always Ardbeg.
Soutar tries to change that. We move on to Glenmorangie's Original. If Ardbeg is a cheese-ripe burgundy, then Original is a classy claret – it has a cleaner taste that many people might prefer (and it's half the price of Ardbeg). I love its crystalline golden simplicity – no wonder it is the bestselling whisky in Scotland. Incidentally, the shades of whisky colour are marks of age and therefore richness: the longer it spends in oak, the browner it gets. Glenmorangie re-uses American bourbon casks for shades of flavour, then finishes its speciality whiskies in sherry vats or Tuscan wine barrels. The latter variety, Artein, combines the tastes of chianti and scotch, which sounds disgusting, but is refined and delicious.
The truth is that all single malts are delicious, in different ways. I try another 10-year-old, this time Glenfiddich, whose deep, manly firmness immediately makes you feel you are playing golf at Gleneagles or fly fishing on the Tay. That might be too manly for me so I switch to Oban, again wondrously pure but very different in its mix of flavours: mellow, inward, one to muse over in your library, perchance.
My only disappointment is Monkey Shoulder, a top blended whisky. Blends of various malts are what most of us mean when we say whisky, but in comparison with a single malt, even the best blend seems rough. Two sips and I feel a bit nauseous. Back to the pure, peaty Ardbeg for me.
By this stage things are getting ridiculous. I have learned as much as I can with a semblance of dignity. I may not be turning into Mr Hyde but I have definitely entered into the realm of the intoxicated. The drink devil is grinning as he gets ready for Burns Night.
Fans of whisky will be able to sample a wide range of exclusive brands at the upcoming Whisky Live event in Seoul.
Known as the leading whisky tasting show in the world, the event will be taking place in the South Korean capital for the second time on February 26th 2012, with more than 2,000 alcohol enthusiasts set to attend.
Attendees will be able to sample in excess of 100 products from over 40 whisky brands, while learning more about how to best appreciate the flavours within each drink.
To be held in the Samsung Dong area of Seoul, the event runs from 10:00 until 20:00 local time and aims to bring the joys of whisky tasting to a nation that is already the seventh largest market for Scotch in the world.
A statement from the organisers said: "Whisky Live Seoul will enlighten your perception of whisky through education and entertainment by understanding whisky's varying characters, distinctions and choice generating enjoyment therein."
Whisky Live is organised in partnership with the official Scottish tourism board and also takes place in locations such as Singapore, Tokyo, New York and Paris.
Alcohol connoisseurs can find a massive selection of Seoul hotels at AsiaRooms.com, including the IP Boutique Hotel Itaewon.
IWSC Distiller of the Year William Grant & Sons announces the arrival of the ground-breaking blended malt Scotch whisky, Monkey Shoulder, on American shores! Often referred to as one of the “most coveted” spirits in the U.S. due to its popularity among the bartending community and whisky connoisseurs, Monkey Shoulder has just landed exclusively in Illinois!
An irreverent nod to the traditional distillery malt-men who painstakingly turn malt barley by hand and wooden schiel, the “Monkey Shoulder” moniker refers to the colloquial term of a once common temporary injury, when after a long day’s work, a maltman would feel as though he had a monkey on his shoulder. While the injury is fortunately a thing of the past, the dedication to quality and craftsmanship involved in the hand turning of barley lives on in the Monkey Shoulder distillation process and the name today.
Since first appearing in bars across the United Kingdom in 2006, Monkey Shoulder has redefined whisky drinking for a new generation of Scotch whisky drinkers looking for an upgrade. What sets Monkey Shoulder apart from other whiskies is its unique combination of provenance and personality. By marrying five generations of award-winning distilling experience with a uniquely cheeky contemporary style and commitment to innovation within the Scotch category, Monkey Shoulder represents the ideal pairing of style and substance. A unique blend of three of Speyside’s finest Single Malts, Monkey Shoulder is matured in first fill Bourbon casks hand selected by iconic Malt Master Brian Kinsman, to ensure its signature smooth flavor.
“Monkey Shoulder is a new style of Scotch whisky – one rooted in heritage and tradition but firmly grounded in the contemporary world. Connoisseurs appreciate that Monkey Shoulder is a new style of Speyside whisky from a known world class distiller, while whisky newcomers are drawn to the mixability of the quality liquid and the irreverent and cheeky personality Monkey Shoulder presents to the category,” said Cindy Wang, Senior Brand Manager, Monkey Shoulder.
Under the scrutiny of William Grant & Sons award-winning distillers in Dufftown, Scotland, Monkey Shoulder is crafted in small batches of only 27 cases and offers a beautifully sweet and rich vanilla flavor, with brown sugar and creamy toffee notes balanced with oak and just a hint of spice. Monkey Shoulder already has a history of accolades and awards including a Gold award at the 2011 International Wine & Spirit Competition, a Master distinction in the Speyside Blended Malt category at the 2011 Scotch Whisky Masters and a Gold award in the 2011 International Spirits Challenge.
“Having caught the eye of the world’s leading bartenders, it’s high time my talented and influential friends in the U.S. have the opportunity to obtain and appreciate a bottle of Monkey Shoulder without a trip to London,” said Dean Callan, global brand ambassador, Monkey Shoulder.
Monkey Shoulder will be available in the Chicagoland area starting January 6th in top bars and select liquor stores and will be rolling out in Texas later in 2012. Those fortunate enough to discover Monkey Shoulder will be able to enjoy it neat, on the rocks or in a range of innovative cocktails, including the signature “Monkey Jam Sour”:
MONKEY JAM SOUR
1 1/4 parts Monkey Shoulder
1/2 part fresh lemon juice
2 spoons jam
Dash sugar to taste
3 dashes orange bitters
Add all ingredients to shaker. Shake well.
Strain into cocktail glass.
Garnish with twist of orange.
MORE than 1,000 employees of Paisley drinks giant Chivas Brothers gathered at the Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow.
The event marked the first time so many of the company’s 1,500 workers have come together under one roof to celebrate the success of brands such as Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet, Ballantine’s and Royal Salute.
Employees travelled to the venue from Paisley, Dumbarton, Clydebank, Ayrshire and as far off as London, and were greeted with celebratory drams and whisky cocktails on their arrival.
A separate roadshow, which followed the same format, was held two days earlier for employees in Speyside.
Christian Porta, chairman and CEO of Chivas Brothers, welcomed employees to the showpiece venue and said: “The atmosphere was fantastic. There was plenty to celebrate.”
New whisky tourism destination opens in Kirkoswald – Ayrshire
AYRSHIRE has another intriguing tourism destination with the recent opening of AD Rattray Whisky Experience and Whisky Shop as you enter Kirkoswald travelling south.
Usually you’d find something like this next to a distillery.
Based in what was the old Kirkoswald Primary School, it is owned by Tim Morrison whose family pedigree in the whisky business is impressive to say the least.
His son Andrew is the fourth generation to work in the industry and lives in the USA where he looks after the company’s US sales.
Tim is a member of the Morrison-Bowmore dynasty and his mother Elizabeth was a Walker of William Walker and Co, Glasgow, blender and bottlers.
The opening of this venture has been a long held dream for Tim who was brought up in Turnberry before he too went into the family whisky business, married and raised a family.
His father Stanley P Morrison, a well known amateur golfer, was captain of Turnberry Golf Club from 1963/64 and 64/65 and Tim also became captain of Turnberry Golf Club during its centenary year.
Tim and his family lived in Kirkoswald from 1981 to 2008 before moving back to live in Turnberry.
Two of Tim’s youngest children went to school in the very building he has just had completely renovated and where he attended many a parent’s evening.
“The whole building was taken back to the walls by my builder Tommy Thomson of Maybole.
“It took us 15 months to get planning permission as the interior had to be completely redesigned but I was determined it should retain its original character,” said Tim.
“I must say we’re very pleased with the end result.
“I was first interested in taking over this building in 1990 primarily as a home for my wine business at the time ‘Tim Morrison Fine Wines’ but Strathclyde Region ‘lost’ the title deeds and I couldn’t wait until they were found.
“So I bought Whitefaulds Farm on the outskirts of Maybole instead, however, I sold this business three years ago.
“Before I acquired it the old Kirkoswald Primary building had four or five different owners but it had gradually fallen into disrepair.
“This is something I’ve always wanted to do as I was responsible for establishing the Visitor’s Centre for Bowmore on Islay and knew the direction I wanted this to take. I also developed the packaging for Bowmore from 1971 and you can see examples of this – and the whisky, of course – in the shop.
“I bought AD Rattray Ltd., from my aunt when we sold Morrison Bowmore in 1990,” Tim explained.
Founded in 1868, AD Rattray’s principal activity today is the selection, storage, and bottling of exceptional malt whiskies.
In a separate area adjacent to the shop, which has some unusual bottles and brands, as well as those you might expect, visitors can see Tim’s own unique Fine and Rare Collection of whiskies.
The sampling room is only used by Nick White, managing director of AD Rattray Ltd., whose offices are upstairs in the building.
This is the arm of the business which 90 per cent of the time deals only with the huge export market.
Visitors can see into this room through a viewing window where there is row upon row of carefully labelled whiskies.
These are all samples from the 95 distilleries in Scotland from where individual casks of specialist whiskies have been carefully sourced by the company to let AD Rattray’s customer’s taste before they buy if they wish.
There’s also a fabulous tasting room where groups of up to 12 can sample the kind of whiskies they may be curious to try or may not have even thought of trying.
Strong links have already been forged with Turnberry Hotel to provide guests with an unusual whisky experience as well as golf tour operators.
“We feel there’s also a big market for us in Northern Ireland and we are establishing links with the council and also tourism bodies but anyone can give us a call and we’ll tailor make tastings to what may be required”, said Tim.
In the softly lit, whisky cask room and bottling hall – which has an array of different brands of barrels – visitors can enjoy A D Rattray’s ‘Whisky Experience’.
Two casks actually do have whisky in them, one has an 11 year old Bowmore, and the other a 14 year old Cragganmore from which you can fill your own bottle of whisky, have it sealed in wax, and then your own personalised label put onto it.
At the moment this is £45 per bottle but the price may change, up or down, depending on the current whisky in the cask.
Added to all of this a programme of educational courses about whiskies, their fascinating histories, and subtleties is being put together.
These will be held in the spacious upstairs board room adjacent to the administration offices.
Anyone can come along and enjoy these courses but it’s envisaged that professional Sommeliers who work in hotels, and who may know a lot about wines, but not whiskies, will be amongst those who will most benefit.
Shop manager is Raphael Marinoni who is half German and half Italian and who has led an international career in the hospitality industry.
Raphael, who masterminds the tastings, was formerly bar manager at Turnberry Hotel and has been in Scotland since 2003.
Added Tim: “We have whiskies that are deemed collectables.”
“Some of these collectables are for sale but there are those that are so unique that they are only for viewing and Raphael will be delighted to explain their background.”
“One of the most valuable of the collection, and not for sale, is a Glen Grant which was already a 30 year old whisky when it was finally taken from the cask and bottled in 1960.
Quite often, when people hear which company I work for, the question is often asked of me: "What’s your favourite wine/beer/whisky, etc.?"
As anyone who has experience in the beverage alcohol industry can attest, there’s rarely any single product that one can honestly claim is his or her true favourite.
Personally, I think this is the major difference between connoisseurs and snobs: snobs like (or detest) one style, one grape variety, one region or one brand more than any other; connoisseurs can appreciate all beverage alcohols on their merit. This is not to say that we like all alcohols, it’s just that we can appreciate the good ones because they have style, elegance and something that really speaks to us.
As a result, in the dead of a Canadian Prairie winter, I’m not interested in drinking a freshly chilled Riesling or Corona. Just imagine yourself outside right now. You’re maybe waiting for the bus, walking to school, playing hockey or something like that. It’s –30 C and with the windchill — well, let’s just say that you haven’t felt your extremities in half an hour. Do you really think a Corona is going to warm you up?
No, you want something from a place where they understand cold. One such place is the Highland Park Distillery on the Orkney Islands. It’s windswept, damp, treeless and at the same latitude as Churchill, Man. This is bone-chilling cold and the folks there make a 12-year aged whisky to warm yer soul and put some hair on yer, er, nevermind. It’s a little sweet, a little smoke, with awesome power and length. This is not a whisky for dandy gentlemen; it’s a whisky for scoundrels, outdoorsmen and Canadian winters.
How Scottish Scientists Re-Created a Hundred-Year-Old Whisky
In 1907, Ernest Shackleton and crew set out on the ship Nimrod to visit Antarctica and, they hoped, the South Pole. The good news was, the entire party survived the trip, thanks in part to the Rare Old Highland Whisky they brought to the frozen continent. But the expedition was forced to evacuate in 1909, some 100 miles short of the Pole they sought. And, as winter ice encroached and the men hurried home, they left behind three cases of the choice whisky.
In 2007, just about a century later, the whisky was found, intact, at the expedition's hut at Cape Royds in Antarctica.
The stuff was made by Mackinlay & Co at the Glen Mhor distillery in 1896 or thereabouts. Mackinlay hasn't been an active brand for a while now, but the current owner of the Mackinlay name, Whyte and Mackay, obtained a few of the precious bottles and set out to do what any right-thinking Scot would do: first, taste the whisky; and second, attempt to analyze and re-create it. The result, a product called Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky, is, as of this writing, buyable in stores.
How was the re-creation carried out? Dr. James Pryde, chief chemist at Whyte and Mackay, subjected the samples to a comprehensive chemical analysis, in conjunction with a rigorous sensory analysis (that is, sniffing and tasting). Firstly, it was established that the alcoholic strength of the whisky was high enough that it very likely never froze over the years it spent interred in Antarctica. In winter, the hut reached a minimum temperature of -32.5°C, but, at 47 percent alcohol, the whisky remained liquid down to a couple of degrees cooler than that extreme. This eliminated what had been a significant source of concern about the quality of the sample, that decades of freezing and thawing had altered or ruined it. Carbon dating verified that the whisky did indeed date from the Shackleton era.
Phenol and related phenolic compounds show up in Scotch whiskies, giving them the unmistakable character that's referred to "peaty," because the flavor is introduced when the grain is exposed to peat smoke during the malting process. Chemical analysis revealed not only the quantity of phenolics in the Mackinlay -- surprisingly low, given that era's reputation for heavily peated malts -- but also the particular balance of compounds, which enabled the experts to pinpoint what region the peat used had likely come from. The answer? Orkney.
Similarly, analysis of the compounds that result from barrel-aging was able to finger the barrels in which the whisky was aged as ones made from American oak and probably used once before to age wine or sherry. Gas chromatograph olfactometry, in which the spirit is broken down into its volatile components and each of these smelled individually by experts, gave clues as to details of the fermentation and distilling process. The analysts write:
Other aromas detected by olfactometry and related to lactic acid bacterial growth were a stale solvent aroma of ethyl 2-butenoate, and sweet/ peaches, sweet/peaches/coriander leaf aroma at retention times of 15.4, 38.71 and 39.41 min respectively; the latter retention indices and descriptors agreeing with those published for γ- and δ-dodecalactones.
Armed with all this detail, Whyte and Mackay's master distiller, Richard Paterson, was able to delve into the wealth of warehoused casks and, with the help of his prodigious nose, blend a number of whiskies in exact proportions to replicate the Shackleton spirit. The re-creation, which is given a stint in sherry casks before bottling, includes some of the remaining whisky from the Glen Mhor distillery, which was demolished in 1986, supplemented with comparable liquor from nearby Dalmore. Benriach, Glenfarclas, and other Speyside whiskies lend their character, along with Balblair, Pulteney, and Jura.
The resulting blend was subjected to the same battery of chemical analysis as the original, and found to stack up quite comparably, their phenolics and esters finely matched.
Finally, minus the milliliters of whisky that had been carefully syringed out through their corks, the original bottles were returned from Scotland to the Shackleton expedition's hut, where they have been re-situated as part of the preserved environ by the Antarctic Heritage Trust.
Great Scot! It's whisky in a can ... eight shots for $5 to be sold in the United States
It's enough to make Scotch whisky connoisseurs choke on their single malt - a Scottish distillery has produced whisky in a can.
Each can, which cannot be resealed once opened, will contain 12 ounces - about eight shots - of 80-proof 'single grain scotch whisky'.
The company hopes to have the product on shelves in major American markets by February 1, retailing for $5 a can.
Unlike bottles, cans cannot be closed after they have been opened. That will force Scottish Spirits drinkers to either finish all eight shots of the blended scotch in a single occasion, or let some of the booze go to waste.
Critics have argued that eight shots of a beverage with the same alcohol content as venerable scotches including Johnnie Walker Blue and The Glenlivet 12 is too many to be sold in a container that can't be resealed.
The spirit has been distilled and matured for three years in oak casks in Scotland, according to the distillery company.
'There are many brands on the market and most brands are not created equal,' Ken Rubenfeld, vice president of operations for the distillery, Scottish Spirits Imports, told The Huffington Post.
'But most brands are served as equals in a glass type of vessel.
'Having something that's so creatively different -- it piques the curiosity.'
Packaging a high-end variety of liquor in what is widely considered to be a low budget container sounds like a novelty. But Rubenfeld insists its convenience -- not comic value -- that will drive sales.
'A lot of people like to have beverages by their pool, on their boat, in a campground, at sporting events or tailgate parties,' he said.
'It's easier to bring a six pack of a beverage verses bringing a bottle of scotch.'
For some, canned beverages carry a low-class stigma. But they don't necessarily mean low quality. In recent years, some microbreweries have turned to cans for reasons including cost, drinkability and sustainability.
'They are opaque, they are completely airtight, and the liners are pretty darn good,' said Lew Bryson, managing editor of Whisky Advocate magazine.
'It is not going to be affecting the flavor. The problem you run into is who is going to bang out 12 ounces in an evening?'
But Rubenfeld insists his product does not encourage binge drinking, arguing that consumers will know it should be sipped like Dewars, not gulped like Dr. Pepper.
'We want people to be responsible -- this is 12 fluid ounces of scotch whisky and people should treat it as such,' he said.
'I would think that your readers and most people of common sense would know that that's a lot of alcohol. They'll crack it open and pour it with Coke or some kind of mixer and have fun with it with their friends.'
Soon after the beverage's U.S. release, Scottish Spirits hopes to begin shipping the cans with an attachment that allows them to be resealed, however a spokeswoman said the brand has not yet developed a design for a resealable top that meets company standards.
'When the top is perfected, people will maybe have half a can with their friends and save the rest,' said Rubenfeld.
Nearly a year ago, an organisation that oversees scotch whisky manufacturing had harsh words for Scottish Spirits, claiming its canned beverage might not qualify as real scotch.
Rubenfeld says his company, which maintains an office in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and is part of a larger company based in the Cayman Islands, has 'worked diligently to meet every requirement' outlined by the Scotch Whisky Association and codified by 2009's Scotch Whisky Regulations.
Campbell Evans, a spokesman for the SWA, could not immediately confirm that Scottish Spirits has achieved certification as a true scotch whisky, stating he has not yet examined the beverage.
But Evans says the packaging isn't the problem.
'There is no reason why a product that is a genuine Single Grain Scotch Whisky cannot be sold in a can,' Evans said.
Some whisky experts have reservations about the packaging, but Brad Danler, general manager of the Brooklyn, N.Y. whisky bar and restaurant Char No. 4, says it's what's on the inside that counts.
'I understand why beer makes sense going back into cans, but with whisky it's certainly a surprise,' said Danler. 'I can't say that it makes much sense to me, but if it is delicious, then I will gladly crack one open and enjoy 12 ounces.'
WORK is progressing at pace on the conversion of an empty Glasgow whisky warehouse into a new £2.5 million home for sculptors and contemporary artists.
The seven-storey whisky bond, a 100,000sq ft red brick building next to the Forth and Clyde Canal in the Speirs Lock area of the city, is being transformed into the new home of Glasgow Sculpture Studios.
The premises, built in 1957 and owned by British Waterways, have been empty for more than 10 years. It was last used as a mushroom factory before falling into disuse.
It will now be the place of work for some of Scotland's leading contemporary artists, including Turner Prize-nominated figures such as Nathan Coley and Christine Borland, Alex Frost and Laura Aldridge.
Bricked-up windows have now been knocked out to let light back into the cavernous interior.
Glasgow Sculpture Studios is one of the key organisations for artists in Scotland, boasting more than 50 members, including David Shrigley, Calum Stirling and Claire Barclay and its premises are used by artists such as Jim Lambie and Toby Paterson.
The redevelopment of the building will add another landmark to an area quickly becoming a key hub of Scotland's cultural landscape.
The National Theatre of Scotland, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and Scottish Opera have offices or facilities at Speirs Lock, with The Glue Factory, another revamped industrial space, providing a new centre for contemporary art display.
The redeveloped bond will re-open next year with at least 40 studios. The top four floors are to be rented by small companies, artists and businesses in the creative industries.
The development will also create a public gallery, temporary work spaces, and a cafe.
Funding for the redevelopment has come from Glasgow City Council, Creative Scotland and a mixture of trusts and other sources, as well as investment by Isis, a company set up by British Waterways, and backing from the Glasgow Canal Regeneration Partnership.
LONDON: The whisky industry in Scotland, one of the most popular in the world, has not been affected by the economic downturn because of developing overseas markets, especially in India, China and Brazil, a report said.
Scottish whisky exports increased by 23 percent last year, Sky News reported.
Whisky has become one of Britain's biggest exports at a time when the country's economy was ailing. The drink is now worth over 4.5 billion pounds (Rs.370 billion) a year.
Every second, 125 pounds (around Rs.10,300) are being poured into the British economy through revenue and jobs centred around whisky.
"Obviously their economies are doing very, very well. There's a growing middle class which obviously has growing disposable income," said Iain Weir, marketing director of the Gelngoyne Distillery, near Loch Lomond in Scotland.
"They are aspirational with regards to their consumption and I'm delighted to say whisky, and in particular single malt whisky, is very much on their shopping list. I think they very much appreciate the history and the provenance and authenticity that comes with Scotch whisky," he said.
But there is also a concern that if such a demand continues, it could outrun supply.
Rosemary Gallagher, from the industry's governing body, the Scottish Whisky Association, says distillers were prepared.
"Companies have seen this demand coming and have planned ahead. Scottish whisky is a long term industry. So companies have invested one billion pounds in infrastructure in the last five years, expanding distilleries and opening new warehouses, so we're geared up for demand," she said.
It's been a good year for scotch, but Scottish distillers can't rest on their laurels - they have serious competition from some far-flung places
There's never a more fitting time to think about whisky than when the new year is marching up the garden path, and for most people whisky means scotch. But while exports from Scotland have broken records in 2011 (the equivalent of 570m bottles waved a tearful farewell at the docks in the first half of the year alone and there's even been talk of a possible shortage as a result) the industry can't afford to be complacent.
While there's plenty of financial motivation for unscrupulous distillers to attempt to pass off substandard spirits as scotch, it's the whiskies produced around the world in the style of scotch, yet which don't claim to be scotch, that ought to keep the industry on its toes.
Well, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and there's a whole cadre of carefully crafted drams from the furthest reaches of Asia to Scotland's very doorstep that are only too happy to trumpet their true origins. The co-writer of the excellent Whisky for Everyone website Matt Chambers kindly agreed to meet me at The Albannach whisky bar on Trafalgar Square for a taste tour of the whisky distilling world to see how these interlopers match up.
Japan
The Japanese have a long tradition of enjoying and emulating scotch whisky, and for this reason it was to Osaka that we first ventured. The Yamazaki distillery was founded in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii, following an exhaustive 5 year mission to Scotland to study all facets of whisky-making on the part of his collaborator Masataka Taketsuru. The stills were manufactured in Scotland and shipped out and imported peat lends flavour. The result, in the Suntory 12 year old is a honey-coloured whisky that mimics, even mirrors a fine single malt scotch. I've tasted a few whiskies in my time and reckon this would take me in if someone handed me a glass and said it was scotch.
India
Next we sampled Amrut's Fusion single malt, an Indian whisky distilled in Bangalore from a mix of Scottish and Indian barley. The desire to echo scotch in the ingredients is repeated in the both the name of the distillery (as "whisky" comes from the Gaelic "uisge beatha" meaning "water of life", so "amrut" in Hindi refers to "eternal life") and its location 3,000 feet above sea level in an area of India held to resemble the Scottish climate. Temperatures as reliably cool as those which grace Scotland are not common here, however, and the speed at which the raw spirit matures (and evaporates through the wooden walls of the barrels) is consequently much greater. This means whiskies are declared finished and bottled after only a few years in the cask and age statements are eschewed.
The results don't appear to suffer unduly for their lack of age - the distillery has been in operation since 1948 and the Fusion doesn't look or taste like a young spirit. Bottled at 50% abv it's heady with an attractive amber colour, plenty of grainy flavour and some peat.
Taiwan
Compared with the venerable distilleries of Japan and India the Taiwanese are relative newcomers to whisky production, with a matching youthful zest and enthusiasm. Using equipment made in Scotland the Kavalan distillery was built in just 8 months of 2006 and produces some 6m litres of whisky a year. As in Bangalore the ambient temperature makes for rapid maturation, and given its age bottle we tried had staggering depth of fruity flavours edging towards dark chocolate, and an incredible gem-like amber colour.
This one was really surprising - the thought that only 5 years of distilling and 2 of maturation can produce results like this presents a challenge to the idea that whisky in the scotch style has to be old. Unfortunately for buyers in the UK Kavalan, like many top quality international whiskies, outside its native country it's only really to be found in airport duty free shops (it's certainly not yet available duty-paid in the UK).
Netherlands
If the Netherlands doesn't leap into your mind as a top-flight whisky-producing nation then you're not alone, but Fred and Patrick van Zuidam started making eau de vie in the late 1970s and have been distilling whisky since 1998. They pride themselves on their small-batch, artisanal approach and only bottle about 20,000 litres each year. The Millstone we tried has a delicate colour and is long on grain flavours followed by herby, slightly medicinal fennel notes.
Wales
Closer to the inner sanctum of scotch is Penderyn distillery in the Brecon Beacons to the north of Cardiff. Using an innovative Faraday still (which works like this. What could be more straightforward?) the distillery has been producing whisky since 2000. In the cool Welsh climate these spirits are now coming of age; the single malt Welsh Gold is finished in Madeira casks which add a note of sweetness to the grainy nose and grassy flavour, and there's a sherry cask finish too which pits the grain against dried fruit. Their peated expression was the pick of the bunch for me; rather than using peated barley the whisky is finished in old Islay casks and has flavours of stinging nettles, capsicum and Greek honey.
England
The appropriately named English Whisky Company is the first in over a century. Distillation began in 2006 under the eye of Iain Henderson, a former Laphroaig man who was persuaded to help set things in motion. They call each fresh experiment in whisky-making a "chapter", which makes for extra interest as the history of the project is laid out for all to taste. The Chapter 6 we tried was grassy, grainy and fresh; the peated Chapter 9 much more complex with sausagey, barbecuey notes and a honeyed sweetness in the mouth.
What makes an end of year dram for you? Will you go for an old familiar favourite or might you take the opportunity to try something new?
SCOTLAND’S longest serving cooper has laid down his tools for the final time.
Don Ramsay has retired from the Glenfiddich Distillery after more than 50 years in the job.
During his career with the family-owned whisky business, which he joined on Christmas Day 1961, the expert craftsman has created more than 200,000 casks.
The distillery, in Dufftown, Banffshire, has named a limited edition whisky in his honour.
Mr Ramsay, 65, joined the distillery at the age of 15 and his apprenticeship lasted five years.
When he started out there were only four coopers at the distillery. Now there are 14.
He said: “I have spent my entire working life at Glenfiddich and it will be very strange not coming here any longer. I will definitely miss the banter and the chat but I have lots of plans for my future including a trip next year to New Zealand and Australia.”
Court Stops Indian Companies Passing Off Alcohol As 'Scotch whisky'
A court has stepped in to prevent two Indian drinks companies "dishonestly" passing off their local whisky as Scotch.
Local whisky brands Royal Barrel, Glenmon and F&G were being passed off as Scotch whisky on their labels and packaging.
The Scotch Whisky Association in Edinburgh took legal action against two Indian companies, Glenmon Distillers and Imperial Distillers, to prevent the false branding.
An Indian court has now granted a temporary injunction to stop the company printing the phrase Scotch Whisky on their goods or selling their alcohol under a trade name including the word "Glen".
The court said the company had "indirectly misled" the public by "dishonestly" adopting the Scottish branding.
The companies are now contesting the action and the case will continue.
India is the largest spirits market in the world and whisky exports to the country from Scotland were worth £35.3m in the first nine months of 2011.
Glen Barclay, Scotch Whisky Association director of legal affairs, said: "The problem of ‘passing off’, where consumers could be led to believe that a product is
genuine Scotch Whisky when it’s not, is something the SWA has long fought against
through the courts.
"We’re pleased that the judge recognises our concerns in this case through a temporary injunction. We will continue to pursue the action in Goa to seek a permanent order against the companies."
TODAY (December 22), on the winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, BenRiach is delighted to announce the launch of its new 17 year-old Solstice single malt.
It’s the Elgin distillery’s second Solstice expression, following the heavily-peated Solstice 15 year-old launched this time last year which Jim Murray in his Whisky Bible describes as “spellbinding”.
Just like the original Solstice release, this BenRiach has been distilled from heavily peated malted barley, then matured in ex-bourbon casks before finally being finished in tawny port casks.
The winter Solstice is the point at which the Earth is tilted at its furthest from the sun and it’s the day of the year with the fewest daylight hours. Worldwide, many cultures regard the Solstice as representing rebirth and festivals…and Billy Walker’s tasting notes confirm the 17 year-old is the perfect celebratory midwinter malt.
In appearance, it shows distinct rose characteristics, with a bright copper crest.
On the nose, lascivious fruits with a fabulous aroma of stewed summer berries including strawberries, blackcurrants and red currants. The berry component is richly locked together by a muscular peaty blast. Latter traces of fortified wine and grape-like qualities become apparent.
On the palate, initial dry-roasted nutty notes advance to become a heavy peaty affair. Subtle notes of dried raisins and candied fruit. Clean and very enticing with the dominant peat flavours lingering on the palate. Smooth and very long. A unique mix of fruit and peat which marry with extraordinary precision in classic proportions.
Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “Our new malt is a superb marriage of peat and fruit, a worthy successor to our 15 year-old...and just as spellbinding.
“With the wind howling and the rain battering against the window, it’s a wonderfully warming late-night dram. The original Solstice was one of our most popular releases over the last couple of years, so hopefully the second edition will be as well received.”
The bottling strength for the Solstice 17 year-old is 50%. It’s presented in a rigid gift box and a limited quantity is available worldwide.
Article Courtesy of Press release
Press Release
21 Dec
2011
A $750 Shot Of Whisky -- On The House
What does a $750 shot of Scotch taste like? Brent Kaufer found out on Tuesday night — and it didn’t cost him a penny. The 31-year-old was the first person to go through every pour on the St. Paul Grill’s extensive single-malt Scotch list — 72 in all. It took him 10 months and cost about $2,000 overall. His prize was the Holy Grail of Scotches: a complimentary pour of the ultra-rare and ultra-expensive Macallan 55. (Ok, so it cost him a little something to taste this revered whisky.)
As its name suggests, this particular Scotch was aged for 55 years in sherry oak barrels in Speyside, Scotland. The old distillery made only 100 bottles available for distribution in the United States. The St. Paul Grill purchased four of them during the 2008 Republican National Convention. Each bottle was priced at about $12,000.
On Tuesday, Kaufer brought his fiance along for the monumental end of his Scotch tasting journey (anyone can join the bar’s Scotch club and attempt to reach this goal). She described him as the opposite of a partier who blows his money on overpriced whisky. He’s the studious type, but with a competitive streak. Kaufer works fulltime as a sales manager at a large telecommunications company and is a full-time grad student. His weekly late-night retreat to the St. Paul Grill was his “oasis from studying,” he said.
Part of the Macallan 55’s mystique lies in its marketing, something Kaufer fully acknowledged. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to taste the difference between a $75 pour or this $750 doozy. “But that sense of history isn’t lost on me,” he said. “The liquid is older than my parents. It’ll take three seconds for each sip, but it took 55 years to produce this particular flavor profile.”
And with that, he drank. The Macallan 55 is known for its smokiness and lingering citrus finish. After allowing the initial drops to wash over his tongue, Kaufer struggled to describe the flavors held within the 55-year-old liquid.
$17,500 Whisky Tops List Of B.C.'s Most Expensive Bottles
If you’re looking to impress at Christmas time, nothing will do that better than a really expensive bottle. So if you have a spare $17,500 laying around, why not consider purchasing a bottle of Highland Park 50 Year Old, whisky that holds the distinction of being the most expensive bottle sold in B.C.
If it's wine you crave, think about a bottle of Taylor Fladgate Scion, a “magical” port that's the most expensive wine right now on BC Liquor Stores shelves. Just $3,500!
Still think that’s too much? Perhaps one of these other bottles, from a list of the most expensive wine and spirits in B.C., will do the trick. Information and availability are provided by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch.
Master of Malt of malt has launched a Blend Your Own Whisky service, allowing whisky lovers to literally create their own bespoke blend and order it personalised!
(PRWEB UK) 20 December 2011
In late November 2011, Master of Malt launched the Blend Your Own Whisky service. Whisky lovers can now visit the Blend Your Own Whisky page and literally create a blended whisky of their very own using a set of sliders to adjust the quantities of 10 different “ingredients”.
Once this is done, the whisky’s label can be personalised with a name and then ordered. It couldn’t be simpler...
The service has become a huge success almost overnight, with hundreds of whisky lovers already using it. In fact, it has now become so popular that Master of Malt have reduced the minimum order from a case of 6, down to just one bottle! This means you can now create your very own, custom blended whisky and order a single bottle from as little as £33.58!
For years, only a very select few ever had the opportunity to blend their own whisky, but now Master of Malt has created a simple, easy-to-use webpage allowing anyone to try their hand at whisky blending! These custom blends make the ultimate gift for friends and family. It is also perfect for anyone who just can’t find a blended whisky they really like, because they can now make their own Scotch as sweet, smoky, peaty or fruity as they could ever wish!
To help create the blend, Master of Malt is also selling a Home Blending Kit, which contains samples of each of the 10 different blending whiskies (including malt and grain “base whiskies”, various single malts for the core of the blend, and some very old, very rare top-dressers). The kit also contains measuring equipment, a conical flask and a tasting glass to allow you to perfect your recipe before having it made up.
Recession or no recession, there's always something worth investing in, and if you're not the rare coinage type, perhaps you'd like to sink your cash into something a little more...alcoholic? Whisky is apparently the investment of the moment, so put down that $117G wine bottle and grab some Johnnie Walker instead.
"Over the last 10 to 15 years, the demand for whisky has just increased," says Sukhinder Singh, director of The Whisky Exchange, on online whisky shop. "My feeling is that the risk in whisky is quite low." Auctions are opening up all over the world, with rare, old bottles from distilleries like Scotland's Macallan fetching huge numbers in America, Asia, and Russia, which has apparently forsaken vodka in exchange for the good stuff. A 64-year-old Macallan auctioned last year for charity went for a world-record price of $460,000.
For those seriously considering booze as a future, get a better idea of what's selling at the The World Whisky Index, the alcoholic stock market started by the founder of The Whisky Exchange. And recreational drinkers need not apply: plan to load up on 120-150 bottles before you're considered a serious player, and remember—you can't actually drink them. Don't stress too much, though—if your portfolio totally goes to shit, we hear whisky makes a great gift for the ladies.
Cutty Sark calls in Inkling to tap into new generation of whisky drinkers
The global PR account has been handed to Inkling after a four-stage pitch process, revealed by PRWeek, involving 15 agencies.
This is the first time the company has called in outside PR support for the Scotch whisky brand it bought from Berry Bros. & Rudd in February 2010. Its other brands include The Famous Grouse and The Macallan.
The appointment is part of a fresh global marketing strategy to introduce a new generation of whisky drinkers to Cutty Sark and to establish the brand in several key and emerging markets.
Inkling, the agency set up earlier this year by former Cake account director Nicola Rutledge, UK events director Will Parkinson and David Proudlock, a planner previously at WCRS, Cake and Saatchi & Saatchi, is tasked with delivering a global public and media relations strategy.
The agency specialises in PR, events, strategy and content, and works with clients that include ghd, MAMA Group and Gio-Goi.
Rutledge and Proudlock will head the account and report to Cutty Sark brand controller Jason R. Craig.
Craig said: ‘PR is an essential element of the brand’s global comms strategy. Our job as brand guardians is to lead from the front and inspire both our agencies and distribution partners to fully realise the brand’s potential.
‘This partnership will bring to life the spirit of adventure that our brand represents and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership.’
Inkling will work alongside The Edrington Group’s global brand team, digital, advertising and local market agencies to create and integrated campaigns globally.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
18 Dec
2011
Benriach In High Spirits As 10,000th Cask Is Fillled
AWARD-WINNING BenRiach distillery reached another fantastic milestone this week – for the first time since it changed ownership in 2004, the distillery has managed to fill 10,000 casks of single malt whisky in one year.
The cask, containing approximately 500 litres, was a second-fill Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon filled with classic-style BenRiach.
Stewart Buchanan, Production Manager at the Elgin distillery, said: “This is an amazing achievement. The distillery was built by John Duff in 1898 and we have an uninterrupted inventory of single malts dating back to 1966.
“The casks we have filled since then contain the highest-quality whisky and the many expressions are incredibly complex and varied. There is no doubt in terms of blood, sweat and tears, this has been the busiest year we have had at the distillery since it became independent. As we entered December, we had a wee suspicion that we might hit the magic 10,000 cask number for the first time so we were keeping a close eye as the cask numbers ascended and we eventually filled cask No. 10,000 on Wednesday December 14th.”
Managing Director Billy Walker said: “This milestone in our distillery production coincides with a really interesting period for BenRiach. We’ve won a number of high-profile awards recently, our worldwide sales are strong and we're opening up new markets for BenRiach.
“This is a further indication of the current popularity of Scotch whisky and the confidence the industry has that demand will grow going forward.
“Cask No. 10,000 will no doubt attract more attention than others and it will be interesting to see how the whisky contained within it develops over the years!
“Congratulations to Stewart and everyone at BenRiach on a tremendous achievement.”
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
16 Dec
2011
Blending spirits is an art
Not many are blessed like Robert Hicks, who tastes the ‘water of life’ for a living. But the job of crafting a spirit is not as simple as it may seem. The creator of Laphroaig 30 Year that clinched the highest honour of Best Whisky of Show and a Double Gold medal at the San Francisco World
Spirits Competition 2006, tells you what it takes to create a fine spirit.
“Most people think it’s a job they’d love to do, tasting twenty glasses of superb whisky a day. It sounds beautiful but that’s like daydreaming,” says the Scotland-based whisky consultant, who was in the city to launch Teacher’s 25 Years Old Blended Scotch Whisky and Teacher’s Highland Single Malt Whisky.
drinkTalking about his craft, Hicks says, “Blending is a complex task. Sometimes you have to test 700 samples a day. Relying on your sense of taste could leave you with a hangover. So, you need to hone your sense of smell. That way it’s easy to test up to 1000 samples each day,” he says.
You also need an excellent memory for aromas. “After 47 years, I am still discovering new ones,” says Hicks. But that’s only the beginning. “A good knowledge of single malt and grain distilling and coopering, warehousing, blending, bottling, stock control, sales and marketing are also a must. That means working in all these departments. Now you can see why it’s always such a long apprenticeship,” he says.
But most importantly what makes a master blender, he says, is dedication and perseverance. “It takes years to become skilled. You immerse yourself in the job for the next 30 or 40 years of your life. For me, it’s been 47 years and I still love everyday of it.”
Among his creations, Hicks is most proud of Laphroaig Quarter Cask that broke the mould for malt whiskies. “There is no age on the bottle. It’s about flavour and quality and the whisky drinkers are mature enough to realise that age sometimes, is just a number,” he says.
Hicks wanted to create a designer whisky but with Laphroaig being a powerful malt, there wasn’t much he could do with it. So he used various ages from 5 Year Old to to 11 Year Old to get a distinct flavour. “I then built small 120-litre quarter casks and filled these with that mix of Laphroaig’s and let them mature on the island of Islay.
This maturing changed the style of flavour; it made the whisky smell soft and gentle but taste intense,” he shares. “It’s like a wolf in sheep’s clothing”! I love to see the surprise on people’s face — the smell says it’d be soft to drink, but the taste explodes in the mouth,” adds Hicks.
Hicks describes Teacher’s 25 Year Old as ‘a characterful, rich and smooth blend.’ “Only the finest aged casks of at least 25 years of age are first hand selected, followed by the art of blending — which is more art than science — to craft the finished spirit,” says Hicks.
Who a master blender is...
A master blender works out the composition of blended spirits. In the Scotch whisky industry, the master blender picks up single malts and grain whiskies to create a blended whisky. A master blender also checks maturation of spirits, ensures consistency and quality. Blending is a complex and long term job, and requires blenders to stick to one distiller for a long time. Master blenders have apprentices working with them who often succeed them.
David Blackmore Named Scotch Whisky Ambassador of the Year by Whisky Magazine
According to the judges: "... David Blackmore has been indefatigable in promoting the Glenmorangie range, its sister distillery Ardbeg and raising the profile of Scotch in the USA."
A native of Scotland, David is a professional whisky tutor with a background at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh and London. David previously led the Society's prestigious "Tasting Panel" in cask selections, an art in itself.
As Glenmorangie Master Brand Ambassador, David leads the Glenmorangie USA educational program in Single Malt Scotch Whisky appreciation. Through tastings and events across the U.S., David educates on the nuances and intricacies of the Scotch category in general, with unparalleled enthusiasm. This has helped Glenmorangie become the fastest growing Single Malt whisky in the US for the third year in a row.
David also holds the distinction of being the only U.S. based global ambassador. He has been sharing his knowledge and passion for the last six years with thousands of people all over the world.
"I am truly honored to be commended by my peers for doing work I love for a company I believe in. It's my goal for everyone to appreciate the traditions and history of Scotch as much as I do," said David after receiving the award.
Notes to Editors For further information and to schedule an interview with David please email glenmorangiepr@mme.net.
About GlenmorangieThe Glenmorangie distillery was founded in 1843 in the Highlands of Scotland and is renowned as a pioneer in its field for uniting tradition with innovation. Glenmorangie is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills, expertly matured in the finest oak casks, and perfected by the 16 Men of Tain. It has been Scotland's favorite single malt for over 50 years and is famous worldwide for producing the most complex and perfectly balanced Single Malts in the world.
About The Glenmorangie CompanyThe Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moet Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH). Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the company produces two main single malt brands - Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay Malt Whisky.
About Whisky MagazinePublished 8 times a year Whisky Magazine is the perfect complement to the dram in your glass. Every issue brings you fascinating articles on the art, science and romance of the 'water of life', plus page after page of tasting notes.
Responsible Drinking
The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savor Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.
Two bargain-hunters were up before the birds last week to get their hands on rare bottles of single malt whisky.
The Aldi store in Airdrie put six bottles of the 40-year-old Glenbridge malt whisky on sale at £49.99 on Thursday morning. A whisky of that maturity normally retails for between £250 to £300.
The store was unable to sell alcohol until 10am but the first six customers to arrive were handed vouchers to enable them to return to the store and buy the limited edition bottles.
Airdrie woman Frances Dickson joined the queue at 6.30am. The earliest bargain-hunter was there at 4.30am. Frances is giving the malt to her son-in-law who collects whisky.
Another lucky customer was Anne McFarlane who lives near the store. She arrived at 6.45am. Anne's husband John is also a collector of malt whisky.
The German supermarket chain had put 3000 bottles on sale nationwide, with each store receiving only five or six bottles. They were quickly snapped up with several appearing for sale on eBay at prices up to £250 before 10am that morning.
Fine whisky has been part of Scotland’s heritage for over 500 years, but it is only recently that the investment opportunities for its most famous export have become clear. With global demand for luxury whisky on the rise, putting your money in Scottish single malt could make you some pretty neat returns.
“Over the last 10 to 15 years, the demand for whisky has just increased,” said director of The Whisky Exchange, Sukhinder Singh.
“My feeling is that the risk in whisky is quite low," he said. "I can just feel the demand globally; even very recently I’m watching prices go wild over the past six months.”
While the US remains the top Scotch whisky importer, with more than $400 million sold there this year, Asia has seen the largest increase. Demand from Singapore rose 64 percent, making it the third largest importer, and in Taiwan demand was up 45 percent.
Whisky writer Jonny McCormick explained global interest to CNBC: “Just in the last couple of years we’ve seen new auctions open up by Bonhams in New York and in Hong Kong, and these sales are extremely popular. We’ve seen nearly 100 percent sales by lot and by value and the American collecting market is extremely lively. The Chinese and Japanese market is very popular."
The Macallan distillery is one of Scotland’s most famous brands, and has become a strong name in whisky investment.
David Cox, director of fine & rare whiskies at the Macallan, told CNBC, “We were one of the early pioneers if you like, in the release and availability of very rare and old whiskies. As we released these onto the market, that, together with the reputation of the Macallan, attracted collectors and connoisseurs around the world.”
Cox also highlighted the increasing importance of less traditional markets.
"Russia has become a very, very important market for us," he said. "There's still many collectors in Europe and certainly North America as well, who are on the lookout for special Macallan bottlings. But as a proportion of the ones that we are releasing these days, certainly we are seeing a higher and higher percentage going to Asia-Pacific and to Russia."
For the potential investor, names like the Macallan are a great bet; a 64-year-old Macallan auctioned last year for charity achieved a world-record price of $460,000. While of course not all bottles are fetching these kinds of prices, Singh says investors have a budget in mind—and enough space to house a collection—then getting into this market is easier than it used to be, and specialist shops and auctions are the places to be.
"It’s much easier now that it was a number of years ago," he said. "As the demand for whisky has increased, more and more specialist whisky shops have cropped up.
"There are a number of auction houses. I remember when I started there was only one, and there was only one auction a year. I think today there are three or four auction houses doing whisky and each of them are having maybe anywhere between three to four sales a year, which is quite a lot."
"A collection of about 120-150 bottles ... is a nice size collection. You’ll have a balance of some really standard stuff, you’ll have some very rare stuff which is quite expensive, but it’s a controllable size."
Cox agreed that modesty was the best policy. “Its like any investment, it can go up and of course it can go down. Start carefully, modestly, research the market and buy on limited number of bottlings. I think they’re the most important things to look for.”
And it seems rarity is a watch-word in this market. “Certainly availability is one thing, so closed distilleries and past bottlings become very popular,” said McCormick.
Singh was also keen on these "lost distilleries"—old producers whose names evoke the rarity and exclusivity for the best investments. “Now a lost distillery is a distillery that closed a number of years ago and will probably never re-open. So let’s say…Brora for example. Brora closed in 1984...And what we find is every year the price just goes up.”
Unlike with wine, there are few established investment vehicles available. Michel Kappen, who founded The Whisky Exchange and who answered viewers' investment questions on CNBC, started an index this year. Kappen is looking to start a fund in 2012.
While watching for rarity and exclusivity improve investors' chances of seeing a profit, experts agree that genuine love of whisky is all important; this isn't just about cold hard cash.
"The way I classify whisky is I think it’s the pinnacle of spirits," said Singh. "It’s the ultimate spirit. People start with gin, vodka, and will evolve onto something slightly more approachable, maybe rum and eventually, they will end up with whisky. People fall in love with whisky, I don’t think there’s any turning back. Because there is so much diversity, there’s so many flavors, basically there is something for everyone."
McCormick was also keen to stress the emotional attachment to the drink. "Most people are collecting rather than cold-hearted investing. People aren’t purely looking at it for profit; it really matters to them where the bottle comes from, and what it means to them personally and to the rest of their collection.
"No two people’s collections are alike," McCormick said. "And people buy for very, very personal reasons. They enjoy the side benefit—the fact that they’re going up and up—and that’s why people are getting more involved in the investment side of it."
I recommend picking up the Economist’s Intelligent Life magazine for Rebecca Willis’s thoughtful meditation on the meaning of black in fashion, as the camouflage of nuns and punks alike. It’s a tricky question to unravel. Meanwhile, in the whisky world, the semiotics of blackness are straightforward to parse: Black signifies roughness, robustness and, where Scotch is concerned, the challenging aroma of smoke.
Whiskies branded black have been with us for years: Bushmills Black Bush (Irish) and Jim Beam Black (bourbon) are both tasty, affordable standbys. This holiday whisky-gifting season has given Canadian shoppers three new “black” whiskies, all worthwhile.
Ontario prices given.
The Black Grouse $33.55
There are two kinds of cheap blended whisky: Brands for people who don’t know any better, and brands whisky connoisseurs drink when they’re slumming it. The Famous Grouse belongs to the latter category. The Black Grouse is its new, smokier cousin. A nice stinky, funky dose of smoke is a rare thing at this price point. So it’s a pleasant experience putting my nose down the glass and coming up with a big hit of smoke and pear. Smells like a whisky that costs twice as much. A sip brings spice, some apricot and a smooth texture. This is the poor man’s Lagavulin: an absolutely fantastic whisky, and it’s yours for a song (do grouses sing?). A splendid gift for a fan of Islay whiskies or Talisker.
Johnnie Walker Double Black $69.95
The familiar Johnnie Walker Black already carries edgy and even sinister connotations; Christopher Hitchens noted it is the favourite whisky of unsavoury Middle Eastern characters (it’s also his; he called it “the best blended Scotch in the history of the world”). Booze conglomerate Diageo doubles down with a heavily peated, limited-release version dubbed Double Black. The contemplative drinker is rewarded with tropical fruit, chocolate and vanilla flavours. And yes, smoke. It’s the perfect gift if you have a member of the Saudi royal family on your shopping list, or a garden-variety worldly gourmand.
Crown Royal Black $34.95
Compared to regular Crown Royal (a decent product in its own right), the new Black is bigger, bolder, spicier and gives off a hint of the tar-like molasses flavours I normally associate with a top-shelf rum. In the mouth, it is grainy and quite spicy — it’s not a luxurious whisky so much as a straightforward return on the label’s promise to be “robust [and] full-bodied.” Take it with ice or mix with one of those fancy cola brands made from cane sugar. Better yet, use it in cocktails that call for Canadian whisky. Crown Royal Black is 45% alcohol, and higher-octane whiskies have enough burliness to taste great after the dilution that happens in a cocktail shaker. In short, a terrific gift for the fan of Canadian whisky, especially if he’s a strong-but-thoughtful type who wears a lot of flannel.
Scotch whisky fans will love these distillery tours
Scotland, a country where supposedly every penny is a prisoner, enthusiastically reports revenues of over $100 million from Canadians visiting in 2010.
It's no wonder that regions throughout Scotland are vying for the chance to entice 2012 visitors to their area.
Speyside, in northeast Scotland, is the region that tops my list as a very worthwhile holiday destination. I had the chance to enjoy some of the local highlights and check out a number of accommodation choices while attending the Autumn Speyside Whisky Festival.
Today's column gives just a few ideas on what to do and where to stay, but readers looking for a more complete list should check www.spiritofspeyside.com.
Local tour highlights in Speyside all begin with distillery visits. It's easy to make plans to visit more than one a day as most distilleries are within proximity of each other.
If your time is limited to just one or two days in Speyside, make sure to visit Glenfarclas and Balvenie distilleries as they are two of the best.
Glenfarclas distillery is the first choice of many whisky connoisseurs. It was one of the first distilleries in the area to open a visitor centre and has a unique history of being owned and managed by the Grant family since 1865.
Tours include the opportunity to walk through the numerous buildings to observe the complex process of turning barley and water into whisky. There is also a chance to go inside the cool, dark and musky stone buildings and walk along the many rows of maturing malt casks.
The tour guides are experts in, not only their product, but also the intriguing history of whisky making. Anyone planning on taking a tour and sampling a few drams at Glenfarclas should check www.glenfarclas.co.uk.
Balvenie distillery has the distinction of being the only distillery that still grows some of its own barley and continues the tradition of floor maltings. Visitors can watch the maltmen turning the barley with wooden shovels as it begins to germinate on the floor.
This practice of floor malting takes place four times a day, seven days a week as the barley is prepared for transferring to the kiln room.
Balvenie is an exceptional charming distillery where visitors are given a unique opportunity to watch the complete process of whisky making before sampling their exceptional single malts. Details for touring are available at www.thebalvenie.com.
Accommodation choices range from first-class hotels to outstanding bed and breakfast establishments. The Craigellachie Hotel, located right in Craigellachie, is a wonderful old hotel for visitors wanting traditional hotel service, including a dining room offering fine meals.
Just across the street is the Highlander Inn where the rooms are more modest but the restaurant and bar are well worth visiting.
A complete list of bed and breakfast and guest houses in the Speyside region is found at www.visitscotland.com.
Here are my top two choices for what makes the perfect place to stay after a day of touring the countryside.
Lynwood B&B offers luxury modern ensuite rooms in a rural area just outside Craigellachie. This home provides the ideal location for visiting distilleries and taking in the many events in the area, including the whisky festivals. The owners offer special services such as providing transportation if you want to enjoy whisky tastings and not have to worry about driving.
The delicious breakfasts reach the same high standard of the region's whiskies. More information is available at www. lynwood-bedandbreakfast.co.uk.
Trochelhill Country House Bed & Breakfast in Fochabers is a home that I've wanted to visit since reading a great review. This beautiful house and gardens, along with its delightful owners and great accommodation, surpassed all my expectations. Little extras like hot water bottles put in your bed at night give Trochelhill a high rating with guests.
The house has been completely modernized without losing any of the charm of the old building. Guests are made to feel very welcome with offers of transportation and the option of using the dining room if they would like to bring in an evening meal from a take-away shop.
Breakfast choices are all tempting, but I suggest the option of silky scrambled eggs that come with haggis and you will know you are in a Scottish home. More information is available at www.trochelhill.co.uk.
Trochelhill is a great location for coastal walks. Our hosts drove us to Spey Bay and we spent a day walking along the Moray Coastal Trail to Cullen. This shoreline path travels along high cliffs and down onto sandy beaches with stops in small harbours busy with fishing boats and lifeboat stations.
THE fact that I have, with the odd splurge, helped make Singapore the largest importer of this prized Scottish elixir called whisky (both by volume and value, according to first-half 2011 figures released by the Scotch Whisky Association) is impressive - and a tad alarming. But it's not immediately crucial to the point I'm making here.
That brands for some of the best examples of whisky can sound both Gaelic - Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie and Glenrothes, to name just a few - or as extraneous as, say, Aberlour, Laphroaig and Yamazaki, is equally fascinating. But it also has nothing to do with what I've recently come to learn about one of Scotland's greatest gifts (and not just to Woody Allen fans).
What does pertain to my point is a simple verity: Scotch whisky is mainly malt whisky aged in oak casks - cleverly charred white oak varieties of European or American origins. And it is this interaction with the wood - strategic to the development of the drink's widely celebrated characteristics - that is sometimes underestimated and underappreciated.
Not to begrudge the gripping science of it all, but single malt whisky starts out as a distilled spirit - or what makers refer to as "new make" spirit. And like with children, or as with any wine you wouldn't serve in a plastic cup, the spirit needs to mature over time, developing its unique colour, flavours and aromas.
And here's that all important "but did you know" segment: Time isn't the only prime manipulator at work here. An equally crucial nurturing factor during the single malt's formative years - which is anything from three (by law) to 50 years in oak casks - is its aforementioned relations with the oak.
In fact, a recent visit to a certain Speyside distillery reminded me of one top distiller's particular love affair with Spanish oak (quercus robur); resulting in one of my favourite expressions from The Macallan.
Located in the breathtakingly beautiful heart of Scotch whisky country, this increasingly popular distillery has been using Spanish oak sherry casks to mature whisky in varying quantities since the 1880s. But the bold decision to focus on making single malt whisky aged solely in Spanish ex-sherry casks was made in the 1960s.
Looking to break new ground and take advantage of a burgeoning new market, it launched a Fine Oak series in 2004, featuring whisky mellowed in European and American oak casks as well, aimed at the duty-free markets, a spokesperson clarified.
These products, explained Macallan's fervent whisky maker Bob Dalgarno, are "less heavy" and "slightly sweeter"; "possibly slightly more approachable for the consumer" than the Spanish sherry oak driven varieties.
Some imbibers may not appreciate the sherry oak-driven whisky. His father's next-door neighbour is a case in point. "And that's fine," the naturally comedic nose deadpanned. "I'd rather you say you didn't like it than that you don't drink it."
He added: "We've always been driven by age … And as much as I like it, to be honest, I don't like it as far as it all gets very boring. What do you offer the consumer other than 'We can do a 17-year-old', 'We can do 21 (year olds)'?" Sure, variety can be a good thing. For argument sake, I admit a craving for a little peated Islay whisky from time to time.
Coincidently, the most recent peated whisky that I had the pleasure of tasting was a special one, courtesy of The Macallan's director of global relationships David Cox. This rare peated expression of The Macallan was made during the Second World War, Cox shared, for the simple reason that peat was the only (or at least most readily available) fuel source available at the time.
It tasted exceptional, even without the interesting back story. Even so, as a testament to the brand's effective brand strategy, I couldn't help but compare it with its signature Spanish sherry oak variety.
It's a strange dichotomy that while The Macallan will no doubt continue to make great whisky, with varying varieties of barley and wood, it might likely always be best appreciated for its defining sherry oak expression.
Spanish acquisition
Suffice it to say, The Macallan has made a name for itself in top notch Scotch held in ex-sherry casks - Spanish oak casks that once held the feted Jerez fortified wine.
To many who know their preferred pour well, its iconic 18-year-old bottling could even be said exemplify the popular style of single malt - its naturally rich, deep colour coupled with an expressive nose and complex yet structured palate. What some may not immediately realise is that a good part of the brand's success could be tied to the evolution of Spain's sherry industry.
Of course, the notion that whisky had in some way saved the sherry industry is presumptuous at best. But, truth is, the wine business is "small and dwindling", shared Narciso Fernandez Iturrospe, owner of Tevasa cooperage. Cooperages like the one his father started and which he has been running for the last 22 years, found new life in the growth of the whisky industry.
Planning ahead, his Spanish oak casks are also made with PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)-certified wood, sourced from sustainably managed forests in the north of Spain. This is crucial given that Tevasa makes on average 75 casks a day, 80 per cent of which will go to the Edrington Group, which owns labels like The Macallan and Highland Park among other leading liquor brands.
Today, Cox divulged, the group's core whisky products do in fact make up 90 per cent of all the sherry casks used in the Scotch Whisky industry.
What's more, Iturrospe highlighted that The Macallan also pays for an added process, now deemed too expensive for many makers. Before being seasoned with dry oloroso sherry for two years, the casks are flooded with fermenting grape juice from the region. This, Iturrospe indulged, would help reduce the harsh flavours of the new wood. He later posited in jest: "I think the wood (is responsible) for 90 per cent of the whisky's character and flavour." Of course he does.
Cox appreciated the humour but quickly tempered the estimate down to a more reasonable 60 per cent, but not ignoring the Spanish oak's powerful influence. He added that The Macallan's "oily" new make spirit, a product of the brand's curiously small stills, is uniquely well-placed to take full advantage of the wood's influence without being overpowered by it.
Some add that the comparatively more porous Spanish oak in question - air-dried naturally to strict specifications (just 12 per cent moisture) - imparts the whisky with rich tannins, dried fruit flavours, and a sweet nuttiness with hints of vanilla and spice.
I would, in fact, also think it a shame, having acknowledged all of the above, to play down the romance of this cross-cultural, 1,600km-long distance relationship from Lugo to Aberdeen.
Historically, the British may have made a mess of inter-kingdom relations, but the Scots have, I think, made up for plenty. How's that for great chemistry over romantic strategies?
With Scotch whisky exports to China soaring, Scottish leader Alex Salmond said on Friday that his country's most iconic product is poised to become the next big thing in China's luxury market.
The first minister visited the mainland and Hong Kong this week to promote Scotland's famous malts and its largest export, fresh farmed salmon, to China's rapidly expanding fine dining industry.
He said Scotland could better France's Bordeaux region, which saw a 92 percent surge in wine export volumes to China in the 12 months to July, as China's rising affluence creates new markets for Western luxury goods.
"Whisky sales are up 35 percent this year to China," Salmond told AFP in an interview in the southern city of Hong Kong, the last stop of his China trip.
"If you take a couple of our iconic products together, Scotch whisky and Scottish salmon, then it's a billion RMB (£100.7 million) this year, an increase of well over a third for the two products together."
Wine imports to China are poised to set a new record after surging nearly 60 percent year-on-year in the first nine months of 2011 to US$940 million (£602.5 million).
In the world of fine malt liquor, Salmond said Scotland had an unbeatable advantage -- its single malt Scotch whisky was unique, respected for the finest quality and simply the best product of its kind on the market.
"I think we've got a great platform to advance to the growing quality market in China," he said.
"People look for quality and authenticity and Scotch whisky and Scottish salmon are iconic products which offer that."
Strengthening trade with the Asian region in general is a key focus of his government, he said.
The economy looms large over discussions about an independent Scotland, which have stepped up a gear after the resounding victory of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in May's election to the devolved Edinburgh parliament.
The triumph of the pro-independence SNP, which won the first overall majority in the legislature since it opened in 1999, has paved the way for a referendum on a split from Britain which had previously seemed unlikely.
Salmond gave little away about his intentions for the plebiscite, repeating his stock response that a vote would take place in the second half of the parliament's five-year term.
The nationalists view the economy as one of their strong cards, arguing that Scotland can only flourish with independent control over its main industries, notably North Sea oil and gas but also whisky and fine foods.
The first minister said his government's huge majority freed him up to travel more and promote Scottish products around the world, particularly Asia.
"Not just in China but across Asia, Scottish products across the range are having great success and great growth and we expect that to continue. This is a big economic boost for Scotland," he said.
The Chinese rank about 16th on the list of biggest Scotch drinkers, but are "coming up very very fast," Salmond said.
"Initially of course the great blended whiskies like Johnnie Walker or Chivas Regal were the dominant ones (in China), but there does seem to be a real appetite for the single malt whiskies," he said.
The Scotch Whisky Association said in September sales to Asia increased 33 percent to £423 million ($660 million) in the first six months of the year, well ahead of overall export growth of 22 percent.
China bought £57 million worth of the stuff in the 12 months to June 2011, according to Scottish government figures.
Salmond said the Chinese government's decision last year to give Geographical Indication of Origin (GI) status to Scotch whisky was of "enormous value" to distillers.
In a country of counterfeit goods from iPhones to French Champagne, the designation guarantees that products labelled as "Scotch Whisky" actually come from Scotland.
"It's vital when you're selling a quality product that the consumer across Asia knows they are getting the absolute authentic product, not some cheap imitation whisky from America or other producers," Salmond said.
"The Chinese have been very cooperative and very wise in introducing that because they understand the importance for the Chinese consumer, particularly the new emerging Chinese consumer, in being able to get the right products."
He said more work needed to be done on enforcement but expressed confidence the Chinese would continue to work with their Scottish counterparts to ensure Chinese Scotch whisky lovers get the real thing.
WHISKY expert and author Jim Murray will be at Spirit Safe in Angel Square to sign copies of his book on Friday, December 16, from 1pm.
Murray has won the Glenfiddich Whisky Writer of the Year award three times and is credited with having visited more whisky distilleries globally than any other living person.
Spirit Safe owner Richard Parker said: "For him to come here to lend his support is fantastic."
MAKERS of the whisky which was recently named as the best on the planet are struggling to cope with demand due to the tipple’s growing popularity.
So many people have raised a glass to the Old Pulteney 21-year-old’s success that the company has stopped taking orders for the world-class product.
The malt received the title of world whisky of the year in Jim Murray’s 2012 Whisky Bible awards in October, when it came out on top against a class of some 1500 whiskies from across the globe.
The selling power of the title proved its power, and the Wick distillery has experienced unprecedented demand for its version of the national drink. Such have been sales in the UK and abroad that the company has now stopped taking orders via its website.
Distillery manager Malcolm Waring told the Caithness Courier that the Christmas period is always one of the busiest times of the year. But he said that since being awarded the title, demand for the malt has risen on an unprecedented scale.“After being awarded the title of world whisky of the year, the impact was almost instantaneous,” he said.
“The day after we heard that we were named the best in the world, we were inundated with orders from around the globe. As a result, we have been struggling to cope with demand and have presently suspended orders for the 21-year-old malt.”
The title has also had a significant impact on the company’s other products, with demand also soaring for Old Pulteney 12-year-old and 17-year-old malts.
Worldrenowned whisky connoisseur Jim Murray nosed and tasted his way through all types of whisky to create his global ratings guide.
He gave Old Pulteney 21-year-old 97.5 points out of 100, which was the highest scored ever achieved in the book’s history.
His glowing review commented that the single malt was by far and away one of the best whiskies of 2012, saying that it exploded from the glass with vitality, charisma and class.
The distillery hopes that it will be in a position to start taking orders for the 21-year-old again soon, with Mr Waring saying that the award has significantly increased the whisky’s presence in the global market.
“The company has certainly been given a massive boost since receiving the award, with sales on all our whiskies increasing from previous years. I’ve just returned from a business trip to North America where I was visiting customers in Canada and the USA”.
“I found out that outlets which stocked the malt had completely sold out due to the title. Distributors and liquor stores owners said as soon as the news went out, the demand for the product became extremely high. It has been a fantastic few months for the distillery and one of the best year’s we’ve ever had.”
The distillery, which is operated by Inver House Distillers, has been based at its premises at Huddart Street since 1826 and is the most northern mainland distillery in the UK.
The producers each donated a cask of single malt, which was then blended into 2,000 special edition bottles dubbed the “Spirit of Unity”.
Sales of the Scotch have so far raised £90,000 and further sales will go ahead next year to raise further funds when four boxed sets of the whisky, each containing a bottle signed by the distillers involved, will go on sale.
The distilleries involved in the scheme are: Arran; BenRiach; Bladnoch, GlenDronach, Mitchell’s Glengyle; Kilchoman and Springbank.
All are independent and have won many awards between them and they represent the whisky areas of Islay, Islands, Speyside, Highland, Campbeltown and Lowland.
It is the first time they have worked together.
Euan Mitchell, managing director of Isle of Arran Distillers, said: “Many in our industry, like me, travel regularly to Japan and have made friends and contacts with Japanese whisky enthusiasts.
“It has been our pleasure to create this dram and raise money for people in Japan following the recent natural disaster.
“We are very pleased with the current progress that’s taking place through Refugees International Japan and hope the auction of the last four signed boxed sets at the beginning of next year will raise even more money for this very worthy cause.”
The idea behind the scheme came when four of the distillers visited the Tohuku region, one of the worst affected parts of the country following the destructive earthquake and tsunami that struck earlier this year.
The gloomy economic picture cast a pall over stock markets in Europe as US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner waded in with his support for the ECB, European economic reforms and fiscal union – but warned that the US is in an equally challenging place.
Oil slid as the spectre of a eurozone downgrade by ratings agency Standard & Poor’s stoked fears of a slowdown in global demand.
S&P has put 17 countries on its credit-watch negative list, including such stalwarts as France and Germany, in a move criticised by some at the European Central Bank as politically motivated. S&P said it wanted to see agreement over growth strategy and the mutualisation of risk at the forthcoming eurozone summit.
Still, analysts at Sanford Bernstein provided some much needed cheer. In a note to clients entitled ‘Scotch: Whisky Galore!’, analyst Trevor Stirling said that premium Scotch sales have continued to climb through the crisis, with the French in particular driving European demand, followed by Asia and Latin America.
The spirit is fuelling growth at the big distillers as Scotch accounts for a hefty 30 per cent of earnings at both Diageo and Pernod Ricard – who together account for over half of the industry.
‘Scotch is almost as important to Diageo as Diageo is to the industry,’ Stirling wrote.
Diageo’s dominance stems from the old Distillers Company, which Guinness bought in 1987, a decade before its merger with Grand Metropolitan, which formed Diageo. The shares closed 0.4 per cent higher at 1360p.
But the Footsie failed to reach Monday’s five-week high, closing a meagre 0.76 points up at 5,568.72.
Defensive stocks were in favour, with drugmakers GlaxoSmithKline up 2 per cent at 1428p and Shire 1.9pc firmer at 2152p, while Imperial Tobacco climbed 1.3 per cent to 2334p.
Sage Group led the list of Footsie gainers, posting a 2.2 per cent rise to 293.9p. The business management software group is benefiting from a surge of online buying ahead of Christmas at its Sage Pay division. Sage Pay said customers spent an average £91 on gifts online, £3 more than last year.
'As the outlook for the UK economy worsens in the wake of Osborne’s Autumn Statement, public sector strikes and Philip Green’s threat to close over 200 shops, e-tailers can take some solace in the strong growth of online transactions year-on-year,’ said managing director Simon Black.
But retailers elsewhere were suffering after the British Retail Consortium said in its latest survey that pre-Christmas sales had failed to lure shoppers to the embattled high street, and underlying sales in the sector dropped to their lowest point since May of last year.
The news knocked 14.1p off Marks & Spencer leaving the shares trading at 314.9p, while Next slipped back by 3.2 per cent to 2575p. Home Retail led the fallers with losses of 8.65 per cent to 92.5p, while electrical products group Kesa Electricals followed with losses of 6pc to 81.7p and Dunelm, the specialist out-of-town homeware retailer fell 5.5 per cent to 429.4p.
Food retailers were also in focus after market research group Kantar Worldpanel said that the largest supermarket group in the UK, Tesco, had lost market share in the 12 weeks to November 27 following its £500million ‘Big Price Drop’ promotion in October. The shares fell 2 per cent to 398.75p on the news. Wal-Mart owned Asda was the top performer, followed by Wm Morrison, down 0.3p at 317.5p and Sainsbury, off 1.2 per cent at 294.9p.
Elsewhere, Meggitt led the blue chip fallers with a 4.5 per cent loss to 366.4p after analysts at Credit Suisse cut their rating on the stock to ‘underperform’ from ‘outperform’, citing concerns about the groups’ military end-markets. Still, Credit Suisse expects robust full year results for Meggitt, which designs and makes high tech systems for the aerospace and defence markets.
Shares in IAG, made up of the merger between British flag carrier BA and Spain’s Iberia, slipped back after the chief executive called the government’s consultation on air passenger duty ‘a sham and a waste of taxpayers’ money’.
‘We are left with a tax that has already cost 25,000 jobs (and) is doing increasing damage to the prospects for economic recovery,’ the CEOs of Easyjet, Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic said in a joint statement. IAG shares were down 2.3 per cent at 154.3p.
Among the Small Caps, shares in European Goldfields rose 18pc to 763p after the mining company confirmed it had received preliminary approaches concerning a possible deal, but no formal offer.
Reports claimed that Canada’s Eldorado Gold Corp. had approached the board about an outright takeover.
Investors Clinic: Michel Kappen on Whisky Investment
Amsterdam native Michel Kappen's love of fine whisky was ignited after a trip to the famous whiskey-producing nation of Scotland. Returning from his trip in 2002, he decided to start his own business in the import and export of single malt whisky: The Whisky Talker. The company has grown from a promoter of single malt in The Netherlands for Dutch importers, to the international brand it is today.
An ex-banker with an eye for investment, Kappen realized that there were big business opportunities to be had. Bigger demand, increasing prices and a stock shortage in luxury whisky all pointed to a growing industry.
Kappen founded the World Whisky Index (WWI), which was launched at the end of 2007 in a ceremony with former Dutch Chancellor of the Exchequer Gerrit Zalm. The WWI is an international, on-line whisky exchange for trading rare bottles of whisky.
Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited wins BiG Award 2011 with Black Bull 40 Year Old Deluxe Blended Scotch Whisky
Black Bull 40 year old, the flagship of Duncan Taylor’s award winning range of deluxe blends has seen off competition from some of the world’s most respected whiskies to be named as the overall winner at this year’s Best in Glass awards.
Held annually in London, the Best in Glass awards consist of a blind tasting of short listed whiskies by leading industry figures from the wine and spirits sector. A spokesman for the judges commented:
“The panel were wowed by the balance of this superbly put together whisky, which demonstrated incredible fruit, vanilla and complex, aged oak notes, with a rich and highly moreish character.”
Scott Watson, CEO of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited, commented:
“It’s tremendous to see Black Bull 40 year old recognised with a prestigious Best In Glass award. To come out top in a blind tasting from such an esteemed panel of Independent judges is a great honour and a fantastic testament to Black Bull’s boldly Independent character.
A small batch release, the indulgent, sublimely balanced profile of Black Bull 40 year old is delivered by a 90% malt to 10% grain marriage of some of the rarest vintage whiskies in the world today.
Black Bull has always been coveted by the world’s whisky connoisseurs and we are very proud to see our key brand receiving global recognition as one of the very best in its field.”
In addition to the Best in Glass Award, Black Bull has received 5 key wine and spirits gold medals in 2011 so far. These include accolades from the World Whisky Awards, the International Wine and Spirits Competition, International Spirits Challenge and the Scottish Field Whisky Challenge.
Now in its fourth year, the Best in Glass awards subjects a shortlist of whiskies to 3 rounds of blind tasting by a panel of experienced judges.
Meet Scotch Whisky Expert & Johnnie Walker Global Brand Ambassador – Tom Jones
Meeting Tom Jones was a pleasure and within a few minutes of chatting about his world as Johnnie Walker Brand Ambassador it was clear to see that he is a man that truly enjoys his job. He regaled me on the brands origins and how much he enjoined his trip over here, stating that the event itself was well attended and well organized. The cool and breezy lagoon side venue was much to his liking as Nigeria weather and Scottish weather are really not the same.
I went on to ask him more about the event sponsored by Johnnie Walker and he told me how they all had so much fun, he explained to the people present at the event how we should savor the flavor Scottish Whisky. “Instictually when we drink anything we tend to just swallow the liquid, but when we drink whisky, we drink it for the flavour. It takes over 12 years to make the Whisky so we are sort of asking you to give us 10 seconds of your time to enjoy it”. And he did have a point, so next time you are taking a drink, to take a second or two longer just to savoir the 12 years worth of flavor.
Tom Jones
When you think of good quality Scotch whisky, you think Johnnie Walker and when you think of a Scotch whisky expert you think Tom Jones.
This hugely knowledgeable and credible Scotch whisky expert travels the world in his role as the Johnnie Walker Global Ambassador providing intimate knowledge of Johnnie Walker to whisky connoisseurs and helping them discover more about the magic and mystery of the world’s number one selling blended Scotch whisky brand.
As Global Brand Ambassador, he is the face and voice of Johnnie Walker around the world. He participates in media interviews and events, hosts mentored tastings and master classes and inspires whisky lovers around the world about the amazing history and heritage of the Johnnie Walker brand.
Tom left every attendee spell bound at the event when he revealed the amazing 200 Year old history of the Johnnie Walker brand, founded by 14 year old John Walker to its period of growth driven by his grandson Alexander Walker.
Tom mentored the guests on how best to enjoy Johnnie Walker, their different blends and savours.
According to the Devlin Hainsworth (MD Guinness Nigeria /Diageo Brands Nigeria) “You know when you have made it in life…scotch is the drink category of choice and when you have really made it Johnnie Walker is the scotch whisky of choice”.
The guests truly had a great time and experience as Tom was as engaging as ever and hopes to be back in Nigeria soon to give more fascinating Johnnie Walker experiences
Scotch whisky raises £90,000 for Japanese relief effort
The 'Spirit of Unity' whisky, created by seven independent Scottish distilleries for the relief effort in Japan following its earthquake and tsunami, has raised £90,000 to date.
The money raised has so far helped set up a market in the village of Utatsu offering local people much needed supplies following the destruction of all the shops in the village and helped house more than 300 people in temporary accommodation.
It is the first time the distilleries; Arran, BenRiach, Bladnoch, GlenDronach, Mitchell's Glengyle, Kilchoman and Springbank have collaborated together.
Each donated a cask of single malt which were then blended to create only 2,000 bottles of the one-off whisky.
Recently, four of the distillers involved visited the Tohuku region, one of the worst affected areas in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami.
Euan Mitchell, managing director of Isle of Arran Distillers, who came up with the idea to produce the drink, said: "Many in our industry, like me, travel regularly to Japan and have made friends and contacts with Japanese whisky enthusiasts.
"It has been our pleasure to create this dram and raise money for people in Japan following the recent natural disaster.
"We are very pleased with the current progress that's taking place through Refugees International Japan and hope the auction of the last four signed boxed sets at the beginning of next year will raise even more money for this very worthy cause."
Four boxed sets of the of the Spirit of Unity, each containing a bottle signed by the distillery manager from the seven distilleries involved, will be auctioned early in 2012 to raise further funds.
In this week's paper I shared a few dynamic new spirits releases across categories, from creme de menthe to Scottish gin. This round, it’s Scotch sips for a winter’s night. While I continue to sip Mortlach 16 and one-of-a-kind bottles from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society I recently brought home from Scotland, wishing they were available in the States, here are four producers that are available and would be gladly received as holiday gifts by Scotch whisky lovers in your life.
For something unusual:
BOWMORE – Smoky Sophistication
Smoky, like a fine cigar, with muted, sophisticated tones… that’s Bowmore’s 15-year “Darkest” Scotch.
For Islay Scotch-fanatics (Islay: the island on which generally peaty/smoky Scotches thrive), this one is an understated beauty. Where Laphroaig‘s standard 10-year Scotch hits hard and heavy on the smoke (Ardbeg’s Supernova and Alligator take it even further – like sucking on an ashtray… in a good way), Bowmore 15 takes a more seductive route. Tantalizing on the nose with chocolate, pepper and wood, the taste is rich in cedar wood, sea brine, sherry, toffee, and, yes, peat. This gorgeous Islay Scotch is aged in American bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, without being overwhelmed by either sherry sweetness or peaty smoke.
It’s among my top peat-driven Scotches of all time, a lesson in balance, offering all the smoke one could desire, but not merely that. Bowmore is the oldest distillery in Islay, around since 1779. In keeping with its rich history, it’s one of Islay’s gems – at a reasonable price. $69.99
BALBLAIR 2000 – Young and Bright
Young and bright aren’t words one thinks of in relation to Scotch. Way up north in the Highlands, Balblair crafts stand-up Scotches with just such a profile.
Though I like the green apple, woody spice of their 1989 single malt, I’m more taken with the younger 2000. Golden, and balanced, it unfolds with pear and green apple notes, making way for honey, coconut, and a spice zing that lingers warm and soft on the palate. It tastes young, yes, but this makes it no less complex than an older, mustier Scotch. In fact, in my latest travels through Scotland, Balblair 2000 stood out not just because of it’s modern packaging, but because it is fresh, different than many of the other whiskies I was sipping (and well-priced for a single malt). Though not easy to find in the States, SF’s own Whisky Shop has it at $62.50 a bottle. $62.50
Elegantly approachable:
THE MACALLAN – Romance & Range
Returning last month from Speyside up in Northern Scotland, I stayed on the enchanting Macallan estate. I’ll never forget the austere peace of the 370-acre land: the river Spey, lush green hillsides contrasting with vivid colors of fall, moody storms passing swiftly through.
The Macallan whiskies are a lesson in elegance, even if the popularity (and thus scarcity) of higher-aged product drives up prices. Harmony of spice and brightness is obtained by maturing their Scotches in both sherry and bourbon casks.
Besides their bracing 10 year cask strength Scotch, which is sadly not available in the States, my favorites are on the pricier end: 21 year Fine Oak ($180-250) is heady with jasmine and tropical fruits, while nutty, orange blossom notes of the 3o year Sherry ($900-$1000) compliment its earthiness. Both are gorgeous. On the affordable end, the 15 year ($80) is honey-rich, with cinnamon and floral notes melding into orange and chocolate. The classic Sherry Oak 12 year ($49.99) is a great value, evoking orange marmalade, vanilla and toffee. $49.99-$1000
THE GLENROTHES – Smooth Balance
If you can find Glenrothes Vintage 1994 ($79), snatch it up, for it is the last of the vintage. Making way for Vintage 1995 ($82) just released this month, the Speyside whisky producer makes some of the more elegant Scotches from the region.
Like The Macallan, they mature their whiskies in both sherry and bourbon casks. 1995 evokes pepper, cedar, creamy butterscotch, and when a couple drops of water are added, a surprising whisper of chocolate. 1994 gives off a nose of apple and even pencil shavings, while tasting of woody vanilla. On the cheaper end ($45), you won’t go wrong with Glenrothes classic Select Reserve ($45), bright with orange zest, malt, salt, and coconut. If you want to go all out, hunt for the rare (only 120 bottles in US, $375) 1996 Single Cask Editor’s Edition. The nose evokes an earthy, aged rum and demerara sugar, while the taste is crisp spice, maple syrup richness, and Oaxacan chocolate. A truly unique Scotch.
I recently spent time with Glenrothes director Ronnie Cox, his sense of humor and good taste evident. Glenrothes is one of the great blended whiskys, and as he quipped: “Single malts for thinkers, blended whisky for drinkers.” I’d say Glenrothes is for both. $45-$375
Diageo chief executive Paul Walsh, who is stepping down as SWA chairman after four years in the role, announced the industry export figures for the first three quarters of 2011, which saw Scotch earning £125 every second for the UK balance of payments.
The value of exports over the nine month period totalled nearly £3 billion – an increase of 23% on the same period last year.
Walsh said he was delighted to be handing the reins to Curle, who is chief executive of The Edrington Group, at a time when the industry is particularly strong.
Walsh said: “It has been a great pleasure and a privilege to chair the SWA over the past four years.
“As the latest export figures show, the industry is enjoying a tremendous period of growth around the world, making it one of the most important manufactured exports the UK produces.
“That growth is also helping drive investment by the industry in Scotland and so benefitting both the UK and Scottish economies.”
Curle, who will lead the SWA into its centenary year in 2012, said: “I am delighted to be taking over as chairman of the SWA at a time when the Scotch whisky industry is in such confident mood.
“Scotch whisky is an iconic product and it will continue to be a prime asset and export for Scotland and the UK.
“I’ll work to protect the integrity of Scotch whisky across the globe and to advance its export success.
“With the support of governments at home and abroad to achieve fairer taxation and reduction of trade barriers, the industry can reach even higher levels. The European Union is vital to this work.”
Curle said that future priorities for the SWA include completion of the negotiations between the European Union and India on a Free Trade Agreement which would reduce the onerous 150% import tariff.
In the UK, a change in the current duty regime which sees Scotch whisky being taxed more heavily than other drinks is also long overdue, according to Curle, who added that discrimination in the home market undermines the industry’s efforts overseas.
The US was Scotch whisky’s largest export market by value between January and September this year, bringing in £430.7 million. However, France was the largest market by volume, shipping in 39,409,542 litres of pure alcohol.
Meanwhile Pierre Pringuet, global chief executive of Pernod Ricard, will become vice chairman of the SWA.
First Minister Alex Salmond has toasted a Beijing business which has unveiled ambitious plans to create the country's largest Scotch whisky sales network - 300 stores in three years.
These retail outlets alone are buying over £20 million of whisky annually from Scotland.
During his visit to the Xiamen Spirit Empire store - accompanied by David Kilshaw of Scotland Food and Drink - the First Minister met Spirit Empire Chairman Ding Wei and Stephen Notman, recently recruited by Spirit Empire as a 'whisky ambassador' to work in Scotland representing Chinese sellers.
This development comes just a year after the Chinese Government announced it was giving new legal protection to Scotch Whisky with Geographical Indication of Origin (GI) status. The designation means that any product labelled as 'Scotch Whisky' in China must come from Scotland, ensuring Chinese consumers can be confident of enjoying a premium product.
China is a key emerging market for Scotch whisky with exports to China worth £57 million in the 12 months to June 2011.
Spirit Empire's immediate plans are to open a store in Shanghai and, with the support of the Scottish Development International, secure an office base in Scotland.The company has already established co-operation relationships with well-known Scottish distilleries in the north east and across Scotland like Glenglassaugh, Benromach, Signatory, Bruichladdich, BenRiach and independent bottlers such as Gordon & Macphail and Wilson & Morgan.
Within the next three years the company has a plan to create China's largest Scotch whisky sales network.
The FM said:
"Over the next week I'll be working with our partners here in China to promote Scottish industry and further the trade links that exemplify the already close relationship between our two countries. I am very pleased to visit the Spirit Empire and hear of their ambitious plans to create China's largest Scotch whisky sales network by selling what is our nation's most iconic product in 300 luxury shops across China. I am delighted that one of those already represented is from my own backyard - the Glenglassaugh distillery in Aberdeenshire.
"So great are Spirit Empire's plans here in China that they have recruited Stephen Notman as their whisky ambassador in Scotland. He will be reaching out to Scottish distilleries at home so that they are aware of the demand here in China and geared up to meet it. The company incorporated in China just this year and has already bought £4 million worth of single malt to sell to the Chinese market. The timing of this new venture is ideal - with the granting of Geographical Indication status a year ago helping ensure that increasing exports of quality Scotch whisky can be enjoyed by Chinese consumers. I wish Spirit Empire good fortune with their impressive growth plans and look forward to welcoming them to Scotland.
"Scottish Development International chief executive Anne MacColl added:
"The decision by a global company such as Xiamen Spirit Empire to further its trade with Scotland is testament to the reputation our country continues to have as the ideal place to do business. This is a huge win for Scotland - it's not only an invaluable exporting opportunity for Scottish whisky companies but it represents another major inward investment success. We look forward to working with Xiamen Spirit Empire to support the company in establishing an office base in Scotland."
Six generations of whisky – family business publishes book
What would be a better way to detail six generations of a family working for a distillery than by writing a book? That’s the approach that Scottish family business Glenfarclas has taken to celebrate its 175th anniversary.
The Ballindalloch-based distiller, famous for its single malt whisky, has published Glenfarclas – An Independent Distillery, a biography of the company written by whisky author Ian Buxton.
The book highlights the family history and the journey of the business from 1865 when John Grant first acquired the distillery – the business has since been owned and managed by the Grant family.
Fifth-generation John Grant is chairman of the business, while his son George is the brand ambassador. The company was named the Distiller of the Year in 2006 by Whisky Magazine.
Whisky exports soar as new "middle classes" enjoy a drink
London - Exports of Scotch whisky have rocketed this year as the 'wee dram' (small measure) is becoming the 'aspirational drink' of the fast-growing middle classes in the emerging economies of countries like China, India and Brazil, figures showed Friday.
In the first nine months of 2011, exports grew by 23 per cent, reaching a value of 3 billion pounds (4.7 billion dollars), or 125 pounds every second, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) said.
Exports to Brazil were up by nearly 50 per cent, reaching almost 10 million litres of pure alcohol during the period, it said.
Whisky was emerging as the 'aspirational drink of the increasingly large middle classes' in Brazil, India, China and other so-called BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries, SWA chairman Campbell Evans said.
'India is crying out to have Scotch whisky,' he told the BBC.
Singapore was in the top four by volume and value, while exports to Taiwan rose by 20 per cent. However, there was 'still a long way to go' for whisky to make a breakthrough in China, said Evans.
'It is the breadth of the growth which is interesting,' he said.
The value of exports to the USA remained the highest of any country in the first nine months of 2011, reaching 430 million pounds.
However, the SWA stressed that much of the growth in exports to the emerging economies had been due to the reduction of trade barriers.
The next major goal was to achieve a breakthrough in European Union (EU) trade talks with India, the world's biggest whisky market, which has 150-per-cent tariffs on imported whisky.
'Our whisky sector is an international success story with more and more discerning drinkers across the globe enjoying a dram and a little bit of Scotland,' the regional minister of rural affairs, Richard Lochhead, said.
Scotch whisky exports to Asia rising so fast that supplies may run short
The scotch whisky industry is on track to break another export record, with executives warning that the surge in sales could lead to supply shortages.
The latest quarterly figures from the Scotch Whisky Association show that in the last nine months its sales overseas climbed by 23% compared with last year. That is before Christmas and New Year sales are taken into account, putting the industry on course to shatter last year's £3.4bn export record.
SWA executives said this surge in popularity, built on the growth of an affluent, image-conscious middle class in emerging markets in South America and Asia, could mean that some distilleries and producers might temporarily run short of supplies, as whisky production has a "lag time" of 10 to years or more. The association calculated that this rate of sales meant the whisky industry was earning £125 every second for Britain's balance of payments, making it the "stellar" export performer and the most successful of all "fast moving" products made in the UK.
Ian Curle, the SWA's newly appointed chairman, and chief executive of the Edrington group, producers of The Famous Grouse, said much of scotch whisky's recent success overseas had been driven by the growth in consumers who see the drink as a prestigious symbol of their wealth and status, in preference to indigenous spirits. The final overseas sales value of whisky, which helps support 10,300 direct jobs and 35,000 suppliers' jobs, could be as much as £10bn. The best-selling brand is Johnnie Walker, made by Diageo, with 20% of the market.
However, the SWA warned that whisky's success was threatened by the Scottish government's proposals to introduce a minimum price for alcohol next year, which could be set at 50p a unit, leading the SWA to consider supporting court action to prevent it becoming law. Curle said minimum pricing in Scotland would make it far harder for the industry to argue against high tariffs and price controls in its overseas markets.
Curle said the association's export success gave him "great joy" but said it had been driven largely by challenging and dismantling tariffs in its fastest-growing markets, such as India and Brazil, and by vigorously promoting free trade.
He claimed there were several countries, including France and South Korea, where parliamentarians were proposing price controls on alcohol, often to protect their domestic producers, while others, such as Mexico, retained hefty import tariffs. He said: "Many of these countries have large domestic industries which are under threat by this premium category and they don't all play fair. If they're given an opportunity to introduce a new level of tax and point at something happening in our own backyard, we wouldn't put it past them to use those mechanisms."
Gavin Hewitt, the SWA's chief executive, said the association had not ruled out taking part or supporting a legal challenge to the measure. Experts believe the Scottish government will be open to challenge on several fronts – for acting outside its strictly limited powers on taxation, but also over European and global competition laws. Curle said there was a "big question mark" over Holyrood's legal competence on drinks pricing.
That would leave Westminster facing a significant predicament, since it would be the UK government, as the EU member state, that would face prosecution in Strasbourg rather than Alex Salmond's administration.
UK ministers would be presented with that challenge as soon as Holyrood passed a minimum pricing law – a move now seen as inevitable after the Scottish National party won a majority at Holyrood in May – because ministers in London would have to give the act a legal bill of health before it became law.
The SWA is pressing the UK government to completely revise its alcohol tax regime across all parts of the UK, with excise duties based on a drink's alcohol content. That would increase revenues but not fall foul of competition law, the association says.
Whisky brand Old Pulteney has extended its sponsorship of US Sailing for a further one-year period having initially agreed a deal in April 2011.
Old Pulteney's extended commitment to the national governing body sees the brand continue to provide financial support for a number of US Sailing events, including select US Sailing Adult National Championships and Speaker Series events where the Old Pulteney brand will be present on-shore.
Old Pulteney whisky gets on board with US Sailing
“We are excited Old Pulteney has agreed to extend their partnership with US Sailing and build on what we have developed in 2011,” said Jack Gierhart, executive director of US Sailing. “They are a very popular supporter amongst sailors and contribute a lot to enhancing our events.”
Pat Graney, International Beverage USA president, added, "US Sailing has truly complemented the Old Pulteney brand over the past year. We are thrilled to continue partnering with them, sharing our Scotch and offering our support to the sailing community throughout 2012."
GlenDronach releases latest batch of single cask bottlings
GlenDronach releases latest batch of single cask bottlings
THE BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd. has today (December 1) released the latest batch of single cask bottlings from its GlenDronach Distillery.
This is the fifth batch of GlenDronach single casks to be released by the award-winning Aberdeenshire distillery.
The five casks were bottled over the last few weeks and are available as of today.
The batch comprises five outstanding casks from 1972 to 1993. Three have been matured in Oloroso sherry butts, one in an Oloroso sherry puncheon and the fifth in a Pedro Ximinez sherry puncheon.
All five casks have been hand-selected by The BenRiach Distillery Company’s Managing Director Billy Walker, and they all share GlenDronach’s typically luxurious, richly-sherried characteristics, plus huge layers of fruit ranging from stewed pears to prunes, cherry, plums, apples…and even rhubarb crumble!
The cask details are as follows:
1972 cask # 716 / 39 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 421 bottles
1978 cask # 1067 / 32 years old / Oloroso Sherry Puncheon / 417 bottles
1989 cask # 3314 / 21 years old / Pedro Ximinez Sherry Puncheon / 489 bottles
1991 cask # 2406 / 19 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 530 bottles
1993 cask # 1 / 18 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 507 bottles
All five whiskies were reviewed by whisky writer Jim Murray in the recently-published 2012 version of ‘Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible’, and three of them scored particularly well, with a stunning 95 points or more, as follows:
Additionally, in his annual ‘Review of the Year’, Jim Murray singles out GlenDronach as the distillery with the most consistently impressive output throughout 2011 – to quote Jim: “... if there was a Whisky Bible Scotch Malt Whisky Distillery of the year, GlenDronach would be it.”
Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page over the coming weeks for more information on these new releases, tasting notes and exclusive product photography. If you would like to receive more information regarding Batch 5 releases, please contact us on info@glendronachdistillery.co.uk
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
November 2011 Scotch Whisky News
30 Nov
2011
Ryder Cup in 2014 sponsorship with Diageo whisky firm
The deal will see Diageo promote the event in conjunction with its brands, such as Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky.
It also hoped that the biennial golf contest between Europe and the US will boost Scottish tourism.
Alex Salmond, Scotland's First Minister, said the country's economy would benefit by up to £100m.
"Plans for the tournament are progressing well, but the support from sponsors will ensure that the event is able to maximise the benefits to Scotland, be that through increasing visitor numbers or ensuring the tournament is the most spectacular Ryder Cup ever," said Mr Salmond.
When Wales staged the event at Celtic Manor at Newport, in 2010, it is estimated that the money made from golfing tourists was up by 21% to nearly £42m for the year.
Well-known Diageo brands as well as Johnnie Walker, include Crown Royal, J & B, Windsor, Buchanan's and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Jose Cuervo, Tanqueray and Guinness.
The Edinburgh-based firm also owns The Gleneagles Hotel, the host venue for the 40th staging of the event.
As part of its role it will work with Clubgolf - the Scottish junior golf development agency - at a corporate level to help promote participation in golf across Scotland.
A number of initiatives planned for the build up to 2014, the year when Scotland will also host the Commonwealth Games.
The Scottish government recently announced a £2m investment in the Clubgolf programme to build on the legacy opportunity The Ryder Cup offers.
Made with Scotch whisky aged for 55 years, the liqueur is designed to appeal to single malt drinkers and leans heavily on its whisky flavours rather than trying to mask the taste with sweetness.
The Speyside whisky was aged in Sherry casks and was then bottled non-chill-filtered before the addition of natural sugar and spices.
A Master of Malt statement said: “We made this with one goal: to create a stunning whisky liqueur for single malt whisky drinkers, and we did it by basing our recipe on a staggeringly good 55 year old sherry-matured whisky liqueur from one of Scotland’s most famous
As a poignant tribute to Sir Alexander Walker, grandson to founder John Walker, the blend has been sourced from single malt and grain whiskies matured for a minimum of 18 years to achieve an exceptional quality and flavour of Scotch whisky.
In recognition of Delhi Duty Free’s growing stature as a premium retail destination, DIAGEO announced the exclusive launch of their new blend of Scotch Whisky, Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 YO at the Delhi Duty Free at T3, Indira Gandhi International Airport. Delhi Duty Free is the first retailer to launch this brand. As a poignant tribute to Sir Alexander Walker, grandson to founder John Walker, the blend has been sourced from single malt and grain whiskies matured for a minimum of 18 years to achieve an exceptional quality and flavour of Scotch whisky.
Said Steve O Connor, Chief Executive Officer, Delhi Duty Free Services “Delhi Duty Free is today viewed as a premium retail destination in India, catering to brand conscious customers both nationally and internationally. Delhi Duty Free takes pride in its comprehensive range of Scotch whiskies, besides having a dedicated specialty area with over 150 Single Malt whiskies available at Uisge Beatha (Water of Life), which is one of a kind in India and we are delighted DIAGEO chose to launch the first bottle in India with Delhi Duty Free Services”.Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 YO is perfectly aged, with all whiskies a minimum of 18 years old, and has a preciously crafted rich taste, blended together with a detailed precision. Inspired by the Walker Family’s tradition of private blends, which were used as celebratory whiskies for the company’s directors, Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 YO is a modern whisky for the contemporary, stylish consumer, to enjoy at their own exclusive celebrations. This whisky is exceptionally rich and sophisticated.
Ultra-premium Drambuie to be offered on BA flights
Ultra-premium whisky Drambuie 15 is to be offered onboard all British Airway’s routes from December as an inflight refreshment for first and business class passengers. It will also be sold in one litre bottles through onboard retail outlet, Highlife Shop and is expected to be listed in many of the world’s major airports by January 2012.
Designed to appeal to discerning malt whisky drinkers, Drambuie 15 is a connoisseur expression of Drambuie, drawn from the company’s selection of 15yo Speyside malts. Selected for their soft, complex fragrance and flavour, the rare Speyside malts complement the herbs and spicy aromas of Drambuie’s secret recipe. Drambuie Liqueur Co global travel-retail manager Will Birkin said: “With only a handful of the world’s finest spirits chosen to be sold by this prestigious airline this a real coup for the brand. It demonstrates the quality of the spirit and premium reputation of the Drambuie name. Drambuie 15 aims to appeal to existing Drambuie customers trading up and malt whisky experimenters, making it an ideal fit with BA’s discerning passengers.”
Meanwhile double award-winning limited edition The Jacobite Collection― the Spirit of 45 is also enjoying strong sales in travel-retail and duty-free. Launched at this year’s Tax Free World Association exhibition in Cannes, the collection retails for £3,500 ($5,443) and has sold more than 20 units in two months. The solid wood presentation box contains a hand-etched crystal replica of the Spottiswoode “Amen” glass and a hand-blown crystal decanter which holds the rare blend of 45yo whiskies.
Birkin commented: “The Jacobite Collection was very well received at the Tax Free World Association show in Cannes in September, especially in winning awards for Luxury Drinks Brand of the Year and Best Drinks launch. Demand for the product has since been incredibly strong.”
Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve Whisky campaign devised by Love
Manchester agency Love has taken the wraps off its latest work for drinks giant Diageo - a campaign to promote Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve whisky in Asia.
Love's brief was to "position the whisky brand as a drink of celebration and flamboyance". It produced a film and stills which are now being launched as the 'Spirit of Celebration' campaign, running across Asia in premium venues, bars, retail outlets and airports.
Mike Hughes, creative head at Love, said: "Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve, ‘The Spirit Of Celebration’, is a campaign that celebrates the uniquely flamboyant character of Gold Reserve, whilst at the same time championing the new spirit of optimism in China.
"Our creative approach was to reflect this character of celebration through dance in a fresh and contemporary way in keeping with the Johnnie Walker progressive DNA.”
Love commissioned Universal Everything and Realise to produce the moving image animation. It worked with regular collaborator Tom Van Schelven on the photography.
Master of Malt Announce St Isidore – a Blended Whisky Created by Bloggers
Master of Malt is proud to finally announce the release of the blended whisky, St Isidore, created entirely by whisky bloggers. To make this blend, the spirits retailer called upon the great and the good of the whisky industry including names such as Whisky Magazine, Edinburgh Whisky Blog, CaskStrength.net and Whisky Cast.
Master of Malt started by sending blending kits to 10 prominent whisky bloggers, and asked them to create the best blended whisky they could using the ingredients provided, whilst maximising its value for money. The bloggers’ recipes were made up and sold in sample sets, and Master of Malt asked the public to vote for which recipe should be made into the brand’s next whisky.
The votes were counted (using the AV system) and a rather smoky, Islay-inspired blend was chosen as the winner, before the bloggers agreed on a name for the blend, calling it St Isidore after the patron saint of the internet. For the final stage, Master of Malt called on graphic designers to submit label designs for the bottle, which summed up St Isidore, the blend, and the whisky blogging community, making them as creative as possible.
The winning designer, who was awarded a £250 spending spree at Master of Malt, was English artist Ben Sowter, who created a psychedelic, larger-than-life depiction of St Isidore enjoying his namesake blend. The label features numerous computer and internet in-jokes, for example a monitor lizard represents a computer’s monitor, and there is a bag of coins, representing a “cache”. In total, there are around 20 different hidden internet-related jokes and Easter Eggs!
You can buy a bottle of St Isidore from Master of Malt.
Tasting Notes for St Isidore:
Nose: Sweet creamy aromas that meld well with a cool, oily, almost coastal wood smoke. It instantly transports you to Islay, whilst offering just a hint of plum wine, wood shavings and lapsang souchong tea. Time in the glass brings out notes of guava, warm custard and rhubarb crumble.
Palate: Thick, warming and balanced as it hits the tongue, it offers notes of really good vanilla ice cream, black pepper, and rum spices, whilst retaining a solid backbone of sweet woodsmoke and freshly-sawn timber. Hold it on the tongue for just a touch of salty popcorn and crème caramel.
Finish: Beautifully warming and spiced. It fades away on freshly grated cinnamon and sugared peels. A faint flutter of pear juice on the very tail.
Overall: A perfect smoky blend. This is a very old-school whisky, combining the smoke of Islay, and the rich, honeyed tones of the Highlands. A superb winter fireside dram if ever there was one.
The hi-tech systems have been installed at a new custom-designed £10m cooperage near Alloa in Clackmannanshire.
Diageo said the systems at their Cambus plant had never been used in a cooperage and would improve the working lives of the coopers.
The project comes after Diageo cut 900 jobs at its Kilmarnock and Glasgow sites in 2009.
The losses were offset by the creation of about 400 posts at a packaging plant at Leven in Fife.
The 40 coopers at the new plant will craft a quarter of a million casks a year.
Each one weighs 85kg (188lb) and were traditionally lifted by hand into the kiln to be fired and sealed.
Callum Bruce, 51, has worked as a cooper for 35 years and said he was feeling the difference.
He said: "I'm not any youngster and the limbs are getting a bit sore now, and I think the machinery helps that aspect of things.
"It certainly helps when you're working away. With the machinery you have it's not as sore on the old bones."
The Diageo team worked closely with engineering firm CI Logistics to design conveyors for moving the casks around the cooperage, between the hand-craft elements of the process.
Similar systems are used in car factories around the world and the company said the result was the world's most "innovative cooperage".
Training ground
But Grain Distilling Director Richard Bedford said machinery would never replace men when it comes to coopering.
He said: "We're investing heavily in apprentices, we've had 16 apprentices here in the last five years, we've built an apprentice school into the cooperage here where we've currently got eight apprentices training at the moment.
"We are determined to keep the craft and skill of coopering alive, that's very important to us."
The casks built by the coopers will be filled with whisky and stored in the bonded warehouses that stand alongside the cooperage. It is the largest bond in Europe and already holds 3 million casks.
The new Cambus cooperage will be officially opened on Monday morning by the Earl of Wessex, an Honorary Member of the Incorporation of Coopers.
John Doe wins global PR account for Ballantine's whisky
Ballantine’s is part of the Chivas Brothers whisky portfolio owned by global wine and spirits giant, Pernod Ricard.
Following a pitch process reported in PRWeek, John Doe has been appointed to handle the global PR for the brand, working alongside a wider team of digital and advertising agencies, to create integrated campaigns, both globally and within the UK.
Former Adidas global PR manager and now John Doe director Rosie Holden will head up the account.
According to the International Wine & Spirit Research's Database 2011, Ballantine's is the top-selling whisky in Europe.
Commenting on the appointment, John Doe director Peter Chipchase said: ‘Ballantine’s is the number two Scotch whisky brand in the world and the number one in Europe, and the remit to act like a challenger brand offers an amazing opportunity to make innovative work in partnership with their in-house global PR team.’
Earlier this month, Ballantine’s announced the release of a new limited edition gift tin for its 12 Year Old expression range for the Christmas period. The special edition reflects the brand’s ‘Beyond’ global creative platform, which has been supported by a number of art events, advertising and mechandise.
Whisky, a form of alcohol distilled from cereals, is the most popular hard-alcoholic beverage in the world. The Scots and the Irish make it from barley whereas the Americans and the Canadians, make it from corn or rye. We, on the other hand, distil it from fermented molasses which, outside the subcontinent, would more likely be labelled rum. With its distinct flavours and aromas, whisky today has become one of the highest consumed spirits in the world.
What makes a good whisky and how does one recognise it?
A good whisky depends on whether you like it smooth or harsh. Some pointers to recognise a good whisky are a good body; pale yellow to dark tan colour, a well-rounded flavour and the aromas should give you a hint of rye, some oak wood and a bit of smokiness.
A good cocktail suggestion that one can conjure at home?
Whisky is not a neutral alcohol. Lime is always a good additive as it cuts down the harshness. Other than that, crushed mint leaves, ginger ale, cola and of course, water.
What should not be added in a whisky cocktail?
Sprite and orange juice are a strict no-no. Be very careful with juices and fruits. Single malts should either be had neat or on the rocks. Blended Scotch goes well with part-soda and part-water combos.
Leading Scotch whisky launches aspirational on-pack promotion
Pernod Ricard UK is supporting its luxury Scotch whisky brand, Chivas Regal, with a significant marketing campaign in the run up to the key Christmas trading period. The investment includes an extensive above-the-line campaign and an on-pack promotion to reinforce the brand platform – ‘Live with Chivalry’ – and drive consumer brand awareness.
The out-of-home advertising campaign sees the brand focussing on high-footfall London sites, such as Canary Wharf and The City, to reach the brand’s target audience of 25-34 year old males. The advertising campaign is being supported by digital activation and a print partnership using its ‘Live with Chivalry’ brand platform, which draws inspiration from the fundamental values of modern gentlemen.
In addition, Chivas Regal has created a bespoke creative for Bank Underground station to target city workers and communicate chivalry through business and finance to create a really impactful brand presence.
To complete the 360° ‘Live with Chivalry’ campaign, the Chivas 12 year-old bottle sports an on-pack promotion to win a ‘money can’t buy experience’. One winner, plus three friends, will win a training session with sporting legend, ex-England rugby star, Mike Catt. They will also be taken on a behind-the-scenes guided tour of Twickenham, enjoy a luxury post-training meal and the rare opportunity to try the most revered Chivas whiskies. There are also 50 limited-edition signed rugby shirts to be won. Consumers can also enter via Facebook – www.facebook.com/ChivasRegalUK.
Commenting on the activity, Vicky Wood, Marketing Controller for Pernod Ricard UK, says: “We want to talk directly to our key consumers ahead of Christmas, and we believe our targeted advertising supported by this exclusive promotion, is an exciting proposition for our target audience.”
The Black Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky, distributed by Maxxium UK, has announced a heavyweight media campaign for Christmas 2011 with a brand new advert coming to TV screens across the UK, reaching an estimated 37 million consumers.
The Famous Grouse Family TV adverts have become a keenly anticipated feature of the Christmas season. For the first time in 15 years, The Black Grouse brand will take the lead in the TV advertising for the portfolio, which now includes The Snow Grouse and The Naked Grouse alongside The Famous Grouse.
The new ad created by AMV BBDO, will air from the 5 to 25 December across the UK, with an up-weighted campaign in Scotland due to premiere on the 21 November culminating on Hogmanay with sponsorship of STV’s live coverage. The campaign is also timed to coincide with St Andrew’s Day celebrations and a national sampling campaign in partnership with The Herald.
The advert will unveil the new strapline; ‘A touch of brilliance’ and reveal more of the unique character of The Black Grouse. The witty creative shows The Black Grouse putting its own twist on the iconic Famous Grouse theme tune.
The Black Grouse is a blend of The Famous Grouse with its own touch of brilliance – select peated malts are added to create a distinctive smoky but smooth blend.
Black Bull Scotch Whisky Wins Fifth Gold Medal of the Year
Black Bull 40 Year Old, the luxury blend from Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited has been awarded a gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge 2011. This incredible achievement for the range follows a stream of 2011 successes, that have seen the brand take gold medals at the World Whisky Awards, International Wine & Spirits Competition and the Scottish Field Whisky Challenge.
Black Bull 40 year old is our exclusive small batch expression which best captures the boldly refined yet balanced character of Black Bull Whisky.
Black Bull 40 Year Old, the flagship of the Black Bull range is a luxury blend of the finest single malt and single grain whiskies available from Scotland’s premium distilleries. Black Bull 40 year old is 90% single malt and 10% single grain and is bottled at cask strength. The spirit is completely natural, without chill filtration or added colourant.
Judges tasting notes: “Good, balanced maturity. Exotic, with cinnamon spice and a long medium-dry finish.”
Established in 1995, the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) is the most authoritative, respected and influential spirits competition in the world, recognising and promoting outstanding quality spirits from across the globe.
Held annually in London, the ISC is founded on a rigorous and objective blind tasting process, by panels of selected master distillers, blenders, specialist writers and prominent industry figures – all acknowledged experts in their field.
This independent process serves to encourage the high caliber of spirits entered into the International Spirits Challenge competition each year. Receiving more than 1,000 entries from nearly 70 countries worldwide makes the ISC a truly global competition.
Supported by the world’s leading spirits producers, the ISC sets the international standard for quality and excellence. To pass the scrupulous assessment of the judging panel and win an ISC award is an impressive achievement for any spirit.
Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky selects whiskies from distilleries throughout Scotland, bottling a range of luxury single malt and grain Scotch whiskies as well as its award winning range of blended whiskies from its base in Huntly, Aberdeenshire.
Aldi to sell 40 year old whisky with £250 discount
Discount retailer Aldi is to sell a limited edition 40 year old Speyside Single Malt Whisky in the run-up to Christmas for £49.99 instead of £300.
The German supermarket will sell 3,000 bottles of the Speyside Single Malt across its 450 stores in December. However, demand is expected to outstrip supply as only six or seven bottles will be sold in each store.
Aldi's Spirits Buyer said: "Whisky of this quality and age would usually sell for around £300 plus. Aldi is giving customers the chance to get hold of a very high quality luxury product for a very low price."
Presented in a stylish gift box, the whisky has been matured in European Oak Sherry casks, resulting in a very intense and rich flavour.
The product is predicted to sell out in hours when it hits Aldi’s shelves on 8 December.
Free Entry to Glengoyne Distillery to Celebrate St. Andrews Day
On the weekend of 26 and 27 of November Glengoyne will be offering free admission to “Scotland’s most beautiful distillery” to celebrate St. Andrews Day and the launch of Scotland’s Winter Festivals.
Open from 10.00am – 5pm (last tour 4pm) the picturesque distillery is offering free entry to the Glengoyne Tour (normal price £6.75) which lasts one hour and includes a dram of 10 Years Old Highland Single Malt as you watch the brand new visitor information film. The film will give a glimpse into life at the distillery before you are taken to meet the stars on a fun and informative tour of the working distillery, learning the methods of whisky making handed down over the generations.
Stuart Hendry, Brand and Development Manager for Glengoyne commented: “What better way is there to celebrate Scotland’s national day than with Scotland’s national drink. We are always looking for new ways to share distillery life and the passion we have for whisky and hope that by offering free entry for St. Andrew’s Day we will be able to meet a host of potential new Glengoyne fans.”
Glengoyne Distillery, which offers an unrivalled visitor experience, is situated just 30 minutes outside Glasgow, looking out over the breath-taking West Highland Way. The event is open to all ages.
For directions and further information visit www.glengoyne.com or call 01360 550 229
For more information on the range of events for Scotland’s Winter Festivals please visit www.scotland.org/winter
Glengoyne will also be at the Edenmill Farm Food Festival on 26 & 27 November offering tastings and Christmas gift ideas. For more information see www.edenmill.co.uk/food-festival
A TRIO of Swedish drinks industry workers are being put through their paces at Benromach distillery in Moray as part of a scheme to create whisky ambassadors in Scandinavia.
Bar manager Susan Stenström, whisky magazine editor Emma Andersson and restaurateur Helena Hugo will learn about milling, mashing and distilling from Gordon & MacPhail, the Scotch bottler that owns the site.
The Swedes will be christened as “honorary stillmen” at the end of their training.
Michael Urquhart, joint managing director of Gordon & MacPhail, said: “Sweden has a huge whisky following and is becoming an increasingly popular market for Benromach. We hope the ladies will share their experiences of their scholarship and our single malt whisky.”
Each of the Swedish women is already recognised as an expert in Scotland’s national drink.
Stenström and Hugo have both opened their own venues in Sweden to serve Scotch, while Andersson’s publication, Allt Om Whisky, is “one of the world’s best whisky magazines”.
Online retailer launches DIY whisky blending service
Master of Malt has launched a service that allows whisky lovers to blend their own whisky.
Consumers can use a set of sliders on one of the online retailer's web pages to adjust the quantities of 10 different whiskies to make their own blend.
The price of a full bottle, or a six-bottle case, of the finished blend varies according to the quantities of each constituent whisky used, with prices adjusted in real-time as visitors to the site adjust the sliders.
To help create the blend, Master of Malt is also selling a home blending kit containing samples of each of the 10 different blending whiskies - which include malt and grain base whiskies, single malts for the core of the blend, and some very old and rare spirits.
The kit – priced £49.95 – also contains measuring equipment, a conical flask and a tasting glass for creating the blend, before ordering a full bottle, which can be personalised with the creator's name.
Whisky casked in a Scottish distillery in 1971 will go on sale in a supermarket chain.
Aldi will retail 3,000 bottles of a 40-year-old single malt whisky across their 450 UK stores starting from December 8.
The limited edition Speyside Single Malt Whisky comes from an unnamed Scottish distillery.
They said they are the first supermarket to sell a 40-year-old single malt and, given its £49.99 price tag, they expect it to sell out within hours.
A spokesman for the supermarket said: "Whisky of this quality and age would usually sell for around £300 plus.
"Aldi is giving customers the chance to get hold of a very high quality luxury product for a very low price."
The taste is described as "intense and rich... with an aroma of dark chocolate and dried figs, the sweet taste gives off a marmalade zestiness, and the dry oak tannins fade into a lingering sweet and mellow finish."
A second bottle, a Glen Marnoch 24-year-old single malt whisky, is also available in the store from November 24.
Two World of Patria travel-retail premium whiskies win award and high praise from whisky guru Jim Murray
Wine, beer and spirit distributor World of Patria International (WOPI) has announced that a number of premium whiskies in its travel-retail portfolio have been awarded and highly praised by Jim Murray in the Whisky Bible 2012 Awards.
Duncan Taylor’s Peerless Glen Grant 1970 cask 3497 was selected best single malt Scotch 35-40 Years (single cask), rated against a record crop of almost 1,500 whiskies. The award-winning whisky is described as “an outstanding, world-class whisky of the rarest quality.”
The award for best blended Scotch 26-50 years went to The Last Drop for its 50yo Blended Whisky. Jim Murray had an exclusive preview of this latest whisky, which will be available in travel-retail from the distributor in 2012. WOPI currently offers The Last Drop blended whiskies including the 1960 Blended Scotch Whisky and 1950 Cognac to global travel-retail markets, and will be adding The Last Drop 50yo Blended Scotch whisky during 2012.
WOPI director Kevin Baker said: “The philosophy of WOPI is to develop a portfolio of premium and super-premium spirits that stand out from the rest; that offer the travel-retail sector truly niche, exciting brands that make a statement in what is a very competitive market place. So to have brands such as Wemyss, The Last Drop and Duncan Taylor so highly awarded and commended by Jim Murray in his 2012 Whisky Bible is a tremendous plus for us, clearly showing we are on the right track with our choice of brand partners.
“The award for the Last Drop 50yo has already caused quite a stir with one of our leading travel-retail customers and we are very much looking forward to working closely with the brand owner to create some spectacular activity for this new expression next year.”
Diageo is launching a new limited edition whisky SKU
Just in time for Christmas gifting occasions, Diageo is launching a new limited edition SKU – Johnnie Walker Double Black blended scotch whisky.
Johnnie Walker Black Label is the number one deluxe whisky in GB and with a smokier and more intense flavour than Black Label, Johnnie Walker Double Black offers consumers more of the Black Label they already love – but with an edgy, masculine twist.
The new liquid will be identifiable as part of the Johnnie Walker portfolio, but varies from Black Label in the way it is blended. Double Black contains a higher proportion of whiskies that have been matured in charred wood or have a naturally smoky flavour, so that the final combination delivers a smokier and more intense Black Label blend.
The latest addition to the Johnnie Walker portfolio will also be distinguishable from its contemporaries through its distinctive packaging. Its carton features a ‘charred wood’ effect background which alludes to the woody properties of the new blend. The bottle inside is tinted charcoal grey to preserve an air of intrigue about the liquid within, and maintains the new Black Label bottle shape.
Currently available in Sainsbury’s and RTM wholesale regional outlets, Johnnie Walker Double Black will be supported above the line as part of a £1m campaign for the whole Johnnie Walker family. Activity specific to Double Black will include in-store sampling, a limited edition pack sleeve and an on-pack sticker highlighting the gold medal win in the super premium whisky category at the ‘Spirits Business Masters 2010’.
Andrew Philbey, Head of Customer Activation for Reserve Brands at Diageo GB, comments: “Double Black is not just a darker version of Black Label – the name refers to the character of the new SKU rather than just its colour. Double Black has the same roots as Black Label but is a more mysterious, edgy and intriguing proposition.
“The liquid has already received critical acclaim from consumers and critics, winning the top award at the Spirits Business Masters 2010, and being awarded a gold medal award at the International Spirits Challenge 2011.
“With Christmas gifting occasions currently at the forefront of consumers’ minds, we anticipate that this new innovation, which builds upon the Black Label offer that they already love, will drive retail value and margin for retailers throughout its limited availability period.”
RAISE a glass to St Andrew’s on November 30 with a wee dram.
The spirit of legend, whisky is sometimes referred to as the ’water of life’, and must be matured for a minimum of three years.
Made from three simple ingredients – grain, water and yeast – the aromas and tastes are achieved by small variations in the distilling process; where the distillery draws its water, and the length of maturation in oak or sherry casks.
To nose and appreciate Scotch, it’s important to determine the style and characteristics of the type of whisky you ultimately want to drink – and a dash of water will increase the aromas, mellow the depth of flavour and champion your drinking pleasure.
Blended whiskies are a mixture of single malt and single grain whiskies which create an easy-drinking, elegant style.
More than 90% of all Scotch whisky is a blend, and master blenders have perfected the art of creating a sweetness in their whisky by nosing out the right cask, and these are the easiest to sip.
A Scottish favourite, Whyte & Mackay has linked up with Waitrose to produce its entry level Whyte & Mackay Blended Scotch Malt Whisky (£18.19, 70cl, Waitrose), a Decanter World Wine Awards winner two years ago.
For purists and collectors, a single malt (produced from one distillery) is the only bottle to have in your drinks cabinet and the most prized labels are from distilleries in Speyside.
The most collected of all malts, The Macallan is famed for “first class, top dressing malt”, and set a new trend when it started releasing vintage bottlings in the 1980s. While you may not be in the market for a rare vintage, The Macallan Fine Oak 10 Year Old (£32, 70cl, Tesco) has its trademark sherry influence, a Christmas fruit-cake character and malty finish.
From Dufftown to Delhi (India is the largest consumer of whisky in the world), Glenfiddich produces the most popular single malt across five continents. For a taste of success, try Glenfiddich Rich Oak (£34.19, 70cl, http://shop.glenfiddich.com/shop), a 14 year old single malt matured in untouched American and European oak casks. Soft and rich with candied fruit and spice, vanilla bean, and a pleasant oaky sweetness on the finish.
The Glenlivet has a smart gift pack with The Glenlivet 15 Year Old (£35.29, 70cl, Morrisons). Smooth and delicate with toffee and caramel flavours, and a chocolatey, rich sweetness on the finish.
Venturing further north into the Highlands, the heather and the weather influence Scotland’s rich flavour map. Try Glenmorangie’s limited edition Glenmorangie Original and the ’First Footing’ Scottish Coal luxury gift box (£31.49, 70cl, Selfridges nationwide). Its best-selling 10 year old single malt is delicate with honey and sultana flavours, and a sprinkling of toasted almonds. It comes with a symbolic piece of coal to bring good health, wealth and good fortune on Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve in Scotland).
That is if one took too much of the stuff without taking good amounts of water to tame the different whisky brands that formed part of this year's Whisky Live Festival.
Valpré spring water, winner of the prestigious international Monde Selection Gold Quality Award, was the preferred spring water at this year's FNB Whisky Live Festival for the third consecutive year.
Valpré spring water had a stand at the festival to educate new whisky drinkers, and polish the knowledge of more established whisky consumers through the exciting Valpré Whisky Sommelier's course conducted by Paula Howsey, a whisky sommelier from the Cape Town Whisky Academy.
Paula hosted these informative mixing sessions at both the Cape Town and Johannesburg festivals, and focussed on how to blend the right amount of the spring water to your preferred whisky.
"While wine 'breathes' when it's exposed to air, whisky 'awakens' and comes alive when mixed with spring water," said Paula, describing how a drop of Valpré, releases the fiery mystique of a great whisky.
Valpré's Sommelier's course shared the secrets of getting up close and personal with your dram; how to gently breathe in the whisky's hidden scents, sip it to let it slowly coat and caress your taste buds to reveal the whisky's spirit and gently swallow the spirit with a sigh of satisfaction.
Senior brand manager at Valpré, Linda Appie, described the partnership between Valpré spring water and whisky as a natural fit.
"What many consumers don't know is that water is a key ingredient in all phases of the production and distilling of whisky," she said.
"It makes sense then to mix your favourite whisky with spring water. Valpré has established a relationship with the Whisky Academy that will extend beyond this festival."
Taipei, Nov. 17 (CNA) A Taiwan-distilled whisky has won top recognition from world-renowned whisky connoisseur Jim Murray and has been included in the latest edition of his malt whisky guide, the Whisky Bible, the distillery said Thursday. According to King Car Group, which produces the whisky, its Kavalan Soloist Fino Single Cask scored 97 out of a possible 100 and has been awarded the title of New World Whisky of the Year. The Whisky Bible, which Murray began publishing in 2003, evaluates blends based on four criteria -- nose, taste, finish and balance -- each with a highest mark of 25, and also contains tasting notes. Murray, an English writer and journalist, describes the Kavalan as "a perfect fino sherry" and that "the dry, slightly salty grape offers both a sweet juiciness and a weightier dry pulpiness." The distillery attributed the honor to its master blender, Chang Yu-lan, and the high quality water from Taiwan's central mountain range and Syueshan Mountain that is used to produce the three-year-old whisky. Since being first marketed in December 2008, Kavalan has won many honors, including a gold medal in the International Wine and Spirit Competition this year and a silver medal in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition from 2009-2011. Last January, whisky from the same Taiwanese distillery beat some of the most historic blends in a blind tasting in the United Kingdom organized by The Times newspaper. (Yang Shu-min and Jamie Wang)
Photographer Creates Limited Edition Packaging For Whisky Brand Using X-Ray Machine
The award-winning British photographer and artist Nick Veasey has used an x-ray machine to create a series of images for limited edition packaging of The Macallan whisky. The Sherry Oak 12 years old line will feature the six x-ray photographs, which represent The Macallan’s Six Pillars, the distinctive features of the product: a house (Easter Elchies House, the spiritual home of The Macallan), a still (curiously small stills give The Macallan its rich character), scissors (the finest cut of spirit – only 16% of the distillation is filled into cask), a cask (exceptional oak casks are used to mature the whisky), a feather (natural colour, as no artificial colourings are used in any of their whiskies), and a liquid drop (the peerless spirit that is The Macallan). Nick Veasey explains his style of photography:
"We live in a world obsessed with image. What we look like, what our clothes look like, houses, cars… I like to counter this obsession with superficial appearance by using X-rays to strip back the layers and show what it is like under the surface. Often the integral beauty adds intrigue to the familiar."
Like a little water with that whisky? Many people, including golden-nosed experts, do. A splash can lift the aroma, breaking up what your chemistry teacher called ester chains and freeing up volatile compounds. But you paid how much for that single malt? Why sully it with chlorinated tap water?
Enter the Mavea. Filter jugs have been around for 40 years, pioneered by the Brita company of Germany. In 2000, Brita sold the brand in North and South America to Clorox. Now the same German firm is launching a fresh competitive assault on the market here with a new-generation pitcher. More stylish than Brita jugs, it reduces all the bad stuff, including chlorine and heavy metals, just like other pitchers.
That makes the water not only cleaner but taste softer, like the Scottish water used to make great whisky. And it features a proprietary filter with a micro screen to reduce black-particle release, an unsightly disadvantage with other filters. Your dram will look as pure as it tastes. Mavea Elemaris pitchers are available in black, white and red and in two sizes, five-glass and nine-glass, $34.99 and $39.99. Sold at Pepper Mill in Toronto and other kitchenware stores across the country.
The SWA said last week that such a product is illegal under European law, but Arkay has dismissed the body’s stance as “inaccurate and unjust”.
Zeshan Ahmed, vice president of sales at Arkay, told the drinks business: “We are aware that the Scotch Whisky Association has made a number of media statements in relation to Arkay which we believe are factually inaccurate and unfounded.
“We are disappointed that Arkay has encountered such inaccurate and unjustified criticism.”
European law dictates that the name “whisky” cannot be “used to describe or present in any way whatsoever” any drink other than whisky.
Glen Barclay, director of legal affairs at the SWA, said of the “alcohol-free whisky” moniker: “Such promotion is taking advantage of the high quality reputation of the product that is whisky, which is a distilled spirit produced from natural ingredients, when it is in fact just a soft drink with artificial flavourings.
“Not only will consumers be confused, but such a product unfairly trades on the reputation of genuine whisky.”
However, Ahmed insists that while the brand may indeed be called “alcohol-free whisky” in the US, where such a description is legal, Arkay recognises the need to change the name for the UK and European markets.
He told db: “To be clear the product description ‘Alcohol Free Whisky Flavoured Drink’ relates only to our Arkay product being sold in the US and having consulted extensively with our American attorneys and the FDA this product description is fully compliant with the relevant American regulations.
“We understand the restrictions regarding the use of the word ‘whisky’ in respect of sales denominations within the European Union, under EC Regulations, and as such our UK and European labelling and product description in respect of Arkay will be reflective of this.
“For the avoidance of doubt the Arkay product is yet to be launched in the UK and Europe.
“We are fully aware of the global remit of the Scotch Whisky Association to protect the Scotch whisky industry.
“At no point in time has Arkay Beverages used the sales denomination ‘Scotch whisky’ in relation to Arkay. It is clearly marked and designed as a non-alcoholic flavoured drink which has a ‘similar taste to whisky’ and will be marketed as such.
“To reiterate, to pretend it is whisky or contains whisky would be completely contrary to the marketing of Arkay.”
The SWA told the drinks business that it stands by its original statement and will “monitor and investigate the sale and promotion of the product with a view to taking appropriate action”.
Macallan single malt whisky uses 3D for point of sale promotion
The Macallan single malt whisky can now be seen in a 3D holographic point of sale campaign promoting its travel retail range The Macallan 1824 Collection.
The promotion was commissioned by brand owners The Edrington Group for use by Maxxium Travel Retail, a marketing and distribution company.
The campaign features holographic 3D animations at point of sale locations in Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and The Macallan distillery in Speyside, Scotland.
The in-store promotion was produced by 3D company Inition and features The Macallan 1824 Limited Release decanter with 3D animations appearing in and around the bottle.
The creative tells the story of the whisky from its heritage in the Scottish Highlands to the different stages of the distillation process.
Inition’s 3D artists worked with existing assets to create the CGI content from three different perspectives to allow the footage to be viewed from all angles.
A MAJOR independent Perthshire distillery has been taken over by a French company.
Tullibardine Limited, owner-operator of the Tullibardine Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky distillery based in Blackford, has been sold to the Picard family based at the Château de Chassagne-Montrachet, Burgundy, France.
The deal was concluded with the agreement of shareholders late last week.
The Picard group enjoyed a 100 million Euro turnover in 2008, and employs 400 people, with a presence in 55 countries worldwide.
The sale of the business to the French group is said to further strengthen its interest in whisky following the purchase of the Highland Queen brand from the Glenmorangie company in 2009.
Chairman Michel Picard said: “The purchase of Tullibardine Distillery provides synergies and a platform for growth for our Scotch whisky business. Tullibardine is a wonderful single malt Scotch whisky and we look forward to working with the team at the distillery to increase the profile, awareness and sales of the brand over the coming years.”
Alan Williamson, chairman of Tullibardine, said: “The shareholders of Tullibardine are delighted to conclude a sale of the business to the Picard family. The business will undoubtedly benefit from the skills, expertise and distribution which the group can create for the Tullibardine brand and we wish them every success over the years to come.
“We have been custodians of the Tullibardine brand for the last eight years and the time is now right for us to hand it over and for Picard to take it to the next level. We wish them every success.”
Until the deal, the distillery was one of Scotland’s last remaining independent whisky distillers.
The site at Blackford, opened in 1949, was designed by Delme Evans who worked at various other distilleries around Scotland. The distillery was mothballed in 1995 after twice changing hands but revived in 2003 by Tullibardine Ltd.
The takeover comes at a time when there is renewed and growing interest in whisky on international markets, with major expansion on course in Asia.
If you’re looking for a gift for the man that’s hard to buy for, you could probably put a smile on his face with a bottle of single malt whisky. Perfect for aficionados and enthusiasts, the Lagavulin 16yr old is celebrated for it’s intense, smoky flavour, very much the hallmark of all the whiskys from the wilds of Islay.
Lagavulin, distilled since 1816 is perhaps the finest example of a smoky single malt and will definitely put hairs on even the most metrosexual of chests.
A complex and spirited blend, the Lagavulin has lapsang souchong on the nose, followed by peat and sea salt on the palate with an elegant wood finish. This drop is ideal for frosty evenings spent in front of a roaring fire, or at least the heater set on high.
The 16yr old has had time to mature and is smoother and sweeter than it’s younger brother
(the 12yr old). Available in smaller bottles, these make an impressive gift for well under £20 and could upgrade your Christmas hampers to legendary status.
Diageo GB is re-positioning its Bell’s blended scotch whisky brand via a £1.35m TV ad campaign.
According to Diageo, Bell’s is the number one blended whisky in the UK, with a 25% share of the total blended whisky category.
The ad campaign will run from now until the end of December, with more coverage than last year’s TV campaign, spanning TV, pub TV and digital channels. There will also be an "up-weighting" in Scotland at the end of November and in to December.
Oakley Walters, Bell’s brand manager said: “Our research has shown that Bell’s consumers are young at heart, socially active people who are open to new experiences and want their whisky to be a reliable, quality drink.
“Through our new campaign we are re-invigorating the brand and helping the blended whisky category to grow by dialling-up the benefits of blended whisky and the quality of Bell’s.”
Whatever your preference, there’s a whisky for you
Extra distilled, extra matured – and now – “never mixed” is the language that whisky distilleries and alcohol beverage companies associate black affluent South African consumers with.
Since the first bottle of Scottish whisky was shipped to South Africa, local consumers have always been known to prefer blended whiskies – partly because it is cheaper but also because of its milder taste.
Scottish distilleries call it whisky, Irish call it whiskey and in South Africa we call it whichever name tastes best. But what really, is the difference between whisky and whiskey?
Scottish distillers, Glenfiddich explained it to us at the FNB Whiskey Festival in Cape Town last week. They said Scotch malt was made of one distillery and was malted in barley. Scottish blend was made of many distilleries mixed with grain and corn. Irish malt was made the same way as Scotch malt but was “unmalted”. American whisky was made of corn, rye and barley.
According to Dominic Malan, the marketing manager of premium whisky at South Africa’s leading premium drinks company Brandhouse Beverages, about 95 percent of South African consumers drink blended whisky. However, a growth in the consumption of the “never mixed” single malt whiskies has shown a rise.
“There’s a shift upwards in South African consumers. We are seeing growth in malt which is driven by black affluent consumers. They call it the ‘Grand daddy of peat’,” Malan said.
Brandhouse’s leading whisky brands include Johnnie Walker, Bells, Singleton and J&B. All their brands are imported from Scotland.
“The biggest preference is for Scottish whisky in South Africa. We distribute over 3 million cases measuring off-trade,” said Shannon Yuill, Brandhouse’s portfolio manager of spirits.
The group said the House of Johnnie Walker was showing strong results in the local market having taken 2.7 percent volume points over the past year and having delivered over 49.5 percent volume growth and over 99.7 percent volume growth in the short term.
But according to Andy Watts, master distiller of South Africa’s internationally acclaimed label Three Ships, South Africans “have really come to love our proudly South African whiskies”.
“In the past, South Africa was traditionally a Scottish-style whisky market. After 1994 this changed with the introduction of the American Bourbons and Irish whiskies and in recent years also whisky from countries like Japan.
“This has created interest and consumers tend to experiment with different taste profiles… The style of a whisky is becoming increasingly important as perceptions change and whisky lovers begin to appreciate style rather than age alone,” he said.
Three Ships Select is a high quality blend of South African and Scotch whiskies and has grown to become the seventh largest whisky by volume in South Africa since its launch in 1977.
Local distillery, Distell houses Three Ships together with two other locally produced whiskies: Bain’s Cape Mountain and Knights Whisky, which Watts also distil.
At the Whiskey Festival, whisky ages ranged from one to over 60 years of age.
Watts said their whiskies were still small in volumes when compare to Scottish whiskies but they were growing yearly.
“The South African consumer just loves whisky and there is a tendency towards premium whiskies within South Africa and this aspiration desire just helps to pull along the whole category,” he said.
THE Scotch whisky industry will this week press its case for fairer access to what could develop into its biggest market during a high ranking visit to India.
A delegation led by Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, will meet senior government officials and industry representatives as preparations begin for the next summit meeting in February to discuss an India-Europe free trade agreement.
A key objective of the visit is to discuss the issue of the 150 per cent tariff on imported spirits in India. Although the tariff has been reduced from 750 per cent in 2001, Hewitt said the current level still meant Scotch whisky was unaffordable for most.
“We now have a situation where the tariff means a £10 bottle of Scotch whisky becomes a £25 bottle before it enters distribution. There is a huge demand for Scotch whisky from India’s emerging middle class and it could be one of our biggest markets if we were given fairer access – it is the biggest international trade priority for the industry currently.”
Some 250 million cases of spirits are sold in India each year, of which 140 million cases are whisky – the highest number in the world – but only 1.5 million cases of that is genuine Scotch whisky.
Hewitt said the tariff on imported spirits was much higher than in other emerging markets such as China (10 per cent) and Brazil (20 per cent).
Earlier this year, the industry hailed a deal to provide stronger legal protection for Scotch whisky amid an ongoing fight against counterfeiting.
Only spirits produced in Scotland can now use “Scotch whisky” on their labels, and as part of next week’s visit an industry seminar will be held to highlight the restrictions under the regulations.
The long-awaited protection – following a Scotch Whisky Association application – was the first specific legislation on the subcontinent to deal with whisky. Scotch whisky exports powered through global economic uncertainties in the first half of this year, driving up exports 22 per cent to £1.8 billion. The US remained the top export market by value, with shipments up 14 per cent to £268m.
IF you think whisky is simply an after dinner drink for cold winter's nights you may need to think again after an evening with Fran and Ken Thomas.
The couple are hosting a whisky tasting evening at Wesley House's Bar & Grill in Winchcombe on November 24. They have worked with the restaurant team to create the perfect matching of whisky and food.
There are some surprises there. Thai chicken curry served with a tasting of Longrow CV, a heavy peated single malt. An 11-year-old Douglas Laing Provenance Benrinnes served with slow-braised Scottish oxtail and roasted root vegetables.
"We source local food wherever possible and use the very best of ingredients," said Wesley House owner Matthew Brown. "We have had a wonderful time matching our bowl food with the whiskies. We are thrilled at how well it all works together."
Ken and Fran know a thing or two about whisky. They run a boutique whisky shop called Arkwrights near Lechlade where they carry more than 800 varieties – called expressions. They vary in price from £15 to £7,500 a bottle.
They also run an online shop and ship around the world. Arkwrights was named Single Outlet Whisky Retailer of the Year by Whisky magazine. They spend a lot of time travelling, visiting distilleries and choosing new stock.
Spend even a short amount of time with Ken and Fran and you catch their enthusiasm for whisky. It is not just the drink but the wonderful tales of the people who make it.
"Whisky is more than what is simply in the glass. It is the stories, the craftsmen involved in it. It is one of the few industries left where it is based on craftsmen and women. The art of whisky making cannot be done by a machine," said Fran.
"Some aspects of whisky making are still a mystery. No one quite knows why one batch of whisky is better than the others. Or how you can have six casks of the same whisky yet only one of them will be that special one after 20 or 30 years."
Whisky is distilled from barley or grain: "It has been around for centuries but it would not have been like the whisky we drink now," said Ken. "It would have been clear. Then someone decided to store it in an oak cask, perhaps to transport it, and by accident a new tradition was born."
Whisky is mostly aged in sherry or bourbon casks, which is where it gains its golden colour and some its flavours. The casks are made with American or European oak and are still made by hand.
You can't make a bad whisky good with storage.
"You must start with a good distillation and have a good cask," said Ken. "Then it is the art of the blenders who monitor and taste the whisky for years before deciding it is ready.
"I have tasted whisky that was 15 years old and it wasn't at it's best but it was amazing at 20 years. It can also go the other way. I once tasted a 70-year-old that really wasn't very special. That is the excitement of it."
The couple enjoy the whisky tasting evenings. "It's the joy of helping people discover that whisky isn't just an old man's drink and that it is incredibly versatile. We are delighted to be working with Wesley House," said Ken.
"The dishes they have created for the tasting are so imaginative and complement the whiskies perfectly. Anyone can enjoy a whisky tasting evening. As you expect it is a lively and chatty affair, especially as the night goes on."
JW Marriott launches ‘Whisky 111’ bar in Chandigarh
Chandigarh: There are numerous takes on the infamous date 11.11.11 but for JW Marriott group of hotels it was the perfect day to launch its ‘Whisky 111’ bar in Sector-35. The new bar has been named ‘Whisky 111’ as it facilitates 111 varieties of whisky and scotch collection. The foreign made whisky and scotch collection is also on display for the customers.
The ‘Whisky 111’ bar features 22 scotch, 74 single malt and 37 label collections to offer a wide range for the customers. The director of food and beverages of the hotel, Viven, stated that it is extremely rare to find 37 labels of whisky in a hotel in India. The bar also offers a 1960’s vintage blend of scotch named as ‘The Last Drop’ amidst the large variety of whisky. The peg of 1960’s vintage blend of scotch has been priced at a whopping Rs 40,000. The 60 year old blend of scotch has been bought from Scotland.
The numerous varieties of the whisky have been categorized as single malt in accordance to the age, distillery and taste of the blend. The bar also provides a categorized range for the first time drinkers. The wine and whisky consultant of the bar, Sunny Chopra, has stated that the first time drinkers can make use of the whiskey consultation service in the bar to ascertain the amount and taste of the whisky. He suggested that the youngsters should start drinking whisky from a 10-yr-old label.
The bar also provides whiskey based cocktails and whiskey-flavour-based fruit drinks for the female customers.
If you can’t tell your Ardbeg from your Edradour, then researchers from St Andrew’s University might be able to help.
Working on a method to detect counterfeit whisky, a team from the university’s school of physics and astronomy has devised a device that can achieve this and pinpoint exactly which whisky the sample was from.
Counterfeit branded single-malt whiskies are a major problem for the whisky industry.
The St Andrews researchers, led by Prof Kishan Dholakia, use laser-based near-infrared spectroscopy to analyse samples — generally biological — using a microfluidic device that guides the laser into the sample through an optical fibre.
Another fibre collects light scattered from the sample and takes it to an analyser.
The original goal of the research was to determine the alcohol content of the sample, which is a key indicator of whether the whisky is fake.
The advantage of the microfluidic method is that it can obtain very accurate results, within one per cent, from a sample of only 20µl in around two seconds.
However, the team found that the technique also detects other compounds within the whisky, resulting from the brewing process and the maturation of the spirit in wooden casks. Although these only make up one per cent of the volume of the whisky, they have a very large influence on the taste, colour and texture of the drink.
When analysed by the laser, these compounds create a ‘fluorescence background’ that changes the shape of the peaks corresponding to the alcohol in the whisky’s spectrum.
This, the researchers found, can identify the brand of whisky; how long the spirit has been maturing; and even the type of cask it was maturing in. ‘This could be used to check for counterfeit whiskies, and also by the distilleries, for quality control; they can use a sample as a benchmark to compare their other whiskies against,’ researcher Paveen Ashok told The Engineer.
‘It’s amazing that the technology we are developing for biomedical analysis can also be used to help us enjoy a wee dram,’ said Prof Dholakia. ‘And with a minimum of waste.’
Whyte & Mackay to run social media search across the UK for hidden Shackleton whisky
Whisky brand Whyte & Mackay has challenged city explorers across the UK to find its Shackleton replica whisky using social media.
The company has hidden bottles of the whisky across 10 UK cities and will aims to allow people to use the Repudo app to search for the £100 bottles, recreated from those onboard the 1907 Nimrod voyage.
Only one of the 21 Repudo tags will contain a bottle of whisky, while the others will be empty.
Rob Bruce, head of PR for Whyte & Mackay, said: “Shackleton was a top explorer so what better way to mark the success of this whisky than by encouraging people to explore their city.“It would be impractical and irresponsible to leave a real bottle out in the street, but this approach maintains the element of adventure in a safe and engaging way.
“We’ll update the blog at our site so that people know when a bottle has been found, and we’ll keep the competition open until they are all found.”
The Repudos will be rolling out on a week by week basis, beginning in Dublin on 14 November, followed by Glasgow (21 November), Cardiff (28 November), Southampton (5 December) and London and Birmingham (12 December).
Whisky distiller John Dewar & Sons reports 9% profit rise
WHISKY maker John Dewar and Sons saw profits rise more than nine per cent to s23.8 million for the year to March 2011.
Overall sales rose more than 10 percent to s110.4 million helped by strong exports.
In annual results filed at Companies House the Aberfeldy-based distiller said: "Continued volume growth in emerging markets has had a positive impact on results.
"Forecasts indicate that this trend is likely to continue in future years and further capital investments are planned to support growth."
After tax profits rose by almost 22 percent to s18.73 million compared with s15.3 million a year ago.
In the company's latest results it lists 'actuarial gains' on the value of the pension scheme assets which helped to lift total gains for the year to s19.2 million.
The company's pension deficit shrunk to s3.9 million compared to s5.3 million.
Dewar's said it expects to contribute s2.3 million to its defined pension plan in the period ended March 31, 2011.
The total asset value rose from s25.08 million in 2008 to s26.75 million as of March of this year.
The accounts also show a s7.53 million one-off gain accounting on its defined benefit scheme last year.
The directors have proposed a final dividend to shareholders valued at s8 million for the 2010 financial year after forgoing a payment last year.
Staffing costs for the year rose from s10.7 million to s11.35 million for the year to March 31, 2011.
Overall debt remained at around s14million for the year.
The firm said: "The directors are satisfied with the current trading performance of the company and remain optimistic this will continue in future years."
John Dewar & Sons joined a consortium of distillers earlier this year under the umbrella The Combination of Rothes Distillers to develop a biomass plant at Rothes.
Old Pulteney Whisky Launches New Look Packaging Across Range
Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky has revealed a re-fresh of the design of its full range, at the end of a year that has seen the ‘maritime malt’ awarded some of the whisky industry’s highest accolades.
The re-design is the first significant update of the brand’s identity for several years, and follows Old Pulteney 21 Year Old winning four of Jim Murray’s 2012 Whisky Bible Awards, including ‘World Whisky of the Year’.
It also marks an impressive year of sales for Old Pulteney, which has enjoyed 62 per cent growth in the UK as well as significant expansion in key markets across the globe.
The re-design includes a striking new look for the bottle and pack of the 12, 17 and 21 Year Old expressions in both the domestic and travel retail sectors. Changes include:
A new logo which features the year the whisky was established – 1826 – and the rugged coastal Wick location where Old Pulteney is distilled in the very north of Scotland’s mainland
Greater use of foil on the packaging and bolder lettering
A re-drawing of the traditional herring drifter that’s based at Wick, and has become a symbol of the brand
Senior Brand Manager for Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Margaret Mary Clarke commented: ‘Our decision to refresh Old Pulteney's packaging has been taken with a great deal of care, given that the brand’s distinctive look has been so successful for many years. We believe the new look creates a modern evolution for the brand, reinvigorating the original design while enhancing the history and maritime identity that are so important to Old Pulteney. After listening to consumer feedback, we believe this redesign will bring greater visibility and appeal, providing a contemporary edge that continues to communicate our whisky’s quality and rich heritage.‘The launch of this new packaging couldn’t come at a better time, following Old Pulteney 21 Year Old’s recent industry awards, which are amongst the most prestigious a whisky can receive in terms of global recognition.’ The new look Old Pulteney is now available in stores.
Peter VanWyck of The Gingergread House Restaurant and Country Inn in Cayuga is eager to host a whisky tasting Event on Nov. 12.
"It's so wonderful to learn to match with food," said VanWyck.
The event will be in conjunction with Red Hot Spirits and will feature whiskies from The Isle of Arran Distillery paired with a five-course meal.
"They pair up with scotch from around the world," explained Geoff McDonald of Bains Road Cider who has participated in events with Red Hot Spirits in the past at The Gingerbread House.
"They are very knowledgeable and extremely friendly, not to mention they have an excellent choice in whisky."
Red Hot Spirits will educate those who attend with an audiovisual presentation on the history and enjoyment of whiskey and the featured distillery.
Those organizing the event say "this tasting will change the way you think about traditional food and drink pairings."
Care to know what is on the evenings menu?
How about Smoked Salmon Mousse in Baked Wonton Cups for starters with a 10-year-old Arran Malt?
If that doesn't sound good enough, the soup will be an Heirloom Pumpkin Soup served with Irish Soda Bread and a 14-year-old Arran Malt.
For the main course, VanWyck has prepared a rack of pork tenderloin with garlic mashed potatoes and a medley of fall vegetables with an Arran Malt Pomerol Bordeaux Wine Cask Finish to wash it down.
The dessert is Gingerbread Cake with warm whiskey sauce paired with The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish.
To bring the dinner to a close, guests will enjoy dark chocolates with freshly brewed coffee and Arran Malt Machrie Moor.
The cost of this event is $79 per person, and reservations are necessary in order to participate.
The Scotch Whisky Association has slammed a new product which claims to be the world’s first alcohol free whisky as illegal, saying that it will confuse consumers by unfairly trading on whisky’s reputation.
The SWA said there can be no such product and such a description is illegal in the European Union and many other countries. It plans to monitor the sale of ArKay Beverages newly-launched “alcohol free whisky”, with a view to taking appropriate action.
The SWA explained that whisky is understood, on a global level, to be a distilled beverage made from cereals and aged in wooden barrels, which makes ArKay’s promotional claim that the product is a type of whisky illegal.
The EU has strict laws governing what may be sold as whisky, which are designed to maintain its reputation as a quality product and to protect consumers.
European legislation prohibits – with very limited exceptions - the name “whisky” from being “used to describe or present in any way whatsoever” any drink other than whisky.
Glen Barclay, SWA director of legal affairs, said: “Such promotion is taking advantage of the high quality reputation of the product that is whisky - which is a distilled spirit produced from natural ingredients - when it is in fact just a soft drink with artificial flavourings. Not only will consumers be confused but such a product unfairly trades on the reputation of genuine whisky.”
Balblair launches 2001 vintage and new whisky centre
Single malt Scotch whisky Balblair is celebrating the launch of its latest vintage with the opening of a new visitor centre.
The Highland distillery, which is owned by Inver House Distillers - operator of the Pulteney, Knockdhu, Balmenach and Speyburn sites - has built its reputation on specific vintage whiskies, rather than age statements. It released its 2001 vintage, rrp £32.95, last week.
To coincide with the release, it opened the doors on a new brand home, built in the Edderton distillery’s former malting barn. The first-ever on-site bottling, which was carried out by hand from 1992’s cask number 2990, also took place last Thursday. These limited edition bottles, priced at £80, will only be available to buy at the distillery.
The Balblair 2001 vintage will set a template for all future expressions. The three main changes are:
It is bottled at 46% to “give greater body”.
It is non-chill-filtered, adding to “viscosity and mouth feel”.
It is not artificially coloured
With the opening of the brand centre, the brand hopes to professionalise its tour facilities for small but exclusive groups of visitors, but stressed it is not planning on “bringing in busloads of tourists”.
“This is about getting to people with a genuine interest in malt whiskies,” said Andy Hannah, Balblair’s brand manager. He said the centre would focus on educating visitors about the brand’s history, as well as helping them understand the vintage concept when it comes to whisky.
The distillery was established in 1790, and is one of Scotland’s oldest working distilleries. It began offering vintages in 2007, and Hannah said the brand has a “split personality - it’s bold yet traditional”.
Since August Balblair has been operating around the clock, and is capable of producing 1.83 million litres per year.
The Inver House group sold 1.3 million 6 x 70cl cases last year, with Balblair making up 10,000 cases.
Black Bull Scotch Whisky Wins Fourth Gold Medal of the Year
Black Bull 12 year old, the deluxe blended Scotch from whisky specialists Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd has been awarded a gold medal for Best Blended Scotch Whisky at the 2011 Scottish Field Whisky Challenge.
This incredible achievement saw Black Bull go up against 40 of the world’s leading whisky brands, both luxury and affordable. Independently rated and tasted blind by a renowned panel of whisky experts, Black Bull was again recognised as the very best in its field. The announcement of the award makes 2011 a quadruple gold medal year for Black Bull whisky, coming on the back of successes at the World Whisky Awards and the International Wines & Spirits Competition in April and August respectively.
Comments from Judge Darren Leitch of Whisky Shop:“On the nose some mild peat notes, ginger biscuits and leather sandals filled with sand. Flavour wise there is a lot going on, with a good combination of pastel fruit sweetness, heather , vanilla and oak. A malty sweet finish which trails off with a soft oaky tone and a trace of peat.”
The Scottish Field Whisky Challenge is an annual competition celebrating the very best the whisky industry has to offer. Each year, a panel of experts takes part in a series of rigorous blind tastings to recognise the finest products on the shelves today.
The Black Bull brand dates back to 1864. Following a rebranding in 2008, Black Bull’s stature has grown, winning critical acclaim and a plethora of awards from the International Wine and Spirits competition, Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible and the New York International Wine and Spirits contest.
Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky selects whiskies from distilleries throughout Scotland, bottling a range of luxury single malt and grain Scotch whiskies as well as its award winning range of blended whiskies from its base in Huntly, Aberdeenshire.
Scottish distillers' outrage over world's first non-alcoholic 'halal whisky'
ArKay, the world’s first alcohol-free whisky, will be sold worldwide from Dec 1, and is said to look and taste just like traditional whisky.
It has been declared as Halal certified, which opens up the markets in Muslim countries and the Middle East.
Whisky distillers in Scotland are said to be in a state of revolt over the ‘alcohol free’ creation.
“It is not possible to make alcohol-free whisky,” the Daily Mail quoted a spokesman for the Scotch Whisky Association as saying.
“This company is trying to exploit whisky’s reputation with highly irresponsible marketing,” the spokesman added.
A Florida-based company called Scottish Spirits Ltd manufactures the non-alcoholic whisky in its Panama factories, and will be priced at 10 pounds a bottle and 4 pounds for a can.
Non-alcoholic whisky to go on sale in time for Christmas
With prices at £4 a can and £10 a bottle, Scotch afficionados may not be lining up to sample the tipple.However, its maker hopes it will help it crack the non-alcoholic drinks market.
ArKay – which has already been dubbed ‘Halal Whisky’ – is being touted as the perfect party drink for teetotallers or people who avoid alcohol for religious reasons.The company said: ‘ArKay tastes and looks exactly like traditional whisky but has zero per cent alcohol – imagine being able to enjoy your favourite whisky drink without worrying about drinking and driving.
'The exceptional taste of whisky without the alcohol content makes it the perfect beverage, day or night.
‘It is suitable for drinking straight-up, on the rocks or with mixers.’
ArKay is said to be made with artificial flavours and ingredients in line with European Economic Community and US Food and Drug Administration regulations. It also conforms to strict Halal guidelines.
The drink will go on sale worldwide from December 1.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Nov. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- At long last, Scotch whisky in a can, yes we said a can, is entering the US Market! Both single-grain Scotch whisky and blended Scotch whisky will be coming to the US in a new and innovative way. Scotch whisky in a can is the first ever hard liquor – 80% Proof – to be packaged in a 100% recyclable aluminum can.
Scottish Spirits in a can is a product of Scotland and will be available nationwide at over 100,000 liquor stores beginning December. What a great gift for the Scotch whisky drinker on your list! Put in a single can of Scottish Spirits as a stocking stuffer or wrap up a whole six-pack!
Imagine being the first to bring a can of Scotch whisky to a party! Not only is it convenient and portable, but it's just plain fun and what a conversation starter.
However, Scottish Spirits isn't just about the can, our Scotch whisky is an exceptional blend of the finest malt and grain having a rich honey, vanilla, butterscotch, apples and pears taste with a nice hint of peat and smoke in the background. This fine beverage is distilled and matured in Scotland for a minimum of 3 years in oak casks.
Scottish Spirits in a can is meant to be enjoyed on the rocks, straight-up or mixed with your favorite mixer. The can is specially manufactured to keep the product tasting great, however, this isn't a one-serving beverage - the can is the right size for three people to share and with 40% alcohol volume, 80% Proof, you can decide how to enjoy it!
Perfect for poolside, a tailgate party or when boating, the can is a handy way of enjoying the beverage without the concern of breaking glass. Benefits also include a long shelf-life allowing consumers to stack-up and stock-up!
Scottish Spirits can be purchased and enjoyed in a recyclable aluminum can (12 fl oz./355ml.) The US suggested retail price is $5 for a single can. Prices may vary.
The company has its own distribution centers in Europe and in the USA. For more information on becoming a qualified distributor or importer of Scottish Spirits, please visit www.scottishspirits.com.
ArKay--World's First Alcohol-Free Whisky-Flavored Drink
ArKay Beverages, Inc. – USA, launches the first alcohol-free whisky to the world. ArKay will be available in stores worldwide on December 1st. ArKay, a unique innovation to the beverage industry, has been long anticipated by consumers and vendors alike.
ArKay, the world's first alcohol-free, whisky-flavored drink is designed for everyone to enjoy. The exceptional taste of whisky without the alcohol content makes it a perfect beverage day or night. ArKay has 0% alcohol and it is designed to allow individuals with medical conditions or with religious beliefs that prohibit alcohol consumption, to drink. Imagine being able to enjoy your favorite whisky drink at parties without worrying about drinking and driving. You won't miss a thing, as ArKay tastes and looks exactly like traditional whisky. It is suitable for drinking straight-up, on the rocks, or with your favorite mixers.
ArKay is made with artificial flavors and ingredients in accordance with European Economic Community (EEC) regulations and within the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. Both the flavor and ingredients are strictly conformed to Halal guidelines.
ArKay Beverages, Inc. is the pioneer of this innovative concept. After five years of beverage industry research, surveys and tasting, ArKay was created and developed as a non-alcoholic, whisky-flavored drink for mass consumption. Also known as "Halal Whisky", this non-alcoholic drink, is considered a soft drink and is suitable for any party occasion or for everyday enjoyment. The overwhelming response for ArKay by consumers and distributors world-wide, promises to bring this unique alcohol-free beverage to a location near you.
ArKay can be purchased and enjoyed in a one liter glass bottle (32 fl oz.) and in a recyclable aluminum can (12 fl oz./355ml.) The US suggested retail price is $10 for one liter and $4 for a single can. Suggested prices may vary.
ArKay is also Halal certified by Islamic Food & Nutrition Council of America.
Laser detector 'tastes' if whisky is fake using just one drop
Here's a method of finding counterfeit whisky that any Scotsman can approve of - only a single drop is required, and a laser decides instantly whether the liquid under test is the genuine article.
The test beams a ray of light thinner than a human hair through a transparent chip on which sits some of the precious liquid.
Researchers at the University of St Andrews found that firing light from one optical fibre and collecting it with another allowed them to analyse light scattered from the whisky.
It allows them to work out precisely how much alcohol is in a sample - fake whisky often has less than the required 40 per cent.
But the scientists can also work out colour and texture - and claim they can identify the brand and age of the malt under test, and even which cask a sample came from.
The research, which has been patented and is being presented to industry, was carried out by physicists Praveen Ashok, Kishan Dholakia and Bavishna Praveen.
Mrs Praveen said: 'Counterfeiting is rife in the drinks industry, which is constantly searching for new, powerful and inexpensive methods for liquor analysis.'
Using the power of light, we have adapted our technology to address a problem related to an industry which is a crucial part of Scottish culture and economy.'
The rapid, easy test could make it far easier to test for counterfeit whiskies both at home and abroad
Researchers said the method exploits both the fluorescence of whisky and the scattering of light and shift in energy when it interacts with molecules, known as its Raman signature.
Mr Ashok said: 'Whisky turns out to be very interesting. We can not only gather information about the alcohol content but also (about) the colour and texture.'
'These are dictated by the manufacturing process which of course influences greatly the type of whisky people enjoy.'
The group originally used the chip involved in the research to detect 'bioanalytes; in other studies.
Professor Dholakia added: 'It is amazing to think that the technology we are developing for biomedical analysis can also be used to help us enjoy a wee dram.'
The study is being published by the journal Optics Express.
The first of 11 special bottles of Glenfiddich whisky to be auctioned to mark the 110th birthday of the grand-daughter of the firm's founder is expected to raise at least £30,000.
Auctioneers at Bonhams have predicted interest from collectors across the world when the bottle of 55-year-old single malt goes - carefully - under the hammer in Edinburgh on December 14.
The bottles of 55-year-old single malt are being auctioned around the world in the coming months to honour Janet Sheed Roberts, the oldest person in Scotland, and grand-daughter of William Grant, founder of the Glenfiddich distillery.
If you live in Scotland, the same whisky that energize your visits to the pub may also energize your home: Contracts are underway to construct a combined heat and power plant that runs on the leftovers of some of Scotland’s most famous distilleries. Scheduled to be up and running by 2013, this particular alcohol-powered project is Scotland’s first whisky-fueled energy project that will provide electricity to the public.
Sixteen whisky labels located in Speyside, Scotland—including Glenfiddich, Chivas Regal, and Famous Grouse—will contribute material to the new power plant. They’ll transport their spent grains (or draff) from the distilleries to the biofuel plant, where it’ll be combined with wood chips and burned, generating over 7.0 MW of power. This energy output—about the same as two large wind turbines—is expected to power at least 9,000 homes. In addition, the residue called pot ale, which accumulates in the distilleries’ copper stills, will be turned into animal feed and fertilizer for nearby farmers.To minimize the energy used to run the plant and ensure the process is energy efficient, no draff will be collected from distilleries farther than 25 miles away. Still, while Sam Gardner, a climate policy officer for WWF Scotland, admits that “the project looks to be a very welcome addition to Scotland’s renewable industry,” he’s concerned that the wood might not be locally sourced. “We would want to see assurances” of that, he told Guardian News.
Whisky and green energy seem to go hand-in-hand in Scotland. In Fife, for example, Scotland’s largest distillery is almost done constructing an on-site bioenergy plant that will meet most of the distillery’s energy needs. And don’t forget the researchers who last year developed a way of producing biofuel from whisky by-products that could fuel cars in the near future.
Far East's taste for whisky brings more jobs to Fife
Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is pleased to introduce its latest award-winning expression, Laphroaig Triple Wood, just in time for the holidays. Garnering its name from a distinct triple maturation process, only 13,500 bottles of Laphroaig Triple Wood (48% ABV; 96 proof) will be available in the U.S. market in 2011, making it the perfect holiday gift for those who appreciate the finer things in life.
The newly available expression has enjoyed time in American Oak ex-bourbon barrels, 19th Century style quarter casks and European Oak Oloroso sherry casks, revealing a rich blend of subtle sherry sweetness and hints of sea salt. The spirit's gentle suggestion of vanilla and smooth nutty flavor is complemented by Laphroaig's signature peat smoke and a slight tang from time spent in rich White Oak casks -- bold characteristics that earned Laphroaig Triple Wood a Best in Class Gold Medal honor at the 2011 International Wine & Spirit Competition.
"Laphroaig Triple Wood is one of the most complex expressions we have ever bottled, and we are delighted to begin offering it to our U.S. consumers," said Laphroaig Distillery Manager John Campbell. "Triple Wood will satisfy palates with unique notes that are fresh, yet remain true to the Laphroaig heritage and standards of Scotch whisky."
To build on the excitement of Laphroaig Triple Wood's arrival, the brand is answering consumer demand by launching an integrated iPhone(R) app that allows whisky enthusiasts and scotch newcomers alike to easily locate venues nearest them that offer expressions from Laphroaig's celebrated portfolio. To access the new Laphroaig Bar Finder iPhone app, visit http://itunes.apple.com .
Laphroaig Triple Wood is currently available at participating retail locations beginning in September 2011. Suggested retail price is $60.00 for a 750ml bottle.
About Beam Inc. As one of the world's leading premium spirits companies, Beam is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including Jim Beam(R) Bourbon, Maker's Mark(R) Bourbon, Sauza(R) Tequila, Canadian Club(R) Whisky, Courvoisier(R) Cognac, Teacher's(R) Scotch Whisky, Laphroaig(R) Scotch Whisky, Cruzan(R) Rum, Hornitos (TM) Tequila, Knob Creek(R) Bourbon, EFFEN(R) Vodka, Pucker(TM) Flavored Vodka, Larios(R) Gin, Whisky DYC(R), DeKuyper(R) Cordials, and Skinnygirl(R) Cocktails. The Beam portfolio includes 10 of the world's top 100 premium spirits brands and some of the industry's fastest growing innovations. Beam is focused on delivering superior performance with its unique combination of scale with agility and a strategy of Creating Famous Brands, Building Winning Markets and Fueling Our Growth. Beam and its 3,200 passionate associates worldwide generated 2010 sales of $2.7 billion on volume of 33 million 9-liter cases. Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BEAM and is included in the S&P 500 Index and the MSCI World Index. For more information on Beam, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com
Award-Winning Laphroaig(R) Single Malt Scotch Whisky Introduces New Triple Wood to U.S. Market
Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is pleased to introduce its latest award-winning expression, Laphroaig Triple Wood, just in time for the holidays. Garnering its name from a distinct triple maturation process, only 13,500 bottles of Laphroaig Triple Wood (48% ABV; 96 proof) will be available in the U.S. market in 2011, making it the perfect holiday gift for those who appreciate the finer things in life.
The newly available expression has enjoyed time in American Oak ex-bourbon barrels, 19th Century style quarter casks and European Oak Oloroso sherry casks, revealing a rich blend of subtle sherry sweetness and hints of sea salt. The spirit's gentle suggestion of vanilla and smooth nutty flavor is complemented by Laphroaig's signature peat smoke and a slight tang from time spent in rich White Oak casks -- bold characteristics that earned Laphroaig Triple Wood a Best in Class Gold Medal honor at the 2011 International Wine & Spirit Competition.
"Laphroaig Triple Wood is one of the most complex expressions we have ever bottled, and we are delighted to begin offering it to our U.S. consumers," said Laphroaig Distillery Manager John Campbell. "Triple Wood will satisfy palates with unique notes that are fresh, yet remain true to the Laphroaig heritage and standards of Scotch whisky."
To build on the excitement of Laphroaig Triple Wood's arrival, the brand is answering consumer demand by launching an integrated iPhone(R) app that allows whisky enthusiasts and scotch newcomers alike to easily locate venues nearest them that offer expressions from Laphroaig's celebrated portfolio. To access the new Laphroaig Bar Finder iPhone app, visit http://itunes.apple.com .
Laphroaig Triple Wood is currently available at participating retail locations beginning in September 2011. Suggested retail price is $60.00 for a 750ml bottle.
About Beam Inc. As one of the world's leading premium spirits companies, Beam is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including Jim Beam(R) Bourbon, Maker's Mark(R) Bourbon, Sauza(R) Tequila, Canadian Club(R) Whisky, Courvoisier(R) Cognac, Teacher's(R) Scotch Whisky, Laphroaig(R) Scotch Whisky, Cruzan(R) Rum, Hornitos (TM) Tequila, Knob Creek(R) Bourbon, EFFEN(R) Vodka, Pucker(TM) Flavored Vodka, Larios(R) Gin, Whisky DYC(R), DeKuyper(R) Cordials, and Skinnygirl(R) Cocktails. The Beam portfolio includes 10 of the world's top 100 premium spirits brands and some of the industry's fastest growing innovations. Beam is focused on delivering superior performance with its unique combination of scale with agility and a strategy of Creating Famous Brands, Building Winning Markets and Fueling Our Growth. Beam and its 3,200 passionate associates worldwide generated 2010 sales of $2.7 billion on volume of 33 million 9-liter cases. Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BEAM and is included in the S&P 500 Index and the MSCI World Index. For more information on Beam, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
27 Oct
2011
Top 10 Hong Kong Whisky Bars
This recent opening offers over 100 whiskies, including a discontinued 15- year-old Bowmore Mariner and highly interesting Japanese whiskies, such as the 15-year-old Ichiro’s Malt Folks Bottling from Japan’s now-defunct Hanyu distillery. The main star of the show, however, is the full-sized oak barrel in the centre of the bar with 180 litres of single cask 20-year-old Macallan 1990.
Some Things Are Just Worth Doing: DEWAR'S® Blended Scotch Whisky and Universal Music Latin Entertainment Keep You Connected to Latin Music's Hottest Night of the Year
DEWAR'S® Blended Scotch Whisky, the number one selling premium blended Scotch whisky in the United States(1), and Universal Music Latin Entertainment (UMLE) are pleased to announce an exclusive relationship for an exciting campaign in celebration of Latin music's hottest night of the year on November 10. The campaign begins today with a launch of a unique collaborative Facebook application designed to make it easy for music fans (aged 21 and over) who are not attending the international Latin music awards show to stay connected online to their favorite nominated Universal Latin artists via the DEWAR'S Facebook page (www.facebook.com/dewars).
"DEWAR'S has a long history as a blended Scotch whisky of choice among Hispanic consumers due to the exceptionally smooth taste," said Fannie Young, vice president, brand managing director, DEWAR'S Blended Scotch Whiskies. "Working with Universal Music Latin Entertainment gives DEWAR'S Blended Scotch Whisky a fully integrated music platform connecting with Hispanic consumers through one of their key passion points and further enhance their affinity for the brand."
By simply clicking the "Like" button on the DEWAR'S Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dewars, fans of legal drinking age will gain access to one of two free downloadable playlists and other exclusive content from today's hottest hitmakers, including Enrique Iglesias (two tracks, one featuring Juan Luis Guerra), Don Omar, Los Tigres Del Norte (featuring Paulina Rubio), Winsin Y Yandel, and Luis Fonsi. Consumers are encouraged to participate today as access to this exclusive content continues only through the televised show and post awards celebration on Nov. 10.
DEWAR'S Blended Scotch Whisky will kick the festivities up a notch by bringing its fabulous signature cocktails and the ultra-luxe ambiance of its Momento D lounge to Las Vegas on Nov. 10, 2011 for UMLE's highly anticipated, invite-only, "Noches de Estrellas" post awards celebration. The VIP private affair will undoubtedly be the epicenter of excitement as it will bring together A-List artists and top music industry executives for an unforgettable evening of exquisite music and smooth blended Scotch whisky from DEWAR'S.
"We're excited to work with DEWAR'S Blended Scotch Whisky. The brand's vision for reaching consumers through innovative uses of technology and social media is totally in-line with ours. It's great to collaborate with a premium brand also interested in looking to the future to develop impactful cross-promotional campaigns to reach, maintain, and grow the consumer base in an organic way," describes Gustavo Lopez, executive vice president of brand partnerships, business development and digital, Universal Music Latin Entertainment.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
25 Oct
2011
Old Pulteney Whisky is Best In Class
Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old Named 'World Whisky of the Year' in Top Guide
Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky is today sitting on top of the world after winning one of the whisky industry’s highest accolades, World Whisky of the Year, in Jim Murray’s 2012 Whisky Bible Awards.
In a class of some 1,500 whiskies, Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old scooped the top accolade, along with three other esteemed awards - Scotch Whisky of the Year, Single Malt (Multiple Casks) of the Year and Single Malt (16-21 Years) of the Year.
Over the past four months, world-renowned whisky connoisseur Murray has nosed and tasted his way through all types of whisky to create his global best-selling ratings guide. He gave Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old a glowing review, commenting that the single malt is ‘by far and away one of the great whiskies of 2012, absolutely exploding from the glass with vitality, charisma and class.’
Margaret Mary Clarke, Senior Brand Manager of Old Pulteney is thrilled with the quadruple award. `It is an enormous honour to have won four of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible Awards for Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old. This is one of the most prestigious accolades a whisky can receive, and we are delighted that our distillery and the Old Pulteney team have been recognised for our passion and depth of expertise in the art of whisky creation.’
This award celebrates the global appeal of a whisky which has been distilled in Wick at the most northerly distillery in the Scottish mainland since 1826. This coastal location gives Old Pulteney the unique ‘salty, nerve-tingling journey’ Jim Murray describes in his tasting notes, as part of the reason he loved the taste of the 21-Years-Old Single Malt so much.
This global recognition for Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old has coincided with an exciting year for the whisky, as it embarked on a momentous world first voyage: the Old Pulteney Row to the Pole. This ambitious expedition, led by Scottish explorer Jock Wishart and his five-man team, achieved their goal to be the first ever crew to row to the Magnetic North Pole in August this year.
Already a favourite tipple for whisky drinkers in the UK, Old Pulteney has developed global appeal, and winning such a host of highly-regarded awards will be sure to secure Old Pulteney’s place as one of the top whiskies in the world.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
24 Oct
2011
anCnoc Applauded at Scottish Creative Awards
anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky awarded for website
anCnoc (pronounced a-nock) Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has received top marks for its innovative website at the inaugural Scottish Creative Awards, held recently in Edinburgh.
The brand’s creatively designed website, www.ancnoc.com, stood out amongst contenders to the award’s prestigious judging panel which is comprised of 11 leaders in the Scottish creative industries.
The awards recognise and reward the very best of the country's creative industries including advertising, design and digital marketing .
The website, designed by digital design agency Whitespace, contains a fluid combination of colourful, impactful images showcasing anCnoc Single Malt’s expressions along with contrasting black and white illustrations that capture the brand’s essence, flavour notes and its heritage. The website also features a new way of navigating on screen called ‘infinite scrolling’ which unobtrusively loads content in-line as the user scrolls down the page.
anCnoc Brand Manager Gillian Gibson commented: ‘We are delighted that anCnoc’s website has been recognised at these prestigious awards. anCnoc blends together the ‘old and new’ by using traditional production methods to create a refreshingly modern, intriguing and high quality single malt. anCnoc’s essence is a modern tradition and our website reflects the time honoured-process with a very contemporary and up-to-date style.’
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
24 Oct
2011
Glengoyne Distillery Renovations Mark Best Summer Season Ever
Glengoyne Distillery is celebrating the launch of a brand new shop and visitor centre upgrade on the back of its most successful summer season ever.
The changes at Glengoyne, which include a complete overhaul of the shop as well as updates to the visitor centre, were completed in time for the end of the summer season which has so far seen a massive 48,500 visitors through the doors of ‘Scotland’s Most Beautiful Distillery’ – a 6% rise on last year.
A total of £300k has been invested in the visitor facilities upgrade in 2011 with further renovations planned for 2012. This comes in addition to the £200k spent on renovating the Manager’s House in 2007 for use as an events space and more than £2.5 million spent on operational upgrades to the distillery such as new warehousing and stills.
New features inside the shop include a new tasting area and the ‘Pour Your Own Dram’ facility, where guests are given the chance to fill and label their own bottle direct from an exclusive single cask, before logging it in the customs book. The cask currently available is an American Oak First Fill hoggie from June 2000, cask number 1016. It offers great tropical fruit flavours and plenty of hands-on whisky fun, priced at £75.00.
Glengoyne Brand Heritage Manager Stuart Hendry said: “The old shop area was very dark and didn’t make good use of space. Our brief to retail design agency Contagious was to create a brighter, more organised shopping area which showed off our award winning range but without losing the distinct Glengoyne character.
“I think we have hit the nail on the head and we are extremely happy with the outcome. Feedback from customers has been great and we have seen an increase in sales as a result.”
The shop renovations have allowed for the creation of a new bothy area where groups can relax before and after tours. Cosmetic upgrades have also been made to the visitor centre enabling the distillery to continue offering first class conference and events facilities to corporate and private clients.
A new series of Glengoyne films was also commissioned from Republic Productions to present a fun and informative look into life at Glengoyne for use during tours and events at the distillery and throughout the world. The films range from a short two minute promotional film, tasting notes and cooking demonstrations to in-depth films on distillation and maturation, all highlighting what makes Glengoyne unique. The well known characters from around the distillery including Head Stillman Duncan McNicoll and Engineer & Warehouseman Billy Edminston were chosen to star in the film, rather than actors, to help communicate the unique character of Glengoyne.
Stuart Hendry commented on the film: “The two aspects that contribute most to the Glengoyne flavour are undoubtedly our SLOW distillation (the slowest in the industry) and our devotion to sourcing the finest possible sherry casks from Spain. In order to fully understand where those flavours come from we wanted to take consumers inside the stills and on a journey to Jerez.
“The feedback from viewers is hugely positive. They enjoy getting behind the scenes and meeting the people. Visitors take particular pleasure in speaking to the stars as they meet them around the distillery yard.”
Glengoyne continues to push forward its plans for new customer engagement and will be exhibiting at this year’s BBC Good Food Shows in both Glasgow and Birmingham. The brand has invested in a new exhibition stand will be occupying a large prime spot at the popular food shows in the SECC Glasgow 21-23 October and NEC Birmingham 23-27 November. The Glengoyne team will be offering visitors the chance to sample the multi award winning Glengoyne core range.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
24 Oct
2011
Wick malt named world's best whisky
A single malt distilled in one of Scotland's most remote distilleries has been named the world's best whisky by a leading expert.
Old Pulteney was crowned World Whisky of the Year in Jim Murray's 2012 Whisky Bible.
The 21-year-old single malt scored a record-equalling 97.5 points out of 100.
The whisky is matured in American oak casks and bottled at the Pulteney distillery in Wick, Caithness.
Whisky expert Mr Murray tasted more than 1,200 new drams before deciding on the winner.
He said: "The 21-year-old Old Pulteney absolutely exploded from the glass with vitality, charisma and class.
"Pulteney doesn't have the financial muscle of the major whisky barons to market its malts on the global stage.
"I hope that this award helps one of Scotland's great unsung distilleries to become discovered around the world."
Pulteney has a chequered past in the Caithness town.
New temperance laws saw the parish of Wick vote to end the public sale of alcohol in 1922, a ban that stayed in place for 25 years.
Faced with falling demand, Pulteney closed in 1930 - but reopened in 1951 after prohibition was overturned in a further vote.
A Pulteney spokesman said: "We are absolutely delighted to have won this award. It is a tribute to the traditional craftsmanship we have honed over the centuries and also to the unique character that the town lends to our whisky."
US bourbons took the two runners-up places in the Whisky Bible awards.
George T Stagg was named second best while 10-year-old Parker's Heritage Collection Wheated Mash Bill picked up third.
The sweet taste of a Rugby World Cup victory is ensured to linger longer with a whisky released to mark the celebration."Vindication" has been waiting 16 long years to come out of the barrel - ever since the All Blacks were defeated at the World Cup in South Africa during 1995.
"We should have won the cup in South Africa, but we were poisoned," said New Zealand Whisky Company Director John Evans."We wanted to do something for the 2011 World Cup and rather fortunately we had this whisky.""So we decided we would bottle it and call it Vindication."The whisky, a single malt, would not have gone on sale if the French had been victorious at Eden Park last night.Evans said Vindication was barrelled in Dunedin - not in French oak - and would be sold nation wide.It goes hand-in-hand with the company's other special rugby release, the 1987 malt named "Touch. Pause. Engage."A two-pack of 150ml bottles will retail for $99.
GROWING demand for its whisky portfolio and other drinks helped Pernod Ricard to deliver a forecast-beating 6% increase in first-quarter sales.
The French firm said yesterday that sales of £1.739billion were achieved in the three months to the end of September after what it described as a very good start to the year. It expects the outlook to remain positive for the remainder of the year, with growth in underlying operating profits of 6% forecast and a continued reduction in debts.
Analysts at Liberum Capital said the expectation for the increase in annual profits was likely to disappoint because markets were looking for 8%.
WHISKY entrepreneur Gary Still discovered his love for the water of life at a very young age.His grandfather, Ernie Fraser, used to distil his own whisky at his farm at Baynault, near
Crathie.Now Gary is one of Scotland’s most innovative whisky entrepreneurs, with his award-winning
whisky bar concept set to be rolled out across the UK.
Gary, who was born in Aberdeen, is one half of the husband and wife team behind the WHISKI Bar and Restaurant in Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.The bar has won numerous awards and the couple have recently opened their second venture in the capital, the WHISKI Rooms, on The Mound.Gary, 45, emigrated from Milltimber to Johannesburg, South Africa, with his parents when he was a child, but returned aged 19 to study computing at Aberdeen College of Commerce.He said: “I wasn’t really into whisky particularly when I first came back to Aberdeen – that didn’t happen until I was in my 20s and 30s.”Gary went on to study computing for another year in Napier College, Edinburgh, which is where he met his wife, Anne, who hails from Dumfries.The couple then moved to London where their careers took off in the world of finance IT within the banking industry. Gary said: “Anne and I worked for quite a number of big corporations and
banks, managing IT projects on the trading floors and working in the futures and options
market.”
The couple worked in London for 10 years before deciding to head home to Scotland.“We had always wanted to come back to Scotland,” added Gary, “and when Anne became pregnant we
decided that the time was right.”The couple found work in the IT sector in Edinburgh and also invested in some Edinburgh property. But after their two children were born they decided to look for another challenge.They had planned to buy and run a hotel but could not find the right property.Gary said: “The idea for the whisky bar was born from my own passion for whisky. I had also really started to notice how whisky was no longer regarded as an older man’s drink and was very popular with younger men and also with women.“It is one of Scotland’s biggest exports and enjoys a great reputation all over the world.”The couple’s first venture, WHISKI Bar and Restaurant, opened two years ago. It was a big hit with locals and tourists alike and has also proved popular with festival performers.The bar has live music every night and the restaurant menus are a particularly Scottish affair
with lots of locally sourced produce.
Their new venture, the WHISKI Rooms, incorporates three experiences in one. There is a shop selling what is claimed to be the largest range of whiskies in Scotland, all available for mail order, plus a bar and bistro.“So many of our customers would try out a new whisky, then want to know where they could buy it to take it home with them,” said Gary. “That was why we decided to open the shop, which is also an online store, so people could buy any whisky they wanted and have it posted to anywhere in the world.”The WHISKI Rooms also incorporate a bistro with a Scottish menu, and there are regular whisky tastings for customers with a resident expert.Gary said: “We’ve been delighted with the response so far. Whisky is enjoyed by people of all
ages, and whisky cocktails are especially popular with the younger crowd.”The Stills plan to roll out the concept to other cities, with Aberdeen and London top of their wish list.
Edinburgh Whisky Stramash appoints threebrand for PR
Threebrand has been appointed to provide PR support for the Edinburgh Whisky Stramash event.The agency will handle the official launch and warm-up to the event, which takes place next May
at Edinburgh’s Surgeons’ Hall and will include molecular experiments, murder mystery and whisky
cocktails. Gillian Hamilton, head of PR at threebrand, said: “As specialists in food and drink,
particularly whisky, we were really pleased to be appointed to work on the Whisky Stramash.“We like the individuality of the event,- it’s fun, yet informative – so it fits in with what we
do as a company as well. We’re really looking forward to working together on the inaugural event
and hope it’s just the start of an exciting partnership.”
A rare bottle of whisky distilled in 1883 and bottled in 1931 has been sold at auction. The bottle of The Glenlivet was originally owned by Captain William Smith Grant, great-grandson of Colonel George Smith who founded The Glenlivet Distillery near Ballindalloch, Banffshire, and had been in the family ever since.
The whisky, which spent 48 years in a barrel before it was bottled, was sold for £18,750, including a buyer’s premium of 25 per cent, at Bonhams in Edinburgh.
Its pre-sale estimate was between £15,000 and £20,000.
A bottle of The Macallan Anniversary Malt, more than 50 years old, which was distilled in 1928 and bottled in 1983, was also sold. Number 50 of 500 produced, the bottle fetched £16,875, including the buyer’s premium, beating the £10,000-£12,000 estimate.
Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, was awarded the much-coveted Distiller of the Year title at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) official awards ceremony held in London this week.
The prestigious Distiller of the Year award recognises consistent excellence and quality across a portfolio and completed a hugely successful night for Chivas Brothers, who also collected Gold medals for The Glenlivet 18 Year Old and Strathisla 12 Year Old single malts that are both available in New Zealand.
Christian Porta, Chairman and Chief Executive of Chivas Brothers, comments: "We are delighted to have been so successful at this year's ISC. It is a fantastic accolade to be named Distiller of the Year, and is the ultimate third party endorsement of the high quality of our Scotch whisky and gin portfolio. This prestigious award is a tribute to the craftsmanship and dedication of our master distillers and blenders."
Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin and its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine's, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, 100 Pipers and Passport.
The International Spirits Challenge is one of the most authoritative, respected and influential spirits competitions in the world. Now in its 16th year, the competition is founded on a rigorous and independent judging process, which serves to encourage the high calibre of spirits entered into the competition each year. Receiving more than 1,000 entries from nearly 70 countries worldwide, the ISC is a truly global competition.
Chivas Brothers were also awarded ISC Distiller of the Year in 2002 and 2007.
The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival continues to provide a major economic boost to the North's economy, attracting a significant loyal audience.
And a large number of people attended the celebrated festival for the first time, according to a survey published today.
The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Market Research and Festival Evaluation 2011 report found that the five-day event, which ran from April 28 to May 2, attracted over 47,000 visits to its packed programme of whisky-themed events.
It generated £613,000 towards the Speyside economy and £722,000 towards Scotland as a whole.
There were well over 200 events running throughout the five days.
The festival has grown in importance over the past 12 years to become one of the leading whisky events in the world.
Almost half of this year’s festival visitors were from overseas, with whisky aficionados travelling from as far afield as Israel, Columbia, New Zealand, Australia and Russia.
Scandinavian visitors continue to represent the keenest Speyside whisky fans with other connoisseurs coming from countries such as Germany, US, Netherlands, Canada, Italy and Japan.
Festival chairman Jim Royan said: “Year after year the festival continues to attract visitors from around the globe, with many already having attended twice or even up to six times before.
"And encouragingly a large percentage of new visitors this year were experiencing the festival for the first time.
"Hopefully they will find the festival as compelling as our many loyal and regular visitors, and come back to join in the festivities with us time and time again.
“We certainly know they enjoyed themselves, because almost 100% of our visitors said they were 'very happy' or 'happy' with their festival experience, enjoying the atmosphere, hospitality, friendliness, expert knowledge and, this year in particular, the weather!”
Popular events on this year’s festival programme included the Whisky Awards Finals and the opening dinner; the many whisky dinners running throughout the festival as well as the highly regarded and exclusive three-day Whisky School where enthusiasts learned about the science, art and folklore of the whisky industry at the historic Knockando Distillery.
Several events also take place locally including at Teh Glenlivet Distillery and also at Craggan Mill restaurant by Grantown.
Mr Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for EventScotland commented: “It is wonderful to see the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival continuing to attract large numbers of Scottish and overseas visitors to the event.
“The economic impact generated for the local area shows the importance of events in Scotland and its continued success shows the appetite for Scottish produce, culture and heritage in an iconic setting.”
Makro’s own-brand whisky wins silver award from IWSC
Makro’s own-brand whisky, Charles House, has been awarded a silver medal from IWSC International Wine and Spirits Challenge.
Charles House Whisky uses a blend of the finest grain from the Lowlands of Scotland combined with the highest quality Speyside and Highland malt whiskies. Each cask is matured for a minimum of three years before being selected to create the final blend.
IWSC has been independently testing and grading products from across the world for over 40 years using a rigorous two stage process of blind tasting and a chemical and microbiological analysis.
The IWSC judges are some of the most renowned wines and spirits experts from across the world and a trophy is highly respected by many leading supermarkets and suppliers including Waitrose.
Karen Hornby, Own Brand Manager for Makro, said: “We are extremely proud that our own brand whisky has been recognised with one of the highest accolades at an international level, beating off competition from around the world.
“At Makro we take great pride in our own brand products so to have one awarded with a silver medal by IWSC is a fantastic achievement. The whisky market is increasingly competitive but that’s where experience, expertise and quality, combined with market-leading innovation, really come into play.
“We have invested considerable research into finding a reliable supplier with the technology and expertise to provide a truly superior product. This whisky retails at a fantastic price and is great value for money for such a premium product.”
Charles House Whisky costs £9.54 (70cl) and is available in a variety of sizes including 20cl, 70cl, 1 litre and 1.5 litre.
Johnnie Walker Launches New Limited Edition Whisky in the United States
The makers of Johnnie Walker announce the launch of Johnnie Walker Double Black, a new limited edition Scotch whisky debuting in the United States this month. Imagine your favorite song; now turn up the volume. Double Black amplifies the signature style of Black Label, including its hallmark smokey flavor, to produce a bold blend of extraordinary depth, richness and character.
Johnnie Walker Black Label has withstood the test of time. Over the past 100 years, this iconic brand has grown from a grocer's blend to a whisky enjoyed around the world. Year after year, the liquid inside a bottle of Black Label honors the legacy of its creators. The heart of the whisky is the pioneering spirit of innovation passed down by John Walker and his sons, and Double Black is the product of this legacy.
"Johnnie Walker Double Black begins with Johnnie Walker Black Label as its starting point. From here we explored the characteristics that define this beloved blend and thought how can we offer a new perspective on it," said Johnnie Walker Master Blender Jim Beveridge. "With access to the world's most diverse stocks of aged whiskies in the world, I was able to create something entirely new inspired by the cornerstone of this whisky house, and arguably the most beloved Scotch whisky in the world, Johnnie Walker Black Label. It's an honor and a privilege to be able to share it with the US."
By reaching deep into some of the House of Walker's most distinctive - and unparalleled - single malts reserves, Master Blender Jim Beveridge has created a powerful whisky that stands tall when placed shoulder to shoulder against its brethren blends and stands apart from all other whiskies on the market. Rich peaty single malts are combined with whiskies matured in deeply charred oak barrels. The result is a powerful intensity of flavor that is undeniably Johnnie Walker, and undoubtedly drawn from the signature style of Black Label.
"Since debuting in Duty Free shops globally, there has been great excitement around Johnnie Walker Double Black. We've received countless inquiries on our Facebook page and at House of Walker tastings asking when it will be available in the United States," said Adam Rosen, Diageo Brand Director, Scotch Whisky Portfolio. "People want to try it. They are attracted to what the blend offers by being Black Label, amplified. As with all of our Johnnie Walker blends, we ask that adults enjoy responsibly."
Johnnie Walker Double Black will be available nationwide beginning in October 1, 2011 with a suggested retail price of $40. The limited supply is expected to last just until the holiday season.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
07 Oct
2011
Glenmorangie whisky visitor centre to reopen
A whisky distiller will officially reopen a visitor centre at its Highland distillery following a revamp.
Glenmorangie said it expected the new-look centre at its distillery in Tain to become a "must-see" tourist attraction.
The renovation includes new gallery spaces exploring the distillery's history and an archive room.
The distillery has Scotland's tallest whisky stills. An opening weekend is to be held on 15-16 October.
SCORES of distilleries from across Scotland have signed up to take part in a fledgling drinks festival, to be held next summer.
A combined 14 distilleries and brands have signalled their intention to attend the Spirit of Stirling Whisky Festival, planned for the city’s Albert Halls on May 12.
Representatives from anCnoc, Arran, Balblair, Glenfarclas, Glenglassaugh, Glengoyne, Old Pulteney, Bruichladdich, Tomatin, Glen Garioch, Auchentoshan, Bowmore, Dalmore and Jura will all be involved, organisers revealed this week.
The showcase is the brainchild of local businessmen Stuart Campbell and Cameron McCann.
Mr McCann said: “We are delighted with the early response from the distilleries that we have approached.
“This is only the first tranche of confirmed distilleries and brands. We will be announcing more in due course.”
As part of the festival, two masterclasses will be held at the Dumbarton Road venue to allow fans of the country’s national drink to enhance their knowledge, nosing and whisky-tasting skills.
Mr McCann, who runs the Ealain Gallery in Drymen, continued: “In addition to the festival itself, we are starting a second whisky tasting club to complement the one we already run from our shop in Drymen.
“The new Ealain Whisky Club will be held in Stirling, with the first event taking place in the Allan Park Hotel tomorrow (Thursday, October 6).
“To kick off the new club, we’re welcoming in Balblair who will take us through their range.”
The night gets underway at 7.15pm and will last for approximately two hours. Tickets are £10. To book a place telephone the Ealain Gallery on 01360 660996.
General admission tickets to the Spirit of Stirling Whisky Festival have been priced at £20 and can be purchased from either the Ealain Gallery, the Albert Halls (01786 473 544) or Abbey Antiques, on Stirling’s Friars Street (01786 447 840).
For more information visit www.spiritofstirlingwhiskyfestival.co.uk
Scotch Malt Whisky Society gears up for Whisky Week
To mark Whisky Week, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has created a week-long programme of events.
Whisky Week will run in London from 5 - 13 October, with the main event, the Whisky Show taking place at The Whisky Exchange, Vinopolis in London on October, 7 and 8.
An exclusive and rare 39 YO cask has been bottled especially for the show, along with a selection of hand-selected drams which form the society's Dream Dram flight.
The Dream Drams can only be tracked down at the society's members' rooms at 19 Greville Street, Farringdon or at The Whisky Show during Whisky Week.
Other events include:
Wed 5 Oct: Whisky Week is launched at Bistro du Vin in Clerkenwell with a sampling of five Whisky Show Dream Drams.
Thu 6: Whisky Week continues at the society's London members' room at 19 Greville Street with exclusive Dream Dram flights and offers.
Fri 7 & Sat 8: Sample over 20 different society single cask malts, including exclusive Whisky Show cask 35.59 in the SMWS Lounge at The Whisky Show, and a fleeting sample from the ‘world's widest selection of single cask malts'.
Sat 8 & Mon 10: The society's monthly release of single cask bottlings goes on sale -members can enjoy a selection of the 12 new bottlings at two exclusive events at 19 Greville Street.
Thu 13 Oct: The fashion elite enjoy a drop of the good stuff at an exclusive tasting at Matches Men's Week of Style event at The Matches Town House in Marylebone.
Old Pulteney Creates Celebratory Spirit to Mark Heroes’ Homecoming
Multi award-winning Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky has today unveiled a limited edition commemorative bottle to celebrate one of the World’s last great firsts in maritime endurance - the Old Pulteney Row to the Pole expedition.
On the 26th August this year, British arctic adventurer Jock Wishart and his pioneering crew made history by successfully completing a never attempted before expedition to row to the 1996 magnetic North Pole. The four week adventure, which was sponsored by Old Pulteney, proved to be a challenge of a lifetime, as the crew braved extreme Arctic conditions to complete their 450 mile voyage into the unknown. The limited edition release was designed to mark their momentous achievement.
Only 3,000 of the unique, collectable bottles will be available world-wide and will feature exceptional single malt selected by Malcolm Waring, Distillery Manager at Pulteney Distillery. The exclusive edition is matured in ex American and ex Spanish sherry casks and bottled in 35cl at 40%, ABV. On the palete the initial sweet hints of citrus combined with overtones of raisins, pears, chocolate and warm spices lead to a full bodied long lasting finish.
Presented in a traditional canvas sailing gift bag, the bottle’s eye catching design features the expedition’s distinctive artwork and is endorsed with expedition leader Jock Wishart’s signature.
Commenting on the release, Margaret Mary Clarke, Senior Brand Manager from Old Pulteney says:
“The Old Pulteney Row to the Pole expedition proved to be an unforgettable and unique experience for all involved and we are proud to have been involved in such an ambitious challenge.
Our partnership with Jock and the expedition stems from the brand’s age old heritage of supporting maritime adventure and we are delighted to release a commemorative bottle to mark the crew’s dedication, bravery and remarkable success.”
Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky is crafted at the most northerly distillery on the UK mainland in Wick. The distillery was founded in 1826 at the height of Wick’s herring boom and it’s this maritime heritage that gives the whisky its name as the Maritime Malt.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
01 Oct
2011
Grant’s sales lift aided by global thirst for whisky
Independent whisky distiller William Grant and Sons said yesterday turnover was nearing £1billion amid continuing global expansion for the industry.
The firm behind Glenfiddich single malt said turnover for 2010 was £951.5million, up 14% on the previous year.
Dufftown-based William Grant said the improvement in sales was down to growing demand for whiskies such as Grant’s and The Balvenie plus its Hendrick’s gin brand.
Figures were also boosted by the performance of Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, the biggest acquisition in Grant’s history.
Blended Scotch Whisky Johnnie Walker to launch global campaign
Blended Scotch Whisky, Johnnie Walker, is to launch a new global, integrated marketing campaign – the Keep Walking Project – from 29 September to showcase a series of pioneering ideas which could help the world take a step forwards.
Inspired by the ‘Keep Walking’ strapline, which has been the core idea of all Johnnie Walker advertising since its introduction in 1999 and continues to evolve with the times, the campaign will be supported by an extensive above the line campaign and will harness the power of social media to galvanize support for three innovative initiatives in the fields of the arts, technology and business.
Fully interactive, consumers in each participating market will be urged to debate and ultimately decide which initiative they think has the most potential to shape the future in their country.
The campaign will culminate next spring when Johnnie Walker will bring the preferred initiatives to life in each participating market – Bulgaria, Brazil, Greece, Lebanon, Spain, Thailand and Vietnam – to demonstrate their untapped potential.
Designed for the age of consumer engagement and empowerment, the Keep Walking Project will be run from central Facebook hubs and feature extensive TV, outdoor and digital activity as well as a dedicated free iPhone app for deeper immersion into the campaign.
Gavin Pike, Global Brand Director for Johnnie Walker, said the campaign aims to build affinity with inventive, open-minded consumers who want to progress in life, never standing still.
“The Keep Walking Project embodies the Johnnie Walker spirit of progress, which enabled three generations of the Walker family to grow a small grocery store founded in 1820 into the world’s number one Blended Scotch Whisky.
“We’re building on decades of innovation in advertising to launch the first participative Johnnie Walker campaign. This bold next step for the brand will offer our consumers a collective sense of participation and achievement and hopefully spark new thinking about what can be achieved by working together.”
“By using our communications to encourage like-minded consumers to connect, collaborate and champion causes that inspire them we will deliver a deeper engagement with our brand as well as showcasing some of the pioneering thinking that could lead us towards a better future”.
IT’S unusual to hear women saying they enjoy whisky, but Kirsty Dagnan’s entire career is based on Scotland’s iconic dram.
Her appreciation of the drink saw her appointed senior site manager of the Glen Ord Group when she was just 27 – making her Diageo’s youngest distillery manager yet.
Kirsty’s role covers the Glen Ord Distillery and Visitor Centre, Glen Ord Maltings, Teaninich Distillery and North Engineering Centre.
And, as the distillery is undergoing a £3.2million expansion programme driven by the growing global popularity of Scotch whisky, it’s certainly exciting times for Kirsty.
She said she always had a passion for whisky and, while studying for a BSc (hons) in forensic and analytical chemistry, she decided to follow her dream of becoming a distillery manager.
“When I told my family, their response was, ‘Are you not doing the wrong course?’” she said.
“If you work hard and are determined, you can achieve anything.”
After finishing university six years ago, Kirsty’s determination to succeed saw her joining Diageo on its graduate scheme.
The scheme involved three one-year placements and her first was working on a variety of projects at Port Dundas Distillery in Glasgow before moving to Speyside to work at Linkwood Distillery as a site operations manager.
For her final placement, she travelled to Amsterdam for a year to work in logistics.
“I have always had a passion for whisky but wanted to work in a variety of areas to gain experience before making the move,” Kirsty said.
“After Amsterdam, I got my first permanent role working as business leader for white spirits and sweetened products at Diageo’s packaging plant at Leven in Fife, and I was in this role for two years before applying for the position of senior site manager in malt distilling at Glen Ord.”
Glen Ord Distillery produces spirit for one of Diageo’s single malt brands, The Singleton of Glen Ord, which is the fastest-growing single malt Scotch in Asia – and consistency is crucial.
“My job is to make sure we produce the best possible spirit every single day,” Kirsty said.
“The visitor centre at Glen Ord is also extremely popular and last year we welcomed over 18,000 visitors. I have a great team of people who are all responsible for the success of the distilleries, maltings, engineering and the visitor centre.
“I love my job and I feel very lucky to manage great distilleries which produce great whiskies. I also love working with a fantastic team, making products that we can all be very proud of.”
For youngsters keen to succeed in the world of work, Kirsty explained that hard work and determination were the key factors.
“Don’t give up on getting your dream job,” she said. “If you work hard and are determined, you can achieve anything.
“I am very proud of what I have achieved in my career to date. I have worked hard and have had a lot of support and guidance along the way.
“Diageo is a great company for encouraging career development and there are lots of opportunities to progress. I’ve also been lucky to have lots of great help and support from my colleagues.”
The Whisky Advocate was released today after undergoing a complete redesign with the aim of reaching a broader consumer market for high-end spirits.
“With the new redesign and broader-interest articles, we hope to greatly expand our readership,” said John Hansell, the editor of Whisky Advocate. “The magazine now has a luxury look and feel, similar to its sister publications Wine Spectator and Cigar Aficionado.” The magazine’s publisher is Amy Westlake.
In 2010, M. Shanken Communications, which publishes both Wine Spectator and Cigar Aficioando, acquired Malt Advocate, a well-established magazine for the whisky enthusiast and sponsor of the WhiskyFest events across America.
Marvin R. Shanken, chairman of M. Shanken Communications, said he’s very excited that the company portfolio now has its own spirits magazine for consumers. “We plan to make major investments in this title, because we think the time for a whisky magazine is now.”
“In recent years, whenever I would visit wine shops across America, I would see big window displays and vast selections of whiskies,” Shanken added. “When I asked retailers why they stocked so many whiskies, their answer was always the same: because they sell. I then asked who was buying them—particularly as so many of them are high-priced. Their answer: the same people who buy fine wine.”
The newly redesigned Whisky Advocate will include stories related to the good life for whisky lovers, including unusual bars and restaurants, travel to locations where great whisky is made, and associations with other fine products, including cigars and golf. “The interest level and market for single malts and whiskies in general is booming,” Shanken said. “The opportunity for Whisky Advocate is unlimited.”
The Whisky Advocate has hosted tasting events across America for many years, attracting thousands of whisky lovers. The next WhiskyFest will be held in San Francisco on October 7, followed by a WhiskyFest in New York on November 1. The New York event has been sold out for months.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
20 Sep
2011
Edrington launches smokier Black Grouse whisky
The Edrington Group is to launch a smokier expression of its Black Grouse whisky.
The company describes The Black Grouse - Alpha Edition as a “richer, smokier expression” of The Black Grouse.
The Alpha Edition will be launched early next year and will be exclusive to travel retail for the first six months.
The package depicts a male black grouse in full display during the mating season “as he embarks on his mission to become the alpha male”.
Helen Potter, innovations manager for The Famous Grouse: “On first taste it is rich and sweet, before layers of smoke reveal themselves. We believe we have created something truly special which will appeal to scotch whisky, bourbon and rum spirit drinkers keen to explore a richer, fuller version of The Black Grouse.”
The Black Grouse - Alpha Edition RRP is €33 and the whisky made its debut at TFWA Cannes.
Dalmore Sets New World Record - £125,000 For One Bottle Of Whisky
The most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold in retail has been revealed by Whyte & Mackay at the Tax Free World Association Show in Cannes.
The last bottle of The Dalmore 62, released from the personal collection of master distiller Richard Paterson, was sold at Changi Airport in Singapore for £125,000 just two weeks ago.
This breaks the previous retail record set by the same brand after the final bottle of Dalmore 64 was sold in Harrods for £120,000 three months ago.
Whyte & Mackay has also revealed that Jura is the fastest growing malt whisky in the world with a sales increase of 38%, while The Dalmore is the third fastest growing malt with a rise of 34%.
This success is emulated in travel retail where Jura has grown by 48% and The Dalmore by 55% in the last 12 months.
When The Dalmore 62 was first released in 2002 it went down in history as being the most expensive bottle of whisky ever bought and consumed in one sitting. An anonymous business man paid £32,000 for the bottle at the Penny Hill Park hotel in Surrey. After sharing it with friends, the buyer left a tip for the waiter in the form of the last drop of whisky in the bottle estimated to be worth £1000.
The Dalmore creator Richard Paterson kept one of the original 12 bottles back and gave it exclusively to DFS in Singapore. The rare whisky, with spirit dating as far back as 1868, was decanted in to a bespoke hand blown crystal decanter and adorned with the brand’s iconic 12 pointer royal stag’s head – hand crafted in platinum. All this sits in a specially made bespoke wooden presentation case which took over 100 man hours to create.
Dr Vijay Mallya , Chairman of Whyte & Mackay and United Spirits
“I always knew there was massive potential with both of these award winning whiskies. With the right focus and investment, it was clear that Jura and The Dalmore could be highly sought after brands. I’m particularly pleased about Jura as it was my father’s favourite whisky, and it’s great to see it getting the plaudits and success it deserves.”
Mallya continued: “And as for the record breaking Dalmore 62. This is an absolute bargain in my mind. The owner of this fabulous bottle now owns one of the rarest and most exclusive whiskies in the world. It’s a fantastic investment, rising in value by £100,000 in 10 years. How much will it be worth in another 10 years?“
The Dalmore creator Richard Paterson
“The Dalmore 62 is legendary and so many people have asked about buying the last bottle. In the space of 10 years it is has grown in value and is worth five times the original asking price, verifying the luxury credentials of The Dalmore, and confirming that whisky - our “liquid gold” - is an investment worth making.”
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
12 Sep
2011
Scotch whisky exports soar by 22%
Emerging markets helped boost Scotch whisky exports by 22% in the first half of this year, according to new figures.
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) said global shipments between January and June reached £1.8bn, up from £1.47bn achieved during the same period in 2010.
The USA remained the top export market by value with shipments hitting £268m, an increase of about 14%.
The SWA also said growth in Asia and South America was "very strong".
Exports to Central and South America reached £214.4m in the first six months of the year - a 49% jump on the same period in 2010 - while shipments to Asia increased by 33% to £422.5m.
Taiwan is now a top five market for Scotch whisky, with shipments growing to £70m from £48m. Exports to Brazil rose by 56% to £44.8m.
The equivalent of about 569 million bottles was exported in the first six months, an increase of 19% to the end of June.
However, volume was up by less than 5% on an annualised basis between July 2010 and June 2011.
The SWA said that figure reflected the slowdown at the end of 2010 due to economic uncertainty, followed by a growth in confidence among producers bolstered by increased demand from emerging markets.
SWA chief executive Gavin Hewitt said Scotch whisky producers could be proud of their continuing success.
He said: "Scotch whisky is a main driver for the UK and Scottish economies in building export markets.
"We are making a strong contribution to the Scottish government's ambition of growing the country's exports by 50% by 2017.
"While traditional export markets remain important, we are making excellent headway in other regions. Consumer confidence is strong."
He added that a free trade agreement with South Korea and better legal protection for Scotch whisky in India and Turkey gave optimism for further growth.
India and Turkey are now among a growing number of countries which recognise Scotch as a product that can only be made in Scotland.
Welcoming the statistics, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "The news that whisky exports have rocketed by a quarter is absolutely phenomenal.
"Our whisky sector is an international success story and more and more discerning drinkers around the world are enjoying a dram and a little bit of Scotland.
"The food and drink industry is at the heart of Scotland's global reputation. And it is good to see that while the USA remains the top market, the emerging markets are booming too."
Their lifestyle is more associated with caipirinhas than kilts, but Brazilians have developed a taste for Scotch Whisky.
Shipments of Scotch to South and Central America grew by 49 per cent to £215 million over the first six months of 2011, according to new figures from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).
Scotch Whisky is now the UK’s sixth largest export to Brazil, where sales rose by 56 per cent over the first half of the year. Sales to Columbia were also strong.
A spokesman for the SWA said that whisky is being bought by “generally young, newly affluent” South American consumers who buy the drink to “make a statement” in front of their friends.
The SWA said that total global shipments of Scotch increased by a fifth to £1.8 billion over the first half of the year compared to the first half of 2010. In total, around 569 million bottles were sold.
The USA remains the top export market – with shipments hitting £268m – while France is the second most valuable market.
Exports to Asia rose by a third to £422.5 million. Taiwan is now one of the top five countries in the world for Scotch.
Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the SWA, said: “Scotch Whisky producers can be proud of their continuing success. Scotch Whisky is a main driver for the UK and Scottish economies in building export markets. We are making a
strong contribution to the Scottish Government’s ambition of growing the country’s exports by 50 per cent by 2017.”
He added that a Free Trade Agreement with South Korea and better legal protection for Scotch Whisky in India and Turkey give “optimism for further growth”.
“India and Turkey are now among the countries which recognise Scotch as a product that can only be made in Scotland. We will continue to fight for fairer treatment in overseas markets and to widen Scotch Whisky’s international appeal,” he said.
The Independent Bottlers Challenge 2011 has been an outstanding success for Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky, netting them awards in every category.
The company, who hold one of the largest privately owned collections of rare whisky casks in the world, proved once again that they are the cream of the crop in the independent sector.
‘Simply stunning, luscious and aromatic…fabulous…Blimey, how complex do you want a whisky to be!’are just some of the comments from the judges.
The company won a Gold Award in the Cambeltown category, 13-20 yo, for their Rare Auld Glen Scotia 1991(Tasting notes: Green and fresh, hint of smoke and seaweed). They also won the Islay category 21 years and over -and were the overall Islay category winner - with a Gold for their Octave Caol Ila 1983 (Tasting notes: Rich, woody, winey, peated, sweet, long with a bitter chocolate).
Now in its seventh year, the Independent Bottlers competition is a true challenge for the independents, who provide whisky enthusiasts with unique bottlings from their favourite distilleries.
CEO Scott Watson said ‘Success in the Independent Bottlers Challenge is a great tribute to what we do here at Duncan Taylor. We’ve been in this market for more than 70 years now and we’re still at the top.’
Duncan Taylor successes in the Independent Bottlers Challenge 2011:
Gold Awards:
Cambeltown Category, 13-20 years old
Islay Category,21 years & Overand overall Islay Category winner
Silver Awards:
Lowland Category,21 years & Over (Rare Auld Cameronbridge 1979)
Speyside Category 21 years & Over (Rare Auld Glen Grant 1974)
Five Bronze Awards in the Highland, Islands, Lowland and Speyside categories
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
08 Sep
2011
Duke of York opens whisky bottling plant
Glenmorangie bottling facility in Livingston receives royal seal of approval.
A new whisky bottling facility has been opened by the Duke of York, 14 years after a single malt was laid down in his name.
Prince Andrew visited the Glenmorangie facility at the Alba business park in Livingston, West Lothian, to give his royal seal of approval.
A special cask was laid down in his name at the Glenmorangie distillery in Ross-shire in 1997. Now, the cask is to "go down the bottle line" as a Special Reserve at the new bottling facility.
The Duke was presented with 270 bottles of the whisky, which will be given to his chosen charities for auction.
The facility is part of a multi-million pound investment by the company, and features environmentally-friendly technologies which allow for efficient use of energy and water, including rainwater harvesting.
The company also employed an ecologist during the design of the landscaping surrounding the centre, to preserve the ecological value of the site.
Paul Skipworth, president and managing director of The Glenmorangie Company, said: "Our new production facility has been a key part in refocusing the company to further grow Glenmorangie and Ardbeg worldwide.
"These are exciting times for The Glenmorangie Company and we are delighted that Prince Andrew was able to join us today to see his 'Special Reserve' go 'down the bottling line'."
Dr Bill Lumsden, The Glenmorangie Company's head of distilling and whisky creation, was present in 1997 and laid down the special cask for the Duke of York.
He said: "It was great to see the Duke of York here today to mark the official opening of our new production facility.
"I thought it might be something special when we laid it down 14 years ago but the quality of this malt has surpassed even my expectations.
"It's a classic Glenmorangie, with powerfully accentuated fruity and oaky flavours. One might even say it's fit for a prince."
William Grant highlights importance of travel-retail
The company will take its biggest category-devoted team to date to the Tax Free World Association exhibition in Cannes this month
Liquor supplier William Grant & Sons has highlighted the importance of the duty-free and travel-retail channel to its brands by taking to the Tax Free World Association (TFWA) exhibition in Cannes this month its largest team devoted to the category to date.
The company has made a number of key appointments over the past year including Stephen Corrigan as travel-retail director North America; Paige Parness as regional marketing manager Americas; Alex Warren as business development manager Europe; Neeraj Sharma as business development manager Indian sub-continent; and Scott Hamilton as regional manager Australia and South Pacific.
William Grant & Sons managing director global travel-retail Rita Greenwood said: “Travel-retail continues to be the flagship for brand building and showcasing the premium nature of the William Grant & Sons portfolio. In line with this we continue to support the channel with significant investment in both our brands and personnel.”
At Cannes, the company will showcase brands including Glenfiddich single malt Scotch whisky, Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, Hendrick’s gin, The Balvenue single malt Scotch whisky, Grant’s blended Scotch whisky, Sailor Jerry rum and Monkey Shoulder blended whisky.
Drinks giant Diageo has announced plans for a new £6m bioenergy plant at its Glenlossie distillery in Moray.
A planning application to build the facility has been submitted to Moray Council.
The plant will produce energy by burning draff - the spent grain left over from distilling whisky.
The investment is on top of a £20m plan to expand its malt whisky distillation capacity in Speyside over the next three years.
The Glenlossie bioenergy plant will use around 30,000 tonnes of draff per year, the by-product from around 12 million litres of Scotch whisky production.
The facility will produce steam which will be used in the operations on site, including Glenlossie and Mannochmore distilleries and the onsite dark grains plant, which makes animal feed.
Diageo has invested heavily in renewable energy projects in recent times, including a £65m bioenergy plant at Cameronbridge in Fife.
It has also invested at Roseisle distillery, the new £40m distillery which it opened in Speyside last year.
Diageo's malt distilling director, Brian Higgs, said: "With Roseisle distillery, we showed what can be achieved in using the natural by-products of our industry to produce green energy.
"Diageo is committed to reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and to reducing our overall impact on the environment."
He added: "The plan for Glenlossie is another significant step in our journey towards that sustainable future for Scotch whisky production.
Strong performances from whisky brands including Royal Salute, The Glenlivet and Chivas Regal helped Pernod Ricard to an 8% rise in annual profits, it said yesterday.
Royal Salute – launched in 1953 as “the pinnacle of Scotch whiskies” and inspired by the Queen’s coronation that year – led the way, with net sales up 27% during the year to June 30.
It was the fastest-grower among the French drink giant’s portfolio of “strategic brands” over the period.
Whisky launch is 'most complex' Laphroaig expression
Maxxium is releasing what it describes as its “most complex flavoured” Laphroaig into the UK market, following two years as a travel retail exclusive.
The malt, Triple Wood, is finished in three ways: in bourbon casks, in quarter casks and finally in oloroso sherry casks.
The 48% abv whisky will retail for between £40 and £50.
Maxxium UK’s marketing controller for Scotch, Johna Penman, said: “It is the perfect time to launch Laphroaig Triple Wood, as malt whisky and in particular premium malt whisky, is growing ahead of the spirits market in the UK. This is partly due to consumers becoming more knowledgeable and actively seeking out new styles and flavours from brands with heritage and provenance.
“We are confident that this new expression will encourage interest and showcase the brand, the world’s number one Islay malt whisky, as a leader in the premium malt whisky market.”
Maxxium UK is promoting the launch among its 450,000-strong Friends of Laphroaig community.
The blended whisky was first launched in India and will now be extended to global travel-retail markets
Teacher's OriginBeam Global Spirits & Wine is rolling out this month the Teacher’s Origin blended Scotch whisky (pictured) in global duty-free and travel-retail markets. The product was first launched in India, where the brand is the number one blended whisky.
According to the supplier, the launch of Teacher’s Origin is also part of the brand’s “longer-term ambition to create a family whisky expressions from Teacher’s, offering consumers a broader choice, which now includes a premium blend”, while paying tribute to the brand’s heritage.
Teacher’s Origin is produced through double maturation in special 19th century-styled quarter casks of over 30 different malt whiskies. “The smaller cask size allows for more contact between the whisky and the wood, creating 30% more maturation and resulting in a full, rich, premium blend,” the supplier added.
Beam Global director for European travel-retail, Middle East and Africa Gareth Brown said: “Origin allows the Teacher’s trademark to compete with aged blends up to 12yo for the first time and provides us with a step forward in brand development. The travel-retail channel is a great environment for the trial and discovery of new whiskies by consumers, so we are keen to see how it performs in this market.”
Teacher’s Origin will be available in duty-free in 1l bottles and also in a premium gift box, carrying a recommended retail price of €29.90 ($48.80).
Benriach’s rare 1978 “firkin” cask yields just forty sublime bottles
SPEYSIDE'S BenRiach Distillery is delighted to announce its most exclusive bottling ever.
Only forty bottles of this exquisite 32-year old single malt will be available, making this an ultra-rare BenRiach expression.
The bottling follows the discovery of an unusual “Firkin” cask at the Elgin distillery.
BenRiach’s Managing Director Billy Walker takes up the story: “It’s always exciting to discover exceptionally rare and unique casks in our warehouses, and BenRiach has more than its fair share!
“Upon unearthing this Firkin, we knew we had found something truly extraordinary and sublime which will delight even the most demanding of BenRiach whisky aficionados.”
Mr Walker explained Firkin casks were traditionally used for the maturation of fine ale and the name is derived from the Middle Dutch word “vierdekijn”, meaning ‘fourth’ – in other words, a quarter of a full-size barrel.
“Because a Firkin’s size is smaller than that of a standard barrel, there's a greater surface to liquid ratio when the spirit undergoes maturation, and this imparts a more intense, fuller flavour,” he added.
“This cask, number 6337, is one of the only two Firkins in our possession. Distilled and filled to cask on June 26, 1978, and bottled at 40.1% earlier this year, the style of the whisky is classic Speyside. Due to the size of the cask, and the age of the whisky, it has generated only forty bottles, so it's bound to become a much sought-after collector’s item.”
Mr Walker’s tasting notes indicate just how special this 1978 single cask bottling is.
Appearance: Clear and bright. Light gold.
Nose: Fresh summer fruit aromas are accompanied by bold floral notes, in particular daffodils and freshly cut rosehips. Honey and subtle oak add to a tremendously complex whisky.
Palate: Full, complex and long. Incredibly well-developed with smooth, creamy vanilla married with a delicate yet clearly-defined fruit base. Apricots, peaches and nectarines drizzled with honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
The packaging has been designed to reflect the super-premium nature of the whisky, with the bottle silk-screened and the closure sealed via a wax dip, all of which is housed in a beautiful hand-crafted wooden box.
The forty bottles will be available from September.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
25 Aug
2011
Diageo profits boosted by strong whisky sales
Diageo, maker of Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker whisky, reported better-than-expected full-year profits boosted by strong sales in emerging markets, and announced new profit and revenue goals which pleased investors.
The world's biggest spirits maker reported a 5.4pc rise in full-year pre-tax profits to £2.36bn, on revenues of £13.2bn, up from £12.9bn in the same period last year.
Scotch whisky sales in Africa and Latin America rose 20pc and increased by 19pc in Asia.
Shares in Diageo jumped more than 4pc in early trading after the company said it was looking to grow underlying sales by 6pc, improve profit margins by 200 basis points (bps) over the next three years, and achieve "double-digit" earnings growth in the medium term.
"The group has made a bold statement with public targets," said analysts at Credit Suisse, who said Diageo's earnings were in line with forecasts. "It is the margin target that most catches the eye. Consensus has margins going up 170bps over the next 3 years."
Paul Walsh, chief executive, said: "While Diageo is not immune from a fragile global economy, this is a strong platform ... Achievement of these aims would underpin even stronger dividend growth."
Dalmore distillery evokes the spirit of whisky making
JAMstudio have added a touch of drama to a visitor centre for The Dalmore, refurbishing existing buildings to create an innovative Highland whisky distillery near Inverness.
Reflecting The Dalmore brand the centre boasts a theatrical finish of secret doorways, velvet and leather finishes and an internally illuminated tasting table.
Practice co-founder Marie-Louise Dunk said of the design: “Carefully controlled lighting to change the mood and the atmosphere. Stills underlit to give the impression of fire and warmth. The smell of the spirit. The sound of the grain being milled. The taste of The Dalmore at the end of your journey. All these combine to create an experience to remember.
“Scottish craftsmanship was used to shape the project. From the carved oak boardroom table inlaid with the solid silver 12-point stag’s head which appears on all bottles of Dalmore, to the specially designed bottle display cases, and the “bloodline”, a sparkling glass mosaic, that runs throughout.
“We’ve brought a new concept to distillery tours while making The Dalmore’s heritage the centrepiece of the exercise. We’ve given people a better understanding of distilling, using dramatic lighting to bring a sense of theatre to this magical process.”
A PAISLEY man and his workmates poured their heart and soles into a mammoth fundraising effort. . .by walking the West Highland Way in reverse.
The nine-strong team of pals, who work for whisky giants Chivas, decided to trek 100 miles from Fort William to Milngavie, doing it this way round to make sure they were back at the firm’s Dumbarton bottling plant in time for their work.
Over the four days the trekking team collected an impressive £6,500 for the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) and Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre in Glasgow.
The team – who called themselves the Coffee Club Walkers – set off on the early morning bus from Dumbarton to Fort William and then started walking at 1pm.
Team member Adam Purdie, 38, originally from Ferguslie Main Road in Paisley but now living in Bonhill, West Dunbartonshire, said: “That was us on the road until we finished in Milngavie at around 4pm on the Monday afternoon.
“We were really lucky with the weather. It was warm, dry and sunny every day.
“Due to the good weather the scenery we were walking through was truly amazing. We met a load of people from different parts of the country and Europe over the four days.
“We stayed in a converted railway station, a bunkhouse, a wooden wigwam and a bed and breakfast.”
Despite the kind weather, the team had to pull together to get through some of the harder parts of the challenge.
Electrician Adam, who had great support from family and friends in Paisley, said: “Some days were harder than others.
“We started the second day by climbing the Devil’s Staircase, which is aptly named, but perhaps the hardest part was the morning at the top of Loch Lomond.
“After taking pictures of a clear and calm loch, due to the terrain, it took us almost two and a half hours to cover three miles.
“When you have been on your feet for that length of time and you can still see where you left you feel as if you are making no progress.
“There was a high at the very end in completing the walk in a reasonable time with everybody still together.
“The fact that there was nine of us made it a bit easier.”
Adam, who is married to Karon and is dad to eight-year-old Alice, would like to thank his parents Sandra and Adam, his sister Susan and other family and friends for their backing.
Chivas doubled the gang’s fundraising total to £5,600 for CHAS, which runs Robin House in Balloch, and £900 for Maggie’s.
The group, made up of Jim Waters, John Nicholson, Gregor Tilley, Kevin Jermy, Jim Coleman, Phil Sherry, Ross Forsyth, Neil McClure and Adam would like to thank everyone who made a donation, adding: “Special thanks to some of our suppliers who made generous donations – John Ogilvie at JBD Tritec, Richard Madison at Mapex, Pat Duffy at CCS and David O’Raw at Henkle.
“Also thanks to Bodyfuel Glasgow who, along with a donation, supplied us with energy bars and energy drinks.”
Maturing nicely at 110, Scotland's oldest woman has whisky in her veins
The Wright Brothers had yet to achieve lift-off and the nation was still mourning Queen Victoria when Janet Roberts was born in a schoolmaster’s house in a remote bit of north-eastern Scotland called the Cabrach in the summer of 1901.
So her family have not been the only ones celebrating over the past few days as Scotland’s oldest woman has been marking her 110th birthday.
Because Janet is not merely a fine advertisement for the bracing qualities of Scottish air. She is also a monument to the country’s most famous industry.
The toasts came long and loud, but it was not champagne that was raised aloft to salute this remarkable life. As the photographer gathered her extended clan together for the family shot, no one said: ‘Cheese!’ As one, they cried: ‘Whisky!’
And so they should. Janet Roberts is not merely fond of an occasional dram. ‘Wee Janie’ is the Queen Mother of the Scottish whisky industry.
In the course of her remarkable life, she has watched the family business transform from a modest handmade production line to an international corporate giant. She has seen an obscure Banffshire brand become a titan of world liquor. Little wonder that the Lord-Lieutenant of Banffshire is planning to present Janet’s 110th birthday card from the Queen in person.
For Janet is the granddaughter of William Grant, the man who created Glenfiddich — the world’s first and best-selling single malt — not to mention several other world-famous brands, including Grant’s and The Balvenie
As such, she is a living link with one of the great Victorian business empires. But what makes this story so unusual is not just the fact that she remembers the founding father very well, but that his creation is still thriving under family control — having been run at various stages by Janet’s grandfather, father, brother, husband and nephew.
Today, it is firmly in the grip of her great nephew Peter and boasts an alcoholic repertoire from Icelandic vodka to Canadian whisky to Guyanese rum. It is a success story that ranks the family a couple of places below the Sainsbury family in the latest Sunday Times Rich List, at around £950 million.
But the global headquarters and spiritual home of William Grant & Son is still on Speyside in north-eastern Scotland. And it was there that more than 500 workers and their families gathered at the weekend to celebrate the birthday of a woman who has attended so many Christmas gatherings of the company pensioners that she is known as ‘The Hardy Annual’.
Born in 1839, Janet’s grandfather William Grant was a farm-hand by the age of seven and went on to have seven sons and two daughters, including Janet’s mother Isabella. In 1886, having worked his way up from clerk to manager of a Dufftown distillery, he dragooned all seven sons into helping him build a distillery of his own — brick by brick — on a bit of land called Glenfiddich.
Isabella married Charles Gordon, the schoolmaster of the Cabrach, but, in due course, he ended up in the family business, becoming a director. It was he who helped Grant’s break, first, into the English market and then new markets overseas.
While other whisky houses rose and fell, toppled by wars or Prohibition or bad management, the Grant/Gordon family business sailed on.
But the business world was a traditional men-only place. Janet was not expected to get involved in company matters. Yet while her younger brother, William Gordon, was groomed for a future in the distillery, she refused to sit and wait for a life of quiet domesticity.
Determined to make a name for herself, she studied at both Glasgow and Edinburgh universities.
While reading law at the latter — where she was the only woman in her class — she was a dedicated 1st XI hockey player. During one mixed game, she even found herself marking a certain Eric Liddell, whose Olympic trials and triumphs were captured in the film Chariots Of Fire.
After university, Janet practised law for many years and it was during her years with the firm of McGrigor Donald that she met her future husband, Eric Roberts. They married in 1938, although war soon took him overseas.
Come peacetime, her brother William continued to run the distilleries. But, following William’s sudden death in 1953, Eric was persuaded to join the in-laws and move in to the whisky trade where he ended up a director of William Grant & Son for 24 years and chairman for 14.
All the time, Janet was a benign, supportive presence — promoting the business around the world with Eric. His hard work was recognised in 1974 when, with Janet at his side, he travelled to Buckingham Palace to receive the Queen’s Award for Export.
Throughout her marriage, she was also a devoted carer for both her mother and her sister. At the same time, she treated her devoted nieces and nephews and her growing brood of great-nieces and great-nephews as her own children and grandchildren.
‘She is a great matriarch of the family,’ says her great-niece Sally Gordon, who has many happy memories of travelling with Janet behind the old Iron Curtain. ‘After Eric’s death in 1980, I went travelling with her and we went to Prague. Boris Yeltsin was there at the same time and I remember her having this huge row with his security men when we were all trying to visit the monument to [freedom fighter] Jan Palach.’
Despite the family assets, Janet has never lost touch with her Speyside roots. For many years, she supervised the family’s educational trust for children in north-east Scotland.
To this day, she lives a couple of miles from the Balvenie distillery and on Sunday led all the family on a celebratory trip to the Cabrach croft where her father grew up (still in family ownership).
And while Janet has a certain fondness for Ferragamo shoes, she has made her favourite pair last for 50 years. ‘I remember when Janie had her first carer, she was shocked to discover that the woman had thrown away a saucepan because the handle had fallen off,’ recalls Sally Gordon. ‘So she made her retrieve it from the bin and had it mended.’
So just how partial is ‘Wee Janie’ to the golden liquid that has sustained the family all these years? ‘She has enjoyed the occasional dram,’ says Sally, ‘but never too much.’
Needless to say, Janet has often been asked to reveal the secret of a long and happy life. She was asked again over the weekend. Her answer? ‘Hard work and moderation.’
None the less, there are many of us out there who would like to think that the odd sip of the hard stuff has also played its part.
Artists get barrel of ideas at Moray whisky distillery
AN EXHIBITION inspired by Scotland’s whisky tradition was launched at a Moray distillery yesterday.
International artists have been living and working at Glenfiddich in Dufftown throughout the summer, as part of a residency programme which has been running since 2002.
The exhibition will showcase their work, which has been inspired by Scotland’s whisky industry and the Moray landscape.
Over 300 international industry judges have awarded gold medals to Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky’s acclaimed Black Bull brand of Deluxe Blended whiskies.
Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky has once again proved their Black Bull Deluxe Blends are outstanding in their field, with both the 12 and 40 year old expressions winning gold awards at the International Wine and Spirits Competition.
Black Bull 12 year old was commended for its ‘nose of fruit with inviting notes of apple, liquorice and vanilla….spice and fruit combined well with evident oak….in an outstanding finish’ while Black Bull 40 year old was described as having ‘…great presence and balance…great complexity with rich malts dominating hints of citrus.’
Founded in 1969, the IWSC is considered to be the oldest and most prestigious competition of its kind. Judging includes a blind tasting consisting of panels selected from over 300 fully experienced and qualified industry judges followed by a detailed chemical analysis.
Scott Watson, CEO of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky commented:
“It’s truly fantastic to see our Black Bull brand being officially recognised. Our boldly independent spirit has been appreciated by real whisky connoisseurs since the prohibition era. Each expression of Black Bull offers a unique character, delivered by an unusually high malt to grain ratio and generations of whisky expertise. Added to recent accolades from the World Whisky Awards and Whisky Magazine, these coveted awards will help support our continued bullish growth.“
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
10 Aug
2011
Rare Rebus: Whisky celebrating dram-swilling detective goes under the hammer
A rare whisky celebrating the 20th anniversary of one of Scotland's most famous literary detectives is to be auctioned.
The bottle of Highland Park was created to celebrate the gruff, dram-swilling detective, Inspector John Rebus.
It was given to people associated with author Ian Rankin's books, but has never appeared for sale in shops.
Bearing the legend REBUS20, it has been described by auctioneers Bonhams as being in "perfect condition" and is likely to fetch up to £1000 later this month.
Bonhams' whisky expert, Martin Green, said: "This product was not on the open market, it was never available at retail so you would probably have had to have known someone at Highland Park to get one at all.
"I would think the Rebus whisky will do well. Not just among whisky collectors but possibly amongst Rebus fans as well."
Highland Park is the whisky drunk by the Edinburgh detective in his final outing "Exit Music".
Rebus author Rankin travelled to the distillery himself in 2006 and tasted a number of 20-year-old whiskies before settling on the Rebus20.
He has previously described the Rebus malt as "rugged, manly, darker, smokier" and compared it to his literary creation.
He said: "We can describe it as being like Rebus, dark and complex with a long finish."
Grant’s has launched its first-ever ready to drink product — Scotch whisky and cola in a can — which will be on sale from this month.
A second variant, Grant’s Scotch Whisky and Ginger, is also in the pipeline.
James Stocker, marketing controller of Grant’s at First Drinks said: “RTDs are the fastest growing category in the UK off-trade – with RTD cans in dynamic growth, up 48% - so we felt this was a really important area to exploit. Until recently, it has been other categories which have dominated the RTD market but with Grant’s now entering this territory, we hope that blended whisky will really capitalise on this trend.
“By launching Grant’s Scotch whisky and cola in the UK, we are hoping to recruit new drinkers to the category and introduce new occasions to the whisky drinker’s repertoire, such as summer drinking and picnics. With consumers increasingly experimenting with mixable spirits, the new Grant’s RTDs offer drinkers the opportunity to trial the brand in a convenient format and at an accessible price point.”
The launch of the Grant’s RTD follows a number of new brand extensions, including the smaller 50cl bottle and the miniature gift pack of its Family Reserve and Cask variants.
The premixed drinks come in 250ml cans and have an abv of 6.6%, with a retail price tag of £2.
The former chief executive of fashion giant Gucci has been recruited as a director of a leading Scotch whisky company.
Robert Polet, who spent seven years as the president and CEO of the Gucci Group, will begin his new role as a non-executive director at William Grant & Sons Ltd next month.
The company is famous for producing Glenfiddich and Balvenie single malts.
Peter Gordon, chairman of William Grant & Sons Ltd, said Mr Polet's "track record" for developing and building brands like Stella McCartney, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen will be valuable to the company.
William Grant & Sons Ltd has distilleries across Scotland - in Girvan and Ailsa Bay, both Ayrshire, and in Speyside, Scotland's "whisky region".
It is an independent, family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1887. The company is currently run by the fifth generation of of his family, and distils other popular brands like Hendrick's Gin and Sailor Jerry rum.
Mr Polet has also previously been the president of Unilever's worldwide ice cream and frozen foods division.
Mr Gordon said: "Robert has a special track record of leading and developing luxury brands, which will be valuable to our board as we continue our journey to make our brands the envy of the spirits industry.
"We look forward to Robert contributing to the board as a non-executive director, and also, to his participation in strategic projects as agreed with our chief executive, Stella David."
Glenfarclas 40 Years Old named Best Malt Whisky in Australia
Coming top out of the 40 single malts entered in the competition, Glenfarclas 40 Years Old received a Gold Medal, and has been named Best Malt Whisky available in Australia.
In addition, the Glenfarclas 40 Years Old also won the ‘Member’s Choice’ Trophy at the awards dinner.
Chairman of the Malt Whisky Society of Australia, Craig Daniels, said: "The Glenfarclas 40 ticked all the boxes and the relatively high strength contributes a zestiness that is truly rare in malts of such venerable age."
Commenting on the win, Richard Angove, brand manager, of Angove Family Wine Makers, the Glenfarclas agent in Australia, said: "The Malt Whisky Society of Australia host Australia’s most prestigious and well-know Malt Whisky Awards.
"It is great to see that not only the judges voted the Glenfarclas 40 Years Old the best but so, too, did the people - a fantastic result for the Glenfarclas team and we are proud to represent them here in Australia."
This is the sixth time this blind tasting competition has been held, and Glenfarclas 40 Years Old follows on the success of Glenfarclas 30 Years Old which won the competition in 2003 and 2009.
The Australian award is the third major accolade received by Glenfarclas 40 Years Old this year, having been named Scotch Whisky Single Malt of the year by Malt Advocate in February, and named Best Speyside Single Malt in the World Whisky Awards in April.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
01 Aug
2011
International Beverage Holdings Enjoy a Medal Streak at Major Global Competition
International Beverage Holdings are celebrating an extraordinary haul of honours in the 2011 International Wine & Spirits Competition. The Airdrie-based distiller won a phenomenal sixteen awards across their portfolio of Scotch whiskies, which includes Old Pulteney, anCnoc, Balblair and Speyburn single malts and Hankey Bannister, MacArthur’s and Catto’s blended Scotch whiskies.
In total, the company picked up three gold awards, all of which were ‘Best in Class’ and a further thirteen silver awards, of which two were ‘Best in Class’. International Beverage Holdings own five distilleries across Scotland (Pulteney, Balblair, Speyburn, Knockdhu and Balmenach) and manage the production, distillation and maturation of a broad portfolio of drinks brands in markets across the globe.
This unprecedented array of results is significant for the forward thinking company whose brands continue to go from strength to strength both in the international and domestic markets. Old Pulteney Scotch Whisky is one of the fastest growing single malt brands in the UK off-trade, with sales increasing 62% in the twelve months to June. *
Karen Walker, Marketing Director at International Beverage Holdings says:
“We’re absolutely thrilled with our wins from this inaugural competition. Scooping sixteen awards is a great reflection of the quality and craftsmanship of our whiskies and the passion and enthusiasm of the team behind them.”
Each of these globally respected international awards follow a rigorous two-stage judging process of blind tastings and detailed technical analysis by a panel of industry experts. The awards received are a testament to the quality of the products and the great work of each of the distilleries.
The International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) was founded in 1969 and is the premier competition of its kind in the world. With entries from over 80 countries worldwide, it aims to promote the quality and excellence of the world's best wines, spirits and liqueurs.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
July 2011 Scotch Whisky News
31 Jul
2011
Riddle of the homes turning black near whisky distilleries
A NATIONWIDE study is to be carried out into the damage and potential health dangers caused by a black mould that grows near whisky warehouses.
Residents near distilleries and storage facilities have raised concerns about the mystery fungus, dubbed ‘whisky black’, which is spreading over their houses.
The phenomenon is said to be caused by microbes that feed on the ‘angel’s share’, the alcohol vapours that escape from wooden barrels as spirits mature.
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It has been reported on brick, wood and metal surfaces near whisky warehouses throughout Scotland, as well as in Cognac in France and in Canada.
However, the whisky industry does not accept responsibility for the mould and points to a similar blackening in Cornwall, where there are no distilleries.
Residents near the Chivas Regal plant in Dumbarton have complained to local MSP Jackie Baillie about the fungus blackening the brickwork of their homes.
Now Ms Baillie, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, is to ask her fellow MSPs at Holyrood about similar problems in their constituencies as part of a Scotland-wide investigation.
She told the Scottish Sunday Express: “People are prepared to coexist with the whisky industry and they understand it is important to the economy but also they need to protect the investment they have made in their property.”
Ms Baillie said she recently met executives from Chivas Regal’s parent company, Pernod Ricard, and the Scotch Whisky Association.
She added: “I don’t accept that this just happens to occur in areas of dampness.
“What people are asking for is a reasonable approach and some practical solutions, maybe something like a protective coating for their properties. They are not interested in compensation for the sake of it.
“We need some hard facts and we need the whisky industry to come to the table positively, which I’m sure they will do.”
Some homeowners in Dumbarton also want a study to examine any potential health effects of the mould.
The residents would like to see a national compensation scheme set up by the whisky industry to pay for things like power washing and brickwork repairs.
Mother-of-one Margaret Darroch, 51, has lived next to the Chivas Regal warehouses with her husband Gordon for 10 years. “It has got a lot worse in the last couple of years,” she said. “The main concern for everyone here is to find out what is causing it.
“It is on everyone’s mind that if this is what it does to buildings, then what are we breathing in? What are our children breathing in?”
Neighbour Lenny Barlow, 38, an engineer, said: “A compensation scheme set up by the whisky industry would be a good idea but that will only happen if it can be shown they are to blame.
“If we had known before we bought the houses that this might happen it might be different.”
‘Whisky black’ has also been reported elsewhere. Two years ago, SNP MSP Michael Matheson urged Falkirk Council to sue Diageo over blackened homes near a warehouse in Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire.
And in 2003, the North British Distillery funded a major investigation into the problem in Addiewell, West Lothian, although no definite link was established.
Officials at the Scotch Whisky Association said their research had found no link between the industry and the fungus.
Whisky barrel social enterprise wins £45k grant funding
Move will create jobs and training
A social enterprise has received a £45,000 grant from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to help give whisky barrels a new lease of life.
Entrepreneurs Frankie Hodge and Jackie Dunsmuir, who currently run Recycle Fife, said the money will help them get Barrel Crafted off the ground.
The pair will employ two joiners and a designer in Crosshill, Fife, then give training opportunities for up to 10 people to learn wood working skills.
The company intends to create a range of items from candle holders and bird boxes to furniture and flooring then sell the products online through eBay shops.
Several distilleries have agreed to provide the venture with whisky barrels.
Dunsmuir said: "It's fantastic to get the grant as that will give us nine months worth of funding to get things up and running.
"It really allows us to press on with creating jobs and training for people in the area."
In 2004 Hodge and Dunsmuir set up Recycle Fife with the aid of a Coalfields Regeneration Trust grant.
The Lochgelly recycling business now employs more than 20 people and has a s500,000 turnover.
Nicky Wilson Scottish trustee of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, said: "One of the Trusts key priorities is to improve employment prospects in former mining areas, and the best way to do that is to encourage local enterprises.
"We are delighted to be able to help Recycle Fife launch another venture which we all hope will be equally successful."
Drinks company Diageo boosts Speyside whisky production
Drinks company Diageo is stepping up whisky production to meet the growing demand from consumers in China, Russia and Latin America.
The firm is investing £20m in its 17 Speyside distilleries over the next three years.
It is hoped production can be boosted by about 10 million litres.
Cragganmore distillery director, Gary Haggart, said it was an exciting time for the whisky industry locally.
"We've already seen a boom over the last couple of years and most distilleries, including Cragganmore, are already at seven days, 24 hours," he told BBC Scotland.
"So, within Speyside, most of the distilleries are already producing as much as they can - but, to get the further production, to get the capacity, it's process changes."
Scientists invent way to test authenticity of Scotch whisky
Scientists have invented a simple way to tell real Scotch whisky from fake.
They blind-tested 17 samples of blended whisky, correctly identifying eight authentic and nine fake samples using an infrared spectrometer.
The hand-held device identifies the whisky by measuring whether the alcohol content matches the label and whether ingredients such as caramel colouring are present in the quantities expected.
Prof David Littlejohn, who led the research at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, said the present method of checking authenticity involved lab-based analysis “which isn’t always the most convenient system if a sample needs to be identified quickly.
“We have developed a system that could be adapted for use on-site.”
The whisky industry loses millions of pounds a year to black market traders, particularly in the Far East.
A bottling plant has celebrated producing its 400 millionth case of whisky.
It was a case of Buchanans Deluxe going to Brazil which hit the landmark at Diageos Shieldhall facility in Glasgow.
As part of the celebration the customer receiving the package will receive a special quaich.
Colin Neill, site director, said: "It was very fitting that it was a case of Buchanan's Deluxe which is destined for Brazil, one of our major growth markets, which took us through the 400 million case milestone."
Dispatch worker Jim McBride has worked at the plant since it opened in 1979.
He said: "It is amazing we have helped package and distribute so many cases of Scotch whisky.
"Everyone who works here is very proud of the job we do, and especially that the whisky dispatched from here ends up being enjoyed by millions of people all around the world.
"I hope whoever gets this case will enjoy the whisky and maybe even raises a toast to Shieldhall all the way from Brazil."
The 44-acre site, which employs 500 people, dispatches more than 26 million cases a year to more than 180 destinations.
The whisky industry could get the chance to massively expand as Europe gets close to a free trade deal with India, according to an MEP.
Struan Stevenson, a Conservative, said MEPs have closed "virtually all the chapters" of the Indian free trade agreement (FTA) which will remove trade tariffs on Scottish exports to India.
Whisky firms are already expected to reap huge benefits from the removal of a 20% import tariff on spirits, after an FTA with South Korea was implemented on July 1.
Cameron House Launches ‘Manly’ Glengoyne Whisky Afternoon Tea
Cameron House on Loch Lomond has partnered with nearby Glengoyne Distillery to offer a new Whisky Afternoon Tea. Created by new Head Chef Ryan Neill, the afternoon tea is designed to appeal to men, with a selection of savoury, carnivorous Scottish favourites served with Glengoyne whisky and a mug of tea on a slate spread.
This is a more masculine alternative to the traditional Champagne afternoon tea, which typically includes light, dainty sandwiches and sweeter treats arranged on a tiered stand with tea served in delicate bone china.
Dating back to 1840, afternoon tea has long been considered the preserve of women. Now men too can enjoy this tradition with a fine menu of Rare Roast Beef and Arran Mustard Sandwiches, Haggis Sausage Roll, John Ross Smoked Salmon roll, Mini Aberdeen Angus Burger, Black Pudding Scotch Egg, Glengoyne Whisky Fruit Cake and a 10 Years Old Glengoyne Whisky Miniature.
Served in the refined setting of the hotel’s Whisky Bar, the Glengoyne Whisky Afternoon Tea is available daily from 2-5pm for £26 per person.
Glengoyne is one of the world’s leading malt whiskies, distilled more slowly than any other Scotch and matured in sherry-seasoned oak casks. Its 10 Years Old, made with air-dried barley, is warming with a nutty aroma. The clean taste of grass and green apple with a hint of sweet liquorice gives way to linseed oil and almond, with a sweet and malty finish.
Cameron House is an ideal base for a visit to Glengoyne Distillery, which opened in 1833 – the same decade that afternoon tea was made fashionable by the Duchess of Bedford, and offers a wide range of tasting tours and masterclasses. The distillery is situated in a wooded valley with a picturesque waterfall that flows into Loch Lomond.
Cameron House is a five-star resort located on the bonnie banks of one of Scotland’s most famous natural attractions, with mountain views across the loch to the breathtaking Ben Lomond.
Just 30 minutes from Glasgow but a world away from the buzz of the city with Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park unfurling on its doorstep, the resort offers luxury, friendly Scottish service and a variety of ways to enjoy a visit, including The Carrick on Loch Lomond, a 71-par championship course with nine holes in the lowlands and nine in the highlands.
The stylish interior combines contemporary design and quirky details with classic touches from Scotland’s baronial past.
To book a Glengoyne Whisky Afternoon Tea, please telephone the Whisky Bar at Cameron House on 01389 722 581.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
13 Jul
2011
Google+ gets first live whisky tasting
Richard Paterson, the master blender for Whyte and Mackay, is taking to Google+ to host a live whisky tasting session.
Paterson will use the new service's group video chat feature to get enthusiasts together to "have a dram and talk whisky".
As Google is not allowing brands to sign up yet, Paterson says he will also be tasting Jura and Dalmore whisky to avoid accusations that he is trying to bend the rules.
The whisky tasting sessions will be held on August 15 and 16 at around 7pm UK time. Those who wish to take part can find out more on the Master Blender blog.
Glengoyne Boosts Green Credentials with Launch of Wetlands Area
Glengoyne Highland Single Malt will become the exclusive whisky partner of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) in time for the official opening of a brand new wetlands area onsite at the Distillery, which will help with processing distillery waste and make the area a haven for wildlife.
Glengoyne Distillery has invested £170k on the facility which deals with the effluent from the spirit stills called Spent Lees. This reduces waste by around 25% and deals with it in an environmentally friendly manner. The wetland plants were bedded in early May to acclimatise and have now begun processing waste liquid from whisky making.
As a further commitment to wetlands, the distillery has promised a minimum contribution of £5,000 to WWT in the first twelve months of the long term partnership, to be raised through contributions from sales of special bottles. Glengoyne will donate £3.00 on all personalised bottles and £4.50 on all standard bottles of the core range purchased online using a special code available to WWT members.
The agreement will also see other joint marketing and fundraising initiatives with the charity including limited edition bottlings, discount on WWT membership, on-pack promotions and joint events. The partnership kicked off in early June with a special Father’s Day promotion.
Robbie Hughes, Distillery Manager at Glengoyne said: “We are always looking at options for improving our waste management and wetlands seemed like the perfect solution. It allows us to reduce waste, cut down on waste transportation, be more environmentally friendly and will attract a huge range of wildlife to the area, which is already renowned for its geese.
“We are also investigating further environmental improvements including Anaerobic Digesters to generate gas for our boiler from another one of our effluent streams.”
WWT is a leading UK conservation organisation saving wetlands for wildlife and people across the world by creating, restoring and monitoring wetlands and the wildlife that depends on them. Wetlands are among the world's most productive environments and support great biodiversity. They are, for example, havens for birds from storks to swans and ducks to divers.
John Creedon, WWT’s Corporate Relations Manager said “New wetlands like this quickly become home to moths and beetles and even water voles, which in turn start to support and attract birds and potentially larger mammals like otters. WWT were keen to link with Glengoyne because of their commitment to the environment and because the name ‘Glengoyne’ means “Glen of the Wild Geese” in Gaelic, and WWT’s Caerlaverock Wetland Centre in Dumfriesshire, within easy reach of the distillery, is the winter home of tens of thousands of barnacle geese from Svalbard.”
Glengoyne Distillery is situated just 30 minutes outside Glasgow, in the Trossachs National Park at the start of the West Highland Way and has been producing exceptional single malt whisky for nearly 200 years.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
11 Jul
2011
Earthquake-Affected Whisky Store to Reopen
One of Christchurch’s iconic retailers is showing its confidence in the region, opening a new store this week.
Iconic whisky retailer and wholesaler Whisky Galore had been based in the now badly-damaged Columbo St store for eight years. When the February 22 earthquake struck they lost around 70% of their stock.
On Saturday 16 July they are opening a new store at 66 Victoria St.
“It’s literally been a case of picking up the pieces,” says owner Michael Fraser Milne. “We managed five wheelie bins of broken glass, we lost a lot of stock including some really irreplaceable drams.
“But we were actually really lucky. Most importantly, no one was hurt. Our warehouse is also situated in a different area of town, and didn’t sustain much damage at all.”
Michael and the team were quickly back in action after the earthquake, “There has not been a day when we have not got whisky out to clients,” he says. “Even the Friday after the earthquake one client met us at the warehouse to get whisky for a wedding that weekend.”
After months of temporary distribution arrangements through wine specialist Vino Fino, the team are excited and relieved about the new premises.
Those making the trip to the new store will not be disappointed, with stock already around 80% of previous levels, and more to come.
“By the end of 2011 expect to have an even wider range than before,” says Michael. “We’ve got far more space in our new venue, we’ve taken in two shipments since the earthquake, and we have two more on the way. “
“We’re really looking forward to having the new premises up and running. It’s another step in helping us, and our customers return to some sort of normality.”
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
07 Jul
2011
Whisky tourists 'worth £30m' to Scottish industry
Whisky distilleries and visitor centres add £30m to the Scottish tourism industry each year, according to research for distillers.
The findings published by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) said there were 1.3 million visits to 52 premises.
The research, by 4-consulting, said direct spending amounted to £37m, including £20m of added value.
There were 460 direct employees, and the number of jobs resulting from the whisky tourism industry rose to 640.
Those centres source their supplies overwhelmingly from other Scottish companies.
They are also located in clusters where other sports, recreation and cultural spending, in addition to accommodation, generate far more income and jobs.
Whisky attractions were mainly visited by non-Scots, with 86% coming from elsewhere, and 62% from outside the UK.
The research makes a link between the strongest whisky export markets and the appeal of Scotland to tourists.
The economists behind it suggest that link leads to £21m of direct tourism spending for every £100m of whisky exports.
They also claim there is a link between those who visit Scotland and those who then trade up to a more expensive brand of whisky.
China was found to be one of the fastest-growing tourist markets for Scotland, with whisky the Scottish produce most commonly cited by potential Chinese tourists.
Campbell Evans, of the SWA, said: "Scotch whisky and tourism can be seen as the perfect blend and complement one another."
Whisky firm taps augmented reality to promote label
A promotional drive by Chivas Regal for its whisky at bars around Tokyo is tapping into the interest in augmented reality (AR) and may serve as a template for future advertising campaigns for other products and in other markets.
Japan has long been recognized for having an inventive and innovative approach to marketing, and that is true of the Aroma of Tokyo project.
The premise of the campaign, which started last month, is simple: While out and about in the city, participants collect points via their mobile phones that can then be exchanged for a free cocktail or a gift bearing the Chivas Regal brand - one of the most popular in this nation of Scotch-lovers.
To take part, a drinker is initially required to download the Layar augmented reality application to his or her cell phone. Compatible with mobile phones that are equipped with GPS, the application then directs the user to one of the locations where points can be earned.
Once at one of the locations taking part in the campaign - there are 18 around the city - the user checks in using Foursquare or the Rocket Touch social networking service, operated by online giant Livedoor, to start racking up the points.
After a drinker has accumulated 18 points, they can be exchanged for a free cocktail at one of the bars that are involved. Chivas Regal said the cocktails are worth Y2,000 (€17.03) each and have been specially devised by some of Tokyo's top bartenders for the campaign.
For anyone who earns 85 points, the gifts are either a moleskin wallet or a USB stick bearing the Chivas Regal logo. In addition, anyone who takes part through the Rocket Touch interface is entered into a weekly draw for a 700 ml bottle of Chivas Regal.
The augmented reality portion of the campaign is rather simplistic - a blue dot that moves over the screen of the mobile phone to guide the user through the streets of Tokyo and to the door of one of the participating bars - but the idea is likely to be enhanced and improved upon in future AR generations.
Used in a range of marketing campaigns, Layar also featured in an AR treasure hunt in Dublin late last year, for the opening of a bar called Copan, which involved participants picking up clues around the city to win a variety of prizes.
Watch the video explaining the campaign: http://youtu.be/7Q0WRaT71Gg (in Japanese)
Edrington toasts success of premium whisky brands as investment pays off
Whisky maker Edrington Group said yesterday investment in its premium brands was a key factor behind increased sales and a surge in profits.
The strategy led to growing sales in the UK and US, added Edrington, whose whiskies include The Famous Grouse, The Macallan and Highland Park. Sales declines in Greece and Spain were not enough to stop Glasgow-based Edrington achieving 24% growth in pre-tax profits over the year to March 31.
The trading surplus came in at £154.7million, up from £125million a year earlier. Including Edrington’s share of joint-venture sales, turnover grew to £668.3million during the latest period – up from £647.4million previously.
Trade barriers to Scotch whisky imports have been removed in South Korea - a nation that already ranks among distillers' most successful markets.
The new free trade agreement was struck between the European Union and the Seoul government.
The 20% spirits import duty is being phased out and complex requirements for labelling and warehousing removed.
The South Korean government also agreed to protect Scotch whisky and other European products against imitators.
During 2010 Scotch whisky was the UK's biggest export to South Korea, with top brands including Windsor, Imperial Classic and Scotch Blue.
Macallan and Glenfiddich are the most popular single malt brands.
It was the sixth biggest export market by value and the ninth biggest by volume, with direct shipments from the UK worth £153m last year.
The Scotch Whisky Association, representing distillers, said the free trade agreement with Seoul was "the most ambitious trade deal negotiated by the EU and the first with an Asian country".
It said Scotch whisky was expected to be one of the biggest beneficiaries.
The EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht welcomed the potential for the Scotch whisky industry, saying an impact assessment points to a doubling of exports.
"This will make the product 20% less expensive, and it will make it much more competitive with the local brands, which represent the larger part of the market," he said.
A new film admitting us through the doors of Port Ellen maltings on Islay
Lagavulin - a place of pilgrimage for many adorers of this quintessential Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
But before the malt whisky comes the malt - in this case, famously imbued with the memorable aromas of Islay’s peat. The malted barley for Lagavulin, and for several other Islay distilleries, is created just up the road, at the Port Ellen Maltings.
It’s rarely open to the public, and even then, many parts are off-limits to visitors.
So the visit you’re now invited to make through You Tube is a privileged ticket to areas that most people have never seen - where the operators themselves can explain how we make the malt that makes some of the world’s most famous Single Malt Scotch Whiskies.
Ian MacLeod distillers buys a second distillery - Speyside's Tamdhu
Ian Macleod Distillers, the independent, family-owned distiller, blender and bottler has purchased Tamdhu distillery in Speyside from the Edrington Group.
Established in 1897, Tamdhu’s distillation capacity of four million litres of alcohol per year will support the continued growth of Ian Macleod’s existing brands, including Isle of Skye, Lang’s and the King Robert II blends. The Tamdhu Single Malt brand is also included in the sale, and Ian Macleod Distillers plans to significantly develop its sales both within the UK and abroad.
Leonard Russell, Managing Director of Ian Macleod Distillers, said: “Having purchased Glengoyne Distillery from Edrington in 2003, we are delighted to be acquiring a second distillery from them, safe in the knowledge that it has been maintained to a very high standard and comes with a reputation for producing exceptional quality single malt.
“I am also pleased that we will be securing and creating new local employment during these uncertain economic times. We are looking forward to developing the Tamdhu single malt following our successful growth of Glengoyne”.
Ian Curle, Chief Executive of The Edrington Group, said: "The Edrington Group is delighted to complete the sale of Tamdhu to Ian Macleod Distillers. Edrington and Ian Macleod have a good relationship stretching back many years, and we know the Tamdhu Distillery and brand will be in good hands. From Edrington's perspective, the sale will further de-complex our business, allowing us to continue to focus on the growth of our five key brands, The Famous Grouse, The Macallan, Brugal, Cutty Sark and Highland Park.”
Since purchasing Glengoyne distillery in 2003, Ian Macleod Distillers has more than doubled sales of Glengoyne Single Malt. Ian Macleod has built four additional maturation warehouses, capable of housing up to 5 million litres and has invested in the visitor experience with renovations and improvements increasing visitor numbers to nearly 50,000.
The Glengoyne brand is currently promoting a new long-term marketing initiative based on the fact that Glengoyne is ‘distilled more slowly than any other Scotch Whisky for the highest quality’ and is investing upwards of £1 million in the UK drive alone over the next two years.
Ian Macleod Distillers recently announced improved financial results for the eighth consecutive year, with group turnover increasing 22% to £31.9 million in 2010. The purchase of Tamdhu Distillery was concluded on 28 June for an undisclosed sum.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
28 Jun
2011
Black Bull Award
Another 'Best in Show' from Duncan Taylor
Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky proudly announces its Black Bull 12 Year Old Deluxe Blend has been crowned 'Best Blended Scotch Whisky aged 12 years and under' at the World Whisky Awards 2011.
Against global competition, Black Bull 12 year old won over the judges with its powerful, yet well-balanced style. Blended at a ratio of 50% malt to grain, and with a 50% abv, it's a muscular, uncompromising drink and non chill-filtered.
Black Bull 12 year-old, is a creamy whisky with fruity toffee notes – it's robust and chunky on the nose with a distinctively mellow, rounded flavour. Duncan Taylor chief executive Scott Watson says ' We want the character of the selected malts and grains to be there and allow the real scotch character to shine through.’
It's a winner all the way for Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky and it gives this Scottish company a truly global reach. Duncan Taylor selects whiskies from distilleries throughout Scotland, bottling a fine single malt and creating a big range of blends at its base in Huntly in Aberdeenshire.
The Black Bull brand itself can be traced back to the early 1930's, when it was one of America's most popular whiskies after the repeal of prohibition. It was the first ever 100 proof blend to be sold in the US.
Re-branded in 2008, Black Bull's stature and range has grown, gathering critical acclaim and a series of awards including the International Wine and Spirits competition, Jim Murray's Whisky Bible and the New York International Wine and Spirits contest. And awards are still coming in to compliment this whisky. Black Bull 40 year old and Black Bull Special reserve have been named as the Editior’s Choice in the last two editions of ‘The Whisky Magazine.’
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
28 Jun
2011
Caskstrength whisky blog launches its own Scotch
UK whisky site Caskstrength.net has become the first blog to launch its own whisky.
To celebrate its third birthday, the website has released a limited edition, single malt whisky from the Isle of Arran Distillery called “Caskstrength and Carry on”.
Joel Harrison, one of the site’s founders, said: “The online community is a great outlet for people to publish opinions on all types of products and over the last three and a half years we’ve been writing irreverent, entertaining yet informative content about whisky. To celebrate our third birthday back in March, we have decided to put our ‘money where our mouse is’ and release a limited edition, single cask whisky. Hopefully people will enjoy this liquid offering as much as the site’s content.”
The Scotch was drawn from a single first fill bourbon cask (number 1554) which was filled in 1998 and bottled in May 2011. There are 92 bottles from the cask, all of which were bottled undiluted at 49.9% abv. The whisky has an rrp of £48.95, and it is available from Master of Malt.
Caskstrength.net was founded in 2008 by two former rival A&R men working at Warner Bros and Island Records.
Diageo whisky expansion plans unveiled for Speyside
A leading drinks manufacturer has unveiled plans to expand its whisky production operation in Speyside.
Diageo has submitted a planning application to Moray Council for a £9.5m redevelopment of its Dailuaine distillery complex.
Diageo said the upgrade would open up the potential for future increases in production capacity across Speyside.
A consultation exercise with local residents is expected to get under way this week.
Diageo is also developing proposals aimed at boosting production capacity at other existing distilleries within the next two to three years.
The company's malt distilling director, Brian Higgs, said: "Scotch whisky has never been more popular around the world.
"Speyside is already at the heart of our malt distilling operations and I am delighted that, beginning with the Dailuaine proposal, we are looking at further enhancing our business in this area."
Speyside is home to 17 of Diageo's 28 malt whisky distilleries in Scotland.
Last year the firm opened its new Roseisle distillery, near Elgin, at a cost of £40m.
Scotch whisky range, Royal Salute launches new ‘rare blend’
The world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky range, Royal Salute, has crafted a blend so rare, that only one man in the world has tasted it – creator and Master Blender, Colin Scott.
‘Tribute to Honour’ has been introduced to pay homage to the oldest crown jewels of the British Isles: The Honours of Scotland. The narrative of the Honours comprises glorious legends and intrigue and remains a powerful and inscrutable ode to Scottish history. Royal Salute Tribute to Honour marks a historical pinnacle in whisky making.
The most exquisite, precious and scarce whiskies used to create Tribute To Honour, have been carefully selected from the Royal Salute Vault at Strathisla. Expertly blended by Colin Scott, just 21 bottles of Tribute to Honour have been created and also mark the pinnacle of Colin’s 21 years of expertise in blending.
Scott said: “Chivas Brothers has a phenomenal archive of high-aged whiskies, some of which, after decades of careful maturation, have acquired a rich intensity and deep concentration of sumptuous characters. It is these very few whiskies which I have personally selected to compose Tribute To Honour – this opulent and rarest of blends.”
Fittingly, only the finest aged whiskies – at least 45 years old – are presented in the spectacular bejeweled bottle, dressed by Garrard in flawless diamonds and shimmering gold.
Craftsman at Garrard have spent days perfecting each flagon by hand. The jeweller has served six successive British monarchs and pays tribute to the ancient Scottish Sword of State as its landmark.
Love behind designs for Diageo's Johnnie Walker House
The first experience space for Diageo whisky brand Johnnie Walker has been developed, designed and built by Love.
The four storey Johnny Walker House will open in Shanghai’s French Concession will be used initially to market Scotch whisky to the Chinese market.
The Manchester design agency was tasked with creating the initial concept and design, working alongside Asylum in Singapore of the interior design and build of the house, since last September.
The design for the house was inspired by the theme ‘whisky conversations’ and aims to help Chinese consumers discover more about Scotch whisky, with each room featuring displays and interaction sets which engage with guests in order to tell the brand story. These include sculptures, an interactive multisensory blending table and original artefacts from the Johnnie Walker archive.
David Palmer, creative director of Love, explained: “Whisky is a complex liquid that’s all about discovery and The Johnnie Walker House concept mirrors this. We’ve taken the provenance of whisky, the art of blending and the rich story of Johnnie Walker and woven them into the very fabric of the space.
“This creates an experience that is rich, immersive and full of stories giving the VIP visitors to the house a new and rare currency, true whisky knowledge. From the peat and barley walls to the precise 24° angle of the flooring, each detail reflects some element of the Johnnie Walker story," he added.
Since being awarded the brief in September, Love has been tasked with further Diageo projects across Asia, Europe and Latin America.
Berry Bros & Rudd Scotch whisky brand Glenrothes introduced its 1995 vintage on the opening day of Vinexpo yesterday and the company was keen to stress the points of difference vintage whiskys offer over age statement releases.
Speaking to the drinks business during a tasting of the ’95, BBR sales development director Mike Harrison said: “Vintage is all about maturity rather than age.
“Vintages can also be much more personal for the consumer. For example, you might feel an extra connection to a whisky from the year of your wedding, or the year your child was born.
“These are very emotional, personal moments and they can add an extra dimension to the drinker’s connection with the whisky.”
His comments echo those of Glenrothes brand heritage director Ronnie Cox, who previously told db: “Age statements mean nothing to the regular consumer, it’s better to have vintages.
The company has just finished a “highly successful” Glenrothes campaign in the Daily Telegraph entitled “Vintage Moments”, which asked people to pick their favourite year for a vintage whisky based on their own personal experiences.
Former Tottenham Hotspur and Argentina footballer Ossie Ardiles gave his backing to the campaign, naming 1978 as his favourite vintage year due to the fact it was the year he won the World Cup with his country, while newsreader Angela Rippon chose 1995 as it was the year she first sat in front of an auto-cue.
BBR believe that other brands will soon recognise the different proposition of vintage whiskies.
Harrison added: “Already we have seen Highland Park release a vintage whisky in the duty-free channel and no doubt others will also do the same soon, but we were the first.”
Glenrothes is enjoying a period of exceptional growth and Harrison does not see it slowing down any time soon.
“Last year we exceeded our targets for growth and this will continue,” he said. “As long as people trust the product, they will continue to buy it.
“Naturally we saw a slight dip in fortunes with the economic crash, but over the past couple of years we have seen nothing but growth.
The 1995 vintage has been released in order to fill the gap left by the soon-to-run-out 1994 stock, while the other recent release, 1988, has plugged the gap between the now-extinct 1987 and 1989 vintages.
Meanwhile BBR is also reaping the rewards of its relaunch of Kings Ginger, which is undergoing a major renaissance, particularly in the UK.
“The relaunch and renewed focus on Kings Ginger resulted in sales doubling in the UK last year,” he said.
“People are much more aware of the product now. It used to be something of a secret among the hunting set but now a much wider audience is waking up to it.”
Though the spirit traditionally enjoys its healthiest sales period in the winter months, warmer climate markets such as Israel, southern US states and Asia are now showing significant growth.
“Our aim is to take Kings Ginger to a lot more tasting events over the coming year in order to drive consistent sales throughout the entire year,” Harrison added.
Islay distillery Kilchoman has launched the first-ever 100% Islay produced whisky - it has been produced from barley grown, malted, distilled, matured and bottled on-site.
Kilchoman, founded in 2005, is the first distillery to be built on Islay for 120 years. It is a farm distillery and a proprotion of the barley used in production is grown and malted on site.
Anthony Wills, founder and managing director at Kilchoman, said: "I set this project up because I wanted to do things slightly differently, and show the world we could produce a single malt where all the ingredients were produced locally."
He described raising funding and setting up the distillery as a "monumental journey".
Kilchoman, founded in 2005, is the first distillery to be built on Islay for 120 years. It is a farm distillery and a proprotion of the barley used in production is grown and malted on site.
It produces around 100,000 litres of alcohol a year. The spirit is allowed to mature in a combination of bourbon barrels from Buffalo Disttillery in Kentucky and oloroso sherry butts from Miguel Martin in Jerez.
Top Scotch whisky expert Charles Maclean described the newest release as "Chardonnay coloured" with maritime notes and lemon cheesecake on the nose.
John MacLellan, general manager, said: "A lot of faith has been shown in the distillery. Now the time has come to start repaying that faith."
The limited edition release Inaugural 100% Islay, 50% abv, is priced £69.00 rrp. A special edition, of which only 1,060 bottles are available, which is presented in a hand crafted american white oak presentation box, at cask strength of 61.3%, is available from the distillery only priced £149.00.
The Singleton of Glen Ord™ Single Malt Scotch Whisky - the fastest growing Single Malt in the Asia Pacific region - has added to its global prestige and long record of success with a major win in the prestigious Scotch Whisky Masters competition. The results were announced in London on 6 June 2011, with The Singleton of Glen Ord™ 12 year old winning a ‘Master’ - the highest award in the competition.
The Singleton of Glen Ord™ 12 year old has been extensively enjoyed by sophisticated drinkers in Asia since its launch in 2006. The 15 and 18 year old versions of The Singleton of Glen Ord™ have also attracted much praise and a growing number of devoted followers.
The brand continues to display stunning growth in its Asian markets. The recently released IWSR 2010 data shows that The Singleton of Glen Ord™ is the fastest growing Single Malt in the Asia Pacific region. It has recently broken the 100,000 cases barrier and grew volumes at 40% in 2010, notably in Taiwan and South East Asian market, with triple digit growth in many markets.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
08 Jun
2011
£100,000 bottles of whisky will mark Queen's diamond jubilee
A one-off whisky will be sold for £100,000 per bottle to help celebrate the Queen's diamond jubilee next year.
Drinks firm Diageo has said it will sell 60 limited edition whisky bottles for £100,000 each to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee next year.
The whisky, which was distilled in 1952 and blended in an English oak "marrying" cask from the Queen's Sandringham Estate, will be housed in a cabinet incorporating wood from the Balmoral estate.
It will be produced in Scotland by Diageo-owned John Walker & Sons.
Existing customers will be invited to privately buy 57 of the crystal decanters, Diageo said. The remaining three bottles, numbered 1, 8 and 60, will be auctioned in early 2012, each with a reserve price of £100,000.
John Walker & Sons will donate all profits from the bottles and all proceeds from the auctions, with a guarantee of at least £1m, to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust - the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association.
The money will be used to support the trust's diamond jubilee appeal which aims to double the number of scholarships its funds every year and support craftspeople of all ages.
Sixty editions of Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons will be bottled on February 6 next year, exactly 60 years to the day since the Queen acceded to the throne.
David Gates, Royal Warrant grantee at John Walker & Sons, said: "As a holder of the Royal Warrant, we felt compelled to mark this truly historic occasion with something truly exquisite. We look forward to sharing further news on this exceptional liquid very soon."
As holders of a Royal Warrant, John Walker & Sons can supply whisky to the royal household.
Jim Beveridge, master blender for John Walker & Sons, said: "These are extraordinary grain and malt whiskies that have been maturing slowly since 1952. It's a huge privilege to work with them using all our resources and experience to craft a John Walker & Sons blend that's fitting for this special anniversary. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky by John Walker & Sons will be presented in a lead crystal decanter adorned with a Britannia silver collar which contains a half-carat diamond, set by hand, and a numbered silver seal.
Each bottle comes with a pair of hand-engraved lead crystal glasses and a leather-bound, personalised, hand-embellished book explaining the whisky's history and how it was produced.
Glenmorangie malt whisky launches Father’s Day campaign
This Father’s Day, Glenmorangie is unveiling its first significant above-the-line programme since 2007/2008 with an exciting national advertising campaign. Using the line: Unnecessarily Well Made and stunning original pencil renderings by artist Vince Verma, each execution tells the story of the unseen lengths that Glenmorangie goes to in crafting their single malt whiskies.
Glenmorangie whiskies aren’t like other single malts: its whisky is still made using local spring water, from Scotch barley, by local craftsman. The tallest whisky stills in Scotland are used at the Tain distillery, so that only the finest vapours are captured to create an exceptionally delicate spirit. This is carefully aged in bespoke American oak casks that are only ever used twice to ensure the smoothest of flavours. Unnecessarily Well Made brings to life the expertise, precision and passion that go into creating Glenmorangie.
The initial national campaign in June will focus on two executions by Verma: the first is a snapshot inside the cask house as one barrel is being rolled away (this, demonstrating Glenmorangie’s strict twice-usage policy).
The second is a glimpse inside the Glenmorangie still house, showing its tall elegant stills that capture the lightest, purest flavour notes. Both visuals were created by Verma entirely in pencil and, because of the exquisite detail involved, upon first glance could be mistaken for photographs. Each image took over 60 hours to draw and used 9 pencils.
To take advantage of the gifting occasion that Father’s Day provides, this launch campaign will feature in The Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Independent and “i”, London Evening Standard, The Herald, The Scotsman, GQ and Esquire.
UK Marketing Director Louise Pilkington states; “I am delighted to see Glenmorangie advertising again, reinforcing our credentials as a complex and perfectly-balanced single malt through these new creatives.
“We chose to work with Vince Verma because we wanted to partner with someone who understood what it means to go beyond all precedent to create something unique. His creative interpretation of Glenmorangie’s artisan process will appeal to an audience that appreciates the delicate craftsmanship of our whisky.”
“Father’s Day is a key sales opportunity for Glenmorangie – by launching our above the line programme at this time of the year, we’re reminding our target consumer of our special whiskies for the month of June and beyond.”
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
06 Jun
2011
Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky by John Walker & Sons
Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky by John Walker & Sons Celebrating 60 Years of the Reign of Her Majesty the Queen 1952-2012
To mark The Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, John Walker & Sons, Scotch Whisky Distillers By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen, is to produce an extremely limited edition of 60 crystal decanters of 'Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky by John Walker & Sons', a unique blend of whiskies distilled in 1952 and finished in a marrying cask of English oak from The Queen's Sandringham Estate.
These rare editions will be offered, by invitation only, for private sale at GBP100,000 each. John Walker & Sons will donate all profits from the sale, with a guarantee of at least GBP1million, to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association. This will support the QEST Diamond Jubilee Appeal, through which it aims to grow its scholarship base, build a mentoring programme and enable traditional craftsmanship to flourish in Britain.
John Walker & Sons has harnessed the collective skills of some of the finest craftsmen and women, including fellow Royal Warrant Holders and QEST Scholars, to create exclusive, bespoke pieces to accompany the whisky; a stunning showcase of craftsmanship.
'Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky by John Walker & Sons' will be presented in a lead crystal decanter adorned with a Britannia silver collar that features a half carat diamond set by hand, and an individually numbered silver seal. This will be accompanied by a pair of hand-engraved lead crystal glasses and a leather bound, personalised, hand-embellished artefact book, all housed in a bespoke cabinet incorporating woods from The Queen's Sandringham and Balmoral estates.
David Gates, Royal Warrant grantee at John Walker & Sons said: "As a holder of the Royal Warrant, we felt compelled to mark this truly historic occasion with something truly exquisite. We look forward to sharing further news on this exceptional liquid very soon."
Jim Beveridge, Master Blender for John Walker & Sons said: "These are extraordinary grain and malt whiskies that have been maturing slowly since 1952. It's a huge privilege to work with them using all our resources and experience to craft a John Walker & Sons blend that's fitting for this special anniversary. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Sixty editions of 'Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons' will be bottled on 6th February 2012, exactly 60 years to the day since The Queen acceded to the Throne.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
03 Jun
2011
Old Pulteney Boat Gets Christened Ahead of Pioneering Adventure
Arctic and maritime adventurer Jock Wishart and his crew have today christened their specially designed rowing boat, The Old Pulteney ahead of its pioneering voyage into the unknown. The expedition team named the boat after their sponsors, Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky at a ceremony outside Boisdale’s at Canary Wharf, London.
Wishart will lead a six strong team on the Old Pulteney Row to the Pole expedition in a bespoke ice boat – today christened The Old Pulteney – which will set off from Canada’s Resolute Bay on the 1st of August on a 450 mile route across the arctic on a voyage to the magnetic North Pole which, if successful, will make history as a world first.
The Old Pulteney has been constructed to accommodate a six-strong crew and their equipment during the four to six week voyage. The crew comprise of five experienced oarsmen, and one carefully selected novice, David Mans. Mans, a 28 year old British Army Officer and Afghanistan veteran from Hampshire, beat stiff competition from hundreds of international entrants of the Old Pulteney Pole Position Competition earlier this year, offering one spirited person a once in a lifetime chance to be part of this extraordinary adventure.
Speaking at the ceremony, Jock Wishart told the audience: “It is hard to imagine that in the 21st century there are still parts of our oceans that have never been explored. This is truly a voyage into the unknown - within 60 nautical miles of the start of our voyage; we will be taking The Old Pulteney through waters that have never been navigated by any surface vessel.”
The challenge is of global significance as both a pioneering maritime adventure and an environmental expedition and has only now become possible due to the increase in seasonal sea ice melt and its deterioration because of climate changes. The final leg of the journey is only navigable
for a few weeks of the year before refreezing, and Jock and his crew will be working with scientific research partners to deliver environmental data and insight from the journey.
David Mans, the crew’s oceanographer, said: “Last summer the ice melted to its third lowest extent. Already this year the ice is shrinking at a rate of 15,000 square kilometres a day and indicating that the conditions could well be right for us to make it all the way.”
Christening the boat at the launch, Senior Brand Manager for Old Pulteney, Margaret Mary Clarke commented:
“Old Pulteney is a long standing supporter of maritime activity and we’ve been working with Jock and his team for over two years on building up to this day. It’s fantastic to christen the boat The Old Pulteney and we wish Jock and his crew the best of luck for the expedition.”
During their epic row, the crew will be sleeping on board their cramped boat and experiencing temperatures as low as minus 15 Centigrade and they will have to consume over 7,000 calories to survive.
“It’s daunting” comments oarsman Billy Gammon, “I’m taking time out from my job to do this, but I am sure there will be times it won’t seem like such a good idea!”
To help the crew navigate the journey safely and identify the route through the disintegrating ice, Jock Wishart will be studying detailed satellite photos taken by MDA Geospatial’s Radarsat 2: “The satellite images are our eye in the sky. Without them it would be much more difficult to navigate, especially in the later stages of the expedition when we expect the amount of ice surrounding us will be greatest.”
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
02 Jun
2011
Glengoyne Distillery Stillman Raises £1,000 for charity
Stillman at Glengoyne Distillery, Duncan McNicoll, has walked the famed West Highland Way raising £1,000 for charity.
Duncan completed the 95 mile trip, which starts in Milngavie, passes near the distillery and ends in Fort William. Duncan undertook the feat with his brother, John, son, Calum, son’s girlfriend, Hollie and nephew, Craig, by his side.
Recipient of Duncan and his family’s donation, The Scots Australian Children’s Cancer Trust, was set up by husband and wife Alan and Janet MacDermid, in appreciation of the life-saving treatment their grandson, Joseph MacDermid, received for a brain tumour at Sydney Children’s Hospital. Funds raised go to supporting cancer charities around the world including World Child Cancer, which twins hospitals in developed countries with others in poorer countries such as Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana, and Mexico.
Duncan McNicoll said of his accomplishment: “When I heard about all the great work that Alan and Janet’s trust goes towards it only seemed right to do whatever I could to help. I really appreciated that my family were willing to help and we enjoyed doing the walk together to help children affected by cancer.”
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
May 2011 Scotch Whisky News
30 May
2011
New Distillery Visitor Centre Opens on Jura
Isle of Jura Distillery marked the first day of this year’s Feis Ile with the opening of a new £100,000 Visitor Centre.
The Jura Distillery Visitor Centre, on the same site as the former distillery shop, offers visitors a glimpse into the history and legends of Jura along with an opportunity to savour an authentic taste of single malt from the distillery. The centre also serves as the base of operations for the distillery's tours.
The Visitor Centre takes its inspiration from the island’s legends and symbols, reflecting its literary, cultural and mythical heritage in West of Scotland folklore. Designed to replicate a traditional Hebridean bothy, there is a tasting unit which will serve rare Jura expressions alongside its core range, and a tasting table with a copper Diurachs’ symbol set into the centre. Photos of Diurachs past and present adorn the gallery wall, including key figures from the distillery’s 200 year history, bringing to life many of the associated myths and legends.
Inside the Jura Distillery Visitor Centre guests can purchase an array of Jura merchandise, including hats, jackets, glassware and chocolates, alongside Jura’s extensive range of core and rare whiskies.
Isle of Jura is hoping that the new Visitor Centre will create a long-lasting impression for the island’s rising visitor numbers. Since 2007, visitor numbers have steadily increased year on year, a considerable achievement given the island’s ‘unget-at-able’ location. The increased interest is a reflection of Jura’s strength in the single malt market and the growing trend for whisky tourism. Jura single malt is now the third largest malt in the UK, with year on year growth of 60% across its key markets.
Distillery Manager Willie Cochrane commented:
"Many of those who make the effort to visit Jura do so because of our fine whisky and the rich culture of our remote island. Having a visitor centre that reflects the history and culture of our island, whilst matching the quality of our single malt, will provide our guests with a truer experience of what Jura is all about. More importantly, they will hopefully be more inclined to buy some of our fine whisky and share the magic of Jura with their friends and family!”
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
25 May
2011
Jura Whisky begins QR Code competition for whisky festival
Jura Whisky is to run a QR Code competition as part of the Islay/Jura Whisky Festival.
The competition by the Whyte and Mackay owned brand, takes place from today (25 May)and will see the brand place QR Codes around the island as part of the festival, which the brand has christened Jurachaching, rather than Geocaching.
Said Craig McGill who is promoting the promotion: “The idea is a bit of fun, but also it is to encourage people to explore a little bit more of Jura than the distillery! And as far as we can tell, it's the first time a whisky company has done something like this.”
The places where the five QR codes can be found on the island have been placed on the brand’s website to encourage people to explore the island with more information also being place on the Jura Whisky Facebook site.
Work starts on £60m Strathspey 'whisky' biomass plant
Construction is due to begin on a £60m biomass plant that will use whisky by-products to produce energy.
The combined heat and power plant by Helius CoRDe at Rothes, in Moray, could generate enough electricity to power 9,000 homes and produce animal feed.
The construction project will create about 100 jobs and 20 full-time posts when the plant becomes operational in 2013.
The whisky biomass plant is believed to be the first of its kind in the world.
Helius CoRDe said it would produce 7.2 megawatts of electricity - mostly for export to the national grid - and would save 46,642 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
Frank Burns, managing director of Helius CoRDe, said: "This innovative project demonstrates how Scotch whisky by-products can be put to good use to provide a big boost to the environment and ensure there are new sources of energy available for future generations.
"It also shows distillers working together, and in partnership with third-party expertise, for the future benefit of the entire industry."
In 2009, the Scotch whisky industry introduced its environment strategy to assure that 20% of its primary energy requirements would be derived from non-fossil fuel sources by 2020, with a target of 80% by 2050.
Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), said: "This project underlines the Scotch whisky industry's commitment to investing in the future.
"In 2009 the industry made a commitment to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels as a source of energy.
"The project shows how we can create a virtuous circle within the Scotch whisky production process."
Concerns new bioenergy plant will affect availability of distillery byproducts
Farmers in Speyside are expressing growing alarm at the implications a new bioenergy plant will have on the availability of one of the main winter cattle feeds they use.
For centuries distillery by-products, made from the barley used in the first part of the whisky distillation process, has made up a major constituent of the diets of livestock in the region – and across Scotland.
But farmers fear availability is about to decrease substantially as the £60.5milllion Helius CoRDe bioenergy plant, at Rothes, will instead burn the byproducts from distilleries owned by Ben Riach, Chivas Brothers, Diageo, Edrington, Glen Grant, Inver House and John Dewar and Son. It will use the grain to generate heat and 7.2megawatts of electricity, enough to power 9,000 homes.
Darren Hosie knows all the best bars on Shanghai's historic Bund.
There's the Bar Rouge with its flaming drinks, house music and turbocharged hedonism; M on the Bund which channels 1930s sophistication; and Lounge 18 whose expensive wood paneling and wall to ceiling glass windows exude a more modern glamour.
Hosie has lived in China for the past three years and is well accustomed to the tastes and whims of the country's new business elite -- the legions of bankers, entrepreneurs, traders and second-generation wealthy, known as "princelings," who think nothing of dropping $200 on a bottle of French wine or $1,000 on a bottle of scotch whisky that they'll then mix with green tea.
Tonight the Scotsman is in the Shanghai Tang bar, watering hole of China's best known luxury label. Sitting on a straight-backed, wooden chair in front of a tasting audience, Hosie is clean-shaven ahead of an evening of whisky-nosing and tasting sessions.
Born and bred in Glasgow, the 37-year-old has spent the past seven years working for scotch whisky giant Pernod Ricard and since August 2007 he has lived in China as international brand ambassador for the firm's top whisky brands Chivas Regal, Ballantine's and The Glenlivet.
In a lilting Scottish accent, Hosie explains the joys of whisky and its sure-footed advance into China. As he describes the different types of whisky that the spellbound audience are about to taste -- malty, peaty, smoky -- a few give approving responses.
Hosie says that for palates accustomed to baijiu, China's fiery sorghum- or rice-based spirit, the flavor and smoothness of whisky can have instant appeal. Mix it with what you like -- water, ice or green tea -- he says. Just remember the care that has gone into aging and blending the best.
Hosie starts his work with bartenders -- training them on different tastes and styles of whiskies and organizing tastings so they can tell a blend from a single malt and appreciate the way the drink improves with careful aging.
The key to China's drinkers, he says, is to understand that respect and status are often expressed through drink. Unlike in the United States or Europe, where partygoers tend to buy their drinks by the glass, Chinese drinkers see the bottle as a status symbol.
"Here it is very much about having the bottle on the table and letting people see what you are drinking," said Hosie, sipping water on a pit-stop between whisky tasting sessions in a luxury Shanghai restaurant painted bright green.
It's a message that's working.
From crowded Shanghai bars to the beaches of the southern Chinese island of Hainan, Scotch whisky is muscling in at the expense of local tipples. Whisky exports to China were up 24 percent in 2010.
"This is the whisky industry's great opportunity. It has a wide range of products and great growth potential. The growth we have seen in China is sustainable as we have hardly felt any sign of a slowdown," said Pierre Pringuet, Chief Executive of Paris-based Pernod Ricard.
NEXT STOP, INDIA
Scotch whisky is also making huge inroads in other developing nations such as Russia, India, Brazil and Mexico, as the growing middle classes turn away from local drinks such as vodka and rum. Overall exports were up 10 percent in 2010 with eight out of the industry's top 10 export markets growing and only Spain and Greece, beset by severe economic problems and austerity measures, showing a decline.
Over the last 20 years, whisky markets such as Vietnam, Russia and India have also grown rapidly. While the top two markets -- the United States and France -- both increased in 2010 other top 10 markets such as Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and South Africa all showed larger increases.
The industry's latest priority is improving market access to India which has a vast locally produced whisky market and slaps a 150 percent tariff on imported spirits, compared to just a 10 percent tariff in China. The European Union and India have held trade talks to try and push through free trade agreements for a number of products including scotch whisky and there is optimism that a deal can be reached by the end of the year.
"India could be the next big market. It is a huge potential market because of India's historic links to Britain. If a tax deal can be agreed then a $50 bottle of Chivas Regal would cost more like the $25-30 seen in Europe and North America," said Pernod's head of its Chivas Brothers whisky arm Christian Porta.
To keep up with demand, Scotland's whisky industry has poured 600 million pounds ($975.7 million) into expanding and building new distilleries over the last three years.
Long-forgotten still houses have been re-opened. Expansion is underway at a handful of big industrial grain whisky plants, bottling halls and cooperages, and also at some of the smaller 102 malt whisky distilleries scattered across the highlands and islands of Scotland.
WHISKY MISSIONARIES
Growth is shepherded by people like Hosie. A handful of brand ambassadors in China and over 100 more across the planet work to convince newly moneyed consumers that they should be drinking whisky. Call them whisky missionaries.
Hosie's pupils lap up the arcane details -- the use of local peat to fire the malting barley process that imparts a wonderful smoky flavor to whisky, the way a whisky aged in European sherry barrels has rich fruity finish, instead of the crisp vanilla of American bourbon whiskey barrels.
Chinese drinkers, he says, were first attracted by light styled whiskies like Chivas Regal, but now want to try more complex 18 and 25 year olds or challenging single malts from smaller distilleries. "We find the Chinese consumer is very keen to get more information and is very confident to move up to older and more complex whiskies," he said.
He leads his classes through the malt whisky story, where top quality malted barley is mixed with Scottish spring water, fermented, and the resultant liquid heated in tall handmade copper stills, with the spirit vapor winding its way to the top to be condensed and collected before aging in oak barrels. People like Hosie are important to convince the Chinese that whisky is better than other recent imports, particularly cognac, which took hold in the restaurants of Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou in southeastern China during the 1980s and 1990s. Scotch whisky came later, and further north, to the bars of Beijing, Tianjin and China's biggest city Shanghai.
Whisky now accounts for 45 percent of all foreign-produced spirits sold in China, about the same share as cognac.
Paul Walsh, CEO of the biggest whisky maker Diageo Plc, which makes Johnnie Walker and J&B, argues scotch whisky is more versatile than cognac. The Chairman of the Scottish Whisky Association (SWA), he says the industry has shaken off its conservative view that scotch should only be drunk on its own or with water or ice: industry executives admit they may have missed a trick after seeing the success of American whiskey Jack Daniel's being mixed with cola around the world.
Though still small, the Chinese whisky market was worth over 300 million pounds in 2010, from just a few million pounds in 2000.
That's still a drop in the ocean compared to the 24 billion pounds spent on Chinese baijiu every year, but Diageo's Asia Pacific chief Gilbert Ghostine says the prize is still worth chasing.
"In China there are 20 million new consumers which reach the legal drinking age each year," he said. "There is a very big aspiration for international spirits."
The population of Jura will almost double on 25 – 26 May as more than 150 whisky fans are set to descend on the island for this year’s Feis Isle.
The annual Feis Isle festival, which was started by the Islay locals in 1986, is run in conjunction with the distilleries of Islay and Jura and Port Ellen Maltings. Each distillery has its own open day, putting on special events. Over the course of the two day festival on Jura, the Distillery will be hosting three tasting sessions for fans of the island’s single malt.
In the first session, Willie Tait will be taking attendees through a journey of the Distillery’s core range single malts and a very special sampling, for Diurachs only, of its commemorative 21 year old, celebrating over 200 years of distilling on Jura.
The second session will see visitors taken on a tour of the Distillery with Distillery Manager, Willie Cochrane. The tour will end in the filling store where participants will work with Willie to fill a special 2011 Festival Cask.
And last but not least, participants in the third session will take part in an island exclusive tasting with Richard Paterson. Visitors to the festival last year helped in the selection of a very special cask which has now been bottled and will become available, exclusively on the island, at this year’s Whisky Festival. The tasting will take place at the Distillery’s Standing Stone, which has been erected to mark the 200th anniversary of the Distillery’s opening.
Visitors to this year’s festival will also be invited to take part in a treasure hunt to win themselves more than just a taste of Jura’s legendary whisky. Jura has hidden five QR codes en route from Port Askaig on Islay to the Distillery on Jura, with each code spelling out a different word that makes up a phrase. Anyone who identifies the winning phrase by collecting the clues will be entitled to some Jura goodies - ranging from a bottle of Jura Prophecy to a delectable Jura truffle - by presenting the winning phrase at the Distillery Shop.
Those who aren’t fortunate enough to be attending this year’s celebrations on Jura will have the chance to savour a taste of the Feis Isle experience online. Jura will be hosting an exclusive online tasting session on isleofjura.com once the festivities are over, led by Willie Tait and Willie Cochrane, who will take viewers through the core range of Jura single malts. Participants will be able to download a tasting mat from isleofjura.com prior to the tasting to assist them through the online session. Anyone wishing to take part should register at www.isleofjura.com and keep an eye out for more details.
Willie Cochrane, Distillery Manager at Jura Distillery said:
“This is the 10th year we’ve been bringing whisky fans over to our beautiful island, and this year promises to be bigger and better than any of our previous festivals. We’ve got a packed programme of activity taking place and, more importantly, some wonderful whiskies to savour - all set against the glorious backdrop of Jura in May! And for those who can’t make it….well you’ll just have to wait and catch the highlights on www.isleofjura.com.”
Tickets cost £15, which includes lunch, entertainment, a distillery gift and free ferry travel for foot passengers from Port Askaig to Feolin. Places can be reserved by contacting Sue at the distillery on 01496 820 385 or shop@isleofjura.com
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
16 May
2011
Scotch Whisky Association Strengthens Team
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has strengthened its government and consumer affairs team with appointments in public affairs and communications.
Beatrice Morrice has joined as public affairs manager from the British Medical Association in Scotland where she held the position of public affairs officer. Beatrice is responsible for day-to-day relationships with the Scottish Parliament and providing public affairs support across the association’s activities.
Siobhan Paterson will job-share with Beatrice as well as working as policy support manager in the SWA’s international affairs department.
Rosemary Gallagher has been appointed as communications manager. Rosemary has joined from the Scottish Parliament where she was a senior media relations officer. She was previously business news editor with Scotland on Sunday and is responsible for relationships with the media, promoting all aspects of the SWA’s work, the internet and industry communications.
David Williamson, who was SWA public affairs manager, has moved to a new role as deputy director Americas and Caribbean in the organisation’s international affairs department.
Campbell Evans, SWA director of government and consumer affairs, said: "We’re committed to promoting Scotch whisky in the UK and overseas and these appointments put us in an even stronger position to represent the views of our members."
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
13 May
2011
First Drinks launches whisky gifts for Father's Day
First Drinks launches a range of whisky gift packs for Grants, Glenfiddich and the Balvenie for Father’s Day on June 19.
The firm has planned a total investment of £55 million in its brands in 2011.
Neilsen stats show Father’s Day malt whisky value is £9.9 million to grocery/multiples, +3% year on year, of June’s malt whisky volume, 40% is sold in the three days before Father’s Day.
To capitalise on the event, Grant’s is selling a miniature gift pack of its Family Reserve and Cask variants (rrp £7.00), as well as a 50cl bottle of the number three blended whisky to offer more choice at more affordable price points.
Glenfiddich and the Balvenie will be offering a 5cl three-pack of the core ranges – the Glenfiddich pack (rrp £13.19) will include the 12, 15 and 18 Year Old variants whilst The Balvenie pack (rrp £12.99) will contain 12 Year Old Doublewood, 12 Year Old Signature and the 15 Year Old Single Barrel.
Una McCullough, marketing director at First Drinks said: “Father’s Day is a fantastic opportunity for retailers to boost their whisky sales and both blends and malts should be given prominent display in-store to make it easy for gift purchasers.
“Research shows that almost half of all whisky purchased in the off-trade is bought as a gift.
“We are extremely mindful of the need to offer shoppers a choice of products at a range of price points hence the launch of the new Grant’s miniature pack and smaller 50cl bottle. Offering smaller sizes and gift packs of premium brands such as Glenfiddich and the Balvenie are also an important way of bringing new drinkers in to the category and encouraging trade up all year round.”
First Drinks’s MAT volumes were up 13% in 2010, across all sectors.
Ardbeg to promote whisky across Europe with custom chopper motorcycle.
A Scots whisky brand is to be taken on a tour of Europe this summer with a flashy custom-built motorbike.
Ardbeg Islay Malt has brought in the Ardbeg Chopper to visit bars, shops and festivals in places like Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK, aiming to pull in new fans of the whisky.
The bike, which was specially built by US manufacturer Orange County Choppers, kicked off its tour at Glasgow Airport last week. It will now embark upon a 2000-mile journey around Europe before returning to the Ardbeg Distillery on Islay.
Fans of the single malt will be encouraged to pose with the chopper and sample a dram of the award-winning Ardbeg Ten Years Old.
Ardbeg describes itself as the "Peatiest, smokiest, most complex single malt of them all".
Orange County Choppers, based in New York, became one of the best-known custom motorcycle manufacturers in the world after featuring in reality TV show American Chopper.
The show features the company building motorbikes around a particular theme or according to the wishes of corporate or celebrity customers.
Rachel Barrie, whisky creator and master blender at the Glenmorangie Company, said: "Ardbeg is the free spirit of our whiskies. It is the embodiment of the big, powerful beauty of Scotland’s wild western isles where it is produced. The Ardbeg Chopper bike is the perfect way to bring together two icons and win over new fans to our whisky.
"As a biking enthusiast myself the Ardbeg Chopper combines my two passions in one. Feeling the wind in your hair on a classic bike or drinking a rugged malt like Ardbeg are similar experiences. It’s about the search for something pure, untamed and memorable."
Minimum price plan 'could impact on whisky exports'
Scotch whisky producers have warned the Scottish government that plans to introduce minimum prices on alcohol will hit moves to boost exports.
The Scotch Whisky Association is calling for a meeting with the new SNP government, which now has a majority to push through the measure.
The industry body said it recognised "the political reality" that ministers could introduce minimum pricing.
However, it said such a move would have "long term consequences"
The SNP has argued that minimum pricing on alcohol would help tackle Scotland's binge drinking culture.
In its manifesto, the party said it would introduce a minimum pricing bill as a priority in the first legislative programme, highlighting the support it won for the measure from medical and police groups.
The plan also garnered support from some parts of the drinks industry, including brewers and the licensed on-trade.
'Legal challenge'
However, the Scotch Whisky Association said: "We will be seeking an early meeting with the Scottish government to encourage it to understand all the implications of minimum pricing, including the long term consequences.
"We remain convinced there are significant legal difficulties with the policy.
"We are also concerned at the long-term effect on the Scotch Whisky industry in our export markets, a matter we hope the government will consider closely given its policy priority to boost exports."
The industry body said the introduction of minimum alcohol pricing could be used as a precedent by those in export markets to introduce their own health-based tax regimes, aimed at curbing trade in Scotch whisky.
In a briefing note, it claimed the measure would be "a green light to countries, already keen to protect local markets, to introduce spurious health-justified restrictions to keep out Scotch whisky, which is often the main imported competition.
"These proposals risk undermining Scotch Whisky exports and are highly likely to face an international legal challenge".
The SNP manifesto also featured a commitment to boost exports with the aim of increasing total exports by 50% within six years.
Whisky represents a quarter of all Scottish exports at present, and about a quarter of all the UK's food and drink exports.
SWA wins first case under 2009 Scotch whisky regulations
Reynald & Sons Ltd, a whisky producer in Panama has agreed not to engage in activities that might pass off a spirit as Scotch Whisky when it is not.
It is the first time legal action has been taken in Scotland using the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, which now regulate the making, bottling and labelling of Scotch Whisky.
The SWA took action against Reynald & Sons and its director Reynald Grattagliano in the Scottish Court of Session after the company falsely advertised 14 brands of “whisky”, including Golden Dollar, St Edwins and Paddington, each bearing the name 'Scottish Spirits', in a manner that suggested the products were genuine Scotch Whisky.
The brands we re bottled by Scottish Spirits Ltd, a Panamanian company consisted of unaged neutral alcohol and flavourings.
Lindesay Low, legal advisor at The Scotch Whisky Association, said: "We are pleased that we have received undertakings preventing any conduct that is likely to lead to a spirit which is not Scotch Whisky being passed off as genuine Scotch.
"Our concern has been that this company was misleading consumers and unfairly trading on Scotch Whisky's reputation.
Scotland toasts new whisky-powered bioenergy plant
Up to 9,000 homes to be powered with energy produced by burning waste matter from the whisky-making process
It is the spirit that powers the Scottish economy, and now whisky is to be used to create electricity for homes in a new bioenergy venture involving some of Scotland's best-known distilleries.
Contracts have recently been awarded for the construction of a biomass combined heat and power plant at Rothes in Speyside that by 2013 will use the by-products of the whisky-making process for energy production.
Vast amounts of "draff", the spent grains used in the distilling process, and pot ale, a residue from the copper stills, are produced by the whisky industry each year and are usually transported off-site. The Rothes project, a joint venture between Helius Energy and the Combination of Rothes Distillers (CoRD) will burn the draff with woodchips to generate enough electricity to supply 9,000 homes. It will be supplied by Aalborg Energie Technick, a danish engineering company. The pot ale will be made into a concentrated organic fertiliser and an animal feed for use by local farmers.
Environmentalists have expressed concern that some of the wood used in the process may not be locally sourced, but say the 7.2MW project – the equivalent output of two large wind turbines - is a good scale and a valuable addition to Scotland's renewables industry. Green energy has been a key issue in the run-up to Thursday's Holyrood elections. The SNP leader, Alex Salmond, has pledged to produce 100% of Scotland's electricity through renewable energy by 2020, a claim dismissed as "fantasy" by Labour.
The £50m Rothes project is the latest bioenergy venture from the Scotch whisky industry, but it is believed to be the first to provide electricity for public use. A bioenergy plant at Scotland's largest distillery in Fife is close to completion. The project by Diageo will provide 98% of the thermal steam and 80% of the electrical power used at the Cameronbridge distillery. And last year, scientists at Napier University announced they had developed a method of producing biofuel from the by-products of the whisky distilling process which could power cars and even aircraft. The new fuel, they said, could be available at petrol pumps within a few years.
Of Scotland's 100 whisky distilleries, 50 are based in Speyside, and Frank Burns, general manager of CoRD, said it was an ideal location for the new bioenergy plant which will be built on an existing industrial site.
"It is very well supported in the local community. Up here in Rothes and in Speyside in general we have a lot of strong links," he said. "We had zero objections at the planning stage and we have done a lot of work within the community on the progress of the project."
Waste products from around 16 of the area's 50 distilleries will be used at the site, including well-known brands such as Glenlivet, Chivas Regal, Macallan, and Famous Grouse. None will come from further than 25 miles away.
Burns acknowledged, however, that some of the wood for the process may not be locally sourced. "Some of it will be local and some of it will be shipped in," he said. "It is down to the supplier. They may source it locally." Most of the fuel, he added, will be comprised of the draff.
Sam Gardner, climate policy officer for WWF Scotland, said:
"From the information we have, the project looks to be a very welcome addition to Scotland's renewable industry. It is using waste products from our whisky industry which is eminently sensible thing to do, and is producing heat both for whisky production and for the local community. We would want to see assurances, however, that the biomass was sustainably sourced."
Whisky lovers treated to mounted cavalcade during ceremony celebrating much-loved drink
Dozens of people lined the streets to see a mounted cavalcade take part in the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival in Moray yesterday.
More than 30 horses trotted along to four pipers from the Elgin Pipe Band at the ceremonial handover of the festival’s flag.
Members of the Moray Mountainbike Club cycled the flag across country from Knockando Distillery to meet the horse riders at Johnstons Woollen Mill in Elgin.
The riders then took the flag to a waiting crowd at East Beach, at Lossiemouth, where it was picked up by a three-man running team bound for the mouth of the River Spey at Kings-ton.
It was then handed over to Macallan Distillery’s visit and hospitality man- ager Morag Ralph, who will keep it in storage un- til the Craigellachie distil- lery hosts the whisky festival’s opening dinner next year.
Festival chairman Jim Royan was among the horse-riders at yesterday’s handover at the woollen mill.
The occasion was one of more than 200 whisky-themed events which have taken place in Moray since the festival was launched on Thursday.
Mr Royan said Speyside had been “bouncing with visitors from all over the world for a series of events that have captured every generation, whisky drinkers or not”.
“People are starting to realise what this magical place called Speyside Moray is all about,” he added.
The running trio were wearing T-shirts to promote the Elgin Rotary Club’s Marafun relay run which will take place in the town on Sunday, June 5.
Diageo distillery operators, Kenny Douglas, 42, of Upper Rafford, and John Ruickbie, 59, of Elgin’s Spynie Street, completed the seven-mile sprint from Lossiemouth to Kingston in just over an hour.
They were accompanied by the Elgin Rotary Club’s junior vice-president Dave Mitchell, 57, of McIntosh Drive, Elgin.
Mr Douglas said it was an honour to take part in the event while raising the pro-file of this summer’s Marafun.
The final celebrations of the five-day Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival will come to a close today.
With thousands of visitors set to descend on Scotland’s distilleries this summer, the role of tour guide is hugely important
EARLIER this month, it was revealed that whisky tourism in Scotland was booming and visitor numbers had soared by almost 20% in the past two years.
Brian Robinson, visitor centre team leader at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, is well aware of this, as it is one of the most popular visitor attractions in the north-east, welcoming around 70,000 visitors each year.
Brian’s role is to ensure visitors fully enjoy their experience and, to do that, he enlists the help of dozens of seasonal guides – and he’s currently on the lookout for more.
All guides take part in an intensive training course to bring them up to speed on how whisky is made, and are then responsible for taking visitors around the distillery.
Brian said: “To make a good tour guide you need to be outgoing, willing to learn and interested in whisky.
“You also need to be keen to learn about other cultures and a good talker.”
As team leader, Brian regards his job as perfect for him, which is all the more surprising when you learn he’s a recent convert to the industry.
He said: “Up until seven years ago I used to the run the emergency call centre for Scottish and Southern Energy, based in Portsmouth,” said Brian.
“That’s how I plied my trade from my early 20s until 2004, when my wife Jo and I moved from Portsmouth to Dufftown.
“We moved for two reasons. Firstly, because I fell out of love with what I was doing and, secondly, because my wife and I had holidayed in Scotland for years and felt a great affinity with the people and the place.
“We got to the stage when our careers weren’t satisfying us and decided to make a career and lifestyle change, so we sold up and moved north.”
Jo set up her own business, Jo Robinson Sugarcraft, a bespoke celebration cake baking and design service, while Brian joined the team at Glenfiddich.
“Starting work in a distillery was amazing for me, as I learned about the nuances of malt whisky, how to tell one whisky from another and met other guides from around the world,” added Brian.
“Before starting here I would class myself as an enthusiastic amateur in terms of whisky.
“I was always interested in the history and process of making it and, while in Portsmouth, did a lot of long-distance research on it. When we visited Scotland we’d try to fit in as many distillery visits as possible, so I knew the basics before I was lucky enough to be involved in the industry.
“I began working here as a guide and totally fell in love with it all. It is such an incredible industry and one that Scotland should be very proud of.”
Now, Brian works full-time in a role he loves.
“This really is the perfect job for me,” said Brian.
“Scotland is renowned for the quality of its whisky and Glenfiddich has coveted status as the world’s most awarded single malt.
“My job gives me the chance to introduce people from around the globe to the wonders of single malt and the making of the product.
“It is a fascinating process that has remained virtually unchanged for centuries. This is something that the visitors to Glenfiddich find really intriguing. Visiting our single malt Distillery is like taking a step back in time.”
The Dufftown distillery took the pioneering decision to open its doors to the public in 1969, when its visitor facilities were limited.
Now, it boasts five-star visitor attraction status, hospitality assured accreditation, a brand centre and the Malt Barn restaurant and coffee shop.
“Glenfiddich is an inspiring place to work,” said Brian.
“We are situated in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland and have luxurious facilities – even our loos are award-winning.”
With thousands of visitors expected to pass through the distillery’s doors once more this summer, Brian’s now recruiting seasonal staff.
“There is no such thing as a stereotypical distillery guide,” said Brian.
“We have guides in their 20s and in their 50s and men and women, but what they share is a willingness to learn and the ability to communicate with enthusiasm.
“Many of our guides speak more than one language, which is important for us as we welcome more international visitors than most other distilleries. It’s not a must but, because 75% of our visitors are from overseas, a second language is very useful.
“This year, I’ve secured the services of guides who speak Chinese and Russian, but as the majority of our visitors come from Germany, France, Italy and Spain, an ability to speak any of these languages is good.
“I’m afraid I don’t speak anything but English and never thought of it as a handicap until I started working here.
“Now, if I get the chance to engage with school-age youngsters, I stress the importance of learning another language, as it gives them a whole host of options in the workplace.”
Training lasts six days, with an assessment tour and test at its conclusion to ensure the guides know everything they need to.
At present, the visitor centre has a team of five permanent staff and five seasonal staff, but Brian is looking to employ a further 20 seasonal tour guides to work 32 hours over a five-day period.
Candidates must be 18 or over. The closing date for applications is Friday, May 6. To apply, send a CV with covering letter to Brian Robinson, William Grant & Sons, Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown, Keith, Banffshire, AB55 4DH, or send an e-mail to: brian.robinson@ wgrant.com
Moray packs annual festival full of events to highlight region’s world-famous food and drink
Moray is gearing up for an annual festival which aims to celebrate the region’s world-famous whisky and produce.
The 12th Spirit of Speyside event begins on Thursday and runs until next Tuesday.
The busy programme offers something for all lovers of the amber nectar, as well as those who prefer indulging in food rather than drams.
Six shortlisted malt whiskies will battle it out in the festival’s annual awards on Thursday, and new food and drinks tours are being piloted for this year’s event, to try to encourage a wider interest.
The tours will look at the links between Speyside’s signature drams and other regional produce.
The Spirit of Speyside Whisky School will also return to this year’s festival.
The three-day course will feature tutorials led by malt whisky experts and technical site visits with distillery managers.
Festival chairman Jim Royan said the main purpose of the event was to “celebrate all that’s good in Moray and what whisky does for the heritage of the area”.
It is estimated that last year’s festival generated almost £750,000 for the local economy, attracting 26,000 visitors to the area. Meanwhile, businesses in Elgin town centre are being encouraged to get involved in the Scottish Theme Day, which is being held on Saturday to coincide with the whisky festival.
The day has been organised by the Elgin Business Improvement District (Bid) team, and will run from 10am to 4pm.
It will feature musical entertainment and at least 30 stalls with a variety of local produce and crafts. Elgin Bid manager Jacqui Taylor said that there had been a lot of interest in the event so far.
She added: “I would encourage other businesses to get into the theme of the day by dressing their windows and shop frontages in a Scottish Theme.
“It’s great to see all the businesses coming together in support of Elgin.”
To find out more about individual events, go to www.spiritofspeyside.com or www.elginbid.co.uk
Scotland’s whisky tourism increased by almost a fifth in the past two years according to Diageo, with the firm recording 210,432 people passing through the doors of its 12 visitor centres in 2010.
While two-fifths of recorded visitors were from the UK, distilleries recorded 43 different nationalities among their visitors with tourists from Germany, France, USA and Spain the most common.
VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantley said of the growing footfall: "This is fantastic news as we head towards the end of the Year of Food and Drink and shows that the combination of quality products and quality visitor attractions are key to the visitor experience in Scotland."
While Diageo visitor centres’ Steve Blake commented: "Scotch whisky is this country's fastest growing export and the great thing about whisky is that it is also a fantastic advert for Scotland. It's a high-quality product which promotes Scotland as a quality tourist destination to people all round the world."
The Macallan releases Royal Wedding limited whisky edition
As the Royal Wedding fast approaches, the whisky maker The Macallan has announced the release of a limited edition of 1000 bottles celebrating the Royal Marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton.
The MacallanThe unique and collectable edition will feature exceptional single malt whisky taken from two casks, both filled on 29 April – one from 1996 and one from 1999.
The creation of this special bottle follows the release of a commemorative edition to mark the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.
This comprised two casks, one from each of their birth years. At the time, the bottle sold out and today is a highly sought-after item for collectors of ‘The Macallan’ around the world, according to the firm.
“Having created a limited edition to mark the wedding of his parents in 1981, we wanted to follow this with a special bottling for Prince William’s own marriage,” said The Macallan marketing assistant Patricia Lee.
“Our whisky maker, Bob Dalgarno, has excelled himself once again by selecting two exquisite casks, each filled on 29 April, to create a whisky which brings together cinnamon, ginger and spice with toffee apples and vanilla giving a soft, full and long lasting finish.”
‘David Holmes’
In keeping with this original bottling, The Macallan has commissioned the creative force behind the 1981 bottle, David Holmes, who was also one of the architects of the brand’s advertising campaign in the 1980s and the early 1990s, to create the label and packaging design.
The label design incorporates a duck egg blue colour, featuring interwoven monograms and silver roses, while the bespoke silver coloured presentation box is designed with a ‘viewing window’ to show off the bottle.
In Venezuela, China and India, drinkers can't get enough
Venezuela
Venezuela produces some of the Caribbean's best rum, but go to any bar, party or beach and you see that the national drink is imported Scotch whisky. Invariably served with lots of ice, it outsells other liquors by a ratio of about two to one, making Venezuela one of the world's biggest markets.
Ask Venezuelans why a tropical country in the midst of a socialist revolution should drink so much – more than 3m boxes a year – and the answer is simple: because we like it, and we can.
It has been thus for decades since oil turned this corner of south America into a dysfunctional petro-state which can afford to import luxury cars – Ferraris and Hummers bounce over Caracas potholes – and other symbols of wealth and status.
While the super-rich sip 18-year-old blends on yachts off Margarita island, the poor opt for cheaper brands, which you find passed around at family dinners, roadside bars and domino games.
"Ever since I can remember whisky was the thing. Rum is for when you can't afford the good stuff," says Freddy Afanador, 62, the driver of a battered taxi. Tequila, vodka and gin are exotic curiosities that tend to gather dust on liquor-store shelves.
President Hugo Chavez has assailed his compatriots' taste for alcohol in general and imported Scotch in particular. "Is this the whisky revolution?" he once thundered.
Whisky sales are growing fast across the region of Latin America, especially Brazil, making it one of the most important markets.
China
For Yang Chen, the appeal is simple: "The smell of charcoal, smoke and fruit and strong flavour are enough to attract any man. Life goes very fast nowadays, and it is a great pleasure to sit down and enjoy a whisky slowly," he observes.
The 45-year-old executive is exactly the kind of customer the Scotch Whisky Association is wooing: he usually drinks Chivas Regal or Johnny Walker, but says he is always willing to try something new.
The Chinese market for Scotch is worth £80m a year – around 2.5% of global sales – but the association predicts it will double in the next five years. Ministers recently signed a deal to improve legal protections for the brand.
Jim Boyce, whose Beijing Boyce blog covers the capital's drinks and bar scene, says that for many Chinese customers the appeal is "the cachet of spending big, trying something rare and showing your status. But I've been to tastings where people are really interested. You have people who appreciate baijiu [Chinese liquor]; it's not a huge leap to learning about malts from different parts of Scotland."
Not everyone back home in the Highlands is happy about this growing thirst, however. "I've been in touch with aficionados in Scotland who are afraid China will get into it in a big way and buy everything up. Production is not that big," Boyce says.
India
In the hit 1984 ITV series Jewel in the Crown, set in the dying days of the British Raj, a minor maharani screams on tasting a single malt gifted to her by Charles Dance – she thinks he's trying to poison her. Though the British introduced Indians to the drink, what passed for whisky in India until barely a decade ago was mostly locally-produced alchohol distilled from molasses – amber-coloured rum, actually.
"There's been a huge change since the early 2000s," says whisky expert Sandeep Aurora. "Until then, the idea of whisky was one big blotch. People were ignorant about the different kinds of whisky. When I first introduced rare whiskies at appreciations, people would ask, 'Are you sure it hasn't gone bad after 30 years?' Now there's a very high understanding – people are fascinated by the depth and character of the drink, whether it's rare, single malt or blended scotch whisky."
So much so that even the gender barrier has fallen. In the past, at parties women had to be content with pink and green cocktails – or a vodka, at best. No longer. And last month Aurora helped open India's first women's whisky club. "We already have 56 members, and 38 more want to join," she says.
Many of the new scotch connoisseurs, no doubt, are from the new rich created by the economic boom. Import of liquor is also easier now, though the tariffs remain very high. But as the recent experience of Outlook editor Vinod Mehta showed, all this high-value quaffing doesn't go down well with the masses, still surviving on cheap molasses liquor.
When Mehta recently wrote that he had drunk Blue Label whisky for the first time at writer Khushwant Singh's 96th birthday, so many readers protested that he promised it would remain a "once-in-a-lifetime indulgence".
But for India's elite, genuine and good whisky has now become a lifelong passion.
Helius Completes Funding $99 Million Power Plant Using Waste From Whisky
Rabobank Group acquired an equity stake in a 60.5 million-pound ($99 million) Scottish project that will use waste from malt whisky to generate electricity for 9,000 homes.
The Dutch financial services group has almost 45 percent of the venture in Rothes, northern Scotland, according to its developer, Helius Energy Plc. (HEGY) That transaction completes funding for the facility that’s set to be operational in 2013, London- based Helius said today in a statement.
Helius, a developer of biomass energy plants, will hold a 50 percent stake, plus one share. The company already obtained a non-recourse loan of 42.4 million pounds with Lloyds TSB Bank Plc and the Royal Bank of Scotland. That loan accounts for 70 percent of the project’s cost and matures in 14 years -- covering two years of construction and 12 of operation, Helius Chief Financial Officer Alan Lyons said today by telephone.
“We see this as quite a significant deal in the market,” Lyons said. “It underlines that the U.K. banking market is open for business for renewable energy and is definitely able to fund biomass projects,” he said.
Rabobank’s stake in the project’s company, Helius Corde Ltd., may be worth about 9.3 million pounds, according to the financing structure outlined in the statement.
The Combination of Rothes Distillers Ltd., a joint venture of seven distillery companies, holds 5.3 percent in Helius Corde. Together Helius and Rothes Distillers have invested 8.8 million pounds in the project.
Rabobank, which acquired 44.7 percent minus one share through Rabo Project Equity BV, declined to comment on its level of investment when contacted by e-mail.
Draff, Pot Ale Syrup
The project will use draff, the wet barley byproduct from whisky making, and burn it in a boiler with wood to raise steam that drives a turbine producing electricity. It will generate 7.2 megawatts of clean power. The pot ale syrup, another whisky byproduct, can be used in cattle feed.
In addition Helius started speaking with debt providers about loans for a 100-megawatt biomass plant it’s planning to build in Bristol, England. That project at a consented site in Avonmouth would cost about 300 million pounds and Helius would seek a similar debt portion of about 70 percent, Lyons said. It expects financial close late this year or early 2012, he said. The plant would burn woodchips to produce electricity.
Whisky aficionados raise a dram to welcome new festival
Wide selection of food, drink and music on offer at event
THE first whisky festival to be held in Inverness gets under way in earnest today when aficionados of the “cratur” will have the chance to taste a selection of the finest.
Bogbain Farm is hosting the inaugural event, which started with a ceilidh last night.
About 300 people are expected to attend festival events, which will combine the best whisky with music and food.
The festival has been put together by Bogbain’s Bruce MacGregor, known for his role with folk band Blazin-Fiddles
Last night’s opener included live music, including performances from Saltfishforty and Anna Massie and Mairearad Green.
Scots singer Dougie Maclean has donated a bottle of whisky to the festival’s auction of rare whiskies.
The drink, which is named after the singer’s most famous hit, Caledonia, is distilled by Edradour, Scotland’s smallest distillery. He has also signed the bottle.
Another highlight is expected to be the demonstration by professional chef Sam Carswell, who is a past Masterchef winner.
Mr Carswell, who works at Biadh @ MacSorleys in Glasgow, will be showing off his method of smoking fish – in a giant fishbowl. Festival manager Yvonne Murray said that she was particularly looking forward to Mr Carswell’s event.
She said that Mr Carswell put his ingredients, including salmon, lobster, cucumber, and tomatoes, into the bowl with whisky.
She added: “He then uses a smoke gun to make smoke go into the bowl and puts a lid on it, allowing the fish to smoke for a few minutes.”
The Inverness Whisky Festival is one of the new events taking place at Bogbain Farm this year, with a Northern Roots festival being held in June, followed by a country and western festival in July.
The ‘Spirit of Unity’whisky produced by a group of independent Scottish distilleries in aid of Japan’s disaster relief effort has raised £5,900 within 24-hours.
'Spirit of Unity’ is a combined effort from a group of Scottish craft distilleries including Arran, BenRiach, Bladnoch, GlenDronach, Mitchell’s Glengyle, Kilchoman and Springbank with each donating a cask of their single malt to be expertly blended to create the limited edition.
100 of the 1,000 bottles available in the UK has already been sold which represents the sale of 10% of the bottling.
Euan Mitchell, managing director of Isle of Arran Distillers, said he was overwhelmed with the reception and is well on the way to the £70,800 target in the UK.
“Many in our industry, like me, travel regularly to Japan and have made friends and contacts with Japanese whisky enthusiasts.
“On seeing the scale and horror of the problems they are facing we were moved to help and other craft distillers immediately came onboard.”
“We hope the generosity of UK whisky lovers brings some swift relief to those suffering in Japan.”
The producers will offer the limited bottling available through two leading online whisky retailers; Royal Mile Whiskies and Loch Fyne Whiskies, and in their respective shops in Edinburgh & London and Inveraray.
Euan Mitchell: “Not a penny of profit will be taken from this project by any of the parties involved with the packaging being donated free of charge by Chesapeake Branded Packaging."
The Spirit of Unity will be available in store and for despatch by the end of April (rrp £59 +p&p)
Message in a Bottle: 100-Year-Old Whisky Reveals Its Secrets
Whyte & Mackay has successfully recreated the century-old whisky buried under the Antarctic ice by famous explorer Ernest Shackleton.
The company’s master blender Richard Paterson spent a painstaking eight weeks marrying and blending a range of malts to get an exact replica of the 100-year-old Mackinlay’s liquid.
And according to one independent expert, he has got the copy exactly right.
Renowned whisky writer Dave Broom is the only other person in the world to taste both the original whisky and Whyte & Mackay’s new liquid.
He said: “The Shackleton whisky is not what I expected at all, and not what anyone would have expected. It’s so light, so fresh, so delicate and still in one piece – it’s a gorgeous whisky.
“It proves that even way back then so much care, attention and thought went into whisky-making.
“I think the replication is absolutely bang on. Richard has done a great job as it’s a very tricky whisky to replicate, because you have this delicacy, subtlety and the smoke just coming through.
“The sweetness, fragrance and spice, and the subtle smoke, are all there in the replica. I’m blown away.”
The Shackleton replica will cost £100, with 5% from every sale being donated back to the Antarctic Heritage Trust, the New Zealand charity responsible for finding and uncovering the original whisky. If all 50,000 bottles sell out the Trust will receive £250,000.
Trust chief executive Nigel Watson said: “From start to finish it’s taken almost four years to safely extract the whisky crate from site and then Antarctica, thaw it in museum conditions, secure permits and complete scientific analysis in Scotland . I am delighted that Whyte & Mackay recognise the hard work and value of the Trust’s conservation mission in Antarctica by making this very generous and welcome donation.”
Richard Paterson said that matching the whisky really tested his blending skills, but it was a true labour of love.
“It was a real privilege getting to handle, nose and taste such a rare and beautiful bottle of whisky. The quality, purity and taste of this 100-year-old spirit was amazing. The biggest surprise was the light flavour and the clear, almost vibrant colour of the liquid. I hope I have done our forefathers and Ernest Shackleton proud with the replica.
“I would like to thank the Trust in particular for their patience, their expertise and their hard work. They fully deserve the substantial funds this special bottle will generate.”
The whole replication process has been documented exclusively for National Geographic Channel for a documentary due to air at the end of this year.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
March 2011 Scotch Whisky News
31 Mar
2011
Distillers sell whisky galore to world
Soaring export sales add £109 per second to UK economy as industry defies slump
Scottish distillers have defied the global recession to export whisky worth nearly £3.5billion.
Growing sales across the world mean the industry adds £109 per second to the UK economy.
Figures released yesterday by the Scotch Whisky Association revealed the value of exports rose by 10% in the latest 12-month period.
Scottish distilleries now send bottles to all parts of the globe, bringing in hundreds of millions of pounds from countries including the US, France and Singapore.
Whisky’s growing popularity is having a knock-on effect for the country’s tourism trade as whisky lovers visit the distilleries where their favourite drams are made.
More than half the visitors at last year’s Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival in Moray travelled from abroad.
Michael Urquhart, joint managing director of Elgin-based whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail, said the total value of its exports had increased from £3.2million to just over £5million in the year to the end of February.
“It underlines that this is one of Scotland’s greatest export industries,” he said. “When you look at some growing markets and others that have been in recession and are now coming out of it, you can see the opportunities are there – we are now looking forward to the months and years to come.”
John Grant, chairman of the Glenfarclas distillery at Ballindalloch, said this month would be the best in the firm’s 175-year history.
“It is amazing that in a global recession the industry is doing so well,” he said.
“I keep saying to people that it cannot continue but it has, and our bottling plant in Edinburgh is now running 24 hours a day, four days a week to keep up with demand.”
Scottish distilleries sold £3.45billion of whisky to foreign markets in 2010, up 60% against a decade ago. The SWA figures show exports of single malt bottles rose 18% last year to £577million, while blended whisky shipments rose 5% to £2.6billion.
By country, the US spent the most money on Scotch last year – nearly £500million. Out of the top 10 export markets by value, only Spain and Greece, which have both suffered badly because of the worldwide recession, imported less Scotch last year compared with 2009. France imported the highest quantity of Scotch last year, buying the equivalent of 164.5million standard-sized bottles.
David Gates of drinks giant Diageo said the company’s success had been driven by sales of Johnnie Walker, which was named the number-one spirit in the world by value in rankings released last week.
Brand
He said: “Where economies are growing, Scotch is growing and sometimes spectacularly in markets such as Mexico, eastern Europe, duty-free and south-east Asia through blended Scotch brands such as Johnnie Walker, J&B and Buchanan’s.”
SWA chief executive Gavin Hewitt said: “Scotch whisky is a world-class industry that consistently delivers for the UK. Global exports increased for the sixth consecutive year and are now 60% higher in value than in 2000.”
Scottish Secretary Michael Moore said: “The strong export performance reflects the hard work which has gone into creating and developing a quality brand that is enjoyed at home and abroad.”
A bottle of Scotch whisky being auctioned to raise money for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan has raised £15,000.
The 70-year-old malt was gifted by Elgin-based whisky specialists Gordon & MacPhail.
The Generations Glenlivet was auctioned at Bonhams in Edinburgh, bringing a price equivalent to about £600 a dram.
The buyer, who wishes to remain anonymous, was said to want to donate the whisky to the people of Japan.
Proceeds will be donated to the British Red Cross Japan Appeal.
The idea to auction the whisky, which was distilled in 1940, came from Gordon & MacPhail's joint managing director Michael Urquhart.
He had been due to fly to Japan to launch the whisky when the tragedy struck.
The death toll from the quake and tsunami on 11 March has now passed 10,000, and more than 17,000 people are missing.
Mr Urquhart said: "Gordon & MacPhail has had trading relationships with Japan for over 30 years and members of our family-owned business felt it was important to show our support and raise funds to aid the relief.
"I think we all feel helpless in the face of a tragedy like this so it is good to be able to do something practical."
Norman McKinley, director of the Red Cross in Scotland, said: "The massive earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck Japan have caused widespread destitution and suffering.
"The costs of the relief effort and of rebuilding the homes and lives of those affected will be immense.
"Donations to the British Red Cross will be used towards helping the Japanese people recover from this devastating natural disaster over the coming months and years."
Diageo invests £3.5 million in Islay’s Caol Ila distillery
Diageo has announced a £3.5million investment in the expansion and upgrading of the Caol Ila distillery in Islay, giving a major boost to the whisky industry on the Scottish island.
The distillery – which is located on the Sound of Islay and produces one of the island’s iconic Scotch brands – will see its production capacity increased by 700,000 litres per year, from 5.7 million litres per annum (mla) to 6.4mla.
The extension of the distillery will see two new 62,000-litre washbacks installed in addition to the eight which are already onsite. Washbacks are the vessels in which the fermentation process takes place prior to distillation. It is the new washbacks that will drive the increased production capacity, Diageo explained.
The refurbishment of the distillery will see key equipment upgraded, including the replacement of the distillery’s mash tun – a crucial piece of equipment in the distillation process – and a new control system installed in the stillhouse. Caol Ila's six large onion-shaped copper stills, overlooking the Sound of Islay, are not part of the refurbishment project.
The investment is said to be a major boost to local contractors who will benefit from work on the site, as well as generating a knock-on financial benefit to the local economy from contractors who will be brought on to the island to carry out aspects of the work.
The Caol Ila project builds on the £3 million which Diageo has already invested in upgrading and developing its Port Ellen Maltings on Islay over the past three years.
The refurbishment work is scheduled to take six months beginning in June. The distillery will be closed to public tours for that period; however, the distillery shop will remain open to visitors.
The project is part of Diageo’s rolling programme of capital investment across its Scottish sites, amounting to £600 million over the past six fiscal years – as the company builds capacity to meet rising global demand for its world renowned Scotch whisky brands such as Johnnie Walker. This included the opening of the £40 million Roseisle distillery on Speyside last year – the first major malt whisky distillery to be built in Scotland in over 30 years.
Kevin Sutherland, Diageo’s Senior Site Manager on Islay welcomed the investment as a major boost to the island’s whisky industry. He said: “This is great news for Caol Ila and great news for Islay. An investment of this scale is fantastic for the local economy and it signals Diageo’s deep-rooted commitment to the Islay whisky industry.
“Caol Ila is a wonderful distillery of which we are very proud and I am delighted we are going to be able to produce even more fantastic single malt as well as contributing to the growth of Johnnie Walker and Diageo’s other leading global Scotch brands.”
Diageo Scotland Managing Director Bryan Donaghey said the expansion of Caol Ila was part of an overall programme of investment in the Scotch whisky industry by Diageo.
He said: “Over the past six years Diageo has made around £600 million in capital investment in Scotland, largely aimed at building our capacity to meet the growing demand for Scotch whisky around the world.
“Last year we opened our new £40 million distillery at Roseisle in Speyside and the expansion of Caol Ila demonstrates our commitment to another of Scotland’s great whisky-making locations. The success and growth of our Islay distilleries is central to our ambitions for the Scotch whisky industry and demonstrates again our confidence in and commitment to the future of Scotland and Scotch.”
Whisky festivals, new tours and whisky pairing galore mean that visitors to Scotland will have a surprising number of ways to really get into the spirit of things this spring.
The Inverness Whisky Festival is a brand new whisky festival, promising music and merriment aplenty in April.
This is followed by the finale of Scotland's Year of Food and Drink in May with the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, as well as the Islay Festival of Music & Malt. The festivals give visitors to Scotland an unrivalled opportunity to get up close and personal with two of the world's most famous whisky regions.
Marketing manager at The Scotch Whisky Experience, Julie Trevisan Hunter, commented: "The sheer variety of ways for visitors to get involved with whisky this spring means that it's a really excellent time to get out and about in Scotland.
"From enthusiasts and experts to total whisky beginners, there's never been a better time visit Scotland and enjoy a dram."
The new Inverness Whisky Festival takes place on 8-9 April and is a celebration of whisky from Scotland's Highlands and Islands. With a ceilidh band to open the festival and live music throughout, visitors to the festival will be able to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere to get hands-on with the whiskies on offer.
It will feature a collectors' auction, workshops and talks, all washed down with fine Highland food and, of course, whisky.
The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival runs for five days from 28 April-2 May and this year includes drambles (whisky walks), the opportunity to blend your own whisky, a chance to pair whisky with chocolate or even become a Benromach warehouseman for a day.
Speyside has the greatest number of distilleries of all the whisky-producing areas of Scotland.
With Scotland's Year of Food and Drink coming to an end in May, the Islay Festival of Music & Malt provides a great way of raising a farewell toast to it. Running from 20-29 May, this festival allows visitors to get behind the scenes in the Islay distilleries, which open their doors to visitors for the week of the festival.
There are plenty of ways to discover the characteristically smoky taste of the Islay malts and also to explore the island through its relationship with music in its packed programme of concerts and ceilidhs.
Visitors to other parts of Scotland can also get in on the act with several new tours and tastings of Scotland's water of life. A new bus tour of Glasgow's whisky bars offers informative tastings in an informal setting, while two new tours from the award-winning Rabbies Trailburners take visitors to the key whisky regions in Scotland.
In Edinburgh, whisky expert and writer, Tom Bruce-Gardyne, will guide enthusiasts through the different flavours of whisky in a tutored tasting using the largest collection of whiskies available for tasting in Scotland - over 1,300 bottles. Find out more here.
Foodies can also indulge in whisky this spring with a special food and whisky pairing taking place at Amber Restaurant in Edinburgh's Scotch Whisky Experience. With a team of whisky advisers on hand, the matching event will be a suitable way to celebrate the final month of Scotland's year of Food and Drink.
To discover more about these festivals or to find out how to surprise yourself on a trip to Scotland, log on to VisitScotland.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
23 Mar
2011
The Glenrothes Whisky Makers competition winners announced
Four winners of the international 'The Glenrothes Whisky Makers' competition have been announced.
Two are from the UK: Tony Francis from Moray, Scotland and Danielle Ellis from Midlothian, the third is Eliot Edelstein from Ohio and the fourth is Sheng Hao Chen from Taiwan.
The enthusiasts were chosen from many thousands of entries to work for a week in May - they will learn the time-honoured art of making The Glenrothes and the skills that have been passed down throughout the generations.
Hosted by Ronnie Cox, 'Whisky Ambassador of the Year 2008', the winners will spend time working at each stage of the whisky-making process and will have the opportunity to create their own unique selection of The Glenrothes.
The winners will stay in Rothes House, a private home belonging to the family that owns The Glenrothes and will enjoy other themed events.
STIRLINGSHIRE residents have been asked to raise a glass to a fledgling drinks festival.
Plans are in place to hold an event celebrating whisky at Stirling’s Albert Halls next summer.
And co-organiser Cameron McCann said he’s relying on the imagination of local residents before deciding on a name for the May 12 cultural showpiece.
Mr McCann, who runs Drymen’s Ealain Gallery and its adjacent art, whisky and gift shop with his wife, June, said he hopes to create something that will become a fixture in the calendar.
“We’re looking for about 300 people to attend in the first year, 2012, and for it to grow from then on really,” he told the Observer.
“Invites are to be sent out to distilleries, and other local and national companies, to show off what they have to offer to members of the public.
“The festival is about the tasting and enjoyment of whisky, and its cultural significance – it’s hoped some of the companies will take the opportunity to conduct a ‘master-class’, so it has the potential to be educational too.
“For obvious reasons, only people over the age of 18 will be able to come along and identification will be required.”
Mr McCann continued by claiming the project has received initial backing from Stirling Council officials and that, once established, it could add to a predicted Scottish tourism avalanche in 2014.
“The Scottish Government’s next ‘Homecoming Year’, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn are all in 2014 so it would be great to be involved in that,” he said.
“We’re hoping the festival will add to what Stirling already has to offer as far as tourism is concerned and maybe change the way people look at whisky, which is Scotland’s national drink after all.”
The businessman added: “I can think of nothing better than enjoying a glass of a smokey, peaty, whisky with a bar of dark chocolate when I’m sitting at home watching the Formula 1 on television and it’s raining outside.
“But everybody’s different. People come into the shop and expect me to be able to tell them what a certain drink is going to taste like. I can tell them what I’m tasting and smelling, but they won’t necessarily be the same.
“Whisky’s Scotland’s biggest export and we’ve got to get away from the sexist notion that it’s a man’s drink. It’s not, it’s for everyone.
“Different types suit different people. Just because someone may have had a glass of something horrible when they were at a party 20 years ago, doesn’t mean whisky’s not for them.
“It’s a bit like choosing a wine. But I always say that you get wine connoisseurs, and whisky anoraks.”
Anyone with any suggestions as to what to name the festival should contact Cameron McCann on 01360 660 996 or info@ealaingallery.com
He has said that the winning entry will receive a pair of standard tickets to next year’s festival and a bottle of ‘89 Balblair single malt.
STIRLINGSHIRE residents have been asked to raise a glass to a fledgling drinks festival.
Plans are in place to hold an event celebrating whisky at Stirling’s Albert Halls next summer.
And co-organiser Cameron McCann said he’s relying on the imagination of local residents before deciding on a name for the May 12 cultural showpiece.
Mr McCann, who runs Drymen’s Ealain Gallery and its adjacent art, whisky and gift shop with his wife, June, said he hopes to create something that will become a fixture in the calendar.
Ballantine's 12 Year-old Unveils 'Art of Beyond’ Bar, Inspired by Scotch Whisky Heritage
Ballantine’s 12 Year Old, part of the world’s No 2 blended Scotch whisky range, unveiled the ‘Ballantine’s 12 Art of BEYOND Bar’ inspired by its heritage, in London this month.
Revealed at the Nettie Horn Art Gallery in the heart of London’s contemporary art district, the installation is a unique project involving six international artists, who have collaborated to create a premium and stylish bar that offers a contemporary Scotch whisky drinking experience beyond the ordinary.
The artists, working together for the first time, were invited to create the individual elements for a bespoke Ballantine’s 12 Year Old bar that was inspired by the brand’s Scottish heritage and embodies the spirit of looking beyond the ordinary. Bulgarian architect and designer, Jovo Bozhinovski used Scotland’s unique landscape to inspire the floor design of the bar and French light artists Creatmosphere incorporated colours inspired by the Scottish highlands with the amber tones of whisky to create a live light show.
Working across a range of disciplines, each artist was chosen for their award-winning creativity in their respective fields. Whilst the process behind the ‘Art of BEYOND’ has been open and collaborative (with designers sharing their ideas and concepts with each other over a three month period) the works themselves hide secrets that bring to life the brand’s creative platform of ‘Takes you BEYOND’. The ‘Ballantine’s 12 Art of BEYOND Bar’ was designed to leave an impression by creating a layered whisky drinking experience with more to discover
Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s said, “Art and design is the perfect platform to bring to life the concept of BEYOND whilst maintaining the stylish sophistication that embodies Ballantine’s 12 Year Old. We are extremely proud to have commissioned this unique collaboration; working with six very different but hugely talented artists who bring the values of authenticity and flair to their work. The ‘Art of BEYOND Bar’ is an extraordinary whisky-drinking experience that really does take you beyond.”
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
21 Mar
2011
Enterprise Minister to Promote Scottish Food & Drink in China
Enterprise Minister Jim Mather will travel to China this week to meet several existing and potential investors in Scotland - both salmon and Scotch whisky will be discussed.
The visit coincides with the launch today of Scotland's new five-year Trade and Investment Strategy to boost international trade links, attract investment from key overseas growth markets, and promote Scotland's credentials as an internationally competitive business location.
The strategy aims to deliver up to £2 billion of net additional GVA to the Scottish economy through trade and investment activity by 2015.
Mr Mather will join representatives of Scottish Development International from March 22-26 for a series of business engagements in Beijing and Shenzhen where he will build on the Scottish Government's ongoing engagement with Chinese aviation leaders to promote prospects for a direct air link between the two nations, and meet with several key business contacts across a range of sectors to showcase the investment opportunities Scotland has to offer.
In addition, he will join representatives of Scotland's food and drink industry at an EU food and drink event to promote the international appeal of authentic Scottish produce to the Chinese market.
He will also witness a signing agreement between Historic Scotland and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China, which will establish an historic tomb site in Beijing as one of five international sites to be digitally mapped as part of the Scottish Ten Project.
Mr Mather said: "International trade and investment is vital to Scotland's economy and is an integral part of the Scottish Government's growth plans.
"As our new Trade and Investment Strategy outlines, we must do all we can to build on the strong relations we enjoy with other countries, to further raise Scotland's profile as a globally competitive and innovative nation, and to support Scottish businesses looking to expand into overseas markets.
"SDI will lead the implementation of the strategy, which involves public and private sector partners working together to equip up to 10,000 more Scottish businesses with the skills to go international, and will support up to 35,000 jobs through the attraction of foreign investment by 2015.
"My visit to China presents a valuable opportunity to support these aims through direct engagement with this key emerging growth market. That is absolutely in line with the Scottish Government's own growth strategy, which is firmly focused on helping Scottish companies expand into key growth markets, like China.
"While there I will be looking to build on Vice Premier Li Keqiang's recent visit to Scotland and a series of recent successful negotiations which have highlighted the strengthening of ties between our two nations, and will pave the way for major expansion potential which could deliver exciting prospects for the Scottish economy.
"These include the development of a strategic partnership between INEOS and PetroChina that is supporting jobs and investment at Grangemouth refinery; the recent agreement to allow Scottish salmon exports into China for the first time; China's decision to give Scotch Whisky legal protection with a Geographical Indication of Origin (GI) status; and the transfer of two giant pandas to Edinburgh Zoo as part of China's breeding programme.
"The Scottish Government is committed to taking robust action to secure growth for Scotland's economy by further strengthening our relationships with China and overseas markets across the globe. Our new strategy outlines how we will take forward this important work."
Anne MacColl, chief executive of Scottish Development International, said: "By attracting foreign investment into Scotland and helping Scottish companies to trade internationally, we have a huge opportunity to make a long-lasting, significant impact on the Scottish economy.
"Although we are now seeing signs that Scotland's economy is strengthening there will undoubtedly be new challenges and opportunities which we will need to respond to, and we must continue to inspire international ambition among Scottish companies and nurture the already strong relationships that Scotland has with the international investment community.
"The expertise of our staff based across our global network of 22 overseas trade and investment offices is a highly valuable resource for Scottish companies and potential inward investors, and together with our Scottish-based teams, and our partner organisations, we are using every avenue to deliver even better results for Scottish exports.
"This strategy gives clear direction which will allow us to make the right decisions as we move forward, working in partnership with our Team Scotland partners to deliver greater economic growth for Scotland."
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
18 Mar
2011
SWA Calls For Excise Reform & Duty Freeze
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has called on the Government to back a key UK industry in the forthcoming Budget.
The industry’s submission to the Treasury highlights that Scotch Whisky:
Faces discrimination in the excise duty system so that consumers pay up to 250% more tax for choosing Scotch Whisky than other drinks
An anticipated 6.6% duty rise will adversely affect distillers who have already been hit by duty increases of over 20% since 2008, while delivering little added Government revenue
Remains one of the UK’s top exports, accounting for almost 25% of all UK food & drink exports and earning £99 every second for the balance of trade
Has faced a 100% increase in cereal prices and 30% increase in energy prices, impacting local producers, including many small businesses
The SWA is calling for a freeze on spirits duty in next week’s Budget (23 March) as a first step to introducing a fairer and more responsible system of alcohol taxation.
Gavin Hewitt, SWA Chief Executive, said: “Scotch Whisky can only be made in Scotland and makes a unique contribution to the economy, particularly in fragile urban and rural communities. A projected 6.6% tax rise on top of recent VAT and excise duty increases will further penalise both the industry and consumers.
“This is unfair to a key sector of British manufacturing, and for the millions of people who enjoy Scotch Whisky every year.
“The Government has consistently said it will do whatever it can to assist the industry at home and abroad. We welcome this support and ask the Government to make good its promise in the home market, with a freeze on duty levels for Scotch Whisky in next week’s Budget.”
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
18 Mar
2011
Tides to power whisky distilleries
Tidal power, hitherto one of the poor relations of the renewable energy sector, will take a substantial leap forward with a major new undersea development off the west coast of Scotland, announced yesterday.
An array of ten tidal turbines, the largest, and indeed the first of its kind in the world, is to be installed on the seabed in the Sound of Islay, the channel between the islands of Islay and Jura.
It is envisaged that the electricity it will produce – ten megawatts – will be enough to power the whole of Islay, including three of the island’s ten world-famous whisky distilleries. The drinks multinational Diageo, owner of the Lagavulin, Caol Ila and Port Ellen distilleries, has already signed a commercial agreement to take the power the tidal array produces.
The Scottish government has approved the £40m plan from ScottishPower Renewables (SPR), which seeks to take advantage of the strong tidal flows and shelter from storms offered by the narrow sound, only half a mile wide at its narrowest point, and selected after a UK-wide survey.
“With around a quarter of Europe's potential tidal energy resource and a tenth of the wave capacity, Scotland's seas have unrivalled potential to generate green energy, create new, low carbon jobs, and bring billions of pounds of investment to Scotland,” said Scotland’s Finance and Sustainable Growth Secretary, John Swinney. “This development – the largest tidal array in the world – does just that, and will be a milestone in the global development of tidal energy.”
The project will use HS1000 tidal turbines developed by the Norwegian company Hammerfest Strøm AS, partly-owned owned by Iberdrola (SPR’s parent). Seen as one of the world’s most advanced tidal turbine designs, a prototype device has been generating electricity in Norway for over 6 years. The company is currently constructing the first HS1000 device that will go into waters off Orkney later this year.
“The testing of the HS1000 machine in Orkney this year will help us to finalise our timetable for the demonstration project in Islay, but we will begin work on the project in 2012 and plan to have machines installed as early as feasible during the period 2013 to 2015,” said ScottishPower Renewables’ Chief Executive, Keith Anderson.
“Tidal power has long been considered as one of Scotland’s most valuable renewable energy resources, and we have discussed its potential for many years. Today’s announcement moves the whole marine renewables industry forward in Scotland and the UK.”
Handheld device can detect counterfeit whisky and wine
Researchers at Leicester University’s Space Research Centre are working with colleagues at De Montfort University to create a handheld device that will detect fake whisky and wine through the bottles they are contained in.
The research project to crack down on counterfeit whisky and wine is being supported by the Food and Drink iNet.
The technique used by the device will rely on detecting the characteristics of light reflected from printed packaging on the bottles using spectroscopic imaging.
The technology has already been adapted for use in the pharmaceutical world by the Leicester team in conjunction with university spin-out company Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International, a specialist crime and security consultancy.
Now the technique is being re-purposed again for use in detecting fake liquids, with experts at De Montfort University providing skills in product design and rapid prototyping so that a handheld device can be created.
’The support from the Food and Drink iNet will allow us to take the technology and apply it in the case of whisky and fine wines,’ said Tim Maskell, knowledge transfer manager in the Space Research Centre at Leicester University.
The project is one of five Collaborative Research and Development grants worth a total of more than £235,000 announced by the Food and Drink iNet, which co-ordinates innovation support for businesses, universities and individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands. The team has been awarded £50,000 towards the almost £71,000 cost of the research project.
The team is working with the Scotch Whisky Research Institute and Leicestershire brewery Everards to help with the research and product trials.
Whisky firms boosts charity’s efforts with £7000 donation
WHISKY workers have donated £7,000 to a charity that helps people with multiple sclerosis.
Chivas Brothers, in Renfrew Road, Paisley, has handed the cash over to the Paisley and District branch of the MS Society Scotland.
The organisation was chosen by staff as their Charity of the Year 2011 at the company’s west of Scotland sites – the bottling plant in Paisley, the Strathclyde Distillery in Glasgow, its warehouse depot in Airdrie and its Willowyard and Balgray warehouse depots in Beith, North Ayrshire.
As part of the Chivas Brothers charity policy, staff across all 30 locations were invited to nominate and vote for four Charities of the Year, with the Paisley and District branch of the MS Society receiving the most votes in the Greater Glasgow region – and it was also selected to receive £7,000 by employees in northern Scotland, making it a double celebration for the charity.
The Paisley branch has joined forces with the team at Glasgow organisation Revive MS Support to offer physiotherapy, reflexology and aromatherapy in Ralston.
Pauline McKinney, head fundraiser for the Paisley and District branch, said: “This money will be used for the outreach centre. Currently, we have sessions once a month on the second Thursday of the month for 20 people. This costs £6,000 a year to run, so now we will be able to double that to two sessions a month and help 40 people.
“To the good people at Chivas, I would say: ‘Thank you so much’.”
Around 600 people in Renfrewshire alone have MS, with 10,500 patients across the country, and the MS Society is the country’s largest charity for people affected by the condition.
The illness is caused by damage to the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres of the central nervous system. This is known as the myelin and, when affected, causes interference with messages between the brain and other parts of the body.
Vanessa Wright, of Chivas Brothers, said: “We are delighted to be making this donation to the local branch of the MS Society, and hope that this funding will result in even more people affected by MS benefiting from the charity’s excellent support and advice.
“As a leading employer in the Greater Glasgow area, we understand the importance of giving back to the local communities in which we operate.
“This donation is all the more special because it was nominated and voted for by our employees.”
Angela Stirling, chair of the Paisley and District branch, said the donation will make a big difference.
She added: “This is wonderful news and everyone at our branch is so grateful to Chivas Brothers for their generosity. People affected by MS in this area will benefit hugely from this donation.
“The MS Society is like a second family for me and funds such as this allow us to support even more people. Thank you.”
Chivas Brothers’ other Charities of the Year 2011 are MS Society Scotland (Northern Scotland region), Alzheimer Scotland (Dumbarton region) and Macmillan Cancer Support (London).
The Paisley & District branch would like to invite MS patients and their carers to meetings on the third Tuesday of every month at St Mirin Cathedral Parish Hall from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
Glenlivet is world’s oldest and most expensive single malt as it goes on sale
The world's oldest and most expensive single malt was unveiled in the regal surroundings of Edinburgh Castle yesterday by a Moray whisky specialist.
Anyone buying the 70-year-old Glenlivet from family-owned Gordon & Macphail, of Elgin, will need deep pockets as a 70cl decanter is priced at £13,000. That makes a pub nip worth £464.28.
Joint managing director Michael Urquhart, who runs the business with his brother David, is expecting huge interest from whisky connoisseurs worldwide in the first batch of 100 full-size decanters and 175 smaller 20cl versions, each of which are priced at £3,200.
The rare bottling comes from a Williams and Humbert first filled sherry butt cask, one of 15 that Mr Urquhart's grandfather, John, ordered to be laid down at The Glenlivet Distillery on February 3, 1940.
Several of the casks remain with Gordon & Macphail after being moved from Glenlivet to its bonded warehouse in Elgin in 1980.
The new bottling joins the firm's new Generations label. The hope is the rare Glenlivet will emulate the success of a 70-year-old Mortlach unveiled to launch the label last year. All the decanters of it sold within a fortnight, despite a £10,000 price tag.
Gordon & Macphail, which has an annual turnover of £20million and 135 staff, has the world's biggest collection of greatly aged whiskies. It exports to 50 countries.
The firm has always broken the mould and throughout the early 1900s was viewed as eccentric for laying down single malt casks and selling whisky from them at a time when others in the trade were only selling blends.
The 70-year-old Glenlivet was distilled five months after the start of World War II and three months before Winston Churchill became prime minister.
Shortly afterwards whisky distillation was curtailed to preserve barley, while distillers diverted their products from domestic markets to the US in an effort to earn more.
Yesterday there was general agreement from those who were given a dram that it tasted like nectar.
Guests were taken back to 1940 with Richard and Fiona Urquhart, members of the fourth generation of the family to be involved in the business, dressing in period costume to unveil it to the sounds of a big band in the castle's Queen Anne room.
Whisky expert and author Charles Maclean summed up the dram as voluptuous, stupendous and smooth.
He added: “The first aroma is of an old cocktail cabinet, with sherry notes predominating. Behind this are fruity notes, light baked apples – even tarte tatin – but also fresh orange juice, and just a thread of smoke or ash in the distance."
The Urquharts are in no doubt the dram will sell.
Michael added: “We are confident the interest will be widespread throughout the world. We do have an unrivalled range of greatly aged whiskies and there will be a further release next year."
The cask-strength whisky has an alcohol by volume content of 45.9%, which is in itself remarkable. Alcohol normally evaporates as the whisky matures. The high level from this cask signifies the whisky was distilled well over proof.
Secret Highland recipe seals deal for whisky at awards
Glenmorangie Signet hailed for its ‘sublime flavour’ after winning top prize in magazine’s competition
A Highland dram made from a secret recipe has been hailed as king after topping the industry Oscars.
The single malt Glenmorangie Signet so impressed the judges that the Easter Ross-produced drink was named Highland Malt of the Year at the prestigious global Whisky Magazine Awards 2011.
Glenmorangie Signet came through intensive rounds of blind tastings from a global panel of experts to win its crown at the Whisky Magazine 2011 Awards.
They are regarded as the Oscars of the industry, and like Colin Firth’s performance in The King’s Speech, the judges apparently liked the rich and regal finish of Signet created from a secret combination of the oldest and rarest Glenmorangie whiskies using high roasted “chocolate” malted barley.
The single malt is described as the deepest amber in colour delivering notes of cocoa, mocha, plum pudding, and baked apricots.
The competition was chaired by international whisky expert Dave Broom.
Winners progressed through three rounds of blind tastings to emerge as the victors in their categories.
At a previous Whisky Magazine awards ceremony The Glenmorangie Company was hailed as innovator of the year by the judges due to the bold steps taken with the brand. The man behind Glenmorangie Signet is Bill Lumsden who was recently given an outstanding achievement award by the international wine and spirit competition for his work as a pioneer of wood management and cask selection.
Glenmorangie say the “sublime flavour and rich velvet texture” of Signet comes from it being matured in exclusive casks.
Mr Lumsden, head of distilling and whisky creation at Glenmorangie said: “Signet is an icon in its own right having beaten competition from all over the world.
“Glenmorangie is all about going the extra mile and producing whisky that is unnecessarily well made. Glenmorangie Signet is a rich, super premium spirit that will appeal to those who seek character and depth.”
Richard Paterson is Named Whisky Ambassador of the Year
Whyte & Mackay Master Blender, Richard Paterson has been named ‘Whisky Ambassador of the Year’ at Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky Awards.
Last year, Richard celebrated 40 years in the whisky industry and the award recognises his service to not only to Whyte & Mackay but to his continual efforts to promote whisky all over the globe, in the fun and engaging manner that has earned him a legion of fans.
Richard said of the award: “It’s an honour to receive this award from Whisky Magazine and it means a great deal to me that my fellow whisky peers respect the work I am doing. Over the last 40 years I have had the privilege to work in the whisky industry and travel the world over meeting many many whisky enthusiasts. I have created some very special whiskies along the way including the first whisky to break the £100,000 barrier and just recently I got to sample the Shackleton whisky which has to be one of the greatest highpoints of my career.”
He continued: “I am delighted to achieve this award for a job I genuinely find a pleasure to do.”
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
07 Mar
2011
Planners deem whisky distillery plan on Cambo Estate a dram good idea
Fife may soon be the source of a new tipple after the green light was given for production of the amber nectar.
Planning permission and listed building consent has been issued for the creation of a micro distillery, cafe and visitor centre at East Newhall Farm, on Cambo Estate.
Those behind the Kingsbarns Company of Distillers hope to soon start transforming the 18th century steading to produce Scotland's national drink.
Doug Clement and his team have been working on the venture for two years and are delighted that the way has now been paved for it to become a reality.
They have completed the first phase of fund-raising and are about to embark on the second, which includes a Doos o' the Doocot membership scheme for those who want to become involved but cannot afford the thousands of pounds needed to become full investors.
Fifer Doug has travelled to the opposite side of the world to prepare for setting up the artisan, craft distillery, spending the last two winters in Tasmania.
The "Whisky Island", as it is increasingly becoming known, has seven working craft distilleries. Doug has secured Bill Lark, the "Australian grandfather of whisky", as the company's whisky consultant.
Break from tradition
He said, "With his help, Kingsbarns intends to produce a single malt that breaks free from the traditional 'Lowland lady' light, sweet and floral style, and instead produce a lightly-peated, full-bodied malt with a big finish.
"We also intend to produce non-matured spirits-gin, schnapps and a liqueur — and create Fife's first distillery visitor centre by the home of golf, encompassing the Doocot Tasting Room, shop, mill cafe and tours."
A projected micro-distillery near Ladybank failed to materialise due to a lack of investors, but Doug pointed out the Kingbarns Distillery was a very different concept he was confident would succeed.
He said, "Ladybank was set up as a private members club, so when they opened only members and their guests could to visit. We on the other hand will be open to the public and are projecting around 30,000 visitors a year.
"We will not be a private members club like Ladybank would have been, but will be open to everyone. Our location on the main Edinburgh-to-St Andrews coastal touring route and our magnificent historic steading give us a clear advantage over the Ladybank site.
"We have already built relationships with the local golf tour operators, golf courses and hotels, including Fairmont St Andrews, who will all be sending customers our way to learn how to make our national drink, single malt scotch whisky.
"Currently the 750,000 to one million visitors who come to St Andrews each year have to travel outside the Kingdom of Fife to Tullibardine or Edradour to visit a distillery.
"Although there is a private farm distillery outside Cupar, at Daftmill, they do not have visitor facilities and visits are by prior appointment only."
Despite the tough economic conditions, Doug said continued booming demand for malt Scotch whisky across the world meant their initial phase of fund-raising in 2009 was extremely successful.
Chivas Brothers boss says business growing in biggest Middle East markets
Whisky giant resilient despite political upheaval
ONE of the world’s largest whisky companies said yesterday it had so far avoided any significant impact of growing unrest in the Middle East.
Chivas Brothers, which owns brands including Chivas Regal, the Glenlivet and Ballantine’s, plus other whiskies and gins, said despite political upheaval in the region it was still seeing growth in its biggest Middle East markets.
Chief executive Christian Porta also said the company hoped to increase sales in Latin America and the Far East as whisky exports continued to rise.
He said: “We are achieving strong growth in places like Brazil, Russia, India and China, and we want to continue to build in those countries in the future.
“Our biggest markets in the Middle East are . . . Israel, Lebanon and Dubai, and so far we have not been affected there. Tunisia, Libya and Egypt have been very small markets for us.”
Mr Porta added that Chivas Brothers did not rely on one part of the world for the majority of its exports. He said: “We are quite lucky in that Scotch whisky is a premium drink with a consumption that is well spread across the globe, so we are not just dependent on one region.”
He said Chivas Brothers was optimistic about future sales of its key products thanks to a changing market.
He said increasing demand for exclusive whiskies meant the firm could take advantage of its 30.5% market share in super premium and 43.8% share in prestige whiskies, adding: “We expect more and more consumers to want to drink better products.
“Considering Chivas Brothers’ extensive inventory in these categories it is a very positive trend for us, and one which we are optimistic will lead to increased sales of our top brands.”
Chivas Brothers is part of the Pernod Ricard group, which also counts Absolut vodka and the Mumm and Perrier-Jouet champagnes as part of its portfolio.
Last month, the parent posted half-year results which revealed underlying sales for the six months to December 31 were £3.6billion, while profits from continuing operations were just over £1billion.
Isle of Skye Whisky to sponsor Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr Racecourse
Isle Of Skye 8 Years Old Blended Scotch Whisky is the new sponsor of the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr Racecourse - the richest hurdle race in Scotland.
The £50,000 Grade 2 race is run on April 16, Coral Scottish Grand National Saturday, and has been sponsored since 1997 by Samsung Electronics.
The sponsorship is the latest stage in the brand development for Isle of Skye by its owners, Ian Macleod Distillers, which aims to raise the profile of the award-winning Blended Scotch throughout Scotland’s racecourses and beyond. As well as being the official whisky sponsor of the 2011 Scottish Racing ‘Trainers’ Championship’, Isle of Skye 8 Years Old Blended Scotch Whisky is the official whisky partner at all five Scottish racecourses - Ayr, Hamilton Park, Kelso, Musselburgh and Perth. Isle of Skye is also the proud sponsor of Scotland’s number one National hunt racehorse trainer, Lucinda Russell and her team at Arlary House Stables.
Iain Weir, Marketing Director for Ian Macleod Distillers, brand owners of Isle of Skye commented: “We are delighted to be supporting the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr Racecourse. This is one of the most prestigious events in the racing calendar, built on values of tradition and excellence that sits very well with Isle of Skye 8 Years Old Blended Scotch Whisky.”
Alan Macdonald, Chairman of Ayr Racecourse, said : “The Scottish Champion Hurdle is one of the highlights of the National hunt season, not only in Scotland but in the UK. It has a great history and I am delighted to welcome Isle of Skye Blended Scotch Whisky as sponsors of the race.
“Isle of Skye is not only a leading brand but also has a great association with racing and I feel this is a great fit. Everyone at Ayr Racecourse looks forward to working with the team at Isle of Skye to make this year's race one of the best ever.”
The Scottish Champion Hurdle was first run in 1966 when the winner was Blue Venom. It was awarded Grade 2 status in 1991 and was run on the opening day of the two day Scottish Grand National meeting until 1994 when it moved to the Saturday.
Previous winners include Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Captain Christy in 1973, Alderbrook in 1996 ( a year after winning the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham ) and Martin Pipe's Granville Again in 1992. Last year's winner was the Donald McCain trained Overturn ridden by Timmy Murphy.
Andy Turnell, Richard Dunwoody and Peter Scudamore have each ridden three winners of the race and Tony McCoy, Jamie Osborne, Richard Johnson and Jonjo O'Neill have all tasted victory in the Scottish Champion Hurdle.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
03 Mar
2011
Grant’s – new premium whisky packs
William Grant & Sons Ltd. has announced the global roll-out of new, premium packaging for two variants in the Grant’s range. Award winning Grant’s Sherry Cask Finish and Grant’s Ale Cask Finish now come with an informative neck label featuring details about Grant’s Master Blender, Brian Kinsman, the Grant’s coopers and production notes about each liquid.
In addition, a new luxury carton encases each bottle, which together with the new label, helps tell Grant’s rich history of stories and craftsmanship.
Grant’s blended Scotch whisky has a history of innovative packaging. The bottle’s iconic, triangular shape was first introduced by renowned graphic designer Hans Schleger in November 1956 – a ground breaking move which ensures Grant’s remains distinctive to this day.
Kate Athanasi, Grant’s Global Brand Director says: “Through the introduction of premium packaging, whisky lovers can discover more about our heritage and the high standards of quality and craftsmanship that makes these blends exceptionally special.”
Grant’s Ale Cask Finish is the only scotch to be finished in barrels that have previously held ale. Grant’s Sherry Cask Finish is a blend of the finest scotch whiskies finished in handpicked casks from Spain that previously held Oloroso Sherry giving it a unique richness and creaminess.
The new, premium packaging will be available for Grant’s Sherry Cask Finish and Grant’s Ale Cask Finish exclusively in Canada, France and the UK from the beginning of 2011.
One of the most expensive whiskies in the world is enjoying soaring sales, even though the price ranges from £100 to £1400.
Whisky lovers in China and India are lapping up Royal Salute, the brand launched for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 and which is “bottled” in Paisley and Dumbarton.
In fact, the whisky comes in a porcelain flagon and buyers think nothing of spending £100 on the cheapest in the range. The dearest brand sells for about £1400 and is poured into a handmade crystal decanter decorated in 24-carat gold.
Global drinks giant Pernod Ricard has revealed Royal Salute and Chivas Regal are among its top sellers, helping to protect the 1000 jobs at its west Scotland plants.
Pernod chiefs say Royal salute achieved “remarkable growth” for the six months to September after sales soared by almost a third to 31%, particularly in Asia and China.
Chivas Regal sales jumped 11% after it attracted a bigger following across South America, China, India, Vietnam, Japan and Asia.
Union negotiator Billy Parker, of Unite, said: “The last two years were bad for the industry but I am delighted things are beginning to pick up again.
“More sales growth should mean more job security.”
Brand director Neil Macdonald said: “Royal Salute’s sparkling performance demonstrates the unquenched enthusiasm in Asia and China specifically for prestige luxury spirits.
“Royal Salute’s name evokes powerful connotations of wealth, prestige and luxury.”
With another big Royal event looming – the April wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton – the firm and workers are hoping its name will help spark another souvenir sales boom.
Dufftown committee takes step forward with purchase of ‘Maureen’s fruit shop’
A Moray community group’s ambition to set up an independent museum and heritage centre has taken a step forward.
The Dufftown 2000 committee, which has been running for 15 years, aims to promote the area’s varied history and the distilleries around it.
The group set up a whisky museum in Fife Street in 2001, but they could not renew their lease in 2009, meaning many of their items had to be put into storage at Mortlach maltings.
Members have now bought the run-down “Maureen’s fruit shop” in Conval Street, which they hope to transform into a museum and heritage centre.
They are already using the shop next door to display some items, but can only house a handful of the group’s full collection.
Dufftown 2000 director Glo Ramon said she was delighted the group had managed to find the £30,000 to buy the building.
The money was raised through Dufftown 2000’s annual whisky festivals and ceilidhs, and donations.
Mrs Ramon said: “It’s a big step forward but now we are looking for funding to renovate it.”
The cost of refurbishment would be likely to reach £60,000 to £70,000.
The group hopes any Dufftown-related artefacts which are housed elsewhere in Moray can be brought back to the village. They have already held a meeting with Moray Council’s libraries and museums manager Alistair Campbell to discuss this.
Mrs Ramon said: “It looks very promising. He’s giving us a lot of help, but it’s going to take time. The building needs gutting out and treating for dry rot.
“A lot depends on funding, but this is a milestone.”
She added: “It’s a big achievement for us, as we needed the premises to start up the museum, but now we haven’t got much left in the kitty.”
Mrs Ramon said, however, that Dufftown 2000 had already contacted various funding bodies who had given positive responses about potential grants.
THE company behind the rejuvenation of Tullibardine distillery has posted strong profits on the back of increased case sales and growth in its distillation business, in which its spirit is sold to the makers of blended whisky.
Tullibardine, which is based in Blackford, Perthshire, reported a retained profit of £515,248 for the year to the end of May 2010.
Doug Ross, one of four founders, also said Tullibardine was re-focusing its marketing effort on the UK, Canada and Europe. Except for a small presence in Taiwan, it would not follow the droves of whisky firms into China and India.
He said: “We put our toe into Asia and came to the conclusion the experience would be more bleeding edge than leading edge.
“The industry remains buoyant and for a company our size, Canada and the US in particular are good, growing markets.”
The distillery had been mothballed for a decade until it was rescued by four entrepreneurs in 2003.
Founders Ross and Michael Beamish came up with the plan to buy the distillery in 1999 after meeting on a golf course, and later brought in accountants Alastair Russell and Alan Williamson.
The change in marketing strategy follows the recent decision by Mr Beamish to step down as a full-time director into a non-executive role – although he will retain his shareholding.
Grant’s Whisky unveils retail unit at Paris Charles de Gaulle
Grant’s blended Scotch whisky has partnered with Aelia to set up an exclusive brand store at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport’s T2E during February. The initiative is described as the brand’s “largest high profile activity in global travel retail”.
The activity is an important step in William Grant & Sons’ strategy to reposition the Grant’s family of whiskies within global travel retail as a premium brand, the company said.
“William Grant & Sons has a very strong relationship with Aelia; the same outlet was chosen for the global premiere of Glenfiddich 50yo in 2009 with great success and in September 2010 we took the same space for activity highlight Glenfiddich, The Balvenie and Grant’s,” said William Grant & Sons Global Marketing Manager Ian Taylor.
“Grant’s is a very strong brand in the airport; we have seen real success in selling the premium and super premium offerings. Grant’s also has an excellent following in the French domestic market. Therefore it made sense to choose Charles de Gaulle, as one of the world’s key airports, to take our next step and create this exclusive Grant’s Whisky retail store,” he added.
The shop puts the Grant’s brand family firmly centre stage, highlighting the breadth and quality of the range and accentuating its premium crafted nature, the brand owner said.
Available in the Grant’s Whisky Shop will be Grant’s Family Reserve, Grant’s Ale Cask Reserve, Grant’s Sherry Cask Reserve, Grant’s Distillery Edition, Grant’s 12yo, and Grant’s 25yo.
William Grant & Sons Global Travel Retail Director Rita Greenwood said: “Global travel retail is an important showcase for the brand and has been a vital component of the premiumisation strategy, particularly with the launch of Grant’s 25yo and the Distillery Edition.
“In the last 12 months we have supported this with a number of high profile promotions in key airports offering travellers the opportunity to taste a variety of Grant’s whiskies, comparing and contrasting the very different qualities of each.
“This has proved extremely successful. The Charles de Gaulle promotion now takes this quest to the next level. We are very excited to see how consumers will react to seeing Grant’s being presented in such an impactful and premium way.”
The first Universal Whisky Experience, a two-day gathering of some of the finest and rare whiskies, connoisseurs, collectors, blenders and distillers, will convene on March 18 and 19 at the Wynn Encore resort and casino in Las Vegas. Created by longtime whisky collector and enthusiast Mahesh Patel, the weekend will consist of pairings and tastings from more than 25 distilleries and the Encore chefs, including Paul Bartolotta of Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare.
“The purpose of this weekend,” says Patel, “is to gather the country’s most passionate whisky lovers for tasting experiences they would not normally have access to.… Our distillery partners are excited about reaching this ‘best of the best’ connoisseur and the opportunity to speak with them about their whiskies thoughtfully and in a one-on-one atmosphere.”
The Universal Whisky Experience will kick off with a reception on Friday night, and the whiskies being served include Patel’s favorite names, including the 40-year-old Dalmore Astrum, Glenfarclas 1966 (exclusive to this show), Ardbeg 1974 Single Cask, and more. Tickets are $525 per person or $235 for a companion ticket. (770.817.0727, www.universalwhiskyexperience.com)
Whisky brands could change hands as US owner eyes sale
Fortune said to have hired investment firms to advise on spirit business disposal
Three whiskies could be about to change hands as American owner Fortune Brands looks to offload its spirit business.
Fortune, whose brands include Jim Beam bourbon, was said yesterday to have hired Barclays Capital, Credit Suisse and adviser Centreview to sell its spirit arm.
Any deal struck will mean a new home for the Laphroaig and Ardmore single malts plus the Teacher’s blended whisky.
UK drink giant Diageo, the company behind Johnnie Walker and a host of other whiskies, and France’s Pernod Ricard – whose portfolio includes Scotch labels Chivas Regal, The Glenvlivet and Ballantine’s – are both understood to have hired advisers in relation to Fortune’s sale.
Representatives of Diageo and Pernod Ricard – which posted annual results yesterday – refused to comment.
It is thought Diageo is particularly keen to get its hands on Jim Beam and then use its vast distribution network to build the brand into stronger competition to Jack Daniel’s in the global bourbon market.
Illinois-based Fortune said in December it was to split its golf and home-product interests, raising the odds for a takeover of its most profitable business of alcoholic drinks amid pressure from activist investor William Ackman.
The company, which once owned the Whyte and Mackay whisky brand, acquired Laphroaig, Ardmore and Teacher’s as part of the spoils when takeover partner Pernod bought out UK rival Allied Domecq in 2005.
Pernod and Fortune agreed to divide up the Allied business to address regulatory concerns.
Strong growth in Asia and an improved outlook led to Pernod raising its annual profit target yesterday.
The group – whose portfolio also includes Absolut vodka, Beefeater gin and the Mumm and Perrier-Jouet champagnes – said global economic conditions had improved during the last six months of 2010, led by China and India.
Chief executive Pierre Pringuet said organic growth from recurring operations was likely to hit 7% during the current trading year, slightly above the firm’s previous forecast. The company said that Asia remained the growth driver as it reported a 7% rise in underlying sales to £3.6billion for the six months to December 31.
Profits from continuing operations were up by 8% to just over £1billion.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy and Climate Change said it had appointed Diageo chief executive and Scotch Whisky Association chairman Paul Walsh as lead non-executive director for two years.
Energy Secretary Chris Huhne said: “His experience and business insight will prove invaluable as we work with industry to secure unprecedented levels of investment in our energy sector.”
The European Union gave its final approval yesterday to a free trade deal with South Korea, the world's 15th largest economy, in a move eliminating import duty in a key market for whisky.
MEPs ratified the deal, which has been hailed as a model for future agreements with other Asian nations.
The Dalmore has released a limited edition whisky called Castle Leod, named after the spiritual home of the Mackenzie clan, to raise much needed funds to help return the Scottish castle to its former glory.
The move follows the successful launch last year of the brand’s Mackenzie expression, which saw 3,000 bottles sell out in less than nine months across the world, raising more than £20,000 towards castle restoration and other clan projects.
This time there will be 5,000 bottles of Dalmore Castle Leod produced with an RSP of £100, and according to Richard Paterson, the creator of this new release, this one will sell even faster than the Mackenzie whisky.
The Dalmore has a long association with the Mackenzie clan. Not only did the family once own the Highland distillery, their clan symbol - the royal stag - sits on each and every bottle of the Dalmore in a tribute to its regal heritage and aristocratic pedigree. In 1263, a member of the clan saved King Alexander III of Scotland from a charging stag and was subsequently granted the honour of using the 12-point royal stag as their crest. That in turn has been adopted by The Dalmore, along with the clan’s motto I Shine, Not Burn.
Castle Leod is nestled in the Scottish highlands just 14 miles from the Dalmore distillery. Built in 1606, it is still one of the few castles in Scotland that was built and occupied by direct descendents of the original family owners.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
18 Feb
2011
Three in a Row for The Whisky Exchange
The Whisky Exchange has scooped Independent Spirit Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Glengoyne, for the third time in a row at The Drinks Retailing Awards 2011.
Presented in a glittering ceremony at The Dorchester Hotel on Tuesday 1 February, the awards recognise the most outstanding retailers in the take-home drinks market, bringing together the leading lights in retail to recognise innovation and best practice across the sector. This year’s event was hosted by TV presenter and wine expert Olly Smith and marks 10 years of the prestigious awards, known in the industry to have one of the most rigorous and thorough judging processes in the business.
Sukhinder Singh of The Whisky Exchange said of the Award: “It is a real honour and true testament to the dedication and skill of the whole team to be awarded this prestigious title for the third year in a row. It is fantastic that great brands like Glengoyne are supporting independent retailers as they are a much loved by whisky enthusiasts.”
Neil Boyd, UK Commercial Manager for Ian Macleod Distillers commented: “Independents and specialists have a vital role to play in today’s marketplace which is why we chose to sponsor this important category. We were very impressed with the quality of the entrants and would like to congratulate The Whisky Exchange on a great hat-trick of awards.”
Multi Gold Award-winning Glengoyne is one of the leading premium malt whiskies in the world and has been distilled at Glengoyne distillery since 1833. The Glengoyne portfolio consists of the 10 Years Old, 12 Years Old, 12 Years Old Cask Strength, 17 Years Old , 21 Years Old and Vintage 1972 as well as other limited edition special bottlings.
Glengoyne Highland Single Malt is distilled slower than any other Scotch whisky. Its high quality and smooth taste is attributed to this slow distillation, which is about one third the normal rate.
For further details on stockists and distribution details for Glengoyne and other Ian MacLeod Distillers brands, contact Alan Wardrop, UK Sales Manager, Ian Macleod Distillers, 01506 852205.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
17 Feb
2011
'Exceptional' Tomatin whisky packaging designs a Breeze
Tomatin Distillery has released two "exceptional" limited edition single cask bottlings, with designs created by Breeze Creative.
Matured in a refill Bourbon cask, the 36 Year Old 1973 will be available worldwide but the majority of the 184 bottles the cask yielded will be sold in Western Europe retailing at £450.
From an Oloroso sherry puncheon, the 1982 expression is limited to 560 bottles and will be offered to distributors around the world.
Designed by Craig Mackinlay of Breeze Creative, who developed the Tomatin core range of 12, 15 and 18 year whiskies, each of the new releases is presented in an ultra heavy weight glass bottle, sealed with a coated glass stopper and finished off with a neck tag. The wooden boxes, manufactured by Mount Gabriel, have a luxurious velvet lining.
Mackinlay commented: "It is encouraging in the current economic climate that people across the globe are still so enthused and interested in Scotch whisky and are prepared to invest in bottlings that offer a new sensorial experience."
A WHISKY giant has created a “priceless” blend to mark a major golf championship.
Chivas Brothers, which has its world headquarters in Paisley’s Renfrew Road, has brought together its master blender Sandy Hyslop and the 2010 Ballantine's Championship winner Marcus Fraser to create the ‘2011 Championship Blend’.
The company said the blend is a limited edition of just 10 bottles made from what Chivas describes as “rare and precious” whiskies aged for at least 38 years.
And, of these rare bottles of Ballentine’s, one will be presented to the winner of the forthcoming championship, while another will be auctioned for charity during the tournament in April.
Peter Moore, Ballantine’s Global Brand Director, said he was delighted that such a distinct tradition has been established.
He added: “We are excited to once again be unveiling an exceptionally rare and exclusive blend for the Ballantine’s Championship.
“Marcus was triumphant last year, demonstrating real flair in his efforts, and has extended this sense of style to whisky blending too.
“We wish Marcus every success in April, when he returns to South Korea to defend his Ballantine’s Championship title.”
The creation of an exclusive blend has become an annual tradition ahead of the £2.2million Ballantine’s Championship golf tournament, which this year will take place at the Blackstone Golf Club in Icheon, Korea, from April 28, to May 1.
Chivas Master Blender Sandy personally guided Fraser through the delicate blending process.
He said: “The 2011 Ballantine’s Championship Blend is completely bespoke and it is absolutely first class.
On no account could a whisky of this quality be produced on a commercial scale, because the whiskies we have blended are so precious and rare.”
Ballantine’s is the No 1 ultra-premium whisky in Asia Pacific and the No 1 Scotch whisky in Europe, selling more than 70 million bottles a year worldwide, according to the company.
Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of French-owned Pernod Ricard.
Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers and Clan Campbell.
Quick drink brings luck as anglers hook first River Spey salmon
Promising start to season as 13-pounder rises to the fly
A bottle of malt whisky flowed into the fast-running waters of the River Spey yesterday, marking the start of the salmon fishing season.
Fishermen gathered at the Spey Foot bridge at Alice Littler Park at Aberlour for the traditional opening ceremony, which is said to bring good luck.
Anglers savoured an early-morning dram and a piece of shortbread while they watched proceedings at the riverside.
Ishbel Grant, director of Glenfarclas Distillery, poured an entire bottle of Glenfarclas Highland Single Malt into the Spey, before Craigellachie-based angler Brian Doran gave a speech on behalf of the anglers.
He commended the ghillies for their work throughout the fishing season.
Mr Doran said: “They are the unsung heroes of the river, and are under-appreciated. They work hard to make our fishing so enjoyable.”
Local minister the Rev Shuna Dicks blessed the river and Alan Sinclair gave a short performance on the bagpipes, before the anglers set out on beats along the Spey.
They were all competing for the Spey Quaich, which is awarded to the person who catches the first fresh-run salmon of the season.
Any catch had to be caught using fly rod and line only, and had to be verified by the ghillie in attendance.
Evie Glass, 57, from Newtonmore, caught the first fish, on the Orton beat, at 10.30am. It weighed 13lb.
Ms Glass – the second female to win the Spey Quaich – also received a bottle of Glenfarclas 175th Anniversary Highland Single Malt and a Walkers of Aberlour hamper.
Her ghillie, Andrew Hall, was also given a bottle and hamper.
A prize also went to the person who caught the heaviest fish, aside from the Spey Quaich winner.
Dave Smillie, 52, caught a salmon weighing 11lb on the Delagyle beat, at about 11am yesterday.
Mr Smillie, who is originally from Elgin, but now lives in Perth, was presented with a bottle of whisky and a hamper, as was his ghillie Willie Mearns.
He said: “I think the whisky will be getting cracked open later. It’s been a long day.”
Johnnie Walker whisky brand achieves net sales growth of 10%
A growing global appetite for Scotland’s national drink helped wine and spirit group Diageo to deliver a near-16% lift in profits yesterday.
Diageo, whose whisky brands include Johnnie Walker, Bell’s, Buchanan’s, J&B, Vat 69, White Horse and single and classic malts including Royal Lochnagar, said group net sales had grown by 4% to £5.3billion during the six months to December 31.
Volume was also up, by 4%, helping pre-tax profits for the latest period to rise by £219million to just over £1.6billion.
The improved performance came after strong gains for flagship whisky brand Johnnie Walker, which achieved net sales growth of 10%.
Strong demand for Johnnie Walker in Russia and eastern Europe fuelled net sales growth of 26%, while Middle East and global travel markets saw a 22% increase.
Three whisky brands – Johnnie Walker, Windsor and The Singleton – drove Diageo’s business in Asia-Pacific to a 15% increase in sales and there was also double-digit growth in south-east Asia.
Across the group, operating profits – before one-off items – were up by 2% at about £1.7billion.
Diageo’s Guinness Irish stout lost sales worldwide, with a 6% fall in Europe over the period. The company blamed the decline in popularity on the impact of economic troubles in Ireland, where sales had fallen 8%, and the preference of football fans to drink lager during last summer’s World Cup finals.
Pub closures in the UK also hurt sales of Guinness, the company added.
Overall sales in Europe were down 3% in the six months to December 31, but Diageo said this had been more than offset by strong growth in North America and emerging markets.
Diageo, which also produces Smirnoff vodka, said the UK continued to see a shift in sales from pubs and clubs towards supermarket and off-licence trade.
Among other leading UK products, sales of Baileys Irish cream liqueur grew 2% and gained almost three percentage points of market share after Diageo launched its “Let’s do this again” TV advertising campaign during the period.
Dumfries whisky appeal renewed on raid anniversary
Police have made a renewed appeal for information on the first anniversary of a £250,000 whisky raid near Dumfries.
Thieves made off with two trailers carrying the alcohol from a Currie Group yard at Heathhall at about midnight on 10 February 2010.
Det Insp Stuart Cossar asked anyone who remembered anything from the night in question to contact police.
He said the investigation remained open although the chances of recovering any whisky were likely to be very low.
The overnight raid took place at a yard right next to the local police station.
Two tractor units - one a white Scania and the other a blue Daf - were later seen towing two Currie trailers north on the A701 towards Moffat.
The trailers were later found empty in north west England - one at Widnes and the other at Wigan.
Mr Cossar said any information, however small, might provide them with a vital lead to trace the thieves.
"Despite the fact that it is a year since this theft occurred police are still very keen to try and encourage the public to make contact with us to assist us with the inquiry," he said.
"The fact that this is a commodity that could be very easily sold will make it very difficult for us to try and recover any of the items that were actually stolen.
"That aside, it still allows us to make some very positive inquiries in relation to where it may have gone."
In particular he asked anyone who saw lorries travelling in convoy near the site to contact police.
People who were offered whisky for sale at the time have also been urged to come forward.
Asda says the popularity of whisky is on the rise among women, with 35% choosing it over any other tipple, according to the supermarket's survey.
It found that 60% of women questioned saw their love affair for drinking whisky begin after developing a taste for the drink when their husbands kept it about the house.
It also revealed 52% of women questioned choose to drink whisky neat, suggesting that women are fully embracing the connoisseur's side of whisky and are not fazed by complexities such as single malts versus blends and differing cask strengths.
Asda spirits buyer, Chris Brooks, said: "It's fantastic to see a drink which in the past has been so strongly associated with men, being enjoyed by an entirely new demographic.
"With 33% of women buying whisky to enjoy at home and 52% drinking it neat, clearly women everywhere are becoming increasingly confident to try new drinks and less held back by any old-fashioned stereotypes."
A gang blending cheap Indian whiskies and selling them off as premium brands such as Glenfiddich and Johnnie Walker Black Label has been arrested.
Police last week found a 'Scotch whisky' production line in a run-down local authority housing estate in Delhi, thousands of miles from the tranquil glens of Speyside or the coastal distilleries of Islay.
Six men were arrested, including a former brewer, when police found old bottles and fake labels for Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal and Glenfiddich.
They were mixing a local brand, 'Bagpiper', which is popular with truck drivers and nicknamed 'Punjabi rocket fuel', with 'Signature', a slightly more upmarket Indian whisky.
Police said they were distributing their fake whiskies to Mumbai and Calcutta through a wholesaler and making more than £60,000 profit per month.
Whisky experts said the case highlighted the triumph of brand snobbery over taste and knowledge in the world's biggest 'whisky market.' They said many buyers would not know that Glenfiddich is a sweet tasting Speyside malt, but would be content to buy the status which comes with the labelled bottle.
Detectives said the gang had bought the bottles from ragpickers who live on rubbish dumps and who had recovered them from five star hotels and restaurants. They had commissioned fake labels from a local printer.
Raghuraj Kanodia of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society's India chapter said he believed only one in every 25 Indian whisky drinkers would be able to discern a single malt from a blend or even an Indian 'whisky', many of which are made from distilled molasses like rum.
India is the world's largest consumer of 'whisky' if sales of its domestic molasses-based version are included.
Sales of cheap Indian brands soared by 300,000 cases to more than five million last year, while single malt sales are estimated at below 40,000 cases.
Spirit of Speyside festival set to be ‘bigger and better than ever’
Malts shortlisted for awards ahead of food and drink extravaganza
A festival celebrating Moray’s world-famous whiskies will be bigger and better than ever this year, according to organisers.
The 12th Spirit of Speyside festival will run from April 28 to May 2, offering a variety of events for whisky and food fans.
This year’s programme is full of distillery tours and tasting events.
A judging panel made up of industry representatives and whisky tasters has now selected six malts for the festival’s annual awards, which will be held on April 28.
Aberlour a’bunadh and Balvenie Signature 12 Year Old will battle it out in the “12 years and under” class, while The Glenlivet 15 Year Old and The Glenlivet 18 Year Old will compete in the “13 to 20 years old” category.
Balvenie Portwood 21 Year Old and Glenfiddich 30 Year Old were selected for the “21 years and over” category.
Jim Royan, chairman of the Spirit of Speyside board, said: “These whiskies are the expressions of the highest quality of Speyside’s wonderful spirit. I'm sure that their success will confirm their international recognition.”
The Spirit of Speyside website was launched on January 14 and within 10 days it generated £40,000 of business for the area, Mr Royan said.
He added: “Our main purpose is to celebrate all that’s good in Moray and what whisky does for the heritage of the area.”
Mr Royan said that he hoped the new food and drink tours, which are being piloted at this year’s event, would broaden the focus of the festival and attract more “food tourists”.
The tours will look at the links between Speyside’s signature drams and other regional produce.
The Spirit of Speyside Whisky School will also return to this year’s festival. The three-day course will feature tutorials led by malt whisky experts and technical site visits with distillery managers.
It is estimated that last year’s festival generated almost £750,000 for the local economy, attracting 26,000 visitors to the area.
To find out more and book tickets go to www.spiritof speyside.com
Glendronach’s most southerly tasting…in deepest Antarctica!
THE richly-sherried GlenDronach single malt is savoured worldwide but, in what must be some kind of a record, we’ve just heard of some fervent American fans…at the South Pole!
Thanks to GlenDronach’s New Zealand agents Whisky Galore, a team of intrepid American scientists survive sub-zero temperatures down there thanks to some invigorating bottles of GlenDronach fifteen-year-old.
Whisky Galore’s owner Michael Fraser Milne explains: “The United States Antarctic Programme (USAP) is an organisation that heads up scientific research and support on Antarctica. For many years, Whisky Galore has been a proud supporter of the scientists and crew who fly down to the ice from Christchurch where we’re based.
“We like to make sure they're staying warm with a good dram or two, and the 'ice people' as we know them are very loyal fans of Whisky Galore.
“Last year we suggested to a group of them that whoever sends us the best whisky-related photo from Antarctica will win a prize, and they certainly didn't disappoint. Pictures flooded in and the winner was one of our regular USAP customers, Thomas Da Cosse, whose pictures were our favourites.”
Michael’s colleague Stephen Le Petit added: “Thomas tasted some GlenDronach in our shop and absolutely loved it. It’s now his favourite and, as his pictures show, they help him endure temperatures of minus ninety degrees Fahrenheit.”
GlenDronach Regional Sales Director James Cowan said: “GlenDronach is enjoyed in some pretty exotic places but the South Pole is surely a world first for us. As a result, we’re claiming the record for the most southerly tasting of GlenDronach ever!”
Michael is the proud owner of Whisky Galore, New Zealand's premier whisky supplier. He is originally from the Strathspey area of Scotland and has been involved with whisky for most of his life.
The attached picture shows Thomas Da Cosse at the geographic South Pole with his GlenDronach.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
04 Feb
2011
Real Whisky Galore story is still being written
Seventy years on it remains one of the most romantic island tales.
The people of Eriskay, in the Outer Hebrides, awoke on 5 February 1941 to find a cargo ship, the SS Politician, aground off their island.
A wreck was not unusual but for islanders struggling to get by on wartime rations, the cargo was astonishing: 250,000 bottles of whisky.
What happened next was immortalised in the film Whisky Galore!
Under cover of darkness locals rowed out to the wreck and scrambled over the side using rope ladders.
In the following days and weeks they took hundreds of cases of whisky from the hold.
Eriskay's priest, Father Calum MacLellan, 84, was a boy at the time.
He said: "It depended on your own ability or agility to get as much ashore as you could."
But was it salvage or plunder?
No duty had been paid on the spirits, so Customs and Excise came after the islanders.
"I suppose the bigger thing was hiding it, especially from the Customs officers, and that produced a lot of hilarity," said Fr MacLellan.
But locals weren't just helping themselves to the water of life.
According to the priest, "the whole island was swathed in linen" from the Politician's hold - and further treasures remained on board.
He said: "There were bicycles on it but we couldn't use them because there was no road on island.
"There was a grand piano as well but none of our homes was big enough to accommodate a grand piano."
Long-term alcoholics
The ship eventually disappeared beneath the waves but Don MacPhee, who has dived down to see her, said there was a dark side to her legacy.
"There were a lot of social problems which resulted and quite a few families regarded it with quite a bit of opprobrium," he said.
"A lot of the crofting work was abandoned. People ended up as long-term alcoholics.
"The whisky was available for years and years afterwards ... in extremely large amounts.
"It was a case of get as much as you can down your neck in as short a space as possible."
But not all the salvaged whisky was drunk. Years later, bottles are still turning up.
Donald John Rodgers, who captains the Eriskay to Barra ferry, is one of many islanders who have discovered a secret stash.
"I was digging a path from the house down to the shore," he said.
"I felt the glass and I thought 'there's something funny here' and I cleared it away and six bottles were lying in a row."
Mr Rodgers reckons there is plenty more whisky still to be found.
Seventy years later, on the little island of Eriskay, the real story of Whisky Galore is still being written.
Finalists announced in the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards
The judging panel for the first round of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards, has selected two finalists of each of the three categories.
Industry representatives, whisky writers and specialist retailers, gathered at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh last week, for a blind tasting of 52 of Speyside's.
Aberlour a'bunadh and Balvenie Signature 12 Years Old will go through to the '12 Years and under class' and The Glenlivet 15 Years Old and The Glenlivet 18 Years Old will compete in the 13 to 20 Years Old.
Balvenie Portwood 21 Years Old and Glenfiddich 30 Years Old came out top in the '21 Years and over' category.
Jim Royan, chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Board, said: "These whiskies are the expressions of the highest quality of Speyside's wonderful spirit. I'm sure that their success will confirm their international recognition."
The six finalists will now go on to a public vote at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival on April 28.
Chivas Brothers Royal Salute whisky to launch in new $2,200 bottle
Chivas Brothers, a Scotch whisky producer and premium gin division owned by Pernod Ricard, has got a new hand crafted decanter for its Royal Salute whisky. The decanter was designed by Coley Porter Bell (CPB), a full-service UK-based design agency.
The Royal Salute brand was launched in 1953 in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her coronation.
This decanter is priced at $2,200 (GBP1,357), according to Packaging News. The Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute decanter is manufactured by Darlington Crystal.
The decanter comes with opaque double walls which allow for decorative cuts to be made to the outer wall.
A cut crystal stopper crowns the bottle and is decorated in 24 carat gold. The crest is made from liquid gold and applied by hand.
Coley Porter Bell Royal Salute design director Stuart Humm said the company designed this beautiful decanter to reflect the quality and craftsmanship of the whisky that has been 40 years in the making.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
01 Feb
2011
First minister to auction rare Speyside malt
Salmond hopes to raise substantial funds for charity through sale
SCOTLAND’S first minister will auction a rare Speyside malt next week, in a bid to raise cash for charity.
A limited edition bottle of Matisse Caperdonich 1972, which is worth £800, will be sold by Alex Salmond at an event in St Andrews on February 11.
The first minister hopes that the unusual malt will raise a substantial amount for his chosen Christmas card charities – which include Maggie's Cancer Centres, Teenage Cancer Trust, Bethany Christian Trust, and Quarriers.
The whisky has been lying in a cask at Caperdonich Distillery at Rothes, which was closed by owners Pernod Ricard in 2002.
It was selected by blenders from Matisse, an international company which seeks out “hidden gems” in distillery warehouses in Scotland.
Matisse master blender Edward Drummond said: “The Gaelic name Caperdonich translates as a secret well and we believe we have uncovered a wonderful and secret well of whisky at this mothballed distillery.”
The single malt has already been described as liquid gold by whisky writer Jim Murray, who said: “This is, without any doubt, a superb whisky and one that should raise a substantial sum for the first minister’s charities."
Alex Salmond said: “I am delighted to raise a glass to Matisse and its success with its 1972 Caperdonich. I welcome the chance to offer this valuable whisky to support charities to which I am very close and I wish the company every success in the next stage of its development.”
Connoisseurs from one of the UK’s largest and most prestigious whisky events, The Whisky Show, have named Glengoyne 40 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky as the Ultra Premium Dram of 2010.
Competing against over 20 luxury whiskies currently available in the global marketplace retailing from a minimum of £300, Glengoyne 40 Years Old was selected as the pinnacle dram that best captured the distiller’s art.
A combined vote from visitor sampling and nomination for their preferred Ultra Premium whisky and a final tasting by Event Director Graeme Wallace and The Whisky Exchange proprietor Sukhinder Singh, Glengoyne was declared the ultimate winner of the ultimate whisky award. Praised for its “sweet, complex” and “oily texture”, it was noted that this Single Malt had remained “superbly balanced” and velvety smooth, without being overpowered by its 40 years of contact with the cask.
Graeme Wallace, Event Director commented: “To evaluate and settle on which expression was the best of the very best is always going to be extremely hard, with every Ultra Premium Dram being of the highest magnitude, reflecting the finest whisky available today.”
“For a whisky to top this category and win the Ultra Premium Dram Award is no easy achievement and should in no way reflect negatively on the runners up. It was a very close call but Glengoyne 40 Years Old was a very worthy winner.”
Iain Weir, Marketing Director for Ian Macleod Distillers commented: “We are thrilled with this result. It is testament to the Glengoyne team’s craftsmanship and skill that the 40 Years Old has succeeded in winning this very prestigious title against such a high calibre of entrants.
“The 40 Years Old Single Malt captures the pure essence of Glengoyne and its exceptional, un-peated ‘Real Taste of Malt’. It is a joy to open the highest quality sherry casks after four decades and find such great balance between malt and Still. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
Owned by the Scottish, independent, family owned company Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd, Glengoyne distillery has been producing whisky from the heart of the Trossachs for over 175 years. With a highly selective cask policy, Glengoyne is also distilled slower than any other single malt Scotch whisky. Using air-dried malted barley, rather than pungent peat smoke, the distillery nurses the spirit through its stills at around one-third of the normal rate. This creates a more subtle, complex whisky in which all of the delicate flavours are freely allowed to express themselves.
Only 250 bottles of the limited edition Glengoyne 40 Years Old have been produced, retailing domestically for £3,750, this luxury whisky is presented in a hand-blown bespoke crystal decanter and stitched leather and solid oak presentation box of the highest quality.
Glengoyne 40 Years Old has been described by Michel Roux Jnr, as “simply sensational", with the two star Michelin chef commenting on the “complexity in the flavours that linger in the mouth. There's a strong richness in both the colour and in the flavours. It has a long, dry finish.”
The Whisky Show is an annual premium consumer whisky tasting even that takes place in London at the end of October. For more details visit www.thewhiskyshow.com
For further details on stockists and distribution details for Glengoyne, contact Alan Wardrop, UK Sales Manager, Ian Macleod Distillers, 01506 852205.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
28 Jan
2011
Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender of the Year 2011
Delhi, India Announced as Host City for Global Final
The highly anticipated final of WORLD CLASS 2011, an international bartending competition recognized as the Oscars of the industry, will be taking place in Delhi, India.
World Class is a global programme in its third year that celebrates the craft and skill of the bartender. An estimated 10,000 entrants across 39 markets from the most established and prestigious bars around the world will be shaking, pouring and stirring their way through their regional heats. Only the truly exceptional will win a coveted place to the prestigious final.
Some of the most renowned and respected names in the industry, including Salvatore Calabrese, Dale de Groff and Peter Dorelli, will be judging the global finalists who will be supported and advised by the 2010 winner, Erik Lorincz, Head Bartender at The Savoy, London.
Andrew Fell, Commercial Director, Diageo RESERVE, explains, "India is the perfect choice for the 2011 Global final. The Asia Pacific market is currently driving global wealth and India is spearheading growth in the luxury goods industry. We have a fantastic portfolio of luxury brands positioned to meet the demands of the growing cocktail culture evident in the increasing number of great bars found in this vibrant, international city."
"We are truly privileged that WORLD CLASS is coming to India at a most opportune time. Diageo RESERVE is best placed to cater to the growing appetite for luxury brands in India, and we are excited about bringing to our customers the opportunity to witness the latest international trends and experiences," says Roland Abella, Managing Director, Diageo India.
Over the course of the final, contestants will be creating cocktails with some of the finest spirits in the world from the Diageo Reserve portfolio - Ketel One(R) vodka, Ciroc(R) vodka, Tanqueray(R) No.TEN(TM) gin, Don Julio(R) tequila, Zacapa(R) rum, Johnnie Walker(R) Gold Label(TM) and Blue Label(TM) Blended Scotch Whisky. The winner will be propelled into the public spotlight overnight and become a recognized name among the industry and consumer for being the best bartender in the world. Erik Lorincz, World Class winner 2010, explains what winning the title means to him. "World Class gives the bartender a stage where it is possible to truly showcase their knowledge, skills and creative flair. The 2010 final in Athens was a once in a lifetime experience. I met some of the greatest names in the business, discovered new techniques and ingredients and also made many new friends. Since winning I have travelled the world as a WORLD CLASS ambassador and am honoured to have published my own cocktail book."
Now in its third year, WORLD CLASS is not only about finding the best of the best, it is an international celebration of the craft of bartending. The industry looks towards WORLD CLASS as a leader in setting global trends alight, where bartenders are educated and inspired to create exceptional cocktails, service and experiences for consumers, engendering loyalty for their bars.
These breaking new trends are shared and discussed by the WORLD CLASS gurus on the WORLD CLASS facebook page, Global World Class Finals, where members are kept up to date on competition news and events. Inspirational cocktails and exciting trends from Erik and the WORLD CLASS contestants have also been captured in a new cocktail book, edited by Simon Difford and launched in early 2011.
"World Class aims each year to inspire, educate and recognize the craftsmanship of the bartender. This culminates annually at the global final which is becoming one of the industry's most anticipated events. New Delhi will provide the backdrop this year for our biggest final yet and an outstanding showcase of the very best in cocktail culture," confirms Global Commercial Marketing Manager, Louise Mc Guane.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
26 Jan
2011
Diageo in spirits deal with Vietnamese distiller
Diageo, the world's largest spirits company, has struck a deal to boost its access to the Vietnamese market.
The Johnnie Walker distiller has taken a stake in Halico, Vietnam's largest branded spirits distiller.
While agreeing a strategic partnership, Diageo is paying £33m for a 24% stake in the Hanoi Liquor Joint Stock Company, which has Vodka Hanoi as its main brand.
It will help its Vietnamese partner in innovation, branding and logistics.
The London and New York-listed company is to develop its spirits business in the country separately, including promotion of Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff and Baileys.
Vietnam is seen as a promising market, with Halico seeing double-digit growth in the past four years.
Scotch whisky sales could be helped if there is to be a trade agreement with the European Union, as recently agreed with South Korea.
'Great partner'
Ho Van Hai, director of Halico, said: "We are very keen to accelerate our development, as Vietnam continues to offer attractive growth potential.
"Diageo is a great partner for us - they have experience working with large local industry players and have a reputation for building iconic brands.
"Their understanding of consumers and cultures in Asia and their commitment to this region gives us the confidence that, as a result of this partnership, we will take Halico and our brands to greater heights".
Gilbert Ghostine, head of Diageo's Asia-Pacific division, said: "Halico's strong distribution and recent investment into their state-of-the-art production facility speaks of their ambitions in this market.
"Diageo has many successful partnerships in Asia Pacific and partnerships are integral to the way we want to grow our business in this region."
A Dram Tae Rabbie Keeps Scotland’s Whisky Industry Strong
Today is Burns Night and many around the world will toast the Bard with a dram of the 'water of life'.
Over the last three years, SMAS has been working closely with the whisky industry and its supply chain to help identify new ways to increase productivity, improve efficiency and add real value to the bottom line. During this time, it has delivered 39 improvement projects, including assistance with process improvement, leadership and organisational development, which have helped generate £5 million of productivity gains for these companies.
Approximately 320 companies are involved in the industry’s supply chain, from malting companies to distilleries, and packaging companies to warehousing and logistics. To date, SMAS has focused its support on the 115 mixing, bottling, production and packaging companies where it can make the greatest impact.
Barry Mole, SMAS’ lead practitioner in the north of Scotland, explains: "Since working closely with the major suppliers in the whisky supply chain, it’s clear that they already run a fairly slick operation – but there’s always room for improvement – and despite already working with a fair number of companies in this sector we want to work with even more, so now would be a good time to get in touch to see how we can help.
"Where we can add real benefit is to challenge their management and working practices and highlight the benefits which innovation and business efficiency can make to their bottom line. Some of the companies are already experiencing the benefits of putting in place continuous improvement programmes. This approach is a real step forward for the industry and one which will reap rewards both now and in the future."
East Kilbride-based The Boxshop Ltd supplies packaging to a broad range of industries throughout the UK, including many whisky manufacturers. It has been working with SMAS since the service was first launched in 2005, on projects such as improving machinery maintenance processes, increasing lean awareness across all personnel, and implementing more cost-effective procurement procedures, which resulted in its first project increasing productivity by 60%.
Boxshop director Douglas Lamb comments: "With our initial SMAS projects, I must confess to being fairly sceptical. However, our practitioner did a good job of convincing me that we should give them a try and nowadays, when a new project is suggested, I don’t need to be convinced any more. I know it works, I know it will bring benefits and I know it will make a difference to our bottom line."
The whisky industry has remained strong throughout the economic downturn which is largely due to just over 90% of the whisky produced in Scotland being exported abroad. Figures show that in the first six months of the financial year, nine out of its top 10 export markets grew in value including South Africa, the USA and France.
More recently, the Scottish Manufactured Exports Estimates for the third quarter of 2010 reported an overall decline in Scottish manufactured export sales. However, the food and drink and tobacco industries bucked this trend and saw a 0.9% increase during the same period.
Supporting the industry to realise its full potential involves both the private and public sectors. The SMAS team has partnered with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Development International and the Scotch Whisky Association to help achieve this.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
24 Jan
2011
Whisky firms toast increase in export sales
Scotch whisky exports rose by 12pc between January and October last year as Burns Night helps to drive an already buoyant market, according to new figures from the industry's trade body.
Seventeen of the 20 top export markets were in growth over the year to October, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) said.
The value of scotch sales rose by 26pc to £396.5m in the US compared with the previous year, while sales in South Africa rose by 53pc to £143m. France also increased the value it bought by 3pc to £347.5m, strengthening its position as the world's second biggest export market after the US.
The SWA said the 12pc increase helped drive a Scotch shipment value of £2.8bn – a rise of £300m over the same period in 2009.
The growth in sales of scotch is likely to have continued into January, particularly as Scots and whisky-lovers around the world prepare for Burns Night tomorrow (Tuesday).
Burns Night has become a global phenomenon as whisky consumption increases in emerging markets such as China, where it grew 46pc over the 10 months to October.
On Saturday night the Beijing Caledonian Society held a Burns Night supper in the city's China World Hotel – billed as "an evening of Scottish dances, singing, fight of wits and poems". Similar events will be held in the coming days in Moscow, Dubai, Indonesia, Ghana, the Philippines and Thailand.
The Caledonian Society in Lagos, Nigeria, also hosts numerous events, including the Burns' Ball in January, the Chieftain's Ball in the summer and the St. Andrew's Ball in November. According to the society's website they "are considered to be the best balls in Lagos".
The £4bn whisky industry is crucial to Scotland's economy. Distillers support an estimated 40,000 jobs and contribute in excess of £1bn in tax revenue.
Last week Nick Clegg, the deputy Prime Minister, visited a distillery in Keith, Scotland, and said 2010 is shaping up to be a record year for exports.
"Scotch whisky companies are making great strides to exploit new markets and new opportunities, and the UK Government will continue to do whatever it can to assist them," he said.
Despite the industry's growing size and importance the industry faces challenges. It is working to cut tariff barriers to certain foreign territories such as India, as well as lobbying to reduce the tax burden in the UK.
In India, the tariff barrier for whisky is 150pc. Although this is down from 550pc four years ago, the SWA believes that it needs to be cut further.
Campbell Evans, director of government and consumer affairs at the SWA, said: "Our number-one priority is to break down these tariff barriers."
In the UK, scotch whisky is taxed 250pc more than the same amount of alcohol sold as cider, 37pc more than for beer and 30pc more than wine. Last year the SWA commissioned two studies of the revenue impact of excise duty reform based on up-to-date price elasticities. Reports by PricewaterhouseCoopers and Optimal Economics both concluded that reform could deliver in excess of £1bn extra revenue a year.
Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the SWA, said: "Scotch whisky represents a quarter of all British food and drink exports and makes a significant contribution to the UK balance of trade. The industry and Government work closely on securing fair access to our export markets. That is vital to scotch whisky's continued global success and its contribution to export-led economic growth."
The headwinds have not stopped the big drinks companies from investing in distilleries. Diageo is investing £100m in the scotch whisky category and recently opened a £40m distillery in Roseisle in the Scottish Highlands. The distillery will be used in a number of Diageo's blended whiskies and will produce around 10m litres of whisky a year. More than 90pc of the company's volumes from Scotland are exported around the world.
Smaller craft distilleries are also proving popular. Industry insiders estimate that 20 new distilleries have opened in the past decade.
The scotch whisky industry has also become big business for tourists. Around 1.5m people hit Scotland's "whisky trail" each year, and a quarter of all the five-star tourist attractions in Scotland are distilleries.
The rituals associated with whisky drinking and Burns Night even appear to be proving popular with people around the world unable to grasp the Scottish accent. A description of Robert Burns' poems on a site advertising a Burns Night party in Moscow sums it up: "Even if you don't understand a word, the poems are what made the man great and an important part of Scots culture. And to impress your bewildered fellow diners you can look them up 'in translation' before dinner."
Whisky group calls for 'fairer' duty system in Budget
Controversial equalisation measure would stop tax discrimination between drinks, claims SWA
The government has an early opportunity to start to introduce a “fairer” duty system based on a drink’s alcohol content in March’s Budget, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has argued.
The controversial proposal, known as “equalisation”, would effectively mean a freeze on duty for spirits – and a hike in tax for beer, cider and wine.
But brewers and the pub industry are fiercely opposed to the measure, arguing it would be a blunt instrument and lead to a huge increase in the price of a pint.
Gavin Hewitt, the SWA’s chief executive, responding to this week’s government proposal to ban the sale of alcohol below the rate of duty and VAT, said: “The next stage should be reform of an outdated duty system so that tax discrimination between drinks categories is removed and consumers are treated fairly whatever drink they prefer.
“The Budget in March offers an early opportunity to begin to introduce a fairer balance in alcohol taxation.”
Hewitt said a ban on duty plus VAT was the “right way forward”. The group said it has campaigned on this issue for two years, as a “legal way to set a floor price”.
It added: “A floor price, where a unit of beer is taxed at 21p and of whisky at 29p, highlights the differential taxation of alcoholic drinks and reinforces the need for a fairer excise duty system, with all drinks taxed on the same basis according to alcohol content.”
Diageo, the world’s biggest spirits producer, is also in favour of equalisation, which put it membership of the British Beer & Pub Association in jeopardy after its position was made public last August.
It is understood a compromise has now been reached between the BBPA and Diageo over its membership of the group.
Industry lobbying on the Budget begun last week, with CAMRA and Society of Independent Brewers members meeting with Treasury secretary Justine Greening.
Deputy PM raises a toast to record year for the whisky industry
Liberal democrat leader pays tribute to the business community of the North-east
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg praised Scotland’s whisky industry yesterday as new figures showed a rise in exports.
The Liberal Democrat leader announced a 12% increase in global exports of the country’s national drink in the first 10 months of last year, with shipments totalling £2.8billion between January and October.
During a visit to the Strathisla Distillery at Keith, Mr Clegg said: “I would like to raise a toast to the Scotch whisky industry, as 2010 shapes up to have been a record year for exports.
“The dynamic Scotch whisky companies are making great strides to exploit new markets and opportunities, and the UK Government will continue to do whatever we can to assist.
“We signed an agreement with China late last year to ensure there is greater legal protection for whisky there.
“I know from my talks in Scotland that fair market access and tariff liberalisation in relation to India is a major priority this year.”
Distillers in Scotland support more than 40,000 jobs and contribute more than £1billion in tax revenue.
Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, said: “Scotch whisky represents a quarter of all British food and drink exports and makes a significant contribution to the UK balance of trade.
“The industry and government work closely on securing fair access to our export markets. That is vital to Scotch whisky's continued global success and its contribution to export-led economic growth.
“We are delighted to have the opportunity to discuss our trade priorities with the deputy prime minister during his visit.”
Earlier yesterday, Mr Clegg hosted high-level talks with regional business leaders at BP’s headquarters at Dyce, near Aberdeen, where he discussed the private sector’s confidence in the economy.
After the meeting, he said: “I have had a very useful meeting with leading members of the business community in north-east Scotland, representing the oil and gas industry, the food industry, agriculture and the drinks industry.
“It’s on people like that we are going to have to rely to create the jobs, spirit and the growth that the people of north-east Scotland and Great Britain depend on for future security and for future jobs.
“I was very encouraged by what they told me about their optimism, that they would continue to grow, invest and create new jobs for our young people.”
One of the world’s most famous whiskies has been returned home to Scotland after spending more than 100 years untouched by human hand and encased in Antarctic ice.
Three bottles of the Mackinlays whisky which accompanied Ernest Shackleton on his 1907 expedition have been returned to brand owner Whyte & Mackay for scientific analysis.
The liquid is so rare and valuable that the Antarctic Heritage Trust and New Zealand authorities refused to let it travel unaccompanied and in the hold of any plane.
So Whyte & Mackay company owner Dr Vijay Mallya, the renowned Indian business mogul, stepped in to personally collect and fly the bottles back to Scotland using his private jet.
Whyte & Mackay’s master blender Richard Paterson will spend up to six weeks in full laboratory conditions analysing, nosing, tasting and “deconstructing” the whisky before reporting back to the Antarctic Heritage Trust.
Once the analysis is complete, the bottles will be transported back to New Zealand by private plane for their eventual return back to Shackleton’s hut on the Antarctic, unlikely to ever leave the ice again.
Dr Vijay Mallya, owner of Whyte & Mackay
Speaking at Glasgow Airport this morning, Dr Mallya said: “I have taken a personal interest in this project from the very start. When I heard that we could not use commercial airlines to get the whisky home and into the hands of our own whisky experts, I had no hesitation in offering the use of my private plane.”
Dr Mallya added: “Shackleton made history with his travels and adventures, and I am sure we will make history ourselves when we unlock the marvels of these unique 100 year old time capsules.”
Richard Paterson, Master Blender, Whyte & Mackay
“Never in the history of our industry have we had a century old bottle of whisky stored in a natural fridge and subjected to some of the harshest conditions on this planet,” enthused Paterson. “It is an absolute honour to be able to use my experience to analyse this amazing spirit for the benefit of the Trust and the whisky industry.”
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
17 Jan
2011
Shackleton's South Pole whisky returns to Scotland
A case of whisky which spent more than 100 years buried in the Antarctic is being returned to Scotland.
The scotch was buried beneath a hut used by the explorer Ernest Shackleton during his unsuccessful 1907 to 1909 expedition to reach the South Pole.
Five cases were dug up last year, before being carefully thawed by museum officials in New Zealand.
One of these cases - of Mackinlay whisky - is now being flown to Scotland.
Distillers Whyte and Mackay, which owns the McKinlay brand, were keen to get hold of a bottle.
Now a case is on the personal jet owned by Vijay Mallya, the billionaire owner of the Glasgow-based firm.
Shackleton's expedition to the South Pole, which set off from New Zealand in January 1908, was part of the heroic age of exploration.
Scott was already preparing for his journey to the pole - an objective he reached just after his rival Amundsen in 1912, but which cost Scott his own life and that of four comrades.
Shackleton turned back in time to keep all of his party safe.
"A live donkey is better than a dead lion" was how he summed up his attitude.
The expedition's ship had left Cape Royds hurriedly in March 1909 as winter ice began forming in the sea, with some equipment and supplies, including the whisky, left behind.
Spirit of Speyside will showcase whiskies renowned throughout the world
Moray’s world-famous distilleries will take the spotlight in an event which is expected to attract thousands to the area.
This year’s Spirit of Speyside festival, now in its 12th year, will run from April 28 – May 2. It is one of Europe’s largest whisky festivals.
Fans of the amber nectar will be able to catch a glimpse of distilleries which are usually closed to the public, such as Benrinnes, Glenrothes and Mortlach.
Meanwhile, visitors can take advantage of in-depth guided tours at iconic distilleries such as Cardhu, Glen Grant, The Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, The Macallan and Benromach.
New for the 2011 programme are food and drink tours, which look at the links between Speyside’s signature drams and other regional produce.
Among the international whisky fans flocking to the event is Dutch author Hans Offringa, who will relaunch his book The Road to Craigellachie Revisited at the festival.
Mr Offringa’s book is an autobiographical diary tour through the world of whisky and Scotland.
The Spirit of Speyside Whisky School will also return to this year’s festival.
The three-day course will involve tutorials led by malt whisky experts and technical site visits with distillery managers.
Festival chairman Jim Royan said: “Speyside is an outstandingly beautiful region that is rich in history and tradition and the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival offers us a unique opportunity to showcase not only our heritage, but also our produce, landscape and hospitality.”
It is estimated that last year’s festival generated almost £750,000 for the local economy, attracting 26,000 visitors to the area.
To find out more and book tickets go to www.spiritofspeyside.com
Whisky Galore as bottles from SS Politican are lined up inside Merseyside Maritime Museum
It was one of the most picturesque incidents in wartime austerity Britain and led to a bestselling novel and an iconic Ealing film. Now the Whisky Galore incident is being revisited by Merseyside Maritime Museum.
The Museum has acquired two whisky bottles from the SS Politician, a merchant ship which ran aground with its valuable cargo of 28,000 cases of Scotch whisky off the west coast of Scotland in February 1941.
As news of the incident spread, thirsty islanders in small boats began descending on the stricken vessel to help themselves to the precious tipple, which was under strict wartime ration.
What followed was one of the most celebrated episodes of cat and mouse in modern memory as the men of Customs and Excise fought running battles with the islanders to recover the cargo.
Luckily no one was seriously hurt - although a customs and excise car was damaged - but it inspired Compton Mackenzie to write his best selling 1946 novel Whisky Galore - adapted into the 1949 film Whisky Galore!
Now as the 70th anniversary of SS Politician’s last voyage approaches, the two bottles of Scotch are going on show. Amazingly one of them still contains whisky.
The bottles, acquired recently by curators the UK Border Agency Museum, will join other artefacts from the Harrison Line vessel including a wage book and deck log recording the stranding.
“SS Politician was a famous Liverpool ship. We are very excited to be telling her story because everyone remembers the film about her grounding,” says Dawn Littler, curator of Archives at Merseyside Maritime Museum.
“Seventy years after the ship met her end, there is still so much mystery and debate about the exact purpose of the voyage and looting of the cargo. Islanders felt they were entitled to the salvage while customs officers tried to stop the looting.”
Some of the residents who looted bottles from the wreck received prison sentences but, thanks in no small measure to the book and the film, history looks upon them benignly. Visitors to the museum will be able to judge for themselves.
To coincide with the artefacts going on display and Burns Night (January 25), the restaurant at the Maritime Museum is serving up a very special menu of Scottish themed dishes including Scottish oak smoked salmon, Haggis neeps and tatties and Raspberry Cranachan.
The display opens to the public on January 22 2011.
Last call for entries for Glenrothes Whisky Makers competition
Glenrothes Whisky is making a last call for online entries for its Glenrothes Whisky Makers competition.
The global competition to appoint four Glenrothes Whisky Makers closes at the end of January.
The successful candidates will be recruited to work as The Glenrothes Whisky Makers in the heart of single malt production in Speyside, Scotland.
They will learn time-honoured skills that have been passed down from generation to generation and will spend time working at each stage of the whisky-making process.
The whisky makers will stay in Rothes House, a private home belonging to the family that owns The Glenrothes.
The competition runs until January 31, 2011 and can be entered at www.theglenrothes.com
UK Army Officer To Take on Battle of the Arctic After Spirited Global Competition Win
Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky and explorer Jock Wishart have revealed the winner of Pole Position, their unique global competition to find the sixth and final crew member of a pioneering arctic expedition – The Old Pulteney Row to the Pole.
David Mans, a 28 year old British Army Officer from Hampshire, beat stiff competition from hundreds of international entrants to be crowned the Pole Position winner at the London Boat Show 2011 on Friday 7th January.
He will join internationally acclaimed adventurer and sportsman Jock Wishart in summer 2011, as he attempts one of the world’s last remaining ‘firsts’: an unsupported row to the magnetic North Pole.
In a specially designed ice boat, David will take his place in the team of six who will set off from Resolute Bay in Canada on a 450 mile route across the arctic on a voyage which if successful, will make history.
The challenge is of global significance as both a pioneering maritime adventure and an environmental expedition – which is only now possible due to the increase in seasonal ice melt and its deterioration due to climate change.
The Old Pulteney Pole Position competition was launched in September 2010 to offer one spirited person a once in a lifetime chance to be part of this extraordinary adventure – but only if they had the physical and mental attributes required for such an extreme feat of skill and endurance.
After an online entry process, a shortlist of forty eight international finalists were invited to compete head-to-head in a Pole Position Challenge Day on the 20th November at the 2012 Olympic Rowing Course, Dorney Lake, Eton Rowing Centre. To test their physical and mental abilities, contestants competed in a two and a half hour endurance row, group interviews and psychometric tests. David’s determination, fitness and stamina stood out amongst the other finalists and saw him scoop the life changing prize, and he will now be personally trained by Jock in the countdown to the summer expedition send off.
To reach the magnetic North Pole, David will row with the other crew members in three hour shifts, and will have to overcome challenging weather and subzero temperatures with little chance of rest or shelter.
His rowing experience at both coastal and river clubs combined with his career as an army officer will put him in good stead to overcome the many obstacles he will face during the arduous voyage. From commanding soldiers in the Middle East to leading army mountaineering expeditions in the UK, David is no stranger to cold, monotony and exhaustion and the effect it can have on a team of people. He credits his sense of humour in the face of adversity and strong determination to succeed as the key attributes he will bring to the team.
David Mans says: ‘I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the Old Pulteney Row to the Pole crew and relish the opportunity to take part in what will undoubtedly be one of the biggest adventures of my life to date. Rowing has always been my passion from a young age and has enabled me to keep grounded in the civilian world. For me, rowing is the ultimate team sport and I can only imagine the sense of camaraderie and achievement the crew will feel if we succeed in such a groundbreaking voyage.’
Jock Wishart says: ‘This is the most complicated logistical exercise in the Polar regions since Sir Vivian Fuch’s Trans Antarctic expedition in 1957/58. For this we require the best people. Only the best are “good enough.”
The Old Pulteney Row to the Pole will be captured on camera for UK and international audiences and will follow Jock’s preparations and the 4-6 week long row where he and his team will face dramatic ice-bound coastlines and shifting sea-ice barriers.
Old Pulteney’s partnership with Jock is rooted in the whisky’s maritime heritage and history of supporting sailing and seafaring adventure. The whisky is distilled in the historic harbour town of Wick, the most northerly distillery on the UK mainland and the windswept and rugged landscape that surrounds it has given the malt its legacy as the Maritime Malt. The malt whisky continues its association with some of the most prestigious sailing events in the country with its continuation of its sponsorship of the Isle of Wight’s Round the Island Race and the Old Pulteney IRC Scottish Championship in 2011.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
10 Jan
2011
First Aeolus Whirlwind installation in Scotland measures up
The latest Whirlwind System installation by Cheshire based Aeolus Technologies has been commissioned at the recently opened new Glenmorangie bottling plant in Livingston, Scotland.
Project engineers from Allen Associates who designed the new Whisky plant in conjunction with Glenmorangie incorporated the unique Whirlwind System into the pipe clearing process as the innovative technology had the potential to recover significantly higher levels of product than methods used at other bottling sites when the pipelines need to be cleared following delivery through to bottling. ‘Although the Whirlwind System can be retro fitted, building of the new plant enabled us to design the system in from the start’ said Glenmorangie lead project engineer Julia Blair
‘We chose this technology as it not only minimises product waste but also means there is no mixing of products in our pipework, both of which are key with such a high quality, high value product.’
The Whirlwind Unit at the Glenmorangie site is making use of just the clearing phase of the technology, which first generates and then carefully controls a vortex airflow within the pipework, whilst the full suite of options from the technology is a complete recovery, clean and dry cycle.
‘When discussing the technology with potential customers, whilst they are interested in the benefits the full cycle can deliver, they are often focussed on particular aspects depending on corporate objectives’, said Peter Chavasse, Business Development Manager for Aeolus Technologies; ‘this may be product recovery, water reduction, waste reduction or energy reduction.’ Peter continued ‘the Whirlwind System can deliver against all of these criteria, so firstly its great to be able to talk through the benefits of the technology and secondly to help identify just how the technology could aid clients with their continuous improvement programmes and help achieve sustainability objectives.’
The vortex airflow technology underpinning The Whirlwind System provides a sustainable approach to CIP. Product recovery rates achieved through the clearing phase are greater than 95%, whilst water savings in the region of 85 to 90% can be achieved in the cleaning phase, with a combination of these two savings reducing waste and effluent significantly. ‘If engineers can deliver product, water and waste savings, let alone carbon savings through one piece of technology, then I would like to think it would warrant some investigation and consideration’ suggested Peter.
Article Courtesy of Press Release
Press Release
07 Jan
2011
Vietnam Agrees Scotch Whisky Changes
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has praised three international decisions to protect Scotland’s signature whisky being imitated abroad.
After two years of negotiations the Vietnamese National Office for Intellectual Property (NOIP) agreed that the registration of Scotch whisky is a “geographical indication of origin (GI)”, the SWA said.
This could boost trade Scottish luxury brands in the country, as it prevents other local liquors from masquerading as Scotch in drinkshops.
An SWA spokesman said the organisation had first tried to protect the majestic liquor in Vietnam in 2008, with this decision finally allowing them to take action against would-be imitators.
“It will make it easier for us to take action against any imitators in that country as the government has recognised Scotch whisky has to be made here, that there is a formal commitment to that,” the spokesman said.
The Vietnam breakthrough comes after China and Panama granted similar protection to Scotland’s signature whisky, with Indian authorities set to make a decision shortly.
Kenny Gray, the SWA legal adviser responsible for the Vietnamese market, said: “GI protection in Vietnam is a real boost to Scotch whisky in an important emerging market.
“With similar protection granted in China and Panama, this announcement completes a hat-trick of decisions that will help to protect consumers from imitation products.”
The NOIP presented the GI certificate to Dr Anthony Stoke, the British ambassador to Vietnam, in a ceremony in Hanoi.
Vietnam’s wine pages could soon see an influx of Scottish luxury brands, because the SWA said that while exports to Vietnam are less than £1 million a year, it is considered a high-priority emerging market for the industry.
Last year Scotch exports to China reached £44 million, while market access to Vietnam remained restricted with a high import tariff of 55%.
Skills Development Scotland has teamed up with the Scotch Whisky Association to provide funding aimed at encouraging an additional 200 whisky workers to gain a Spirit Industry Vocational Qualification.
The qualification has been designed by the Scotch Whisky Association to recognise the expertise of employees across the entire whisky production process - from distilling to bottling. It aims to standardise good practice and allow skills to be recognised across the industry.
Alison Galbraith, the SWA's health, safety and skills manager, said: "The Scotch Whisky industry is a cornerstone of the Scottish economy, worth around £4 billion a year. Over 10,000 people are employed in the sector and it is vital we recognise and capture their skills if this industry is to keep growing.
"Our intention is to help whisky employees understand how their roles can develop and demonstrate that the industry offers a proper career with the opportunity to learn and grow as their skills improve."
The Scotch whisky industry is second only to oil and gas in terms of productivity per employee, with a GVA of over £262,000 - nearly six times as productive as the average Scottish worker.
The Glenrothes New Year's Resolution: Enter to Become the Next Whisky Maker
This fall, Berry Brothers & Rudd, makers of the exceptional Glenrothes® single malt Scotch whisky, announced a one-of-a-kind experience. Four passionate, promising Scotch aficionados will have the chance to work as an official Glenrothes Whisky Maker, spending a week at the distillery in Speyside, Scotland for a whisky adventure unlike any other. But you have to be in it to win it.
There's just one month left for aspiring whisky makers to enter to be considered for this incredible opportunity, so any aficionado who's yet to make a New Year's resolution, take heed and get your entry ready to go. Resolve to make 2011 a year of exciting possibilities and unique experiences.
Each winner, selected from qualified entrants from around the globe, will work at the historic Glenrothes distillery learning the art of creating Scotland's quintessential elixir. The winners will be hosted by Ronnie Cox, Keeper of the Quaich and The Glenrothes Brand Heritage Director, and The Glenrothes Malt Master, Gordon Motion. The participants will spend time learning and honing their skills at each stage of the craft, from testing the fresh water source that runs alongside the distillery, to milling, mashing, fermenting and distillation. From there the whisky makers will be rolling up their sleeves at our onsite cooperage, laying down casks for maturation, nosing whisky from maturing casks to discover the art of maturation, and selecting exceptional casks to be bottled as The Glenrothes single malt whisky. Each of the winners will produce their own selection of The Glenrothes – the ultimate souvenir of an amazing adventure – labeled with their own hand-written tasting notes.
Until January 31, 2011, would-be whisky makers can enter by visiting www.theglenrothes.com/whiskymaker and telling the judges why they are uniquely qualified to undertake this exciting, immersive task. More information will also be found on The Glenrothes Whisky Facebook page or by following the brand on twitter @The_Glenrothes.
What's in store for the winners? While working at the distillery, the fledgling whisky makers will stay at Rothes House, the brand's accommodation for visiting friends, just a short walk from the distillery. After spending the days learning their craft, they will live as the locals do: fishing in the local streams, dining in the local Highland restaurants or picnicking in the hills surrounding the distillery.
The final day of their adventure will be spent in Edinburgh with overnight accommodations at The Scotsman Hotel and dinner with legendary Scotch expert, Charlie MacLean.
For more information, complete rules/regulations and to enter to win consideration to become one of The Glenrothes Whisky Makers, visit www.theglenrothes.com/whiskymaker. The grand prize is one of four trips to spend time working at The Glenrothes distillery in Speyside, Scotland. Runners up will also have the opportunity to receive unique prizes from The Glenrothes. The contest is open to consumers from around the globe, where legal, who are 21 and over. Entries must be received by January 31, 2011. The trip will commence on May 8, 2011, lasting for seven nights, ending May 14, 2011. The winner must have a valid passport and be able to travel on these dates. Four winners will be selected by an independent judging panel.
