The Whisky Barrel has just posted a new article about Ben Nevis Distillery and you can read it by clicking on the link below;

THE LINK

SPRINGBANK SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

Greetings Society Members

Things are starting to hot up here in Springbank, and I don’t mean theweather. We are getting into Open Day mode and starting to think about tours for this year.

We also have a new bottle out within the next couple of weeks – not for the Society – for general release, but I’ll tell you more about that later in the newsletter.

OPEN DAY – THURSDAY 24TH MAY

We will of course be having Masterclasses at both Springbank and Glengyle, but probably a slightly different format this year, so that you don’t get fed up with the same thing every year. These will be hosted by Gavin & Frank and Ranald.

We are also having a Springbank tasting in the Tasting Room with a little food to match the whisky in the morning, hosted by Jenny. In the afternoon there will be a Cadenhead tasting in the Tasting Room hosted by Grant, who has started to nag me already that I sold far too many tickets last year. BUT I am ignoring him. There will also be tastings in one of the warehouses, buy the tickets for this on the day – no need to book this one.

There will be two single casks, bottled on the day, still to be chosen. Free tours will be at specified times, so that we don’t get in the way of the Master Classes.

Local crafters will be joining us with a selection of their products: Gigha’s Natural Skin care, The Bathtime Cafe, Kintyre Design, Kintye Lampwork, Wee Toon Carver, Kintyre Candles, Eric Norman (wood turner), cheese from the local Creamery, with hopefully a few others.

There will be food from Auntie Mo’s, Ifferdale Lamb and we hope MacMillan Smokehouse. Fyne Ales will also be joining us for the entire day.

Music has still to be confirmed but there will be live music during the day, and in the early evening we will have one of the junior Pipe Bands, followed by another live musician (to be confirmed).

This year we will again have a “spooks” tour, and I have been promised it will be bigger and scarier than last year.

If we can keep Donald calm during the day he will be cooking burgers in the evening. I have probably forgotten some of the things we will have, but I will be updating as we go along. The master classes will have to be booked in advance as will the Tastings in the Tasting Room – Grant keeps reminding me that space is limited here!!!

Society Golf Open

This year’s golf open is being held on Friday 25th May at Machrihanish Golf Course. I am just finalising the details, but can tell you that it will be played as a 4 ball, tee off times between 9.06 am and 10.42 am. We are arranging for bacon rolls and coffee pre golf with a carvery lunch at the end. I will send the details of how to book your tee time very soon.

RUNDLETS & KILDERKINS

This will be available within the next few weeks from the shop – the price will be £57 plus postage and packing, but you will get your discount of 10%.

Here’s a wee photograph and a wee cartoon with the tasting notes: For the most part of the 17th and the 18th centuries Campbeltown was a smuggling centre, an occupation that was supported by the area’s geography, topography…. and the local gentry. One famous story tells of an old woman living in the town who was up before the Sheriff for smuggling. She had been found guilty and before passing sentence the Sheriff told her:

Colour: Russet

Nose: Honey, vanilla, chocolate, nougat and toffee in abundance followed by hints of wholesome freshly
ground nutmeg.

Palate: Creamy and rich as expected from the nose, with notes of chocolate covered honey comb mixed with
pistachio and crushed almonds. Rich and oily from its maturation in small casks, it gives an impression of  being older than its ten years.

Finish: “e ground nutmeg is still evident on the finish but the creaminess outstays the spices to a long smooth and sweet finish. With water this dram develops and even sweeter finish, fruity and sugar candy, it becomes even smoother.

So, as you can see, it is full steam ahead towards May.

We still have some of the latest Society bottling, Longrow 10 year old from a fresh sherry cask at £45 and we also have some of the Springbank 14 year old bottled in 2010 for Society members, also at £45.

We will be looking for something else to bottle for you very soon. I’ll see if we can get something a wee bit older, with some spiders in it!

Springbank spiders are very scary.

Hello Fellow Scotch Lovers -

I have some very exciting news to share with you.

By this time next week ForScotchLovers will have a totally new look, a vastly improved user experience…and a new name: ForWhiskeyLovers

Over the past 4 years it has become evident to me that amazing single malt whiskies can come from anywhere in the world. What’s more, I have experienced phenomenal bourbons, ryes and even a few delightful grain whiskies.

So after numerous conversations with Managing Editor Ian Buxton, Director of Fulfillment Randy Caravella and numerous community members and industry thought leaders, the decision was made to “broaden the tent” and change the name to ForWhiskeyLovers.

To help ease the transition, ForWhiskeyLovers will initially be launched on the ForScotchLovers.com URL. Then, after a month or two, we’ll flip the switch and move everything over to the ForWhiskeyLovers.com web address. Quite a huge undertaking…but we are all extremely excited about it.

All this excitement (and yes, stress) around the offices has caused our boy Nicky “The Neck” to become a bit disoriented…which believe me is very scary. So to help The Neck maintain focus, we sent him on a mission: Find a whisky that is exciting, new…and impossible to find anywhere.

As always The Neck scored…HUGE…which brings me to this weeks Whiskey Wednesday special: Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2004 – Kentraw Farm Foreland

For the first time in almost a century Bruichladdich has produced a whisky from barley that comes comes from one farm, and one farm only; This chalice barley was grown by farmer Raymond Stewart on Kentraw Farm one mile from the distillery, and was harvested in September and distilled in December 2004. An Islay whisky made from Islay barley and spring water, and where the entire production process takes place on one island. The whiskey was matured and bottled on a south-east facing, pebbly/sandy slope above Lochindaal, looking out over the Atlantic and to Ireland.

This is the first Islay-grown barley to be distilled in recent times, and is the inaugural bottling of Bruichladdich’s Islay barley series, a unique and fascinating exploration of the influence of terroir on artisanal single malt whisky.

This is also a limited production whisky, with only 6,000 bottles released worldwide. But once again, thanks to Nicky The Neck, we’ve been able to secure more than our fair share…good luck finding this anywhere else in the US…and so I am thrilled to be able to offer you Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2004 – Kentraw Farm Foreland for the amazing price of $98.50/ bottle.

If you want a bottle or three, I urge you to act quickly, because as always…once its gone…its gone.

Until next Wednesday…with a new look…new name…and new ‘tude.

Doug Stone
Founder
www.ForScotchLovers.com

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BRUICHLADDICH ISLAY BARLEY 2004 – KENTRAW FARM FORELAND

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DISTILLERY TASTING NOTES: BRUICHLADDICH ISLAY BARLEY 2004

This long lost spirit of Islay has an unbelievable innocence. a purity and refinement that leaps onto the senses like a child at the start of a new day. Totally unafraid, full of warmth and excitement, with not a care in the world other than to please.

COLOUR: Translucent Lemon / Winter Sunshine.

NOSE: The nose is a study in directness and purity. First, lemon juice sprinkled over sweet, crushed barley, golden syrup. Then tropical fruits – grapefruit, pineapple, mango, guava – even sherbet powder. The olfactory senses are in ecstasy! So many fresh, fruity, zesty, sweet notes – a rare experience – as the fabulous combination of vanilla-rich oak and a crispy, sweet malt joins in the excitement. This rainbow of aromas continues with air: honeysuckle drifts by, as do hints of brine, and finally the oak rises to embrace the more delicate scents, adding maturity and calm.

PALATE: The first thing you notice is the amazing creaminess, the silkiness of a much older spirit. It glides over the palate – warm, sweet and fruity – almost like jelly beans. then, this oak-fire heat spreads evenly over the taste buds. It’s a truly lovely experience and ably forms the foundation for the aromatics to evolve as one. Now, you can really taste the light, vanilla notes from the toasted staves. The multi-layering of flavours is absolutely wonderful for such a young malt.

FINISH: Like most youngsters at this age, it doesn’t linger too long…but you will enjoy the innocence, the purity and the sheer zest for life.

www.englishwhisky.co.uk

SPECIAL OFFER FOR FEBRUARY

******Spend £35 or more on English Whisky products in the distillery shop during February and we will give you 1 free tour voucher OR you can come for a tour of the distillery and receive a £5 discount at the end to spend on English Whisky products*****

We aim to run a tour every hour on the hour from 10am til 4pm. 7 days per week.

This tour includes coffee or tea and of course a slug of our finest malt.

The tours cost £5 per person or £2 under 18. We do offer group discounts. Call us to book tours or to get more info Tel: 01953 717939

£5 discount is only valid on day of tour and for English Whisky products only. This offer does not include online purchases. More offers coming shortly.

Here is a new malt maniacs E-pistle by Dr. Lex about data crunching on Alfred Barnard’s distillery descriptions. Some interesting results here…

http://www.maltmaniacs.net/E-pistles/Malt-Maniacs-2012-02-Victorian.pdf

Whisky Review 246 2/2 – three great ways to drink whisky … alive and kicking at www.ralfy.com

WHISKY FESTIVAL

Saturday 24th November 2012

Easterbrook Hall
The Crichton, Dumfries

At last our 2nd Drambuster’s Whisky Festival has been booked… get the date in your diaries now! The venue has changed this year to accommodate the expected increase in numbers attending so this year, and indeed for the next few years it has been moved to The Easterbrook Hall at The Crichton, Bankend Road, Dumfries. This is a much bigger venue and will accommodate all our suppliers and a seated area with food and drink in the one room.

The format will remain the same as last year, with attendees able to freely taste as well as having a couple of master classes for those that wish a more in depth lesson on the whiskies.

As it is a mile or so from the town centre, we will be running a free bus from the venue that will ferry festival goers back to the town at the end of the day.

Further details will follow shortly and tickets will go on sale in a few months.

The festival is open to all over the age of 18. You do NOT require to be a ‘Drambuster’ to attend but you are more than welcome to join anyway (if you haven’t already) and be kept up to date with all our news.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WISH TO JOIN

Our mailing address is:

T.B.Watson Ltd.
11/17 English Street
Dumfries, Scotland DG1 2BU

www.ralfy.com … pleased to present, Whisky Review 246 1/2 – Vat 69 Scotch Whisky. One of these non-single malt moments.

New Year, new logo

Hi everyone,

Further to my recent post on the Family Reserve’s new packaging, I can now finally reveal what our new logo looks like.

It may not come as a surprise to many, but the family tree which features on our new bottle, is now making its debut on our new logo too. The five branches of…(please click on the link to read the remainder of the logo)…

THE LINK

Kind regards,
Ludo

OVER £11 OFF SINGLETON 12 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY!

We’ve got a very special offer running at the minute. The Singleton of Dufftown 12 year old whisky normally sells at £31.65 and we currently have it available for the extremely low price of £19.99 a bottle! An amazing price for this smooth, mellow single malt.

And in case you missed reading about it in the pre Christmas mayhem, we still have just a few bottles left of the extremely limited edition single cask BenRiach bottled for the Kings Royal Hussars which is not available from any other retail outlet.

Finally see below for a few interesting old bottles that have come into stock – you can see more in our New Products section and if you need any advice just contact us.

Sláinte!
Fran and Ken
www.whiskyandwines.com

NEW PRODUCTS

SPECIAL OFFER! SINGLETON OF DUFFTOWN 12 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY FOR JUST £19.99

We know money’s tight at this time of the year and so we’re running a very special offer on the Singleton of Dufftown 12 year old that will allow you to top up your single malt supplies without breaking the bank.

This is a great rich, fruity and smooth Speyside whisky that is extremely drinkable – perfect for that ‘end of a long day’ dram.

NORMALLY £31.65 – OUR CURRENT PRICE IS ONLY £19.99!

N.B. This special offer is limited to a maximum of 6 bottles of Singleton of Dufftown 12 year old per customer.

Buy Online: £ 19.99

BENRIACH 1997 14 YEAR OLD WHISKY – KING’S ROYAL HUSSARS BOTTLING

In the run up to Christmas you may have missed seeing that the KRH whisky team have been busy again and selected another single cask of BenRiach to bottle – this time round it’s a 1997 14 year old that has been matured in American bourbon barrels, then ‘finished’ in a ‘Henriques and Henriques’ Madeira Hogshead.

Only 350 bottles were released and, as with the first edition, the majority of these are only available through the regiment but we are again fortunate that here at Arkwrights we have an allocation available to sell exclusively through the shop and online.

Retailing at just £59.99, this is a whisky that will appeal to both whisky lovers and collectors alike. For further information and to buy click here.

Buy Online: £ 59.99