GlenDronach Releases Single Cask Batch One

The new owners of GlenDronach Distillery have selected five vintages for their first series of single cask bottlings since taking over the distillery last year.

In Batch One they have singled out malts from 1971, 1972, 1992, 1993 and 1996 in ages ranging from 38 to 13 years old.

All five are in the traditional GlenDronach style – richly sherried, from Oloroso Sherry Butts – and are being bottled this month.

Regional Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “Dating back to 1826, there have been few if any single cask bottlings from GlenDronach, so the launch of Single Cask Batch One is particularly significant and will be welcomed by our customers.

“We will repeat this exercise each year, hand-selecting a small number of the very best casks from the distillery warehouses to release as Single Cask bottlings.”

Alistair added: “Each will be bottled at cask strength, at natural colour and non chill filtered. Bottles will be individually numbered by hand and will be housed in a deluxe gift box.”

Batch One is being marketed in fifteen countries worldwide, with shipments to the UK, Europe, South Africa, Asia and New Zealand scheduled for the first week of August.

The full cask list is:

1971 cask 483, 38 years old
1972 cask 719, 37 years old
1992 cask 1140, 16 years old
1993 cask 523, 16 years old
1996 cask 193, 13 years old
Five images attached.

Ends                 17 July 2009

INFORMATION – Alistair Walker, 00441 324 682220

Visit the Glendronach at http://www.glendronachdistillery.co.uk/

Loch Fyne Whiskies News has posted a new item, ‘New miniature’

 Benriach Authenticus 21yo 5cl
 46% abv
 £7.90 inc vat
 £6.87 ex vat

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at https://www.lfw.co.uk/

You may view the latest post at
https://www.lfw.co.uk/blog/2009/07/17/new-miniature/

Best regards,
admin
ship@lfw.co.uk
                              Loch Fyne Whiskies

Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,

The Stampede hangover has descended upon Calgary… though I’m not sure its biting most of us back as much as it has in the past. The post Stampede can be a little depressing, for months the city builds itself up both emotionally and physically for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. Time clocks all over town count down in anticipation of the first day. Love it or hate it for 10 days every year the city lives and breathes Stampede. But for another year it’s over, the hangover is setting in and what better way to deal with a hangover than with a little of the “hair of the dog that bit yah”!

There are some excellent new whiskies in store this month: two expressions from Tobermory Distillery (In Alberta for the first time, the only distillery on the Island of Mull; and three expressions from Bunnahabhain, the Gentle Giant of Islay. You may recall the old Bunnahabhain 12Yr which some 8-10 years ago used to be available in the Province. It came in a stout bottle, in a squat tin, with a string handle and a saluting Highland mariner on the label. I used to love this dram in University, mainly because of the price… I dare not say what I used to buy it for, it’s considerably more now. Relatively speaking it’s still good value, and well worth a try. I’ll have more on Bunnahabhain and Tobermory in the next full Malt Messenger. There are very small quantities of all of these whiskies coming, so don’t delay. The new releases to Alberta from Burn Stewart Distillers are as follows:

1.       Tobermory 15Yr – A limited edition bottling matured in Oloroso sherry casks. – $112.59

2.       Ledaig 10Yr – Exclusive to Kensington Wine Market – This heavily peated expression of Tobermory from Mull is new and improved. Already winning a gold medal at the International Wine and Spirit Competition. – $73.99

3.       Bunnhabhain 12Yr – Nutty and malty with a hint of peat! –  $70.49

4.       Bunnhabhain 18Yr – Sherry, mint and cherries with a hint of cognac. – $110.99

5.       Bunnhabhain 25Yr – Older, more refined and more austere, very limited. – $261.99

These products will all be in store next Wednesday.  Some of them might not even make the floor, as they are in very limited quantities.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

____________________

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store. Feel free to forward me any whisky news you feel should be included in a future issue of The Malt Messenger; it might just get included.

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at http://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/.. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change!

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger!

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

Story and pic follow.

ALAN CLARK

BENRIACH DISTILLERY COMPANY WINS TEN AWARDS AT INTERNATIONAL WINE AND SPIRITS COMPETITION

THE LARBERT-BASED Benriach Distillery Company is celebrating after winning an impressive ten top awards in the prestigious 2009 International Wine and Spirits Competition.

Founded in 1969, The International Wine and Spirit Competition is the premier competition of its kind in the world. Its aim is to promote the quality and excellence of the world’s finest wines, spirits and liqueurs.

IWSC medals and trophies are the most highly regarded in the trade, representing the best of the best in the world of wine and spirits.

The Competition received more than 7000 entries from over 80 countries.

In results published today (July 16), the company entered 10 whiskies from both its BenRiach and GlenDronach brands, and won 10 medals – 1 Gold, 8 Silver and 1 Bronze.

GlenDronach has four expressions and all four won medals including a Gold and Best in Class for its 15 year-old ‘Revival’ while B enRiach won a further six awards including two Silver and Best in Class.

The company’s awards were:

GlenDronach Medals
Gold   Best in Class                GlenDronach 15YO ‘Revival’
Silver  Best in Class                GlenDronach 33YO
Silver                                      GlenDronach 12YO Original (new 2009 version)
Silver                                      GlenDronach 18YO Allardice
 
BenRiach Medals
Silver  Best in Class                 BenRiach ‘Maderensis Fumosus’ 13YO Peated / Madeira Finish
Silver  Best in Class                 BenRiach 16YO
Silver                                      BenRiach 12YO
Silver                                      BenRiach ‘Curiositas’ 10YO Peated
Silver                                      BenRiach ‘Authenticus’ 21YO Peated
Bronze                                   BenRiach 15YO Dark Rum Finish          

The judges’ Tasting Notes for the GlenDronach 15 year old “Revival” commented: “Great concentration of complex aromas on the nose including treacle toffee, chocolate, orange, toasted nuts and vanilla. Great depth in the mouth, with all the nose promised, plus some Demerara sugar, sweet malt and lots of toast. Great balance with firm tightness which is offset to a degree by lots of mellow notes. Long finish has distinct gingery note.”

Managing Director Billy Walker said: “We are absolutely delighted that ten of our expressions have been recognised at such a prestigious competition. The award reflects the incredibly hard work of our team and underscores the outstanding quality of our two brands.”
 
The company has won a number of awards in recent years. In February this year the BenRiach Distillery beat off competition from around the world to win the coveted “Icons of Whisky” award in London.
BenRiach was also “Distillery of the Year” in the 2007 Malt Advocate Magazine Whisky Awards.
 
Whisky Magazine named it the “Best Rare Speyside” (for BenRiach Authenticus 21 Year Old) at its World Whisky Awards, also in 2007.
 
And it won Gold Medal (for BenRiach 16 year old) at the 2006 International Wines and Spirits Competition.
 
Picture shows Alistair Walker with some of the award-winning expressions.

ends                                       16 July 2009

INFORMATION – Alistair Walker, 01324 682220

Visit BenRiach Distillery at http://www.benriachdistillery.co.uk/

There is a new website aimed at keeping the Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarmock, Scotland;

http://www.keepjohnniewalkerinkilmarnock.com/

Additionally there is an on-line petition.

The 4th in the series of “The Four Days of Tobermory”

G&M Ledaig 18yo

Ledaig 18yo 1990/2008 (43%, G&M Connoisseurs Choice, Refill sherry)

This bottling was the Loch Fyne Whiskies bottling of the year for 2008;

This year was a more difficult decision. It was whittled down from either Ardmore OB or An Cnoc 16 to Ledaig CC 1990. All three are worthy of the accolade but the Ledaig wins on unusualness of taste and the unexpected suggestion. The better sell of the three, our customers are very happy with it.

This distillery is now named Tobermory but it was originally called Ledaig and now their peated out put is called Ledaig. The nose is a little stronger than anticipated for a 43% bottling; sharp, a slight bit of cheese and loads of lemon and sharp varnish aromas followed by oak and a wood workers shop but not in an over whelming sense. Sweet wine notes, very pleasant without any smoke. The taste is at first blush a little smokey which builds in the mouth, sweetness and citrus and more smoke with a back ground layer of oak. The flavour only improves with time and is quite complex with smoldering smokiness intertwined with sweet wine notes and then some slight bitterness in the back ground, like a good dark chocolate. Later oily development. The finish is very malty with the previous noted wine notes, the smoke dissipates quite rapidly and then it’s wave after wave of malt and a slight green tinge like asparagus however only a tinge; nothing to become alarmed about.

£29 (Somebody is having a laugh; an 18yo of this quality for this low price!)

Score 87 Points

Visit Tobermory Distillery at http://www.tobermorymalt.com/index.php

and Loch Fyne Whiskies at http://www.lfw.co.uk/

Press Release

16th July 2008

Cooley Collects a Record 10 Gold Medals

Ireland’s Independent Whiskey Distillery Beats Competition Medal Haul Record at the 2009 IWSC
 
Cooley Distillery, Irelands only independent Irish whiskey distillery, has won a record 10 Gold Medals at the 2009 International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC).  The results were announced today at the IWSC 40th Anniversary Celebration in Edinburgh.

This is the first time that an Irish whiskey distiller has managed to collect 10 IWSC Gold Medals in a single year.  In 2008, Cooley won a then record nine Gold Medals and was awarded seven “Best in Class” awards.  This year nine of their ten Gold Medal winning whiskeys were awarded ”Best in Class”.

IWSC medals are awarded on a strict points system by a panel of international judges.  They are the most prestigious honours bestowed to the drinks industry as they are judged solely on the quality of the wine or spirit.

The independent distillery’s overall 2009 medal tally of 21 eclipsed all other Irish whiskey companies at the Edinburgh event.

“2008 was a very successful year for Cooley winning nine IWSC Gold Medals and being crowned World Distiller of the Year however 2009 is shaping up to be even better. ” comments Jack Teeling, Sales & Marketing Director for Cooley Distillery. “Our continual commitment to innovation and quality is being recognised and rewarded. This years IWSC performance reinforces this with both our own portfolio of whiskeys and those we produce for our industry partners being recognised for their excellence.”

ENDS

List of Gold Medals at the 2009 IWSC

Gold Medal & Best in Class, Kilbeggan 15 Year Old Blended Irish Whiskey
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Sherry Finish Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell 15 Year Old Single Cask Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Sherry Finish Peated Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara 12 Year Old Peated Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Greenore 8 Year Old Single Grain
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Greenore 15 Year Old Single Grain
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Lockes 8 Year Old Single Malt
Gold Medal, Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Madeira Finish Single Malt

For More Information:
 
Jack Teeling                                                 +353-1-8332833

Marketing Director

David O’Siochain                                        +353-1- 6496322

Pembroke Communications

Visit Cooley Distillery at  http://www.cooleywhiskey.com/

Story and two images follow.

ALAN CLARK
 
TWO NEW GLENDRONACH “FASCINATING AND FABULOUS” CASKS SNAPPED UP BY BANFF’S PARKER’S WHISKY

http://www.glendronachdistillery.com/

http://www.parkerswhisky.co.uk/

GLENDRONACH has made available two single cask bottlings to Banff-based Parker’s Whisky, providing 1200 stunning bottles from 1992 and 1994.
 
One is a GlenDronach 1992 Single Cask, Cask # 401. It was distilled 10 July 1992, bottling July 2009, aged 17 years old, and matured in Oloroso Sherry Butt with a cask strength of 58.8%.
 
The other is a GlenDronach 1994 Single Cask, Cask # 2311. It was distilled 25 November 1994, bottling July 2009, aged 14 years old, and matured in Oloroso Sherry Puncheon with a cask strength of 58.5%.
 
They are the first single cask distillery bottlings to be made available in the UK since Glendronach was purchased last year by Billy Walker and his associates at the BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd.
 
Available from late July, each 70cl bottle is individually numbered by hand and contains personal Tasting Notes from the author of the Whisky Bible, Jim Murray.
 
GlenDronach Regional Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “Richard Parker approached us with his interest in bottling a cask of GlenDronach towards the end of last year, before we had even started looking at our own selection of single casks to bottle, so it’s fair to say he was pretty quick off the mark.
 
“We were delighted to make these two casks available to Richard, as GlenDronach is the local distillery for Banff and Parker’s has been a good supporter of both of our malt brands, GlenDronach and BenRiach, over the last three or four years. The casks were personally selected by Richard himself and he clearly has good taste, as the chosen casks are truly exceptional.”
 
Richard Parker said: “This is a big coup for us. We sampled a number of different GlenDronach casks and found two we especially liked. But they were so good, we couldn’t choose between them so we ended up bottling both! We just came along at the right time and I’m delighted to say they’re pre-selling really well.”
 
Concluding that the malts are “fascinating and fabulous”, Jim Murray’s tasting notes underline how special and extraordinary the bottlings are – apparently the drams he tasted almost brought tears to his eyes! Selected excerpts from Jim’s tasting notes follow:
 
GlenDronach 1994 cask 2311
 
Nose – playfully light… fragile barley… lazy nuttiness…
Taste – mouth-watering barley pounds the tastebuds relentlessly from the start… a lively character…
Finish – minty chocolate… hazelnuts and vanilla… considerable length…
Balance – quite unique to this little-known distillery… fascinating and fabulous!
 
GlenDronach 1992 cask 401
 
Nose – Molasses sweetens the high roast Java…
Taste – the palate is swamped in luxuriant, lush sugar-coated burnt raisins…
Balance – ultra distinctive… unmistakable rum character on a sherry theme… a memorable and massive malt
Finish – excellent soft oils… a long fade… juicy barley finale…
 
Our pictures show the two bottlings.
 
For more information, contact sales@parkerswhisky.co.uk
 
ends                                                                                  16 July 2009
 
INFORMATION – Alistair Walker, 01324 682220
                                  – Richard Parker, 01261 812353

1975 Bottling Commemorates 40th Anniversary of Distillery Visitor Centre

Dufftown July 2009: The world’s most awarded single malt Scotch whisky, Glenfiddich, today, released details of the 1975 Vintage Reserve, a beautifully light and elegant whisky, bottled to commemorate the very start of Scotland’s whisky tourism industry.

In July, 1969, the pioneering Glenfiddich distillery opened the doors of Scotland’s first Distillery Visitor Centre and became the first whisky company to invite visitors to tour round a distillery.  Forty years later, a selection panel comprising five former and current tour guides returned to the distillery and joined the industry’s most respected and long-serving, Malt Master, David Stewart, to choose their favourite whisky from a pre-selected shortlist of exceptional quality casks, from 1975.

After much discussion, the panel selected cask no.22000, a European oak sherry butt with a current strength of 53.7% ABV*.  The cask will produce approximately 520 70cl cask-strength bottles, which will retail at a RRP of £480.

David Stewart commented: “Having joined the Glenfiddich Distillery, in 1962, I was part of the pioneering team there when it became the first distillery to welcome visitors. It was therefore extra special for me, and a great honour, this year, to be leading the panel selecting the Vintage Reserve that would commemorate the opening of the Visitor Centre doors, forty years ago’’.

Describing the Vintage Reserve selected, David added:  “Glenfiddich Vintage Reserve 1975 has a rich, vibrant aroma of ripe apricots and plums, balanced by vanilla oak notes from the European oak cask.  The taste is tremendously full bodied, with layers of tannin, spice and fruity sweetness.  The flavour of rich oak and soft vanilla develops a spicy character of cinnamon, nutmeg and spiced apple and has an exceptionally long, rich and oaky finish with a hint of bitter dark chocolate. In short, I think this whisky has aged magnificently, with every year spent in the oak sherry butt imparting delicate notes and flavours.”

This is the latest aged Vintage Reserve of over 30 years old to be released by Glenfiddich.  When many distilleries are facing shortages of aged whisky, with some even removing the age message from their bottles, the Glenfiddich Vintage Reserve 1975 is testament to the pioneering spirit of the distillery’s founder, William Grant, whose lifelong ambition was to produce the ‘best dram in the valley’.

The distillery he built by hand, accompanied by a stonemason and his seven sons, has barely changed since the first drop of spirit flowed from the stills, at the Glenfiddich Distillery, on Christmas Day, 1887.  Every year, thousands of tourists visit the only Highland whisky company with a team of coopers to mend and tend every cask, a dedicated coppersmith to maintain the stills and the only Highland malt to use a single source of pure spring water (from the Robbie Dhu spring) throughout every stage of production.

Each year, David Stewart and Apprentice Malt Master, Brian Kinsman, pre-select a few exceptional casks and, under their watchful eye, invite a panel of non-professionals to pick their favourite.  Previous panels include a team of coopers, international whisky journalists, perfumiers and excise men.

Glenfiddich Vintage Reserve 1975 joins the award-winning range of Glenfiddich single malt Scotch whiskies which also includes Glenfiddich 12 Year Old, 15 Year Old, 18 Year Old, 21 Year Old, 30 Year Old, 40 Year Old, The Glenfiddich Distillery Edition, and the world’s rarest and oldest single malt Scotch, Glenfiddich 1937 Vintage, which was bottled as a 64 year old, in 2001. 

– Ends –

 Notes to editors
 ·         Reigning ISC Distiller of the Year William Grant & Sons Ltd has been awarded seven gold medals at both the 2008 International Spirits Challenge (ISC) and the 2008 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) and for its highly regarded portfolio of premium spirits brands. 

·         William Grant & Sons is an independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and today still controlled by the fifth generation of his family.  The Company distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s favourite single malt Glenfiddich®, the handcrafted range of The Balvenie® single malts and one of the world’s leading blended Scotches, Grant’s®, as well as selected other spirits, including Hendrick’s® Gin and Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum

Click on www.williamgrant.com for more information on the Company and its brands
 

Golin/Harris International Limited | Registered office: Ground Floor, 84 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PX, England | Registered number: 2713976

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Visit the Glenfiddich at http://www.glenfiddich-whisky.com/

Social networking is all the rage, you know. Were you aware that you can keep abreast of my every thought and movement by following me on www.twitter.com/gerrytosh, I know; scary thought, isn’t it? You can even follow Highland Park distillery – if that makes any sense – www.twitter.com/bestspirit.

For those of you who are too busy or, frankly, have better things to do than read about how many croissants I had for breakfast, or which series of The Wire I’m watching, there is a better solution. Get your fix of Highland Park news by joining our new, official, fan club on Facebook.

This exciting technological breakthrough will allow greater interaction between Highland Park – that’s me – and all our virtual friends and ambassadors – that’s you. I’ll post information about new releases, tastings we are hosting, events we are attending and maybe even the odd photograph. We hope this will give you a platform to leave us feedback on our recent bottlings and tell us about your experiences or tastings.

If you want to find us, click www.facebook.com/pages/Highland-Park-Whisky , or visit facebook and type “Highland Park Whisky” in the search box. There is no need to panic if you aren’t on Facebook – we will still send out these regular email newsletters to keep you up to date.

I’m looking forward to seeing you in cyberspace. Remember, there are other Highland Park fan clubs but “Highland Park Whisky” is the only official one.

Live long and prosper.

Gerry
Head of Brand Education, Highland Park