Ralfy at Work

Ralfy has posted another of his scotch whisky reviews at http://www.whiskyreviews.blogspot.com/

Today marks the birthday of a legend in the bourbon business. Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Emeritus Elmer T. Lee turns 90 today, and his friends marked the milestone with a party at the distillery. I had the chance to interview Elmer in the fall of 2006, and he’ll share some of his stories with us in that interview. In the news, Buffalo Trace unveils this year’s Antique Collection, Chris Morris tells us about this year’s Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, The Whisky Exchange unveils a new line of single cask bottlings, and the Laing Brothers put Macallan and Laphroaig together.

WhiskyCast Episode #213 can be heard at http://www.whiskycast.com/

Whisky Intelligence has decided to reproduce here (with permission) The Gauntleys Whisky Newsletter from July 2009. While this may seem a tad dated it is actually quite current considering the lag time between the UK release of whiskies and the release of the same whiskies into the North American and world wide markets. Additionally the author, Chris Goodrum, has some excellent insights into the whiskies being commented on. Sunday reading! Enjoy!

Whisky Newsletter 37 – July 2009
Dear Whisky Customers

Well it’s that time of the year again. The annual whisky magazine Independent Bottlers Challenge. This year I have been given Lowland again along with Speyside. I have so far tasted two of the Lowland categories the 12 years and under – all one of them and that was very unexciting. My guess is that it was a 9 year old Auchtentoshan, probably Duncan Taylors Battlehill bottling, and you know who much I like young bourbon casked Auchtentoshan! The 13 to 18 year old Lowland samples have also passed my lips – and the paucity of quality amongst them was very disappointing.

I have also tasted the 12 years and under Speyside’s and that was as usual a mixed bag. I tasted this category two years ago for the competition and there are definitely fewer samples which have been entered and more peated ones. Anyway I’ll give you a full report in my next newsletter.

Whilst on the subject of the Challenge, I realised that I never passed comment on last years event. Ok, so it’s probably a bit late to go into too much detail, but as you may or may not know that each region is tasted by a merchant, a journalist and a whisky club. The scores are then collated and I assume that an average score is given to each bottling. It’s interesting to see that in the Lowland category that the general consensus was more or less the same as mine, but where we differed was in the Islay category. In fact my joint pick for ‘gold’ in the 19 year plus category, after final amalgamation didn’t come anywhere?! Strange that. Anyway for nothing other than interest’s sake the table below shows the ‘official’ results and the result if it was just down to me.

Aside from that both Dewar Rattray and James MacArthur have released some superb new bottlings. Pick of the bunch would have to be Dewar Rattray’s Laphroaig 1990 (19 year old) 56% and James MacArthur’s Glenlivet 12 year old 57.8%.

Also I would like to say a big thank you to the Springbank distillery that sent me samples of their new bottling and finally I got the opportunity to taste the long awaited Laphroaig 18 year old.

(The table Chris inserted here came apart in the transition from the Gauntleys Newsletter to Whisky Intelligence and can be viewed in the newsletter on their site-apologies)
NEW DEWAR RATTRAY

Good grief, an almost drinkable bottling of Tullibardine – whatever next! Like I said earlier the pick of the bunch, without a shadow of a doubt is the Laphroaig. However the Coal Ila is very good as is the Aberlour. The biggest disappointment was the Cooley, as they had bottled a superb 15 year old not so long ago.

Aberlour 1996 (13 year old) 57.5% £39.95 Bourbon Cask #90076
Lovely, delicate floral aromas of earthy citrus fruit with hints grass, lime and oak. Quiet weighty on the palate with straw, earth, cereal flavours. Lovely intensity, opening into a grassy, apricot middle. Good length with the alcohol dominant. A drop of water brings out the high toned citrus and grass aromas. On the palate it brings out the sweet malt and vanillins. All in all a pleasant aperitif malt.

Tulibardine 1990 (18 year old) 59.1% Re-Fill (?) Cask 6105
Hold the front page! Shock a rather pleasant bottling of Tullibardine! A quiet perfumed candied orange fruit perfume sits against a background of earthy wood notes along with some late vanilla oils and rich honey. The palate is soft, opening with the vanillins, followed by some dunnage and marc like notes. The inherent dirtiness of the spirit is still there but it doesn’t dominate the palate like some bottlings I have tasted. It’s actually quiet drinkable (and I never thought I’d say that about Tulli!) Good intensity with the marc like notes increasing through to the finish.

A drop of water brings out a touch of wool fat on the nose, whilst homogenising the palate. I’m quiet surprised that the marc like character is still so prevalent at this age and I still say it’s quiet drinkable if you like this style.

Cooley Irish 1999 (10 year old) 59.3% Bourbon Cask 881
Very perfumed aromas of Sauvignon blanc-esque white fruits, bubblegum, pink grapefruit, light spices and marc like rose petal notes. Over time it becomes increasingly candied and verges on sickliness. The palate is soft and full of citrus and yellow fruits with earthy spice and a whole lot of alcohol. That candied sweetness is evident on the middle along with some rose petal marc. In a way that candied character reminds me of the sherry casked Penderyn. The finish has an icing sugar/ sherbert quality.

A drop of water really mutes the spirit and unfortunately there’s no escaping that overt candy-ness. Personally I feel that it lacks the grassy/ citrus depth to balance out the sweetness.

Glen Mhor 1982 (26 year old) 55.4% Re-fill (?) Cask 1216
A rich, woody, spicy nose of a multitude of candy coated orange fruits along with some sherry character. There’s some obvious maturity with notes of floor polish and aged honey, but it doesn’t exactly blow me away. The palate is pleasant and oily with pure orange oil and toasted vanilla, leading into a wood spice and alcoholic middle. Finally finishing with a candied, slightly honeyed fruit. Lovely crumbly spice after taste.

A drop of water opens the nose up. It’s much more appealing now with the orange fruit taking on a lovely perfumed sheen. It also keeps the rampaging wood notes in check. On the palate however it has lost its intensity and become very candies. Almost like drinking sugar-water.

Bowmore 1990 (19 year old) 53% Bourbon cask 270
The sweetest Bowmore I’ve come across in awhile. Loaded with sweet-peat, lightly honeyed fruit, coastal – fishiness and hints of summer flowers/ herbs. Later some bog myrtle, orange-barley and gristy cereal emerges from the sweetness. The palate is soft and gentle, again fairly sweet with light fish oils and sweet-peat and a hint of smoke. The intense alcohol masks the finish.

Water doesn’t change the nose very much, maybe just emphasising the fish oils. On the palate it really emphasises the sweetness. Sorry but I have to say it’s a bit uninspiring for me.
Caol Ila 1995 (13 year old) 60.4% £48.95 Bourbon Cask 10035
A wonderfully intense nose of coastal peat, iodine, fish, rubber sowesters along with a balancing light orange fruit note, spice and a touch of wood. A text book CI nose! Quiet an oily palate with gentle orange fruit, earth, peat, fish, wood tannins and no surprise alcohol! It has a lovely coastal middle with a lingering rubbery note.

A drop of water emphasises the oily, leafy character. It subdues the peat a tad but emphasises the salty, coastal astringency. Like the nose the palate becomes more oily and rounded. The orange fruit has a gorgeous purity and accented by a barley note. The palate has become fuller and rounded and the peat smoke now comes through with an intense youthfulness. Lovely peat soaked finish.

Laphroaig 1990 (19 year old) 56% £66.95 Bourbon Cask 2239
A simply excellent nose! Oily, coastaly and fishy, with fresh menthol, bog myrtle-peat, rubber and a touch a beautifully perfumed orange fruit. The peat builds steadily and over time there are hints of light coffee, camphor and sweet liquorice emerging. The palate is oily and sooty with a bucket full of coal dust and peat. Yet it is gentle and the palate flows into a fishy, menthol, bog myrtle/ camphor/ leafy middle. Oooh that’s intense and tongue coating. It finishes with a lovely fishy/ rubberiness and an impression of sweet fruit beneath the peat, leaving an almost Sauvignon-blanc like grassy after taste.

A drop of water emphasises the fruit and that Sauvignon-blanc like grassy detected on the palate appears along with a hint of white flowers. The palate has become a touch sweeter, more rounded and the crumbly peat takes on a wonderful sweet sheen. Superb length with an almost perfumed finish and sooty after taste.
NEW JAMES MacARTHUR

Arthur said to me. “We’ve bottled a really nice Glenlivet” and you know what he was right. What he didn’t say was “We’ve bottled a weird Miltonduff”, but they have. Like the Duncan Taylor Dalmore I reviewed awhile ago it is definitely not ‘commercial’, but ‘interesting’ or one for the connoisseurs. It is definitely not what you would have expected from that distillery. In my experience, Miltonduff is rich and heathery, almost like Highland Park but without the peat. You know how I like the weird and unusual!
Glenlivet 12 year old 57.8% 39.95 Sherry
Quiet an aromatic nose. Full of delightfully floral orange fruit and liquid honey. It seems more mature than 12 years old. Those honeyed aromas deepen wonderfully and hints of citrus, apricot, straw, earth, coffee and wood spices emerge. Over time it develops a gorgeous floral/ creamy butter-toffee oak note. On the palate it is soft and full of liquid honey, straw, orange/ apricot fruit and lots of alcohol. Good length with hints of grass/ citrus and a late spice burst.

A drop of water emphasises the creamy vanilla and coffee aromas, whilst on the palate it becomes gorgeously mouth filling and juicy. A damn fine cask! I was actually quiet surprised to find out that this was a sherry cask as the wood influence is very minimal.

Glendullan 12 year old 56.1% Bourbon
An earthy, straw like nose, just on the right side of murkiness. There’s a hint of cereal, barley, honey, grass and perfumed flowers along with some balancing vanilla oak On the palate it is softly oily with hints of apricot and honey. A bit simple with quiet a lot of tannins. Good length with hints of malt, cereal and earth.

Water emphasises the earthiness on the nose and homogenises the palate. Nothing wrong with this bottling but it’s just not particularly exciting.

Dalmore 12 year old 59.8%
A very earthy/ dunnage laden nose. Quiet peated for a Dalmore. Surprisingly medicinal and fishy. Good depth but becomes increasingly candied. The alcohol prickles and there is a marc-like note. Not much wood influence here. The palate is soft with lots of garden flowers and rose petal marc. Not as much peat as you would assume from the nose and the intense alcohol is a bit searing. The finish is quiet candied.

Water softens the nose and brings out a lovely perfumed tangerine notes along with some hints of almond, honey and a brief vanilla oak nuance. It sends the earth and peat aromas to the background. On the palate it softens and homogenises. Its pleasant, but like the Glendullan ultimately unexciting and it becomes very candied.

Miltonduff 13 year 57.2% 49.95 Bourbon
Quiet peated and fishy. Very similar to the Dalmore, which is again quiet surprising. There is some honeyed fruit and a hint of marc. This could almost be an Islay. The palate is quiet oily with a marc like note to begin. It opens into an earthy middle with a touch of peat. Quiet young and a bit one dimensional with the alcohol dominating.

A drop of water however brings out the complexity. It becomes very oily with lanolin, some light coffee and some rich, slightly perfumed orange fruit joining the peat and fishy notes. The marc like note has disappeared and it’s quiet complex in a weird un-miltonduff kind of way.

Bruichladdich 20 year old 52.6% 61.95 Bourbon
Intense and coastal aromas which have a perfumed lilt. There a lovely depth of fresh apples, earth, barley and a touch of gorgeous orange fruit. The sweetness of the malt builds and a hint of fishy-peat and vanilla oils appears. It’s actually quiet masculine and fishy for a Laddie. The palate has a lovely softness with coffee laced, rich fruit, a touch of honey and fish oils. Some light peat arrives flowing into a classic honeysuckle and honeyed middle. Very good length with a fresh coastal finish.

Water = Oooooh gorgeous!!!! Honeyed, liquid tangerine emerges amid the windswept coastal astringency./ The fruit is beautifully displayed against the vanilla background. On the palate it emphasises the oils and it becomes quiet milky and mellow. It’s now showing its age with a touch of dunnage, tannins, earth and spice evident. The fishiness has receded somewhat but its still there at the edge. Definitely Laddie in a different light.

Caol Ila 26 year old 55.2% 105.95 Bourbon
A text book leafy/ bog myrtle nose with medicinal peat and iodine. Beneath is some lovely, oily fruit, rubber and dunnage notes. This malt reeks of age (in a good way!) but it has retained a youthful-ish/ fresh medicinal/ bog myrtle character which keeps it edgy. There’s some late light honey, which is all underpinned by a lovely gristy barley note. The palate is oily and fruity with cod liver oil, rubber, a touch of smoke and dry peat. The alcohol is quiet piquant and mouth watering, whilst the mid palate is extremely fishy and rubbery. Again a lovely maturity to the malt. Very intense and long, beautiful bitter/ sweet balance, with a touch of dunnage floors in the finish.

Water doesn’t change the nose very much, maybe emphasising the perfumed citrus fruit, whilst on the palate it brings it together into a mature, peated, fruity morass. Still very coastal but balanced by its sweet character. All in all a superb cask.

GENERAL ROUND UP

Springbank 18 year old 46% 56.95 80% Sherry/ 20% Bourbon
A deep and intense nose opening with a torrent of sherry wood spices followed by honeyed, rich fruit, soft peat, dunnage floors and coastal nuances. Wonderfully rich blood orange emerges along with liquorice, toffee and a slightly perfumed top note and some late vanilla oils. Soft and gentle on the palate, stunning depth with more of the distillery character evident to begin with – Mature brittle honey, vanilla, barley flavours. The sherry wood comes through on the middle with dried fruit, nuts, a touch of smoke, some salty notes and piquant alcohol. It certainly seems higher than 46%. Lovely length with a salty/ coastal finish and lingering wood notes.

A drop of water brings out a coffee note on the nose as well as a touch of chocolate and lightly toasted caramel, and emphasises the spicy wood notes. On the palate the intensity of the alcohol is calmed and it has become a veritable mouth full of mature honey. The gentle Longrow-esque earthy-peat is allowed to come to the fore as is a certain dusty/ loamy/ cigar tobacco note.

Springbank 1997 (11 year old) Madeira Expression 55.1% 39.95
As it spent its entire life maturing in fresh Madeira casks it not surprising that the nose open with a huge, spicy nose, with a Demerara sugar coated winey/ biscuity intensity. The spirit begins to work its way through with a fishy, coastal, and the typical distillery honeyed character. There’s quiet a bit of earthy-peat and although brash the sweetness is balanced wonderfully by the saltiness and high alcohol. The palate follows the nose, beginning with the shortcake, spicy-demerara cask notes. The peat really builds on the mid palate with hints of smoke, cod liver oil, a touch of camphor and lots of alcohol. Dry, salty finish with sweet Madeira reappearing along with gentle coffee and spice notes on the finish.

Water brings out a leafy note on the nose (almost reminiscent of the leafy character of some sherry casks). Wonderfully harmonious with hints of pure honeycomb. On the palate it becomes more integrated, more of the mature wood notes are detectable along with crumbly chocolaty spices and dunnage floors. Quiet butch even with water!

Kilkerran 5 year old ‘Work In Progress’ 46% £35.95
Quiet an oily nose. Obviously youthful with a touch of rose petal marc and coastal notes. It has a beguiling freshness reminiscent of lightly peated Caol Ila. It’s quiet full with lovely yellow fruit, soft spice and a touch of rubber, earthy peat and bog myrtle.

The palate is more rounded than the nose suggests, yet it is still soft and sweetly-fruity with hints of cereal/ barley, rose petal marc and soft spices. The middle is quiet piquant but for such a young malt it is has a lovely balance and is definitely drinkable. Good length with hints of rubber, vanilla, pepper and light peat in the finish.

Laphroaig 18 year old 48% £73.95
The deep burnished gold colour gives a clue to its age. A simply stunning nose with the maturity evident from the start. Slightly honeyed fruit, earth, straw, iodine and gentle medicinal peat waft from the glass. Slightly smoky with a perfumed vanilla note on the edge. Given some time aromas of cod liver oil along with hints of bog myrtle and camphor emerge.

The palate is quiet oily, opening with the cod liver oil, vanilla and mature, gently sweet fruit. This is followed by waves of subtle, crumbly, pure peat, whilst the elevated level of alcohol gives it a freshness and bite to the mid palate. Mature, gentle and mellow with a very long salty/ coastal finish, leaving behind a faint iodine after taste.

Interesting to see that time has expunged the fishy and tarry notes of youth, but it has gained a lovely, gentle fruity mellowness.
Well that’s all for now

Regards

Chris Goodrum
http://www.gauntley-wine.co.uk/

A single cask bottling from the Signatory Vintage ‘Un-Chillfiltered Collection’ and ‘natural color’  from a single cask but reduced to 46% instead of being bottled at cask strength. This line of whiskies contains some real crackers. The nose is both sherried and sulphury; sherry wine mixed with ammonia, damp cardboard and a vague vegetative characteristic.  There is also some vanilla and honey behind the other aromas. The taste is malty, sour with heather, wet forest floor, cherries and raisins. Also burnt toast. The finish is very strong with damp leather, wood, malt and the rubbery sourness backed by the malt and the sherry. After a minute of two the malt becomes very dry however it is intermingled with the sourness and the wet cardboard.

Yikes.

Score 72 Points

The online retailer The Whisky Barrel reports some new and rare bottlings;

Bruichladdich Octomore 2, Springbank 2001 batch 1, Bruichladdich Infinity 3, Hazelburn 12yo.

From Signatory Vintage they are offering three single casks; a 20yo Macallan, a 25yo Imperial and a 25yo Auchentoshan.

They are also offering a 15yo Kininvie, a Bowmore Feis Ile 2006 and a Bunnahabhain Feis Ile 2006

Visit the Whisky Barrel at www.thewhiskybarrel.com

The 3rd Limited Edition Duncan Taylor and Runrig Collaboration

Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky are pleased announce their third collaboration with Runrig, Scotland’s Premier Band, to produce a limited edition single malt Scotch Whisky bottling commemorating not only the bands most prestigious concert of the year at Scone Palace in Perthshire, Scotland but to also celebrate Homecoming 2009.
 
The “Runrig Scone Palace Homecoming 2009” bottling, limited to 750 bottles, is a cask strength “Highland Park 1987, 22 Year Old” from the Rare Auld range of Duncan Taylor single malt casks.

As in all previous exclusive Runrig bottlings they are very much sought after and sell out within days of release. The release date this year is 24th August 2009, 5 days before the concert at Scone. Orders will be despatched from 31st August. To avoid disappointment please reserve your bottle now or alternatively pick up your bottle at Scone. Note, of the 750 bottles available there is only a limited supply through Single Malts Direct. Therefore 1st come first served.

Whiskies Of Scotland, Whisky Marquee at Scone Palace

Whilst at Scone Palace on 29th August please visit our Whiskies of Scotland Marquee to meet up with the producers of the whisky and enjoy the company of many other Distillers exhibiting that day. Its free of charge and if you are over 18 you will be able to sample exquisite whiskies from not only Duncan Taylor & Co Ltd but also from Arran, Auchentoshan, Benriach, Bowmore, Glendronach, Tomintoul, Glencadam, Springbank, Glenfarclas, Brands Development and  speciality beers and ales from Brewdog brewery company.

The Whiskies of Scotland marquee will be open from 1pm through to 10.30 pm. See you there!

Loch Fyne Whiskies reports that Tamnavulin Distillery will release a new 16yo at the end of 2009 and limited to 1000 bottles.

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

Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,

The response we received in regards to my last Malt Messenger Bulletin was overwhelming. The last 24 bottles Benromach Organic sold out in the first 12 hours, and 48 hours later there have easily been twice as many more orders. We would love to fill them all, but unfortunately it is first come, first serve! My little Malt Messenger Bulletin took on a life of its own, passing from e-mail to e-mail and blog site to blog site until it came to the attention of Michael Urquhart, Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail/Benromach. He has added to the story.

“Since its launch in 2006, Benromach Organic – the world’s first organic single malt to be certified by the Soil Association – has been a tremendous success.  The product’s quality, style and character has resulted in a dedicated following of fans worldwide. ”

Although the Benromach Organic that was is no more, this is not the end of the organic story at Benromach Distillery. This fall Benromach is launching a special limited edition peated Benromach.

(David, Michael and Neil Urquhart pictured in front of Benromach Distillery!)

When Gordon & MacPhail—Scotland’s finest and most respected independent bottler—purchased Benromach distillery in 1993 the decision was made to produce a more traditional style of Speyside single malt whisky. While most distilleries in the Speyside today use faintly peated barley at 1-2ppm phenolic content, Benromach wanted to make something that more closely resembled the region’s whiskies 50 to 100 years ago when the use of peat was more generous. It took Gordon & MacPhail five years to repair and restore Benromach distillery, and since it returned to operation in 1998 it has been principally producing spirit with barley peated to 12ppm.

 “In Autumn 2009, we will be following up on this success by introducing a special edition of Benromach Organic. This special edition bottling is made using the finest Scottish organic barley, dried using peat smoke, to produce an Organic Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky with a distinctly smoky character. Matured in virgin American oak casks, this single malt displays sweet, charred oak aromas with rich fruit flavours and soft peat smoke.”

“Benromach is Speyside’s smallest distillery and as a “boutique” distillery we are keen to embrace innovation and try new and different things. We have introduced a special edition of Benromach Organic to demonstrate how different peating levels complement the unique Benromach character.  We are confident that fans of Benromach Organic will love this special edition.”

This limited edition peated Benromach will be available in Alberta late in 2009, and will be exclusive to the Kensington Wine Market. We have no word yet on pricing or packaging, but as with the other Benromachs it will be classically stylish!

I hope you enjoy this Malt Messenger Bulletin.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

KWM Scotchguy

403-283-8000
888-283-9004
1257 Kensington Rd. NW
Calgary, AB, Canada
T2N 3P8

FOR IMMEDIATE USE: 14 AUGUST 2009

ROBERT BURNS WORLD FEDERATION JOINS SAVE JOHNNIE WALKER CAMPAIGN

A specially designed brochure setting out the story of Diageo’s proposals to cut 700 jobs in its bottling plant in Kilmarnock and the community’s reaction to this was launched at the Burns Monument Centre this week.

The brochure is being sent to every member of the Robert Burns World Federation around the world to gain more support for the “Keep Johnnie Walker in Kilmarnock” campaign. It explains how people can get involved in the campaign, either through the campaign website; by spreading the word to family, friends and colleagues or by writing directly to Diageo.

Members of the Cross Party Working Group for the campaign, set up to fight the Diageo closure plans, were very impressed with the finished product: “The brochure is an excellent way to illustrate to Burns Federation members around the world just how committed we are to having a successful outcome to this campaign. It shows how members of the public, local businesses, communities, trades unions and politicians from all parties have come together to fight for the jobs of 700 workers and their families. Containing photos from the march and rally that attracted over 20,000 people in Kilmarnock recently, the brochure demonstrates to the world the enormous pride and loyalty the people of Kilmarnock have for this brand.”

Shirley Bell, Chief Executive of the Robert Burns World Federation, and Councillors Douglas Reid, Tom Cook and Maureen McKay, members of the Cross Party Working Group, signed a letter that will accompany the brochure on its travels around the world. Shirley said: “We are delighted to be backing this campaign which is all about keeping our heritage where it belongs. An appropriate quote from Robert Burns that sums up the current situation goes:

All you who follow wealth and power with unremitting ardour, O

The more in this you look for bliss, you leave your view the farther, O

“I wish the campaign every success and I am sure that our fellow Burnsians around the world will be pleased to add their support too.”

Photo Caption

Councillor Tom Cook; John Haining; Immediate Past Present of the Federation; Shirley Bell, Chief Executive of the Robert Burns World Federation; Councillor Douglas Reid; Jim Shields, Director/Marketing Convenor of the Federation and Councillor Maureen McKay.

 
ends
Caroline Gordon

Public Relations Officer

(01563) 576521

Glendronach Distillery has come up with a quirky way to promote its new range of 12, 15 and 18-year-old malts in Belgium next month.
 
It has selected a single cask from the 1996 vintage, straight from one of the distillery’s warehouses in Aberdeenshire, and is taking it round Belgium…in the back of a van!
 
“Cask in a Van” is the title of GlenDronach’s unusual week-long road show.
 
Regional Sales Director James Cowan explained: “To help make our launch in Belgium more memorable, we’re taking a delicious 1996 limited edition GlenDronach on the road in a special liveried van. As our advertising slogan says, we’re taking the brand “on a journey of re-discovery”.
 
“It’s never been done before so it should be a great hit with Belgian malt whisky fans.”
 
James came up with the idea in tandem with his Belgian importer Mario Groteklaes, who runs The Nectar in Heusden-Zolder.
 
Mario added: “We’ll visit seven major customers for an in-store tasting of the new range of 12, 15 and 18-year-olds, plus a sample of the 1996 whisky straight from the cask which they can decant into their own personalised bottles. As it’s a limited edition, it’s going to be a highly collectable item.
 
“We will also undertake less formal tastings – for example a barbeque is planned in one of the Belgium market towns.”
 
GlenDronach launched its new range of malts in April and the first 3000-bottle consignment sold out in Belgium in just three weeks.
 
Mario said: “GlenDronach has always been a well-known brand here, especially the “old” fifteen-year-old. That, and the good publicity given to the new fifteen and eighteen-year-olds by some Malt Maniacs, and on some forums, made it easy to introduce the new range to about one hundred specialised liquor stores throughout Belgium in just one week.”
 
Watch out for the distinctive GlenDronach van somewhere in Belgium between 29 September – 3 October.
 
Attached is a picture of the van.
 
ends                                                                                        13 August 2009
 
INFORMATION – James Cowan, 00441324 682220

http://www.glendronachdistillery.com/