25nd September 2009

WHISKY GURU CHALLENGES PUBLISHERS MORALS AS REPRINT GOES ON SALE

Internationally acclaimed whisky writer Jim Murray has today questioned the moral and ethical rights of publisher Prion to re-print, re name and publish a twelve year old book that carries his name.

Originally published in 1997 as ‘Jim Murray’s Complete Book of Whisky’, the book which is now titled ‘The Classic Whisky Guide by Jim Murray’ is claimed to be up-to-date and reflecting the current whisky industry.  This is blatantly not the case in that the ‘new’ book has not been re-written, revised or amended by its creator.  In fact Jim Murray says that the first he knew about his ‘new’ book was when he “stumbled across it on-line!”

Having read the latest offering from Prion, Murray points out that ‘The Classic Whisky Guide’ is merely a reprint of an abridged edition in new clothing and that people buying it believing it to be an updated version of the original are likely to be very disappointed!  Murray comments “I have major concerns over the moral and ethical actions of the publisher in that none of the promotional material supporting the book makes clear its very long history.  It’s only when the reader has bought the book that its status as a reprint is revealed and the fact that it is horribly out of date”.

“The reality is that the whisky industry and its whiskies have changed significantly since 1997, in some cases almost unrecognisably so.  Naturally, I feel aggrieved on behalf of my readers who may have already bought this book believing it to be a new work by me, either as a follow up to my hugely successful  ‘Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible’, or an accompaniment to it.  I would fully understand their disappointment and anger to find the book already in their libraries; and as such I need to underline the point that I did not have any hand in this”.

Believing that the Prion book could damage his professional reputation, Jim Murray asserts that “readers buying this offering from Prion must not automatically take what is contained therein as my views on whisky today”. 

For the current status of the whisky industry Dram Good Books can confirm that the 2010 edition of ‘Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible’ will be launched on October 5th 2009.  “The fact that the 2010 ‘Whisky Bible’ features no less than 946 new whiskies, all of which have been tasted and catalogued, serves to highlight the scale of the changes that have occurred in the whisky industry just in 2009, let alone the last decade!” added Murray.
~Ends~
For more information please contact:

Mark Hunt
Director of Communications
Dram Good Books Ltd
Email: mark@whiskybible.com
Tel:  07768 145583

http://www.dramgoodbooks.com/

From John Campbell at Laphroaig Distillery;

I hope you are looking forward to the Distillery Live Whisky tasting tonight at 20:00 EDT. I am actually writing to you from the States. I’ve been over here in America for a week visiting some US FOLs – I’m having a great time and have been welcomed warmly!

The website is now live and you can go on to familiarise yourself with it before the live webcast begins. As you will see there is an area where you need to input your name. This will allow you to watch the live show and also to submit any questions you want on the night. There is also an area which gives you a brief synopsis of the event and also shortened biographies of each of our panelists.

I have included all the details again below so that you have the web address to hand:

Distillery live online whisky tasting
When: Friday 25th September 2009
Where: www.distillerylive.us.com
Time: 20:00 EDT (Saturday 26th September 01:00 British Summer Time)

Remember you can see what time 20:00 EDT is in your country by following the link on the Distillery Live website.

We have checked that this works on all the latest browsers but would recommend viewing in Internet Explorer if possible. Also, you will need to have flash on your computer to watch the show. You can follow the link on the Distillery Live website to download flash for free. Make sure you do this in advance as I wouldn’t want you missing anything!

I really hope you can join us tonight for this unique online event, as I mentioned before there will be not only tastings of Laphroaig expressions, including the new 18 Year Old but also cocktails and some gourmet food!

Do feel free to pass this email onto any of your whisky loving friends. We’re always looking for new converts!

Sláinte,

John Campbell

The Inaugural Release from the ‘farm distillery’ on Islay, 8450 bottles world wide  and matured for 36 months in ex bourbon barrels and then finished for 6 months in sherry casks. How exciting! The nose is of rich peat, very earthy and buttery at first with some hints of peanut butter, honey and fruit, a drawing room on a hot day (think of the air in a closed room filled with antiques). Quite nice; where are the off notes? They appear to have stayed home. The taste is not overly strong but immediately of huge peat, fruit and malt. This whisky tastes much older than it is which is quite extraordinary. The taste is quite brilliant and very, very enjoyable, some small amount of shock here….malt, peat, fruit all very well integrated. Rich, loamy peat smoke. More fruit. Some maritime hints. Extraordinary. The finish is of rolling peat smoke, fruit and oak, later arrival of some really clean coal smoke (ignore the obvious problems with that last statement) followed by some hints of shrimp crisps, another round of peat smoke and hugely chewy malt. The finish is very, very long and after a number of minutes it’s all peat smoke and malt, like when you scoop a handful of peated malt from the pile at the distillery.

My God, what a great dram, the distillery must be very pleased that their hard work has paid off so very early.

Score 86 Points

£45 (and recently sold on ebay for £185)

http://www.kilchomandistillery.com/

Please join OTOM for a true culinary experience with the legendary Ardbeg Single Islay Malt Whisky, hosted by Whisky Creator Davinia Small.                  

Wednesday, September 30th, 7:30pm
4 Unforgettable Courses paired with Ardbeg
$55 per person (excluding tax & gratuity)

Three savory courses paired with the unmistakable peat and smoke of Ardbeg  10yr, Ardbeg Uigeadail and Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist, followed by a fourth course sweet treat  and a special surprise release from Ardbeg.

To make reservations call OTOM Restaurant at  312-491-5804.

Please RSVP by Monday, September 28th.

OTOM Restaurant

951 W. Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60607

http://www.otomrestaurant.com/

Loch Fyne Whiskies News has stocked a new item, ‘Bruichladdich Organic’

Bruichladdich Organic 2003
46% abv
£38.10 inc vat
£33.13 ex vat

https://www.lfw.co.uk/blog/2009/09/23/bruichladdich-organic/

Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

Whiskey Channel Delivers Breaking Reports in Unprecedented Quality

Bardstown, KY- Singlemalt TV, the world’s only online television channel exploring whiskies of the world, generated widespread acclaim last week when they presented full, breaking coverage of Bardstown’s Kentucky Bourbon Festival. The breadth and timeliness of the coverage, coupled with exemplary quality are unprecedented in the whisk(e)y industry.

Singlemalt TV launched in 2006 with an initial focus on Scotch Whisky, the fledging site founded by veteran Director of Photography and IPTV pioneer Rob Draper, quickly gained recognition for its HD originated, exclusive programming. For two years Singlemalt TV continued to focus on Scotch Whisky, with an occasional foray into American Whiskey and bourbon. It was last spring when crews journeyed to Kentucky to film a Wood and Whisky feature in conjunction with Morrison-Bowmore that the bourbon industry became a focal point for Singlemalt TV. Following the completion of the Morrison-Bowmore project, Singlemalt TV scheduled a round of distillery shoots in Kentucky. As soon as the footage aired on the channel it became evident that Bourbon was a huge hit with the website’s formidable global audience.

Last week Singlemalt TV took their full show on the road, working round-the-clock from a historic former library in downtown Bardstown as preparations for the 18th Kentucky Bourbon Festival commenced. Camera crews worked to capture all the offerings of Bourbon Country, shooting at distilleries and on Louisville’s Urban Bourbon Trail in the days leading up to the festival.

After filming a live webcast each morning, camera crews set out on assignment to various locations around the region. Upon returning from each location, crews turned over their footage to a video editor working from the Bardstown headquarters who meticulously cut each segment for a nightly show. For six days and nights Singlemalt TV’s on-location staff worked to deliver exclusive up-to-the-minute coverage of the KBF
as it unfolded, maintaining their exacting broadcast-caliber standard throughout.

To date Singlemalt TV has continued to experience record site traffic. The tremendous response from the Bourbon Industry and regional tourism agencies has been mirrored by the feedback received from viewers in 120 countries. Even Kentucky’s Governor Steve Beshear, who recently declared September “Bourbon Heritage Month,” took a moment to chat with Singlemalt TV about the importance of bourbon to the area. Bourbon insiders have described Singlemalt TV as the “buzz” of the industry, and future plans for more exciting endeavors in Kentucky are already underway.

Notes:
1. www.singlemalt.tv
2. Singlemalt TV is a Visionmill Productions company.
3. All material on Singlemalt TV is original and copyright.
4. For further information email jenna@singlemalt.tv

Johannes (the lead Maniac) reports that the 2009 Awards have now passed the 150 bottles submitted mark. Look for final results in December of this year.

To view some of the participants in the 2009 Awards visit:

http://www.maltmaniacs.org/2009-whisky-awards.html

Loch Fyne Whiskies News has posted a new item, ‘Bruichladdich X4+3’

Bruichladdich X4+3
63.5% abv
£48.90 inc vat
£42.52 ex vat

You may view the latest post at
https://www.lfw.co.uk/blog/2009/09/23/bruichladdich-x43/

Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

The newly re-branded official bottling range from the Dalmore which now sports a golden stag’s head in place of the more familiar silver. The color is a deep rich reddish mahogany suggesting the presence of sherry. The nose is of cereals, pizza dough, malt and cut grass in some moments. After a minute or two there is heather, some clove, spice from the oak and warm Weetabix. After a few more minutes sweet dessert wine emerges, very nice. With water is a dramatic change to reveal plasticine, good fruit and old wooden furniture along with some furniture polish. A very busy nose. The taste is at first mildly ‘green’ followed by rich malt and sweet wine followed by very light tobacco, varnish and brandy. It is very nice and there is also some very light cocoa. With water it is much more subtle but the flavours as are described without water. Some slight hints of roses and heather also. The finish is very dry with loads of wood spice and bitter cocoa which is quite excellent. Chocolate, bitter cold tea and a really superb malt delivery at the very end that is also slightly oily. The finish is very long and malty.

What a grand dram for a 12 year old and quite different to most malts.

C$68

Score 83 Points

Visit the Dalmore at http://www.thedalmore.com/

September, 2009

Dear Customer,

There are two (2) new PROVENANCE bottlings this month and their tasting notes follow:

The PROVENANCE Tasting Notes read:

PRV 0579 CLYNELISH 10 YEAR OLD
The nose carries candied lemon zeste with caramel brandy snaps. The palate is initially sweet and spicy with more caramel, soft toffee and thyme. The finish is long and , still spicy and sweet. (J)

PRV 0585 KNOCKANDO 9 YEAR OLD SHERRY MATURED
The nose opens sweetly with cooked fruit, caramelized apples and develops to cedar wood and strawberries. The palate is spicy and sweet with nuts and raisins, reminiscent of Christmas pudding. The medium long finish is attractively spiced with the character of caramelized orange pith. (J)

Throughout the year we have bottled more expressions in our new packaging and which has been well received by our customers.

All best wishes

Fred Laing

Visit Douglas Laing at http://www.douglaslaing.com/