Happy New Year! We have teamed up – again – with VisitScotland to offer you the chance to win a trip to Edinburgh. The recent snowfall has resulted in an irresistible ‘white’ theme…

As part of the Winter White Campaign to showcase all the magical Winter White things to see and do, you are invited to discover Scotland’s enchanting capital with a two-night stay for two at the 5-star boutique hotel, The Glasshouse. Relax with a glass of Highland Park in the luxurious surroundings of an award-winning suite and take in the view of the bright white lights of this captivating city.

You can indulge your whisky enthusiasm by studying the world’s largest collection of Scotch whiskies, the Claive Vidiz Collection, visiting The Scotch Whisky Experience (with a dram of 21-year-old whisky), enjoying a barrel ride through whisky production and you’ll receive a gift-boxed whisky glass and miniature too. And with £250 spending money you can shop for a Highland Park 30 year old and an 18 year old.

The lucky winner will also receive two Winter White Explorer Passes which offer discounts on some of the country’s top attractions. Explore the white sights of the capital, including Edinburgh Castle, which houses the Crown Jewels and The Stone of Destiny.

Round-off your trip by savouring a delicious ‘white bite’ in Edinburgh’s most stylish restaurant, The Living Room on George Street. Sip on a glass of white champagne before a sumptuous three-course meal. Get your entry in before the snow melts!

Enter now at: www.visitscotland.com/whitehighlandpark

For more information on the Best Spirit in the World visit www.highlandpark.co.uk

 
Gerry
Whisky Brand Ambassador of the Year, 2010

Enter now at: www.visitscotland.com/whitehighlandpark do not click on the above image; it won’t work! Thanks to the sharp eyed reader that picked this up!

Come meet and hear from Dr Bill Lumsden, Head of Distilling & Whisky Creation for Glenmorangie Scotch. Dr Lumsden is regarded by the malt whisky industry as the pioneer of wood management, producing whiskies that have truly changed the single malt market.

The tasting is for the Glenmorangie Scotch line, and is available to the first 50 people who call Jessica Toner, beginning Monday at 9:30, at 832-660-0250.

The date is Friday, January 22, from 6-8pm on the second floor at Spec’s Smith Street Superstore in Houston TEXAS

Kilchoman 3rd single malt release is scheduled for March 2010 according to http://www.kilchomandistillery.com/

Kilchoman, (pronounced kilhoman) established in 2005, is a farm distillery and the first to be built on Islay for 124 years. Kilchoman gives everyone the opportunity to see all that is best in the grass-roots traditions of malt whisky distilling – from barley to bottle.

Independent Bottler Week Featuring Laphroaig Begins…….1 of 4

Laphroaig 8yo 2001/2009 (46%, Signatory, UCF, refill butt, Cask#631, 859 Bottles)

Another offering from Signatory Vintage and from their Un-Chillfiltered Collection, bottled with out chill filtration and without the addition of colouring and a single cask but reduced from cask strength to 46%….

The nose is peated and honeyed that continues to open as more time in the glass passes by, some banana (think of candied banana cooking in butter just before it is folded into the crepes). There are also hints of barley dust, the afore mentioned butter and herbs along with some winey sweetness; this appears to be not the most active of sherry casks however the nose is very good. Perhaps the reduction from cask strength has smoothed out some of the more aggressive moments? Opposite side of a coin in many ways; a departure from the official bottlings. The taste is slightly more mellow than anticipated  (at first) but it grows in power to reveal a honeyed maltiness backed by some really good peat reek which changes after a few moments to become quite dry, peppery and oaky and then a flash of bacon but only for a moment and then toast and some herbs. The finish is warming and malty, peaty and then after a few short moments the herbs and some creaminess. The finish is very long, warming and malty…oh, that was already mentioned, no matter it’s consistent and good. After quite a while the finish is deep coal smoke intermingled with some brine and malt but the coal smoke it quite heavy..

Actually less sweet than the 7 year old of the same series, a tad drier but still has that Laphroaig attack. Would have been a killer at cask strength but is still very good none the less.

£26 from Loch Fyne Whiskies

Score 86 Points

Visit our friends at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America at http://www.smwsa.com/

Loch Fyne Whiskies has stocked a new item, ‘The Peated Arran – 2005’

The Peated Arran OB 57.7%alc.

Single Bourbon Cask 116

Distilled 12-12-05

Bottled 07-12-09

Limited to 253 bottles

(LFW Comments) Last year’s release of young peated Arran was soooo good I could not resist opening this one.

First impression was disappointment, I had hoped this would be from the same 2004 distillation but this is a few days short of a 2006 distillation and even less days short of four full years maturation, oh well.

On the nose there is quiet peat and equally quiet youthful spirit. Then comes the woody-winy notes; vanilla (custard powder) and chocolate. Tasting-on there is glowing smoke, grassy notes and rising peat (to matchbox striker level), very drying and a solid peaty burp. Overall ‘nice’, in a Whispering Bob Harris sense – ‘hmmm, nice’.

Certainly a very interesting cask and well done Arran for letting us have a crack at it.

 The Peated Arran – 2005
 57.7% abv
 £47.90 inc vat
 £40.77 ex vat

Best regards,
Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

For Immediate Release

Rocky Mountain Technology Ventures
Aurora, Colorado
www.RMTVentures.com
apple.development@rmtventures.com

iDistillery is a comprehensive iPhone application on Scotland whisky distilleries that includes detailed information on 127 scotch producers. This app provides in-depth information on the history, location tour hours and other interesting and useful facts and figures on each distillery. This is a must have app if you plan on traveling to Scotland to visit distilleries. Additionally, this is an excellent reference for any whisky / scotch connoisseur that wants to take their knowledge of Scottish distilleries to the next level.

iDistillery Features

Region Profiles − Detailed information and characteristics on each of the Scottish whisky producing regions including the Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Campbeltown and Islay.

Distilleries by Region − Provides the ability to find and sort distilleries by region simply by clicking on a given section of the map.

Critical Distillery Data − Provides data on each Scotland distillery including address, phone number, website, longitude and latitude, production status, region etc…

Production Process Overview − Detailed information on each step of the whisky production process.

Map View − Obtain a map to distilleries based on your location using on the iPhone map kit and the internal GPS. These zoomable maps are invaluable to help you find your way.

Tour Tips and Hints − Tips and hints to help you get the most out of your distillery tours.

Audio Files − Sound files for each distillery (provides pronunciation).

Distillery Overview − Information on the history, interesting facts and visitor center hours for each distillery.

iDistillery Quiz − Test your knowledge of whisky / scotch / distilleries with the distillery quiz.

Closed Distilleries − iDistillery even includes information on Scottish whisky distilleries that have long since closed down such as Port Ellen, Rosebank, Kinclaith and other producers of rare scotches.

iDistillery can be downloaded from the iTunes store at:
http://tinyurl.com/iDistillery

… yoo hoo, this busy bee is keeping busy

WhiskyReview 101 – Bladnoch 18yo cask strength  @  www.ralfy.com  for your perusal and spirited enlightenment.

China may well become the world’s largest whisky market over the next decade, and Ian Chang is hoping his Kavalan single malt becomes the choice of Chinese whisky lovers. Kavalan is the first single malt whisky distilled in Taiwan, and even though its first releases are only three years old, Kavalan has already won several medals in international whisky competitions. In the news, heavy snow damages 21 Chivas Brothers warehouses holding 100 million gallons of whisky, Diageo prepares for the second release in the Manager’s Choice Series, and we’ll hear from the editor of Australia’s first whisky magazine, Tumbler’s Kristy Booth.

Visit Whisky Cast at http://www.whiskycast.com/

We would like to wish all our customers a Very Happy & Prosperous 2010.
 
Due to the adverse weather conditions gripping the country at present we would like to advise you that there will undoubtedly be some disruption to our normally quick and efficient service, especially in many rural areas. Scotland, and Aberdeenshire in particular, has been under a blanket of snow for several weeks now and we would like to apologise to any of you who had ordered from us in the couple of days prior to Christmas. We did despatch as many consignments as we possibly could on a 24 hour service (at no extra charge) in the hope that we would get them to their destinations in time, however we realise that a small number never made it.

By way of apology, we are delighted to offer you the  January sale of the decade!!

Aberlour 10 Year Old £21.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £3.00
Aberlour 16 Year Old £34.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £10.00
Aberlour 1993 16 Year Old NC2 £27.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save 7.00
An Cnoc 12 Year Old £23.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £5.00
Ardbeg 10 Year old £31.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £2.00
Ardmore Traditional Cask £24.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £5.00
Arran 2000 Moscatel De Setubal 55% £35.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Arran Malt 10 YO 46% £4.00 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Asyla Blended Whisky 40% £19.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Auchentoshan Classic £18.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Balvenie 12 Year Old Doublewood 40% £25.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £6.00
Ben Nevis 1998 10 Year Old NC2 46% £26.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Benriach 12 Year Old £22.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £5.00
Benriach 16 Year Old £22.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £3.00
Benromach 10 year old 43% £23.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Benromach Traditional£16.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £5.00
Bowmore 12 YO 40% £23.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old £24.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £5.00
Deanston 12 year old £26.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save 3.00
Singleton of Dufftown 46% £26.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Duncan Taylor 70th Anniversary Malt 1938 – 2008 1967 41 year old Limited Edition 46.3% £99.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £38.01
Glen Moray Classic £16.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £6.00
Glencadam 10 Year Old 46% £25.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £3.00
Glendronach 12 Year Old 43% £25.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £2.00
Glenfarclas 10 Year Old £23.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £3.00
Glenfiddich 12 year old 40% £22.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.50
Glengoyne 10 year old £24.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.50
Glenkinchie 12 year old £24.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £8.00
Glenlivet 12 Year Old £23.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.50 
Glenlivet 15 YO 40% French Oak £28.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £5.00
Glenlossie 11 YO 46% SMD Bottling £19.49 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.50
Glenmorangie 10 year old Original 40% £22.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £5.00
Glenrothes Select Reserve £26.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £5.00
Highland Park 12 Year Old £21.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £5.00
Isle of Jura 10 Year Old £23.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £6.00
Isle of Jura Superstition £26.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Laphroaig 10 Year Old £26.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Ledaig Light £15.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £3.00
Loch Lomond Single Malt 40% £17.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £2.00
Longmorn 30 Year Old 43% £68.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £10.00
Macallan 10 Year Old Original £19.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £8.00
Macallan 10 YO Fine Oak £19.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £6.00
Mannochmore 1996 11 Year old £25.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £6.00
Old Pulteney 12 Year Old £21.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £3.50
Old Pulteney 17 Year Old £45.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Prince Albert Blended Scotch Whisky £14.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £15.00
Royal Lochnagar 19 Year Old 54.6% £59.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £15.00
Scapa 16 year old £43.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £5.00
Speyburn 10yo 40% £19.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £5.00
Strathisla 12 year old £22.99 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.00
Tobermory 10 Year Old £18.49 SPECIAL OFFER: Save £4.50

Visit Single Malts Direct at http://www.singlemaltsdirect.com/