A note from John Campbell at Laphroaig Distillery

Thank you all for your many letters on our next live internet broadcast from Jerez in Spain on the 23rd September, I will try to answer all your correspondence as soon as I can. In the meantime, I have added a page on the website with all the show details: http://www.laphroaig.com/live. We have some very exciting news about the event. As you will have read in my last email, one of the panellists is a Friend of Laphroaig but is also a singer and songwriter. Well, Diego has kindly agreed to sing live for us at the event. With special Laphroaig expressions, Sherry, tapas and now live music this really is set to be our best ever online show.
 
I must apologise for my last email about our next Laphroaig Live event. I had put the time as 8pm Eastern Central Time by mistake, it should have been 8pm Central European Time. If you go to http://www.laphroaig.com/live I have put up full details, including a link to a site which will allow you to work out the time of the event in your own country.

Finally, thank you to everyone who has expressed an interest in actually attending the event in Jerez in person. We have been inundated with emails. Please rest assured, if you have emailed already we will be contacting you shortly – we were just waiting to determine numbers. If you haven’t emailed yet and are still interested in attending the event in Spain, please email info@laphroaig.com by Wednesday 8th September 2010.

Slàinte,

John

The Whiskies of Scotland range is bottlings from all regions of Scotland and vary in age from 10 to 45 years old. Most of our releases are from single casks bottled at their natural cask strength, although we do have smaller batch releases at 46%. Here are some we’ve done already, many more to follow soon!!!
 
Aberlour 16YO        Auchroisk 10yo       Bowmore 11yo      Cameronbridge 31yo
       1993 57.0%            1999 43.0%             1998 56.2%             1978 56.0%

Caol Ila 25yo       Cragganmore 12yo     Glen Grant 37yo      Glenlivet 22yo
       1984 43.1%             1997 43.0%              1972 55.0%            1987 55.4%

Glenlivet 40YO      Glenrothes 41YO        Imperial 11yo        Laphroaig 12yo
       1970 46.6%            1968 40.0%               1998 46%               1997 46%

Macallan 16yo          Macallan 17yo        Macallan 18yo        Springbank 16yo
       1993 40.0%             1992 40.0%            1991 40.0%             1993 56.4%

To all of our customers from Sweden, our Swedish shop is now up and running! All prices are quoted in Kronor

Contact Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
phone: 0845 6066145
email: info@singlemaltsdirect.com
web: www.singlemaltsdirect.com
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Dear Customer,

For our September releases we are pleased to bring to your attention seven (7) new bottlings under the OLD MALT CASK label.

The Tasting Notes for OLD MALT CASK follow:

OMC 1893 Bruichladdich 16 Year Old
Nose: Sweetly spiced – softly salted – somewhat sweet.
Palate: More distinctly spiced, gristy – now barley sugared.
Finish: Mellow, warming, with honey + a spicy quality. (F)

OMC 1892 Fettercairn 19 Year Old
Nose: Clean and fresh – sweet hairdressing style + toffee & vanilla
Palate: Gristy sweet, now with a herbal tea quality – chamomile & bergamot
Finish: Short yet pleasant, still fresh with a subtle and sweet character (J)

OMC 1891 Balblair 20 Year Old
Nose: Darkly spiced/softly oaked – gingery + late grist + honey.
Palate: Mouthtingling-ly spiced – peppery and fruity + barley
Finish: Butterscotched – still gristy – still spiced + a soft fade. (F)

OMC 1894 Port Ellen 27 Year Old
Nose: Lightly spiced fruit+ a really sweet phenolic/tarry quality.
Palate: Dry, initially – eases into peat then to soft chewed leather.
Finish: Smoky, oaky, tarry and still very peated. (F)

OMC 1897 Highland Park 27 Year Old
Nose: Opens sweet & spicy with leather+ eucalyptus + old sweetshop style
Palate: Round – balanced oak and spices + a peppery character, now drier
Finish: Long, with toffee & spices, then runs long and dry (J)

OMC 1900 Aultmore 36 Year Old
Nose: Opens fresh, citrusy and sweet, develops to a toffee and ginger style
Palate: Big on the spice character, rich & still sweet + mouth coating caramel
Finish: Long, with lingering spices + eucalyptus + late liquorice + an oak tang (J)

OMC 1915 Glenallachie 38 Year Old
Nose: Fresh & fragrant with a sweet fruit & honey +malt character
Palate: Complex sweet & spicy quality runs to a pleasant oak style
Finish: Still fresh – now runs with a lightly smoked character (J)

We hope you will appreciate this new selection of young(ish), middle aged, and older Malts, from OMC – certainly we have enjoyed making that selection.

All best wishes
Fred Laing

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

SINGLE MALT IS A WORLDWIDE DRINK

Friday, September 10, 5:00-8:00pm

It’s now no secret that distilleries from all over the planet can produce world class malt whisky. CocktailTimes.com publisher, author and whisky expert Yuri Kato will be demonstrating that featuring excellent bottlings from Suntory’s Yamazaki distillery in Japan. Her book, Japanese Cocktails, will also be available for purchase.

Call 312-768-4400 or email southloop@binnys.com for reservations.
Chicago – South Loop
1132 S. Jefferson Street | Chicago | 312-768-4400

Grant’s 25 Year Old Whisky

An historic launch celebrating an epic voyage

On 9th April 2010, a round trip from London aboard the Venice Simplon Orient Express helped us launch Grant’s 25 Year Old and tell the story of Charles Gordon’s voyage of 100 years ago.

That’s when Charles embarked on a year-long trip to introduce Grant’s whisky to the world. With a hold full of samples, he sailed to places like Lahore, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Sydney. When he arrived back home, the hold was empty but the order book was full.

The 25 Year Old blend was created by Master Blender, Brian Kinsman and Peter Gordon our Chairman (and great, great grandson to our founder, William Grant). It celebrates Charles Gordon’s journey as well as the following generations of the Grant family who have made their own unique contribution to the success of our whisky.

Where to buy

Grant’s 25 Year Old is now available exclusively at the world’s finest airport specialty retail shops in major cities including London, Paris, Rome, Prague, Frankfurt, Riga, Vilnius, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tel Aviv, Johannesburg and Durban.

What’s the taste?

Here are the official nosing and tasting notes from Brian Kinsman, our Master Blender.

Nose: Deftly balanced notes of fragrant summer peach blossom and polished leather.

Taste: Cinnamon and a touch of ginger bite along with fresh and mellow sweetness.

Finish: Rich spices that linger enthrallingly on the tongue

Visit Grant’s Whisky at www.grantswhisky.com

Sip Smoke Savor Launches a New Contest/Giveaway Feature to their Website

San Diego, California, September 2010 – SipSmokeSavor.com announced today that they are adding a new contest/giveaway feature to their website.  Frequent prizes will be available through random drawings and simple contests for awards such as gift certificates, tickets to tasting events, books, CDs and of course scotch, cigar and chocolate related items. Win a $100 Gift Certificate to The Whisky Shop USA, a pair of engraved Glencairn glasses or a pair of tickets to The Gourmet Experience Expo in their introductory giveaways. For instructions on how to enter, visit www.SipSmokeSavor.com and click on the CONTEST tab.  Check back frequently as many new sweepstakes are already planned.

Any company interested in sponsoring a contest is invited to contact Marcia@SipSmokeSavor.com.

Talisker Meets Borough Market in the Tasting of the Century! (so far). Monday 13th September, 7:00pm 

We have the pleasure of the ever irrepressible Colin Dunn, Ambassador for Diageo’s “posh brands” department, who will be taking us through some very fine Talisker Single Malt. Instead of just tasting the whiskies alone however, we would like to showcase the versatility of Talisker by pairing the various expressions with different foods, all of which are available right from our doorstep in Borough Market.

To get your taste buds rolling, Ester Cuesta from Roast has come up with a fabulous cocktail using the Talisker 10yo among other things.

After this we will be matching other expressions with magnificent things such as West Coast Oysters from the Wright Brothers, Peat-Smoked Scallops from the Hebridean Smoke-house, cheese from Neal’s Yard Dairy, and a fantastic finale with Chocolate from the recently opened Rabot Estate. Along with the matching we will also have a couple of real stars of the Talisker stable to be tasted on their own.

Now fear not, dear whisky fans – we know that whisky can be tricky to match with food, and so we have been sure to do a lot of in-depth research to make sure that our palates will be caressed gently and well. A hard job, we’re sure you’ll agree, but one we felt we must do on your behalf.

Due to the extraordinarily complex and luxurious nature of this event, tickets will be slightly more at £40 per person, but what with the whisky and the produce, this is still a real bargain, and as such we expect places to go extremely quickly indeed.

Tickets will go on sale 3:00pm, Monday 6th September and are, as always, limited to 2 tickets per booking.

The Whisky Show 2010  on the 29th / 30th October for both of which tickets are now on sale.

Following on from last year’s groundbreaking sessions, there are some truly sensational Masterclasses at The Whisky Show again this year. Tickets for the Dalmore and Clynelish tastings sold out almost immediately, but there are still a few places available for the Sherried Glenmorangie tasting with Annabel Meikle, and the remarkable Tour of Islay tasting (featuring Ardbeg ’77 and Laphroaig 30 amongst other gems).
 
In addition, the final Masterclass has just been announced for the Friday evening – a Diageo Manager’s Choice session, featuring Clynelish, Talisker, Lagavulin and more. Click here http://tinyurl.com/WS2010MC to buy tickets for The Whisky Show Masterclasses – but don’t forget that if you want to attend any of these tastings, you’ll need a ticket for the Show itself, available from here http://tinyurl.com/WS2010ST.

Loch Fyne Whiskies News has stocked 3 new bottlings by Fettercairn 24yo, 30yo & 40yo

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

Fettercairn OB 24yo 44.4%alc.

Limited to 6000 bottles presented in luxurious laquered livery.

Official Tasting Note:

Colour – Deep mahogany gold with amber copper highlights.

Nose – Warm and inviting. Sweet juicy grape pulp, crushed apples and soft pear with subtle hints of cinnamon. This pleasurable experience is quickly followed by oatcakes, freshly baked bread and creamy caramel, with nuances of lemon grass, pineapple and sensual jasmine.

Taste – Firm and positive. Elegant and distinguished. The warmth of American White oak has nurtured this Highland classic single malt and moulded its noble character to perfection. Luscious soft fruits of apple, pear and Cape gooseberries linger long on the palate before the next wave of ecstasy follows on. Nutmeg, peaches and spice brings this fanfare of flavours to a pleasing finish.

Price excluding VAT: £102.13
£120.00 Including VAT at 17.5%

Fettercairn OB 30yo 43.3%alc.

Limited to 3000 bottles presented in luxurious laquered livery.

Official Tasting Note:

Colour – Warm honey gold with shimmering sandy highlights

Nose – Rich and pleasing. Marmalade, ground coffee with whispers of crushed almonds, marzipan and spice open the initial bouquet of complex aromas. Matured for 30 long years in the finest wood, you can easily taste the influence of our Spanish Oloroso sherry butts.

Taste – A treasure chest of flavours gently unfolds on the palate and exposes its many hidden secrets. Warm, sensual and inviting. Citrus fruits, sweet mango and wild berries tease the tongue with their tantalising flavours. Enjoy subtle hints of freshly cut pineapple, tangy grapefruit and cranberries. This fruit bowl of abundance truly rewards the palate providing it with a long lasting memorable after taste. As the saying goes ‘ all good things come to those who are prepared to wait.’

Price excluding VAT: £163.40
£191.99 Including VAT at 17.5

Fettercairn OB 40yo 40%alc.

Limited to 463 bottles signed by Distillery Manager Dave Doig presented in luxurious laquered livery.

Official Tasting Note:

Colour – Dark & mysterious. Intense mahogany and cherry wood.

Nose – Bold, powerful and majestic yet smooth and seductive. For 40 long years the staves of our Apostoles Sherry Butts from the noble Sherry House of Gonzalez Byass in Spain have bound and nurtured this pure liquid gold. This malt offers thick chunky orange rind, cinnamon and spice, coupled with further pleasing aromas of crushed almonds, ginger and bitter chocolate.

Taste – Sip and savour this old master and give it time – never hurry it. Only by holding it long in the mouth will it start to reveal its true identity – its very soul. To enjoy a piece of history, take a generous mouthful and allow this silky nectar to drift over your tongue. Chocolate soufflé, Seville oranges, hints of crème brulee and marzipan richly reward your palate. Then enjoy a final barrage of caramelised raisins with hazelnuts followed by soft liquorice, bringing this symphony of unsurpassed satisfaction to a memorable end.

Price excluding VAT: £612.77
£720.00 Including VAT at 17.5%

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at www.lfw.co.uk

Yoichi 1989 Vintage (55%)
 
Distiller’s notes: Single Malt Yoichi 1989 is made from four different types of malt whiskies, distilled at Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery in 1989. Re-charred cask, new cask and sherry butt are used for maturation. Light and heavy peated malt whiskies filled in re-charred casks add character to this single malt.

We say “a say a bit of everything in this one!” Only 240 bottles released for Europe and available to order from www.TheWhiskyBarrel.com

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Taiwan stages the biggest two day whisky festival in the world

The city of Taipei has just staged the best attended whisky festival in the world, confirming that Scotch whisky is by far the most popular premium spirit sold in Taiwan.

Whisky Live & Fine Spirits Taipei, held on August 28 and 29, at Taipei World Trade Centre, saw 12,400 people, passionate to learn more about the water of life, came through the door. Sixty Scotch whisky brands were showcased offering consumers a range of over 300 styles of whisky to taste. The festival included its trademark whisky tastings, master classes and live entertainment.

Asked why the East Asian island would have such an affinity with whisky, importing £85.1 million worth of Scotch last year, Stephen Notman, show director, said: “I think it’s about whisky’s perceived status as a luxury product and people’s desire to discover the fascinating world of single malts.

“The Taiwan Single Malt market emerged approximately 10 years ago when it was comparatively unknown. Brands like Macallan set this market up and from there it’s gone from strength to strength” said Notman.

“The taste profile of Malt has certainly caught the imagination of the Taiwanese people. It was fantastic to see so many young Malt drinkers at the festival, and also women, something you would rarely see in established Western markets. The genuine passion, enthusiasm and appreciation reverberated around the festival,” Notman added.

It is only the second year the event has been held in Taipei. Taiwan is the 10th largest export market for Scotch whisky by value, worth about £102 million in 2009.

Exhibitors heaped praise on the event.

David Pattison, Marketing Director for Asia from Morrison Bowmore, said: “This is arguably the most exciting and dynamic market in the world with a festival of stature to match. It was great to see whisky being seen as fun and enjoyable by so many young people.”

Dr Bill Lumsden, Master Distiller of Glenmorangie, said: “The show has been outrageously successful- we went like a train.”

Ronnie Cox: Global Brand Ambassador for Berry Brothers & Rudd added “The Taipei event was undoubtedly the greatest international Whisky Live and indeed whisky event that I have ever experienced. It overflowed with boundless energy, innovative dynamism and the attendees with joyful exuberance. That it should have had a world record record number of attendees, surprised me not in the least ~a  real credit to the magnetism of Scotch

Notes:

-Taiwan’s rapid growth during the latter half of the 20th century, has been called the Taiwan Miracle. As Taiwan developed alongside Singapore, South Korea, and Hong Kong, they are collectively known as the Four Asian Tigers. It is categorized as an advanced economy by the International Monetary Fund.

-Whisky Live is the world’s premier whisky tasting and sampling show, taking place in 15 countries worldwide, from London to Tokyo, Shanghai to New York. In 2010 it celebrates its 10th anniversary.
-Kuala Lumpur Whisky & Fine Spirits will be held on October 30 at the Hilton Kuala Lumpur.

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