Archive for February, 2011

Kilchoman Winter 2010 Release Now Available in the USA – Scotch Whisky News

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The Kilchoman Winter 2010 Release has just become available in the U.S.
 
This expression was matured in a first fill bourbon barrel from Buffalo Trace, Kentucky.  It is bottled at 46% unchillfiltered, natural color. 
 
Please, submit your request for samples via e-mail to:  office@impexbev.com

HIGHLAND PARK SCOTCH SEMINAR at Binny’s Chicago – Scotch Whisky News

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HIGHLAND PARK SCOTCH SEMINAR

Friday, February 11, 6:30-8:30pm

Stephanie Ridgway, Brand Ambassador for Highland Park Scotch, will lead this fun and informative sit down seminar. As well as learning about scotch and Highland Park in particular, taste the HP 12, 15, 18 and 25 year bottlings. Space is extremely limited and reservations are required. $10 W/Binny’s Card / $15 non-members.
Call 847-831-5400 or email highlandpark@binnys.com for reservations.

Highland Park Store

153 Skokie Valley Highway | Highland Park | 847-831-5400

DEFENDING CHAMPION MARCUS FRASER LEAVES AN IMPRESSION ON 2011 CHAMPIONSHIP BLEND – Scotch Whisky News

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DEFENDING CHAMPION MARCUS FRASER LEAVES AN IMPRESSION ON 2011 CHAMPIONSHIP BLEND

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Ballantine’s, the No 1 ultra-premium whisky in Asia Pacific, has brought together Master Blender Sandy Hyslop and the 2010 Ballantine’s Championship winner Marcus Fraser, to create the 2011 Championship Blend.

The blend is a priceless limited edition of only 10 bottles made from rare and precious whiskies aged for at least 38 years.  Of these rare bottles, one will be presented to the winner of the 2011 Ballantine’s Championship and another will be auctioned during the tournament with all proceeds being donated to charitable causes.

The creation of an exclusive blend has become an annual tradition ahead of the €2.2 million Ballantine’s Championship golf tournament which this year will take place at the prestigious Blackstone Golf Club in Icheon, Korea from 28th April to 1st May 2011.

The event is set to be an exciting tournament with an all-star quartet of golfing greats contending for the title, including world No 1 Lee Westwood, South African superstar Ernie Els, world No 10 Ian Poulter and Asia’s first major winner, YE Yang.

Peter Moore, Ballantine’s Global Brand Director, is delighted that such a distinct tradition has been established: “We are excited to once again be unveiling an exceptionally rare and exclusive blend for the Ballantine’s Championship. Marcus was triumphant last year, demonstrating real flair in his efforts, and has extended this sense of style to whisky blending too. We wish Marcus every success in April, when he returns to South Korea to defend his Ballantine’s Championship title.”

Master Blender Hyslop personally guided Fraser through the delicate blending process, and he is delighted with the final result of this unique collaboration adding: “The 2011 Ballantine’s Championship Blend is completely bespoke and it is absolutely first class. On no account could a whisky of this quality be produced on a commercial scale, because the whiskies we have blended are so precious and rare.”

Fraser is only the second person outside Ballantine’s expert blending team to influence a Ballantine’s blend, with Northern Irish golfer and current US Open champion Graeme McDowell having been granted the same privilege as winner of the inaugural Ballantine’s Championship in 2008.

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Notes

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Very rich and fruity with notes of ripe peaches in sweet syrup and traditional pear drop boiled sweets. There is also a wonderful background flavour of butterscotch, honeycomb candy and vanilla

Taste: Fruity, incredibly sweet and satin smooth. Rich honey flavours intermingled with sweet orange and a hint of liquorice tang

Finish: Unbelievably long, sweet and juicy

Islay.com for sale – Scotch Whisky News

MEDIA INFORMATION
For Immediate Release: 31st January 2011.

• Islay for sale!
• Iconic web domain name to be auctioned.

The owner of the iconic domain name Islay.com has announced its auction over the internet.

German IT entrepreneur Dr Clemens Dillmann has previously operated the site for whisky enthusiasts but has withdrawn his interests in the whisky market and will offer the site to a new owner. 

The domain name – www.islay.com – will be auctioned on eBay (item number 190497112612) with the auction scheduled to finish at 16.05 hrs on Thursday 10th February.

It is expected that www.islay.com will be of interest to the island’s many distillers, as well as tourist authorities, community groups or even a B&B operator.  “As I have no plans to continue in this market,” explained Dr Dillmann “it seemed best that the domain should go to a new owner and an internet auction seems the fairest way to find the right buyer.”

Bidding started at £0.99 and concludes at 16.05 hrs on Thursday 10th February.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact:           Dr. Clemens Dillmann
mf Medienservice, Bollmannallee 17, D 27318 Hoya, Germany.
Tel:                  +49 (0)4251 92440.
Email:                    clemens.dillmann@mfmedienservice.de

 

GLENMORANGIE LAUNCHES FINEALTA at Binny’s Chicago – Scotch Whisky News

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GLENMORANGIE LAUNCHES FINEALTA

Monday, February 7, 6:00-8:00pm

Following on their successes with the Astar and Sonnalta releases, Glenmorangie is ready to unveil their newest offering, the lightly peated Finealta. Global Brand Ambassador David Blackmore will be answering questions and sampling Fineatla as well as Glenmorangie 18 year old and Astar.

Call (312)664-4394 for more information. Chicago – Lincoln Park Visit Binny’s at www.binnys.com

Visual For Giles

TEMPLETON RYE – “THE GOOD STUFF” At Binny’s Chicago – American Whiskey News

Chicago – Lincoln Park

TEMPLETON RYE – “THE GOOD STUFF”
Thursday, February 3, 6:30-8:30pm

Learn the history and folklore behind one of the hottest whiskey releases since Prohibition, Templeton Rye, from Distillery President Scott Bush and 3rd generation Master Distiller Keith Kerkhoff. Templeton has been legally produced since 2006. But it’s legendary status as Al Capone’s favorite whiskey starts the story of it’s early production during Prohibition in the 1920’s. We will sample “the Good Stuff”, made from the original recipe, plus a surprise, and each attendee will have an opportunity to purchase a bottle autographed by Scott and Keith. $25 W/Binny’s Card / $35 non-members. Seating is limited and paid reservations are required.

A LINCOLN PARK TASTING ROOM EVENT! 
Call (312)664-4394 for more information.

Single Malts Direct – New Whiskies – Scotch Whisky News

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New whiskies from Duncan Taylor & Co

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Rare Auld Single Malt and Single Grain

The critically acclaimed and award winning Rare Auld collection represents Single Malt and Single Grain Scotch whiskies of outstanding quality from Scotland’s prime whisky producing regions – Speyside, Islay, Highland, Island, Lowland and Campbeltown.

The majority of casks within this range are over 30 years old. They include a variety of cask types including Sherry, Port, American Oak Bourbon and wine.

The bottles come in gift boxes which are colour coded according to the region of origin (Speyside: green, Islay: navy blue, Highland: purple, Island: light blue, Campbeltown: brown, Lowland: red and Grain: maroon) with a special wooden gift box option also available.

The whiskies are bottled as single casks at cask strength with no chillfiltration or colouring. Each bottle of this collection is individually identified with information detailing the distillery and region or origin, distillation date, cask number, cask strength, date bottled and individual bottle number from the limited number available in each cask.

Each hand-selected cask is matured at the original distillery to allow it to age in the environment in which it was distilled. A cask is only bottled when it reaches its optimum age and quality.

Aultmore 1989 21 year old £70.00                                    
Glenburgie 1988 22 year old £70.00      
Glen Grant 1991 19 year old  £59.99
Glen Grant 1974 34 year old £121.00        
Port Dundas 1973 37 year old £79.00                       
Tamnavulin 1989 21 year old £79.99

New whiskies from Douglas Laing & Co

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The Old Malt Cask Range
 
This intriguing range emerged in 1998 with a caveat that the single cask bottlings would only be available in limited numbers. But the initial 50 – to commemorate the company’s 50th anniversary – was gradually passed and today we can regularly offer over a hundred superb Malts to the connoisseur or anyone else with good taste for that matter.

In our book, colouring is wicked (in its original meaning) and chill filtration techniques make us shiver at the thought. Without apology, The OLD MALT CASK offerings are not chill filtered, leaving in each bottle all the oils, fats and enzymes that combine to give the quality of the nose, palate, mouth-feel and finish.

A preferred strength of 50% alc/vol (referred to as the Golden Strength by old die hards) is maintained as we wholeheartedly believe this strength creates a fine, round, full quality for various Malts when taken “neat.” And lately, because we’re small and perfectly formed, we’ve added 20 cls “sample bottles” to the selection. These limited edition 20cl gems replicate those “pulled” by the distillery warehouseman for dispatch to the blenders for quality control purposes.

Ardbeg 18 year old £130.00
Dalmore 20 year old £71.99
Rosebank 20 year old £89.99

Visit Single Malts Direct at www.singlemaltsdirect.com

Glengoyne Awarded Ultra Premium Dram of 2010 – Scotch Whisky News

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Glengoyne Awarded Ultra Premium Dram of 2010

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Edinburgh: Connoisseurs from one of the UK’s largest and most prestigious whisky events, The Whisky Show, have named Glengoyne 40 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky as the Ultra Premium Dram of 2010.

Competing against over 20 luxury whiskies currently available in the global marketplace retailing from a minimum of £300, Glengoyne 40 Years Old was selected as the pinnacle dram that best captured the distiller’s art.

A combined vote from visitor sampling and nomination for their preferred Ultra Premium whisky and a final tasting by Event Director Graeme Wallace and The Whisky Exchange proprietor Sukhinder Singh, Glengoyne was declared the ultimate winner of the ultimate whisky award. Praised for its “sweet, complex” and “oily texture”, it was noted that this Single Malt had remained “superbly balanced” and velvety smooth, without being overpowered by its 40 years of contact with the cask. 

Graeme Wallace, Event Director commented:  “To evaluate and settle on which expression was the best of the very best is always going to be extremely hard, with every Ultra Premium Dram being of the highest magnitude, reflecting the finest whisky available today.”

“For a whisky to top this category and win the Ultra Premium Dram Award is no easy achievement and should in no way reflect negatively on the runners up. It was a very close call but Glengoyne 40 Years Old was a very worthy winner.”

Iain Weir, Marketing Director for Ian Macleod Distillers commented: “We are thrilled with this result.  It is testament to the Glengoyne team’s craftsmanship and skill that the 40 Years Old has succeeded in winning this very prestigious title against such a high calibre of entrants.

“The 40 Years Old Single Malt captures the pure essence of Glengoyne and its exceptional, un-peated ‘Real Taste of Malt’. It is a joy to open the highest quality sherry casks after four decades and find such great balance between malt and Still. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

Owned by the Scottish, independent, family owned company Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd, Glengoyne distillery has been producing whisky from the heart of the Trossachs for over 175 years. With a highly selective cask policy, Glengoyne is also distilled slower than any other single malt Scotch whisky. Using air-dried malted barley, rather than pungent peat smoke, the distillery nurses the spirit through its stills at around one-third of the normal rate. This creates a more subtle, complex whisky in which all of the delicate flavours are freely allowed to express themselves.

Only 250 bottles of the limited edition Glengoyne 40 Years Old have been produced, retailing domestically for £3,750, this luxury whisky is presented in a hand-blown bespoke crystal decanter and stitched leather and solid oak presentation box of the highest quality.

Glengoyne 40 Years Old has been described by Michel Roux Jnr, as “simply sensational”, with the two star Michelin chef commenting on the “complexity in the flavours that linger in the mouth. There’s a strong richness in both the colour and in the flavours. It has a long, dry finish.”

The Whisky Show is an annual premium consumer whisky tasting even that takes place in London at the end of October. For more details visit www.thewhiskyshow.com

For further details on stockists and distribution details for Glengoyne, contact Alan Wardrop, UK Sales Manager, Ian Macleod Distillers, 01506 852205.

Only the slowest distillation process, untainted by peat smoke, creates Glengoyne THE REAL TASTE OF MALT

Glengoyne encourages responsible drinking

www.drinkaware.co.uk   www.scotch-whisky.org.uk

 

Master of Malt: Limited Edition Malts from 2010 – Scotch Whisky News

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Dear Customer,

Last year was a great one for whisky lovers, because loads of instant classics were launched. Kilchoman, Islay’s newest distillery (founded in 2005) released an absolutely cracking all-bourbon matured single malt last Winter; Highland Park gave us the next instalment in their trio of whiskies dedicated to the history of Orkney; and independent whisky maker Ichiro Akuto has added some stonking additions to his range.

For a limited time only, we’re offering you 4 limited editions gems with great discounts…

Cheers!

The Chaps at Master of Malt

Highland Park Saint Magnus

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Part 2 in the ultra collectible new trio from Highland Park celebrating Orkney’s history. This limited release was bottled at 12 years of age.

Was £86.95
Now £81.95

Kilchoman Winter 2010

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The 5th official release from Islay’s youngest and smallest distillery. This was aged for three years in bourbon barrels.

Was £45.95
Now £42.95

Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries

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Made by vatting whisky from Hanyu and Chichibu (two legendary distilleries) before a marriage in Japanese oak…

Was £81.95

Now £77.95

Ichiro’s Mizunara Wood Reserve

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Aged exclusively in Japanese Mizunara oak, this is incredible and offers oodles of character – a highlight of the year…

Was £81.95
Now £76.95

Visit Master of Malt at www.masterofmalt.com

Scotch Malt Whisky Society February Outturn Preview – Scotch Whisky News

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February Previews: 53.146 & 36.51 for £90 (save £17.70) With February First Friday just round the corner, we’ve release two preview bottles to whet the appetite (along with a rather juicy offer)…

53.146 A saline gargle with peanuts
Islay
£59.20 inc free p&p
All peanuts to start with – peanut butter, dry roasted, peanut brittle – unusual for this make, although it fades into the more familiar smoked cheese, with carbolic soap advancing steadily

36.51 In the sweetie shop
Speyside Spey
£48.50 inc free p&p
This ‘dumb blond’ of a malt – attractively simple – took us straight to a sweetie shop: hard, boiled fruit sweets dusted with icing sugar, lemon drops and acid drops, Lockets introducing a mentholated, herbal note

Buy 53.146 & 36.51 for £90
(save £17.70)                                                                                    
         
Society Tastings & Events (47 Society tastings online)

Whisky Galore with Keith Hewitt – The Vaults, Thu 3 Feb
New Outturn Open Tasting – London, Sat 5 Feb
New Outturn & Sunday Roast Tasting – The Vaults, Sun 6 Feb
New Outturn Open Tasting – London, Mon 7 Feb
New Members’ Tasting – Queen Street, Tue 8 Feb
Whisky Quiz – London, Tue 8 Feb
Penderyn Tasting – The Vaults, Fri 11 Feb
6 Nations Wales V Scotland Lunch – The Vaults, Sat 12 Feb
Valentines’ Champagne & Whisky Tasting – Queen Street, Mon 14
Dining Room Valentine Dinner – Queen Street, Mon 14 Feb

Share your adventure with a friend

“Friends are the chocolate chips in the cookie of life”

Recommend a friend to the Society – we’ll reward you a £15 e-voucher for every friend that joins.  You can use your e-voucher online against any of our whisky, tasting tickets or even your membership renewal. 

There’s no limited to the number of friends you can recommend so spread the word and start saving!

http://www.smws.co.uk/your-society-adventure/share-adventure?afc=PromoteIT_367266
 
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society,
The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929


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