Springbank Society Newsletter February 2011

Greetings Society Members from a very cold, windy Campbeltown.   Mother nature is playing tricks on us – the day can start off very sunny and mild then just when you are thinking ‘this is nice, we must be heading for Spring’ down comes the rain and the wind is nearly blowing your head off!

Never mind, we have lots of things to look forward to this year.   We’ll start with the new releases but we’ll keep the new Society Bottle until nearer the end so that you have to read all of this first.   No cheating and scrolling through to the end or you might miss something important.

The first week in March will see the Hazelburn Sauterne in the shops, then in June we will have a Longrow 18y/o and in September another Hazelburn 12y/o.   I can take advance orders for any or all of these releases, just let me have a wee e mail and I’ll make sure that as soon as it’s available it can be sent out to you

We still have the problem with the Customs & Excise for the EU.   I have been able to send out to France, Sweden and Germany, with customers paying the Excise duty in their own country and sending me the receipt so that orders can be dispatched.   The Netherlands and Finland have advised me that we cannot follow this procedure for these countries, so up till now people in the Netherlands and Finland have to have an address in the UK where I can send whisky.   I am trying to find a way round this problem, but it seems there is no easy answer.

Countries outwith the EU do not pose a problem as far as Customs & Excise are concerned.

Springbank Open Day

Thursday 19th May is the date for this year’s open day.   We will have two single casks to bottle on the day, I will get more information on the casks very soon.   We will of course have Masterclasses with Frank, Gavin and Peter.   The cost this year for the Masterclasses will be £15 and will include a glass.

Tastings in the Warehouse will also be part of the open day, at a cost of £5 which will include a discount voucher for Cadenhead Whisky Shop.

At set times throughout the day there will be free distillery tours for people who do not wish to participate in the Masterclasses.

Grant is again hosting a Cadenhead Tasting in the Tasting Room in the afternoon.   The cost of tickets will be £20 and places will be limited.

We will also have food from Auntie Mo, Food from Argyll, Seafood from McMillan Smokehouse.   A bar will be provided by Fyne Ales who will be joining us for the first time with some of their fine ales (of course).

John Brown will be there with his wood carvings – some nice new creations this year from John.   The Blacksmith’s Shop is setting up a stall to show off some of their metal art work  and hopefully they will also bring along a wood burning stove that we can gather round if it’s cold.   Various other craft stalls will also be there.

Gavin’s team will be preparing some half casks for sale as garden tubs, they also have some cask ends – do you fancy having your date of birth stencilled on one of these?

Music will be provided by local artistes.

We thought that this year we would have a BBQ and a tiny wee bonfire at about 6.30 pm, with maybe a Spooks tour round the warehouses.   I know it will not be dark but we won’t put the lights on so that you get really frightened.   I believe there are lots of spiders in the warehouses away at the back in the dark bits so I won’t be going in there!!!

Fyne Ales have agreed to stay with us for the BBQ at night and hopefully we will have some music too – maybe a piper in the warehouse to add to the atmosphere.   If you’re lucky you might even see some of the angels.

If you would like to book Masterclasses or the Cadenhead Tasting, let me know.

Society Golf Competition

We have teamed up with Machrihanish Dunes Golf Course to host a Society Golf Competition, to take place on Friday 20th May – a perfect follow up to our Open Day.   We intend making this an annual event if it proves popular.   Machrihanish Dunes have put together a very attractive package for Society Members as you will see in the attached flyer.   If you are interested in taking part in this event and in taking advantage of the special B & B rates offered by them,  details of how to book are also in the flyer.

Society Bottle

The chosen one is sitting in the warehouse, waiting patiently for labels so that it can be bottled.   Now the waiting is almost over, after 11 long years it’s just about ready for you to enjoy.

The barley used for this whisky is from Machrimore Farm in Southend, the barley type is Prisma, the strength is 57.9% ABV and the wood type is  a recharred sherry butt, the type of whisky is Springbank. 

So there you have it Springbank Local Barley, 11 years old, 57.9% ABV from a recharred sherry butt.   You lucky, lucky people.   I did tell you we would have something special for you this time!!!

As usual we have kept the price very low for our Society Members, so you are getting something very special for a very special low price of £70.00 plus postage and packing.

I would remind you of the difficulties with Customs & Excise as mentioned at the beginning of the newsletter, and hope that you can find a way to overcome the problems.

The only other Society Bottle we have at the present time is the Springbank 14y/o from last year, cost £45 plus postage and packing.

Hip Flasks

At last we have a hip flask to look at and decide whether or not it is what we are looking for.   The intention is to have it engraved with the Springbank logo rather than the Society logo so that we can appeal to a wider market, and keep the cost down, of course.  

News from the distillery:

The Springbank boiler is now back in full working order after having a complete overhaul and production for Springbank spirit is in now in full swing and willcontinue until the end of March . During April we will be malting and from early May through to mid July will be malting , mashing and distilling  which will keep the whisky school pupils busy.

Frank has told me in confidence that the boiler is almost as old as him, hence the complete overhaul.   I have promised that I would not tell anyone this, but I know you won’t tell anyone else.

Whisky School

The whisky school is starting on 16 May this year and will have eight terms of one week each.   There is only one place left for this year, week beginning 4 July, so a very busy time ahead for everyone involved in the Whisky School.   Frank and Gavin are discussing the possibility of having another few terms of the Whisky School in the autumn of this year.   If this comes to fruition I will certainly let you know.

Well that’s about it for now, plenty to think about, and remember if you would like to order anything that’s coming out let me know and I will make sure that your bottles are set aside for you.

Roll on Spring,  we have a case of the SAD’s and need some sunshine to make us feel a bit more lively.

We’ll maybe have another wee competition soon to cheer us all up.   Thinking caps on!!!

As usual, if you have anything you would like to comment on please feel free to do so, it’s your Society and your Newsletter.  

Slainte

Janet
for Springbank Society

Contact Janet via society@springbankwhisky.com  for your chance to join the Springbank Society