BENRIACH AND GLENDRONACH LAUNCH UK EXCLUSIVE SINGLE CASK BOTTLINGS

THE BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd. is delighted today (October 10) to announce UK EXCLUSIVE bottlings from two single casks – one from BenRiach and the other from its sister distillery at GlenDronach.

These limited release 1995 expressions, both bottled in August this year, were both matured in Pedro Ximinez sherry puncheons. These were originally used to store the characteristically sweet, full-bodied Spanish sherry that confers its distinctively rich and complex characteristics on the whisky.

The result in both cases is fruit-laden heaven!

First, the GlenDronach. From cask 4681, distilled in November 1995, this is a 15-year-old single malt bottled at cask strength – 56.2% vol.

Its striking appearance is cherry-wood and russet mahogany. On the nose, there is chocolate orange and stewed plum while the palate delivers chocolate, toffee, spiced fruits, figs, raisins and dates.

The cask out-turned 725 bottles, each of which is individually numbered.

Complementing this monster GlenDronach is an equally substantial offering from BenRiach. From cask 7164 distilled in May 1995, this is aged 16-years-old and bottled at a cask strength of 58.3% vol.

Its appearance is bright amber with a late autumnal glow. On the nose, bananas, citrus fruits and oregano while the palate brings melons, bananas and lychee.

The out-turn on the BenRiach was marginally smaller, at 695 bottles. Again, each bottle is hand-numbered.

Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “GlenDronach and BenRiach are both renowned for their idiosyncratic single cask bottlings, and we release a number of these each year. They have proven to be very popular, but with our ‘batch’ single cask releases being divided amongst all of our export markets as well as the UK, allocations can be quite tight. For that reason, we decided to select a couple of casks just for the UK to give our home-based retail clients the chance to get their hands on a reasonable quantity of each bottling.”

Both expressions are pictured.

Hello Fellow Scotch Lovers –

This weeks’ email is about another rare whisky (do I have to remind you about how fast these rare whiskies disappear?) bottled by one of Scotland’s great independent bottlers, and produced by one of Scotland’s last remaining Independent distilleries:

Douglas Laing & Co is a Glasgow based independent bottler which was established by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948, and today is in the hands of his sons Stewart and Fred. The company started seriously bottling single malt whiskies in 1998 to cater to the increasing interest in single malts. They have now released thousands of single malts and are considered one of the top independent bottlers in the industry offering an excellent portfolio of single malts which have been bottled in small batches or from single casks. They offer an very extensive portfolio of varying ages from 10 up to 45 years of age.

The Benriach distillery, located near Elgin in the ‘Lossie’ part of Speyside, was built in 1898 by John Duff, who had constructed the Longmorn distillery a year earlier. Unfortunately, financial problems forced him to sell both distilleries soon afterwards.

After remaining silent for more than half a century, Benriach was eventually sold again and rebuilt by new owners; The Glenlivet Distilleries Ltd. in 1965. Chivas bought Benriach in 2001, but closed the distillery again in 2002, almost immediately after they acquired it. Fortunately, Benriach was reopened again in 2004 by yet another new owner – Scotsman Billy Walker and two South African partners. They did a remarkable job and turned Benriach into one of the ‘hottest’ distilleries in Scotland today.

Douglas of Drumlanrig Benriach 18 YO Single Malt Whisky is one of those whiskies that you cannot find anywhere (go ahead and try…), and the lucky few that have a bottle hide it when friends come over…unless of course they’re good friends…very good friends.

Fortunately for us (and you) or man Nicky The Neck has “connections”, who have friends, who know a guy….who has friends. And so we are able to offer you insider access to Douglas of Drumlanrig Benriach 18 YO for $125 / bottle.

I hope you will take advantage of this exceptional opportunity, and do it it fast….because as always, once our limited supply is gone, its gone.

Until next Wednesday….

Doug Stone
Founder
www.ForScotchLovers.com

______________________________________________________________________

DOUGLAS OF DRUMLANRIG BENRIACH 18 YO SINGLE MALT WHISKY

___________________ TASTING NOTES – Courtesy of Paul Paccult’s Spirit Journal

Pale straw/9-carat gold/American chardonnay color; excellent purity. Lightly smoked and toasted grain aromas kick off the inhalation stage in fine form and there’s even a trace of saline, which is interesting since Benriach is an inland distillery; the smoky grain blows off after seven minutes in the glass, leaving in its wake a mineral/ cement/stone aroma that’s dry, though not as thought-provoking as the opening bouquet. Entry is grainy sweet, gentle, and rounded off at the edges by the oak influence; mid-palate is direct, no-nonsense, and composed within a sweet grainy bubble of taste that extends well into the finish. An underrated malt distillery whose time has come in the US – Spirit Journal December 2009: * * * * /Highly Recommended

www.ralfy.com takes a trip around the World with Whisky Review #224 – Recommended World Whiskies

Never has there been so much variety and choice.

Next stop for Balvenie:
Brandy Library

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Brand Ambassador Andrew Weir will make a stop at Brandy Library (and park the Morgan upfront…) this coming Tuesday, October 18th at 6:30 p.m., and you are invited to share a few drams with him! Hors d’oeuvres will be passed throughout the tasting.

As usual, RSVP is needed, and YOU WILL get a confirmation email; spots are limited, so do it quickly, and each RSVP is for 2 guests maximum.

info@brandylibrary.com

(From Royal Mile Whiskies…)

Office Job Opportunity
Office Administrator Position.

We are currently looking to recruit for a new administrative role at Royal Mile Whiskies Head Office in Edinburgh.

The role will initially be centred around Internet Sales customer service and assisting the Purchasing and Sales Director. Applicants should have a working knowledge of email and spreadsheets; managing filing systems; be well organised and have a clear understanding of what constitutes good and effective customer service. A basic knowledge of Whisky (or Spirits in general) would be useful. The position will be full time, starting in November (40 hours per week – Monday to Friday). Salary would be competitive and based on experience.

If you (or anyone you know) is interested in joining our administrative team, please forward your CV and covering letter to: stuart@royalmilewhiskies.com

(Closing date for applicants – 25/10/11)

Benromach Stockholm Award Sweep

Speyside’s smallest distillery, Benromach, has scooped a number of awards at one of the world’s largest beer and whisky festivals.

The distillery and two of its single malt Scotch whiskies – Benromach 2001, Cask Strength and Organic Special Edition, were given Gold Awards at the Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival 2011.

Now in its 20th anniversary year the festival has grown in reputation in the industry with over 1,300 different types of beer, whisky, cider and calvados being exhibited.

Commenting on the award Michael Urquhart, Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail, owners of Benromach, said:

“The international appeal of Benromach is continuing to grow. It’s exciting to see our range of whiskies and most recent new expressions like Benromach Cask Strength being honoured at respected events like these. As a boutique distillery we pride ourselves in hand distilling quality single malt whiskies.”

Matured in bourbon barrels, Benromach Cask Strength is a mouth warming and smooth single malt with hints of spice. Containing earthy influences it also has a delicate peaty edge and is bottled at 59.9% ABV.

Made using the finest Scottish organic barley, Benromach Organic Special Edition is dried using peat smoke to produce a fresh, vibrant single malt that is smooth and creamy with a strong oak influence and sweet vanilla notes.

Benromach single malt whiskies are available from whisky shops and fine wine and spirits retail specialists.

For more information about Benromach Distillery and the Benromach range of Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whiskies go to www.benromach.com.

Notes

Benromach distillery is Speyside’s smallest. Based in Forres, just two expert distillers make this, golden malt whisky.

Established in 1898, Benromach distillery changed hands many times and was virtually derelict when bought by family firm Gordon & MacPhail in 1993. Drawing on generations of whisky expertise, the company carried out a painstaking refurbishment and the distillery was officially re-opened by Prince Charles in 1998.

Other Benromach expressions include:

Benromach Ten Years Old

Benromach Ten Years Old is created from the finest Scottish barley and pure spring water from the nearby Romach hills. After being matured for at least ten years, it emerges golden in colour and displays rich fruit, sweet chocolate and delicate spicy aromas. With a rich sherry influence, the mouth-watering palate coats the senses with exotic fruit flavours, toasted malt and a delicate hint of smoke.

Benromach Traditional

A rich and mellow single malt with fruit and malty tones, balanced with a hint of smoke.

Benromach Peat Smoke

Full bodied, intense and challenging with a smoky character, yet balanced with the fruity elegance of Speyside.

Benromach Origins

A series of special bottlings crafted to highlight how small changes in the art of whisky-making can help to shape the character of the final single malt.

Please visit www.benromach.com for details.

The long awaited 2nd Edition of Machrie Moor will be released at the beginning of September and as usual, the first bottles will be available from our own web shop. Bottled only once a year, the 1st Edition sold out in record time last year and we have had many requests from people who missed it first time around. Click here to read the tasting notes for the 2nd Edition.

COMPASS BOX TASTING AND BLENDING SCHOOL – WEDNESDAY 23RD NOVEMBER 2011

John Glaser is the creative individual behind Compass Box whiskies. His skill as a craft-scale blender, and contacts that enable him to purchase individual casks of quality whisky, results in a fabulous range of vatted and blended whiskies that have garnered numerous awards and, perhaps more importantly, bring pleasure to a lot of people.

We are big fans of Compass Box whiskies and are delighted that John will be coming along on Wednesday 23rd November to present not only a tasting of the core range but also to give those present the opportunity to taste some of the different Single Malts and Single Grains that are the building blocks of Compass Box whiskies. He will use these to illustrate how he takes a main component whisky and then adds in a few, carefully selected others that both complement the core whisky and increase its complexity. John will also use these whiskies to explain the influence of the carefully thought out wood policy that considers factors such as type of wood, level of charring and how often a cask has been used.

Finally, having been shown how to blend whisky you then get the chance to have a go yourself! You will blending 10cl of your own whisky – a unique creation that you can then take away with you. Who knows, you may just find that you have a hidden talent for blending whisky and a whole new career awaits…

Stanton House

The tasting will be held at Stanton House Hotel, Stanton Fitzwarren (www.stantonhouse.co.uk), and will commence at 7.00 for 7.30pm. In addition to the tasting whiskies there will also be whiskies provided to create your own blend (that will be yours to keep/drink) and so for this tasting and blending school the ticket price is £20 per person. As usual, this also entitles you to a discount of £3 against a bottle of one of the featured whiskies if bought or ordered on the night of the tasting.

Because of the ‘hands on’ nature of the Blending School the numbers will be restricted to a maximum of 32 people, and tickets allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. There is sure to be a great demand for this very special event so it is best to book ASAP. To buy tickets just log on to www.whiskyandwines.com and place an order for the number you require, or telephone us on (01793) 765071, or call in and see us at Arkwrights, The Dormers, Highworth, Wiltshire.

Admission to the tasting is by ticket only, and most, if not all, of the whiskies tasted will be available to purchase on the night so come prepared.

This is going to be a whole new way of experiencing whisky and promises to be a very enjoyable evening. Come along and join us!

Slainte!
Fran and Ken
Arkwrights Whisky and Wines
www.whiskyandwines.com

SPIRIT OF SPEYSIDE WHISKY FESTIVAL IS A MECCA FOR WHISKY LOVERS WORLDWIDE

With a higher concentration of whisky distilleries than any other part of the world, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival continues to provide a major economic boost to the region, attracting a significant loyal audience and a large number who attended the celebrated Festival for the first time, according to a survey published today.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Market Research and Festival Evaluation 2011 report found that the five-day event, which ran from 28th April to 2nd May, attracted over 47,000 visits to its packed programme of whisky-themed events, generating £613,000 towards the Speyside economy and £722,000 towards Scotland as a whole.

Showcasing the very best of the area’s culture, history, landscape and people and with well over 200 events running throughout the five days, the festival has grown in importance over the past 12 years to become one of the leading whisky events in the world.

Almost half of this year’s Festival visitors were from overseas, with whisky afficionados travelling from as far afield as Israel, Columbia, New Zealand, Australia and Russia to sample the spirit of Speyside. Scandinavian visitors continue to represent the keenest Speyside whisky fans who enjoyed a exceptional choice of whisky based events and activities, ceilidhs, food tours and family friendly events with other connoisseurs from countries such as Germany, US, Netherlands, Canada, Italy and Japan.

Festival Chairman, Jim Royan said: “Year after year the Festival continues to attract visitors from around the globe, with many already having attended twice or even up to six times before. And encouragingly a large percentage of new visitors this year were experiencing the Festival for the first time. Hopefully they will find the Festival as compelling as our many loyal and regular visitors, and come back to join in the festivities with us time and time again.

“We certainly know they enjoyed themselves, because almost 100% of our visitors said they were “very happy” or “happy” with their Festival experience, enjoying the atmosphere, hospitality, friendliness, expert knowledge and, this year in particular, the weather!”

Popular events on this year’s Festival programme included the Whisky Awards Finals and the Opening Dinner, the many whisky dinners running throughout the Festival as well as the highly regarded and exclusive three-day Whisky School where enthusiasts learned about the science, art and folklore of the whisky industry at the historic Knockando distillery.

The Whisky and Food Tours, which were new for this year, are to be repeated again next year, introducing visitors to the rich culinary and agricultural heritage of the area.

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for EventScotland commented: “It is wonderful to see the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival continuing to attract large numbers of Scottish and overseas visitors to the event.

“The economic impact generated for the local area shows the importance of events in Scotland and its continued success shows the appetite for Scottish produce, culture and heritage in an iconic setting.”

Notes:

– The Market Research and Festival Evaluation Report 2010 was conducted by Enigma Business Consulting, Muir of Ord
– Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2012 runs from 3rd-7th May. Further information at www.spiritofspeyside.com  

– Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2011 has received funding from EventScotland and is also financially supported by many other private and public partners
– EventScotland is the national events agency. EventScotland is working to make Scotland one of the world’s leading event destinations. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org
– The Year of Active Scotland is a Scottish Government initiative being delivered by EventScotland and VisitScotland which began on the 1st January 2011. For more information go to www.eventscotland.org/activescotland
– A series of focus years running from 2010 to 2013 will ensure co-ordinated national activity that will spotlight some of Scotland’s great assets as we journey towards 2014. The four focus years are centred on domestic and international tourism and the development of the events industry in Scotland. These focus years will celebrate our reputation as a land food and drink, as an active nation, as a place of culture and creativity and as a place of natural beauty.
– EventScotland in partnership with Volunteer Development Scotland is delivering Event Team Scotland, a new web – based portal which matches volunteers across Scotland with exciting sporting and cultural events. For more information please visit www.eventteamscotland.com

Summary of Key Findings

– It is estimated that the 2011 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival generated over 47,000 ‘visits to events’ over five days
– The Festival’s direct economic benefit to Speyside is estimated at £613,000 and to Scotland as a whole is £722,000.
– The average spend per person at the Festival is estimated at £247. This was significantly higher for overseas visitors (£331) and lower for Scottish visitors (£128) and UK visitors (£206). The average spend reported by respondents taking part in the survey is, however, estimated to be higher than it would be for the majority of visitors compared to VisitScotland’s published ‘spend per night’ figures
– Information from the online booking system suggests that 56% of the total number of tickets purchased were purchased by overseas visitors. The number of overseas visitors taking part in the survey accounted for 49% of respondents.
– The 2011 Festival again attracted visitors from around the globe to the Speyside area. 75% of Survey Respondents (who did not live in the local area) said that the Festival was their main reason for their visit to Speyside. This compares to 71% in 2010 and 65.5% in 2009
– 88% of visitors (from outside the local area and whose main reason for visiting Speyside was the Festival) were staying overnight in Speyside. The average number of nights people stayed was 3.63. This was lower for Scottish visitors (2.54 nights) and higher for UK (3.93 nights) and overseas (4.02 nights) visitors.
– Levels of satisfaction were exceptionally high with 99.7% of visitors saying that they were ‘very happy’ or ‘happy’. People enjoyed the atmosphere, hospitality, friendliness, expert knowledge and weather the most.
– 70% of this year’s Festival visitors were attending for the first time (an increase on 67% saying this in 2010). The Festival continues to attract a loyal audience with over a quarter of survey respondents having attended the Festival for more than 6 years.
– 41% of this year’s visitors plan to attend the Festival in 2012.
– The Festival attracted more males than females with a 73/27 split; the majority of visitors are aged 26+.

HISTORIC AND RARE WHISKY FROM 1883 MAKES £18,750 AT BONHAMS, EDINBURGH

An exceptionally rare bottle of The Glenlivet, distilled in 1883 and bottled in 1931 by George & John Gordon Smith was sold for £18,750 by Bonhams at their whisky sale in Edinburgh on 12 October. It had a pre-sale estimate of £15,000-20,000.

The bottle had an impeccable pedigree. It was originally owned by Captain William Smith Grant, the great grandson of Colonel George Smith founder of The Glenlivet Distillery and had been in the family ever since.

A bottle of The Macallan-50 year old, distilled in 1928 and bottled in 1983. Number 50 of 500 it sold for £16,875 against an estimate of £10,000-12,000.

In total, the sale made £175,000.

Bonhams whisky specialist, Martin Green, commented, “These were two very special bottles so it is not surprising that they were eagerly sought after and sold so well. In all, 90% of the lots on offer found buyers which suggests the whisky market is still in good health.”

For further sale information please go to www.bonhams.com/whisky

Notes

Bonhams
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals through two major salerooms in London – New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge – and a further three throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Boston in the USA; Toronto in Canada; and in Switzerland, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com (October 2011).