Unique and collectable whisky reaches £500 at online auction

A unique and collectable bottle of signed whisky from Speyside’s smallest distillery has been sold for £500 in an online auction with proceeds going to a local rescue charity.

Distillery manager, Keith Cruickshank, and infamous online whisky commentator, Ralf Mitchell, signed the bottle of Benromach single cask for the charitable auction, which was hosted at the Scotch Whisky Auctions.

The money raised from the sale will go to Findhorn based Moray Inshore Rescue Organisation (M.I.R.O) who are an independent rescue service manned entirely by volunteers.

Keith Cruikshank said the online auction, which finished on Sunday (November 27), was a great success.

He said: “We are thrilled by to have raised so much money for M.I.R.O, a local charity, based only a few miles away from the Benromach Distillery. It was a very unique bottle of Benromach single cask whisky, hand bottled for

Ralf Mitchell at our distillery last month, and is the only bottle to be bottled at that exact point in time so we are pleased it was such a hit with collectors and whisky enthusiasts across the globe.”

The winner also received an exclusive selection of Benromach merchandise including a sample bottle of whisky, two blender glasses, key ring, polo shirt, wallet, stow bag, calendar and a newsletter signed by David and Michael Urquhart.

Ralf Mitchell, commonly known as Ralfy, also donated a memory stick, containing Vlogs about the auction and hand written tasting notes.

Previous charitable auctions of similar products have seen funds of around £400 raised.

If you want to find out more information about Benromach and sample the unique taste of their rare whiskies visit www.benromach.com.

Notes:

About Benromach

Established in 1898, Benromach distillery changed hands many times and was virtually derelict when bought by 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.

Just two men hand-craft Benromach using the finest Scottish barely and the purest spring water from the nearby Romach Hills. They fill new spirit into the highest quality casks before being left to mature at the distillery for many years. The Benromach portfolio includes the award winning Benromach 10 Years Old and the first fully certified organic single malt – Benromach Organic.

Please visit www.benromach.com for details.

About Ralfy

Ralfy is an independent video based commentator who combines entertaining whisky reviews with eccentricity for independent Scotch Whisky Producers.

Ralfy is also a member of the Malt Maniacs.

Please visit ralfy.com for details.

About Scotch Whisky Auctions

Scotch Whisky Auctions is an innovative and imaginative whisky auction website offering old whisky, rare whisky and vintage whisky for auction.

Please visit www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com for details.

About M.I.R.O

MIRO is one of around 50 independent rescue services that operate around the UK. It is manned entirely by volunteers and funded by the generosity of the general public and local business. Every penny raised by MIRO goes directly into the charities funds with nothing deducted for third parties or administration.

Please visit www.morayinshorerescue.org for details.

Christmas Parcels: Santa’s Little Helper
We’ve made our list…and boy have we been good. To you. Our Christmas Parcels is brimming with treats…

Highland Pair
16.31 & 125.55 only £89
16.31 Dichotomy of sweet and savoury
125.55 Nursery Tea

Seaside Trio
93.50, 121.49 & 127.18 only £140
93.50 Hot embers at the gates of hell
121.49 Summer meadows and harvested fields

35.60 Dream-catcher dram
Speyside Spey
£227 with free gift box
This extraordinary nose conjured up a banquet in a dunnage warehouse – candied clementines, mincemeat pies, stewed fruit with cinnamon and nutmeg, banana bread and black coffee dregs

24.121 A wee seductress of a dram
Speyside Spey
£64.40
A polished antique table by a glowing log fire (with polished brass fender); on the table – a rich rib-eye steak, also ripe fruits, olives, sun-dried tomatoes.

Christmas Parcels
Browse all bottlings
(85 single casks online)

SMWS Tastings & Events (29 events online)
New Outturn Tasting – The Vaults, Sun 4 Dec
Cirque du Noel Christmas Tasting – London, Fri 9 Dec
A Midwinter Feast – The Vaults, Wed 14 Dec
Hogmanay Gala Dinner – Queen Street, Sat 31 Dec

More Society tastings

Book an Event: Festive Dining & Suppers
This year the Society is capturing the essence of Christmas with a feast for the senses. Enjoy flaming cocktails, a fabulously festive three-course meal and whisky ‘affogato’
More details

Whisky Magazine’s 2012 Independent Bottler of the Year www.whiskymag.com/awards/ibc/2011/

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society,
The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ
Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm).

Visit the Society at http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers.

On any order over £50 for UK standard mainland delivery before the 5th of December.
 
The Whisky Shop | info@whiskyshop.com | Tel 0141 440 0600 | www.whiskyshop.com

CLICK HERE FOR SPECIAL OFFERS
Single Malts Limited | 36 Gordon Street | Huntly | Aberdeenshire | AB54 8EQ | Scotland

A message from the Soho Whisky Club;

We would like to inform you that we are extending our preview days so the club will be open for viewing until closing time next Sat (10th Dec). If you wish to view the club and enjoy your complimentary dram please come any time during opening hours from now until then.

Opening Hours:
Mon – Thu: 10am – 10pm
Fri: 10am – 11pm
Sat: 1pm – 11pm
Sun: Closed (unless by special appointment)

The Soho Whisky Club has been initiated to further the enjoyment of whisky and cigars in central London. The Club is part of The Vintage House which has been trading in Soho since 1944 and has decided to share the breadth of knowledge of it’s staff with fellow enthusiasts. The aim of the Club is to provide a welcoming haven for people in the trade, or people with a passion for whisky or cigars, to learn and share this experience. The Club also has the benefit of a large roof terrace so that one can enjoy a cigar in shelter and comfort during this cold season.

On arrival please ask for Michael or Malcolm in the Vintage House and someone will be on hand to take you upstairs.

Soho Whisky Club
42 Old Compton Street
London
W1D 4LR
T: 075 00 00 9134
www.sohowhiskybar.com

Dear Client

On this run up to Christmas we are offering you access to ten (10) new bottlings under the OLD MALT CASK label- four (4) new outstanding OLD & RAREs – two (2) CLAN DENNY Grains (the 48 year old Cambus being the sister cask to Jim Murray’s Best Grain 2012) together with one new bottling each of the DIRECTOR’S CUT and PREMIER BARREL.

Tasting Notes for OLD MALT CASK follow:

OMC2112 BOWMORE SHERRY 11 YEARS
Nose: Spiced and sweet – fruity and tarry – now salty and dry.
Palate: Sweetly spiced – tongue tingling – phenolic & lightly smoked.
Finish: Carries a camphor cough drop style + an oily & peaty length. (F)

OMC2116 HIGHLAND PARK SHERRY 15 YEARS
Nose: Sweetly (dark) fruited – lightly spiced – gently malted.
Palate: Carries toffee + vanilla + malt + honey and more spices.
Finish: Warmingly spiced, with cough drops and smoky trails (F)

OMC2108 CLYNELISH 16 YEARS
Nose: Fresh & clean – zesty & grassy – gristy & husky.
Palate: Lemon citric – barley sweet – runs to warming spices.
Finish: Cough drops + more barley gristiness & natural caramel. (F)

OMC2103 FETTERCAIRN 16 YEARS
Nose: Fresh, floral & perfumed with a fruit compote + ginger note.
Palate: Sweet – like barley sugar candies + a honey on toast character
Finish: Now slightly drier with orange peel & developing spices. (P)

OMC2114 MACALLAN BOURBON 18 YEARS
Nose: Big + darkly fruited+ vanilla, sweet barley + citrus.
Palate: Sweet with butterscotch, barley grist and crunched sugar.
Finish: Replicates the palate + camphor style cough drops. (F)

OMC2093 LITTLEMILL 20 YEARS
Nose: Spicy, clean and sweet with gentle barley tones.
Palate: Still, overtly and warmly spiced + a sweet, gristiness.
Finish: Lightly butterscotch in style + camphor character. (F)

OMC2110 MILTONDUFF 21 YEARS
Nose: Cedarwood in style + honey + apples & spicy zest.
Palate: Mouthcoats with gentle spices/grist/autumn fruit/camphor.
Finish: Softly warming cough drops + heather honey & burnt toast. (F)

OMC2109 GLEN GARIOCH 25 YEARS
Nose: Clean – fresh and sweet + toffee and autumnal fruits.
Palate: Softly honeyed + Scottish tablet&– malted barley.
Finish: Refined … . orange zesty – sweetly spiced and vanilla’d (F)

OMC2098 GLENLIVET 34 YEARS
Nose: Clean and honeyed with lemon, cedar, barley and late smoke.
Palate: “Dark” – warmly spiced + more honey, vanilla & crunched sugar.
Finish: Carries vanilla tablet + dry spices – still barley’d and warming. (F)

OMC2117 GLEN GRANT BRANDY CASK FINISH 36 YEARS
Nose: Opens sweetly – with toffee, malt and a spiced biscuits character
Palate: Still sweet, now spicy + dark fruit & a fine oaked quality
Finish: Replicates the palate with spiced fruit & a dry charred oak style (F & J)

Tasting Notes for OLD & RARE:

OAR0153 SPRINGBANK 20 YEARS
The nose opens with a spicy, sea-weedy character and runs to ripe sugared banana plus oranges and a vanilla/cedar wood style. The palate is initially light and subtle – dry (even desiccating) and spicy – then it develops to an attractive smoky and briny quality. Spicy characteristics continue on the long sweet/woody finish which carries a gun powder tea style – then runs to more wood, dark sea-weed, and soft leather. (F&J)

OAR0158 TAMDHU SHERRY 21 YEARS
Opens richly spiced on the nose carrying a dark fruit and attractively dry and nutty character. The palate is mouth coating, still spicy and develops to a Macedonia of macerated raisins and red fruit plus a later subtle smoked quality. The finish is long with a cherries (coated in dark chocolate) sweetness that runs to a drier, oak and cedar wood style. (J)

OAR0149 PORT ELLEN SHERRY 28 YEARS
Opens with a spicy, leather character and runs to nuts, dried fruit and a light ashy style. Initially the palate is round and mellow with flames/burnt orange peel before rich smoke develops with a burned polished wood style. The finish is LONG with ashes – soft tar – salty liquorice – sweet peat smoke going on and on… (J)

OAR0152 SPEYSIDE’S FINEST SHERRY 46 YEARS
If the colour has not given it away yet, the nose certainly does – distinctly sherried and richly spiced with dried dates, warm toffee & ginger. The palate carries a creamy butterscotch quality infused with a surprisingly fresh orange zesty trait. The finish is long, still spicy plus a sweet hazelnut marzipan character. (J)

CLAN DENNY GRAIN Tasting Notes:

DEN0080 INVERGORDON 45 YEARS
Fresh, fruity, vanilla’d, gristy and oaked – hinting at Autumnal apples, heavily spiced, all on the nose. Palatewise – it is massively sweetly spiced – still oaked – Bourbon in style, vanilla’d and mouthcoating. The finish is (Grain style) short but still sweetly spiced and warming. (F)

DEN0081 CAMBUS 48 YEARS
Look at the colour! Detect on the nose: Bourbon, vanilla and cereal based, spicy, zesty, sweetness. The palate is perfectly weighted – tinglingly spiced on the tongue with oak, honey and more of that citric zestiness – all leading to a lightly camphored, still vanilla’d and now a late buttery finish. (F)

Tasting Notes for DIRECTORS CUT:

DIR0006 PORT DUNDAS 30 YEARS

Nose: Sweetly spiced + a rich cinnamon & vanilla style
Palate: Sweet & warming + mouth coating vanilla & spices
Finish: Long + an attractive oak & milk chocolate character (J)

PREMIER BARREL Tasting Notes:

PBR0111 MORTLACH 14 YEARS
Mortlach …. a Masterful miscellany of majesterial and meritorious Malt mash devoid (de facto) of deficiency with its fruit, spice, mocha and Malt …… all made manifest multifariously and Munificently – nay, magnificently! (F)

CLAN DENNY GRAIN Tasting Notes:

DEN0080 INVERGORDON 45 YEARS
Fresh, fruity, vanilla’d, gristy and oaked – hinting at Autumnal apples, heavily spiced, all on the nose. Palatewise – it is massively sweetly spiced – still oaked – Bourbon in style, vanilla’d and mouthcoating. The finish is (Grain style) short but still sweetly spiced and warming. (F)

DEN0081 CAMBUS 48 YEARS
Look at the colour! Detect on the nose: Bourbon, vanilla and cereal based, spicy, zesty, sweetness. The palate is perfectly weighted – tinglingly spiced on the tongue with oak, honey and more of that citric zestiness – all leading to a lightly camphored, still vanilla’d and now a late buttery finish. (F)

We hope this selection running from young to old and from Hogsheads to Sherry casks will work for you and being the last monthly email to you for 2011 – we want to thank you for your much appreciated support through 2011. We never take that for granted – and now we want to be amongst the first to wish you a healthy (above all!) and wealthy 2012.

Yours faithfully

Fred H Laing
Managing Director

Visit Douglas Laing & Co. Ltd. at www.douglaslaing.com

Day 3

We love the festive season here at Abbey Whisky!

The cold and frosty weather, fun times with friends and family and copious amounts of eating and drinking…what better excuse to enjoy a special wee dram in celebration!

December heralds the return of Abbey Whisky’s Winter Whisky Festival for 12 days on the run up to Christmas. On each of these days we will feature a daily offer on a range of special malts. In keeping with the season, these prices will remain frozen for the duration of the festival.

On the third day of Christmas Abbey Whisky gives to you…

The Sixteen Men Of Tain – Glenmorangie

Founded in 1843, Glenmorangie Distillery is situated is Ross-shire between the towns of Tain and Edderton in the far north of Scotland on the southern shores of the Dornoch Firth.

Glenmorangie is one of the oldest and most traditional distilleries in the Scottish Highlands and claims to have the tallest copper stills in Scotland. The malt produced is considered by whisky connoisseurs around the globe as being one of the very best malts in Scotland.

There has always been sixteen men of tain who are all custodians of the secret of Glenmorangie. The traditional skills and experience that they learn are passed through time from old hands to new, ensuring that every glass of Glenmorangie poured is as wonderful now as it was then.

The company is now owned by fashion and drink giants Louis Vuitton Moet-Hennesy, the company bought Glenmorangie PLC in January 2005 for 300 million.

Hand Signed By 16 Men Of Tain
Highland Single Malt Whisky

Glenmorangie 10 year old,  hand signed by The Sixteen Men Of Tain.

List Price £345.00
Festival Price £295.00
Saving £50.00

Missouri Oak Reserve, 1991
Highland Single Malt Whisky

This reserve is a sensational limited edition dram that has been fully matured in ‘Virgin Oak’ casks that have not been previously used for Bourbon.

All the hallmark flavours of Glenmorangie are present but with a greater intensity. Sweeter chocolate, vanilla and more spiciness. 

List Price £399.00
Festival Price £340.00
Saving £59.00

Glenmorangie 10 Year Old Pre 88
Highland Single Malt Whisky

A 75cl bottling of Glenmorangie 10 year old which was bottled in the 1980’s.

Includes an old marketing booklet offering ‘Introduce a good friend to Glenmorangie’ – Offer ends 30 April 1988.

List Price £125.00
Festival Price £100.00
Saving £25.00

Sale Of The Company
Highland Single Malt Whisky

This unique, hand selected single malt has been bottled in recognition of and thanks to all those who contributed to the successful sale of Glenmorangie plc.

List Price £650.00
Festival Price £550.00
Saving £100.00

Glenmorangie, Single Cask, 1995
Highland Single Malt Whisky

A Rare and limited edition single malt from Glenmorangie. Bottled at cask strength without chill filtration,this bottle is one of only 297 released worldwide.

List Price £300.00
Festival Price £240.00
Saving £60.00

Abbey Whisky | Specialist supplier of rare, collectable and exclusive scotch malts. | Edinburgh, Lothian PO Box 23996, United Kingdom

This class will discuss the history of moonshine, and eliminate the myths about the mixture.

Curtis will show the class a few classic mixed drinks such as a green apple martini but reinvented with moonshine. We will sample each of the 4 mixed drinks. A lot of the class will be set in question and answer style setting.

This is the first class in a series of 3 taught by Curtis. They can be purchased all together for $35 or individually:

Jan 20 – Understanding Moonshine ($10)
Feb 17 – “What makes Scotch so expensive?!”($15)
Mar 16 – Demystifying Whiskey ($15)

http://center.gordonswine.com/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/17250

January 20, 2012 at 6:30 pm-7:30 pm
Location: Gordon’s Fine Wine & Culinary Center, 894 Main St, Waltham
Instructor: Curtis McMillan, Founder & President, McMillan Distillery
Cost: $10 per person

GlenDronach releases latest batch of single cask bottlings

THE BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd. has today (December 1) released the latest batch of single cask bottlings from its GlenDronach Distillery.

This is the fifth batch of GlenDronach single casks to be released by the award-winning Aberdeenshire distillery.

The five casks were bottled over the last few weeks and are available as of today.

The batch comprises five outstanding casks from 1972 to 1993. Three have been matured in Oloroso sherry butts, one in an Oloroso sherry puncheon and the fifth in a Pedro Ximinez sherry puncheon.

All five casks have been hand-selected by The BenRiach Distillery Company’s Managing Director Billy Walker, and they all share GlenDronach’s typically luxurious, richly-sherried characteristics, plus huge layers of fruit ranging from stewed pears to prunes, cherry, plums, apples…and even rhubarb crumble!

The cask details are as follows:

1972 cask # 716 / 39 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 421 bottles
1978 cask # 1067 / 32 years old / Oloroso Sherry Puncheon / 417 bottles
1989 cask # 3314 / 21 years old / Pedro Ximinez Sherry Puncheon / 489 bottles
1991 cask # 2406 / 19 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 530 bottles
1993 cask # 1 / 18 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 507 bottles

All five whiskies were reviewed by whisky writer Jim Murray in the recently-published 2012 version of ‘Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible’, and three of them scored particularly well, with a stunning 95 points or more, as follows:

1978 cask # 1067 – 95.5 / 100
1989 cask # 3314 – 95 / 100
1991 cask # 2406 – 95 / 100

Additionally, in his annual ‘Review of the Year’, Jim Murray singles out GlenDronach as the distillery with the most consistently impressive output throughout 2011 – to quote Jim: “… if there was a Whisky Bible Scotch Malt Whisky Distillery of the year, GlenDronach would be it.”

Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page over the coming weeks for more information on these new releases, tasting notes and exclusive product photography. If you would like to receive more information regarding Batch 5 releases, please contact us on info@glendronachdistillery.co.uk

THE MACALLAN LAUNCHES FIRST EVER VIRTUAL DRAM APP

The Macallan, distributed by Maxxium UK, has become the first whisky brand to create a virtual dram app on Facebook, as part of its social media strategy.

Entitled ‘Share a dram’, the app has been developed to build on the brand’s growing presence on Facebook, which recently smashed the milestone of 60,000 fans.

The app, which launched today, will allow fans to share a virtual dram with their friends by selecting their favourite expression from The Macallan range on the app, including The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 years old, The Macallan Fine Oak 15 years old and the 1824 Collection. A variety of serving options are also offered including the famous The Macallan Ice Ball serve.

As fans share further drams with their friends on Facebook, they will gain access to higher end whiskies such as The Macallan 1824 Estate Reserve and The Macallan Fine Oak 21 years old. Fans will also gain an insight and learn more about the different whiskies in The Macallan range.

This innovative tool will allow The Macallan to further engage with existing fans and appeal to new fans across the global social media sphere.

Facebook is continuing to generate significant momentum with currently more than 800 million active users worldwide and over 50% of those logging on daily. Every month, over 500 million people use an app on Facebook.

Annabel Kohler, Marketing Innovation Manager for The Macallan said: “This marks an exciting move for The Macallan in the world of social media. The launch of the new app will build upon the nature of sharing a dram with friends, as well as the luxury, style and authenticity long associated with The Macallan.

“We recognise that Facebook offers a powerful platform to interact directly with our fans. It has become an integral part of daily life and is set to continue its growth. We are confident that our new app will really capture the imagination of our fans and introduce newcomers into the world of whisky, by allowing them to experiment and share different expressions with friends. It is also a great way to enhance the way in which our fans interact and engage with one another.”

The Macallan ‘Share a dram’ app can be accessed on The Macallan Facebook page: http://on.fb.me/s0w9zw

To find out more about The Macallan go to www.themacallan.com

Maxxium UK:

Maxxium UK Limited is a company registered in Scotland under the Companies Acts (Registered number SC203623) and has its registered office at Maxxium House, Castle Business Park, Stirling, FK9 4RT, to which address any notices should be sent.

Maxxium UK Limited is part of the global sales and distribution alliance between Beam Global Spirits and Wine Inc and The Edrington Group. Its portfolio of premium spirits includes: The Famous Grouse, Teacher’s and Cutty Sark blended Scotch; Highland Park, Laphroaig and The Macallan single malts; Courvoisier cognac; Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon. In addition Maxxium has premium brands across a number of other drinks categories including Sourz, Brugal, After Shock, Sauza and Harveys. Maxxium UK also represents third-party drinks brands including Stolichnaya vodka, Bols liqueurs, Galliano and The Glenrothes.

For further information on our brands and how to enjoy them log on to www.mixxit.co.uk

Please enjoy our brand responsibly

www.drinkaware.co.uk

The timeless reputation of The Macallan is founded upon Six Pillars:

The Spiritual Home

Easter Elchies House proudly watches over The Macallan distillery in Speyside, Scotland. Built in 1700, this Jacobean manor house is The Macallan’s spiritual home.

Curiously Small Stills

The Macallan’s curiously small and uniquely shaped copper stills help to concentrate the flavour of the ‘new make’ spirit.

The Finest Cut

The ‘cut’ is the amount of distilled spirit collected from the stills as ‘new make’ spirit. The Macallan takes one of the finest ‘cuts’ of any distillery in Scotland; typically just 16% goes forward to fill or our casks.

Exceptional Oak Casks

The Macallan’s unfaltering obsession with selecting exceptional oak casks brings an unsurpassed, timeless quality to The Macallan.

Natural Colour

The Macallan insists upon Natural Colour. It is the interaction of spirit and wood alone which delivers the rich variety of colour, aroma and taste evident through out the range.

Peerless Spirit

The Macallan remains the single malt against which all others must be judged. It is celebrated far and wide by experts and discerning drinkers as the world’s most precious whisky.