Meet our new Russian Ambassador

Good morning everyone!

Today I’d like to introduce Valentina, our new Russian Ambassador, who has just arrived in Dufftown for her initial induction to the company.

Valentina and I will be travelling around Scotland this week, visiting our different distilleries and meeting many of our hard-working craftsmen. I’ll be tweeting throughout our road trip, so if you…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Kind regards,
Ludo

Ballantine’s Unveils Premium Offering for the Gifting Season

Ballantine’s, the No 1 whisky in Europe, is launching a stylish gift pack for its Finest expression, in time for the lucrative festive period. Available in 70cl, 75cl and 1L variations globally, the contemporary design aims to ensure strong shelf stand out for the blended Scotch whisky during the holiday season.

The sleek metal tin has a matt soft touch finish that gives it a contemporary look and feel. Familiar brand cues including the logo, the original George Ballantine & Son seal and the founder’s signature wrap around the tin, with elements of blue and red embossing for additional prominence.

Peter Moore, Brand Director for Ballantine’s, comments “This year’s Ballantine’s Finest gift packaging combines the rich colours that are synonymous with the brand with premium cues and contemporary finishes. The results are set to enhance brand visibility during this key sales period and attract new and existing blended Scotch whisky lovers.”

The limited edition pack will be available in more than 30 markets from October 2011 in 70cl and 75cl variations.

Notes

Ballantine’s
Ballantine’s Finest is a complex blend of single malts and grain whiskies from four renowned whisky regions of Scotland – Islay, Highlands, Speyside and Lowlands. Its elegant signature style is a balance of soft and sweet, due to the key malts of Glenburgie and Miltonduff.

www.chivasbrothers.com 

WE ARE MAKING SOME CHANGES TO SCOTCH TASTINGS, WE WILL ONLY HAVE 1 TASTING PER MONTH ON EVERY FIRST SUNDAY IT FALLS ON AND IT WILL ALWAYS BE AT 4 P.M. We are really excited for these changes and it will be important to either call us at 402.553.9501 or email us to make a reservation for tastings. The tasting in December will be Sunday, Dec 4th @ 4 p.m. More details to follow.

The Dundee Dell
5007 Underwood Ave,
Omaha Ne 68132
402.553.9501
www.dundeedell.com

Cooley Champions of Europe 4 Years in a Row

Cooley Distillery named European Spirits Producer of the Year for an unprecedented 4th Consecutive Year

Cooley Distillery, the multi-award winning Independent Irish whiskey distiller, continues to set the standard for excellence in European distilling, as the company was named European Spirits Producer of the Year for the fourth year in a row at the International Wine and Spirit Competition’s (IWSC) Awards banquet in London last night (Nov16th).

This latest accolade follows Cooley’s 8 gold medal haul at the IWSC in July of this year which brought the company’s total gold medal haul to 135 over the last 10 years. As European Spirits Producer of the Year, Cooley has claimed an unrivalled 37 IWSC gold medals for excellence over the last four years.

The company which has distilleries in Co. Louth and Co. Westmeath beat leading distilleries Brennerei L. Psenner (Germany), Bodegas Williams & Humbert SL (Spain), THS Bache-Gabrielsen (Norway) and Machmyra Svensk Whisky AB (Sweden) to retain its European crown.

Jack Teeling, Managing Director, commented, “To win an accolade such as European Spirits Producer of the Year once is hard enough but to win it four years in a row is unprecedented. Our continued success at International Spirits Competitions mirrors the continued success and strength of the Irish whiskey industry.

An investment of €6.5 million over the last 3 years in new stills, bottling equipment, warehousing and stock has allowed us to continue to innovate and expand our range of quality whiskeys.

This latest success is a testament to the dedication and hard work of all our staff. It is a further ringing endorsement on the International stage of the quality and consistency of the whiskey being produced by Cooley.”

The award was accepted on the night by Noel Sweeney, Master Distiller at the 42nd IWSC Awards ceremony at the Guildhall in London.

To date Cooley has won the European Spirits Producer of the Year title four times (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), been named World Distiller of the Year by the IWSC (2008) and honoured as 2010 Distillery of the Year by the Malt Advocate, the leading US whisky publication.

List of Gold Medals at the 2011 IWSC
*Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Peated Single Malt
*Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Turf Mór Peated Single Malt
*Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Madeira Finish Single Malt
*Gold Medal & Best in Class, Lockes 8 Year Old Single Malt
*Gold Medal, Connemara 18 Year Old Single Cask Peated Single Malt *Gold Medal, Connemara 12 Year Old Peated Single Malt
*Gold Medal, Kilbeggan 18 Year Old Blended Irish whiskey Gold Medal, Greenore 18 Year Old Single Grain Irish whiskey

Notes

About Cooley Distillery
Cooley Distillery is the award winning independent Irish whiskey distillery. Established in 1987, Cooley takes its name from the location of its distillery, situated at the foothills of the Cooley Mountains, in Co. Louth. Cooley has an award winning portfolio of Irish whiskeys including Kilbeggan Irish whiskey, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Connemara Peated Single Malt and Greenore Single Grain Irish whiskey. To learn more about Cooley Distillery visit www.cooleywhiskey.com.

About International Wine and Spirits Competition
The International Wine and Spirit Competition is the premier competition of its kind in the world. Its aim is to promote the quality and excellence of the world’s best wines, spirits and liqueurs. All wines, spirits and liqueurs are blind tasted in groups divided by variety, region and vintage. Awards are made on a points system and sponsored trophies are presented in selected categories. Technical analysis is carried out on Gold, Gold (Best in Class), Silver, Silver (Best in Class) award winning wines, spirits and liqueurs to ensure that all products are technically sound and will be of the same high quality when they reach the consumer as they were when the judging panels originally tasted them. For more information visit: www.iwsc.net.

Tomatin

Tomatin Distillery lies near Inverness on the edge of the Monadhliath Mountains and is known as the Village Malt, some workers are the 5th generation of their family to work here.

Latest News: taste the RARE 40 year old with us Thursday 24th November

Distillery profiled : Tomatin (Speyside) Presented by : Alistair Much .

Many of you will remember Alistair’s superb range at the festival and he is not going to disappoint this time either : Antiquary 12YO, Tomatin 12 YO, Tomatin 15 YO, Tomatin 18 YO, Tomatin Decades,  Tomatin 21 YO cask strength & Tomatin 30 YO….+ latest addition Tomatin 40 YO……get aload of that lot!!!

Tickets : £25 per head.

Cheese & Oat Cakes provided.

Nickolls and Perks

01384 394518

GLENFARCLAS WHISKY TASTING – FRIDAY 9TH DECEMBER

The Glenfarclas whisky tasting in December sold out within a few hours so, by popular demand, we are running a second Glenfarclas tasting on Friday 9th December. See below for full details but there are only a few tickets available as first refusal was given to those on the reserves list so you’ll have to be quick if you want to come to this pre Christmas treat!

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

Name Glenfarclas Whisky Tasting  
Date Friday 9th December 2011 
 
Time 7.00 for 7.30pm
Venue Stanton House Hotel, Stanton Fitzwarren (www.stantonhouse.co.uk)
Details The tasting will be presented by James Clark and, as with the Thursday night, we will be tasting the whole of the core range of this fabulous sherry influenced single malt whisky that is particularly suited to this time of year.  The range goes from the fresh and mouthwatering 10 year old right through to the truly indulgent 40 year old and also includes the cask strength 105.

Smoke, spice, fruit and sherry are common notes throughout the whiskies but in varying degrees that make an exploration of the different whiskies a very interesting experience so make the most of this opportunity to come along and sample these great whiskies.

Tickets are £12.50 per person, and 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.

Tickets are very strictly limited, and allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and as they always sell very quickly it is best to book ASAP.  To buy them just log on to 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.
 
Arkwrights Whisky & Wines. Phone No. 01793 765071 Fax No. 01793 764860 Registered Address. The Dormers, Highworth, Wiltshire, SN6 7PE

Benromach 21yo (43%, OB, +/-2010)

An extremely nice sweetness on the nose (very clean also) followed by some fresh hay, mild cut grass and light fruity sherry notes. Hints of grapefruit and oak spice and sweet malt (perhaps Carr’s Sweet Meal biscuits?). The sherry notes increase with time in the glass and the fresh hay and cut grass dissipates. The taste is lightly sherried and very, very good, a little tobacco or leather in the back ground and some dark chocolate makes a showing. All quite excellent. A little malt emerges and this works well with the other descriptors. Some what gentle taste which is quite welcome. The finish is more of the sherry and the oak spice and dark chocolate along with a tiny hint of heather which is a surprise. The finish is quite long and holds together for a very long time; a little more of the cask shows towards the end but not as a spoiler but as a reminder of the constituent parts.

Yet another grand whisky from Benromach and very well heeled.

$130

Score 90 points

Visit Benromach at www.benromach.com

The Claymore Times

~ All The News That’s Fit To Drink ~

Greetings malt lovers, I wanted to bring you up to date with some new whiskies coming into the LCBO, some quite rare and rather special products will be hitting the shelves of the LCBO in the next few months and as always venues will be limited. As we get closer to the release date I’ll provide more in-depth details.

· A very rare 1975 Dallas Dhu bottled in 2007
· Glen Keith (George House) from the Connoisseurs Choice
· 1994 Caperdonich from the Connoisseurs Choice stable.
· 15yo Mortlach
· Aultmore
· 1997 Dailuaine
· 21yo and a 1963 from Glen Grant
· And a Glendullan

Bill Somerville
Global Operations Director
Claymore Imports Inc.
Mail: bill@claymoreimports.ca

Loch Fyne Whiskies Stocks, ‘Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 2’

Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 2
 50.6% abv
£145.00 inc vat
£120.83 ex vat

Balvenie OB Tun 1401 Batch No. 2 50.6%alc.

Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

Hope you are getting excited…

Come along to our tasting today!!
Due to popularity we have to limit it to 60 people!
So come along early to make sure you get in!!!

Usual tasting, so expect lots of whisky for very cheap (2£), and raffles with many exciting prizes. (all proceeds go to Childreach Charity 🙂

Special Tomintoul theme this week: Tomintoul Oloroso Sherry, Tomintoul 16yo, Tomintoul Peated, and Old Ballantruan.
These will be accompanied by something pretty special. In other words, lots of choices!!!

And also, back by popular demand: The Mystery Bottle!!!!!!

Small prize for whoever can guess what it is! Impress your friends and find which whisky I have hidden this time!

Make sure you turn up early to avoid disappointment! We’ll have a fine selection of fantastic drams on the go:)

£2 for 4 drams!!!

Location: BookEnds (top floor), Butchart Centre, University Road, Old Aberdeen
(click here for map)
Time and Date: 7pm – Wednesday 23rd November 2011
What to Bring: £2 for entry + Membership Card + money for raffle

2£ entrance for members, 3£ for non members.
This will get you 4 drams from a wide selections of single malts.

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TRIP TO EDINBURGH!!!!
Lots of whisky and lots of fun!

Who wants to come???
drop us an email:
aberdeenwhisky@gmail.com

Our mailing address is:University of Aberdeen Malt Whisky Society

The Butchart Centre
University Road
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire AB24 3UT