It’s Samurai Tini time at St James’s Hotel and Club

London November 2011: Guests visiting London’s St James’s Hotel and Club in November can avail themselves of four delightful Japanese whisky based cocktails, including the stunning “Samurai Tini”. Created by bar manager Zdenek Zemen and based on Suntory’s renowned Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky he has christened them – “Lost in Translation”, “Lychee Martini”, “Suntory Time” and “Samurai Tini”.

Zdenek wanted to sample the outstanding Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky for his customers and so is focusing on these four cocktails during November.

Ingredients used by Zdenek will cater for tastes ranging from the aromatic to the slightly bitter to the rich flavours of prunes, cherries and lychees.

“Lost in Translation” is a unique combination of Yamazaki with St Germain and lemon juice.

“Lychee Martini” brings together Yamazaki, lichee liqueur and fresh lychee juice and a dash of Peychad’s.

“Samurai Tini” is a combination of Yamazaki, cherry heering, crème de Figue and a dash of Angostura.

“Suntory Time”mixes Yamazaki with crème de prune and a dash of Angostura and orange bitters over ice.

Cocktail lovers will need to hurry because they are only available at the St James’s during the month of November.

Suntory Japanese whiskies are world beaters having won more than 60 international awards since 2003 and whisky lovers have taken to them. There is something about their subtle aromas and delicate flavours which appeals to the palate whether taken neat, over ice or in cocktails.

Yamazaki 12 year old is Japan’s leading single malt whisky and has become a firm favourite here in the UK where it is served in top bars and hotels. It won a Gold Medal award at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in March 2011.

Notes

Yamazaki single malt whiskies are available from: Selfridges, Harvey Nicols, The Whisky Exchange, independent specialist retailers and drinkon.com priced from:

Yamazaki 12 year old – £42

The Yamazaki range of single malt whiskies from Suntory is distributed in the UK by Cellar Trends. For all sales enquiries contact: sales@cellartrends.co.uk

PROSPERITY FOR THE YEAR AHEAD – GLENMORANGIE OFFERS A UNIQUE CHRISTMAS GIFT

Glenmorangie, Scotland’s favourite single malt whisky, has created a unique luxury Christmas gift to celebrate and reinvigorate the festive tradition of ‘First-Footing’.

‘First-footing’ is practised in households across Scotland and northern England on New Year’s Eve to bring good fortune and prosperity to family and friends for the year ahead.  The ‘First-Foot’ refers to the very first person, traditionally a dark-haired male, to cross the threshold of your home after the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, or Hogmanay as it is called in Scotland.

Traditional ‘First-footing’ gifts are whisky and a piece of a coal; the coal symbolises the wish for the receiver’s home to be warm and safe for the coming year and the bottle of whisky is for toasting the future.  

‘Lang may yer lum reek’ is the accompanying toast meaning ‘long may your chimney smoke’ to wish prosperity for the coming months.

Glenmorangie is celebrating this tradition by offering a luxurious gift box with symbolic piece of coal alongside Glenmorangie Original, their classic single malt blend – to bring health, wealth and good fortune to malt whisky lovers all over the country for 2012.

Glenmorangie Original is a delicate and deliciously complex single malt.  Matured in ex-bourbon casks for ten years, this classic blend has flavours of honeyed sweetness fused with notes of citrus, vanilla and almonds. 

Each piece of Glenmorangie ‘First Footing’ coal has been sourced from Ayrshire, the birthplace of the Scotsmen, Robert Burns and Robert the Bruce, as well as home of the British Open Golf Championship.

Glenmorangie Original and the ‘First-Footing’ Scottish Coal luxury gift box, £31.49
Available at the Whisky Exchange at Vinopolis, Selfridges London, Vintage House and Fortnum & Mason.

www.glenmorangie.com

Notes

About The Glenmorangie Company
The Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH). Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Company produces Glenmorangie Single Highland malt whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay malt. It also owns The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

Responsible Drinking
The Glenmorangie Company advocate responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savour Glenmorangie and Ardbeg whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.

On any order over £50 for UK standard mainland delivery before the 1st of December.
    
The Whisky Shop | info@whiskyshop.com | Tel 0141 440 0600 | www.whiskyshop.com

Benromach Peat Smoke 2002/2010 (46%, OB, Batch #3, 1st Fill Bourbon)

From the third batch of Peat Smoke from Benromach distillery peated to 35 PPM and matured in 1st fill bourbon barrels for 8 years. The nose is of juniper, peat smoke and bourbon, a heady combination. Very vibrant, some pleasant malt fights past the juniper for attention dragging some cocoa by the hand behind. The taste is smooth and peated however the peat smoke is not massive but just right (shades of the Three Bears here) and is also showing some dryness with a little bandages and hints of Dettol. Actually much like many young Islay. All good. The finish is dry and smokey but with the malt and other cereal notes taking over here. The juniper makes a reappearance and is joined by a little ground black pepper. It’s very, very long and filled with peat smoke…

An Islay lovers dream

$70

Score 88 points

Visit Benromach Distillery at www.benromach.com

TheWhiskyBarrel.com Exclusive Macduff 11 Year Old Sherry Cask Scotch

Just in time for the holiday season, online whisky shop TheWhiskyBarrel.com releases a spectacular Macduff 2000 vintage single malt Scotch. From a single sherry butt and bottled at cask strength 60% this richly sherried delight is sure to keep the cold dreich nights at bay.

Specially selected by Doug McIvor of Berry Brothers & Rudd, a fresh sherry cask from the Banffshire, Speyside distillery in the north east of Scotland. Brimming with rich dried fruit, winter spices, toffee and the slightest wisp of smoke all wrapped up in lashings of sweet sherry.

Only available online at TheWhiskyBarrel.com and limited to 120 bottles priced £33.33 GBP ($52 USD).

Tasting Notes: Macduff 11 Year Old Berry Bros & Rudd for TheWhiskyBarrel.com

Nose: Rich dried fruit aromas, orange peel, a touch of liquorice with a wisp of background smoke.

Palate: Full bodied – the sweet sherry coats the mouth with plenty of dried fruit and teasing sweetness.

Finish: Long and warming finishes with dark toffee and peppery spice.

Bottling: Macduff 2000 Vintage / 11 Year Old / Cask 5774 / Berry Bros & Rudd

Distilled: 2000

Bottled: November 2011

Cask Type: Fresh Sherry Butt #5774

Volume: 70cl

ABV: 60.0%

Order online at: http://www.thewhiskybarrel.com

The Whisky Barrel

www.thewhiskybarrel.com

Notes 

Release Date: November 2011

Availability: Online at TheWhiskyBarrel.com

Price: £33.33 GBP ($52 USD) 70cl

Distributor: Berry Bros & Rudd (London)

No. Bottles: 120

Bottled for: TheWhiskyBarrel.com online whisky shop Edinburgh, Scotland.

Distiller of the Year again and again!

Hello all,

William Grant & Sons has been crowned Distiller of the Year nine times in the last 12 years at either the ISC or the IWSC – the industry’s two main competitions.

It’s was made official when the company was awarded both the ‘Distiller of the Year’ and ‘International Spirits Producer of the Year’ titles at… (please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Kind regards,
Ludo

Ballantine’s Continues to Impress Whisky Expert Jim Murray

Ballantine’s Finest, the No 1 whisky in Europe, has been named Best Scotch Blend of the Year (standard no age statement), for the fourth consecutive year, by leading whisky connoisseur Jim Murray, in the 9th edition of his Whisky Bible.

Murray has tasted just under 1,500 new whiskies to complete the 2012 edition of the much-celebrated Whisky Bible. Ballantine’s Finest received its accolade after achieving an impressive 96 of a possible 100 points. The world-renowned whisky expert describes Ballantine’s Finest “as a major work of art”. He also pays tribute to Ballantine’s Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop, commenting, “take a mouthful of this and experience the work of a blender very much at the top of his game”. *

Peter Moore, Ballantine’s Global Brand Director, comments: “It is an honour to receive an accolade like this from one of the world’s most respected whisky writers. Not only is this a testament to the expertise of our Master Blender, but it also further enhances the reputation of the Ballantine’s portfolio as an unrivalled range of high-quality blended Scotch whiskies.”

With almost two decades of experience in the whisky industry and as author of many best-selling books on the subject, Murray is widely regarded as the world’s leading whisky commentator. His unwavering dedication to the spirit is aptly demonstrated in his Whisky Bible each year, with his vast knowledge and passionate writing style. His latest issue, features an encyclopedia of tasting notes on more than 4,500 of the world’s whiskies, from leading to lesser known brands.

Notes:

*Jim Murray

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

Award-Winning Laphroaig® Single Malt Scotch Whisky Introduces New Triple Wood to U.S. Market

Laphroaig Triple Wood Offers Three Times the Complexity for Scotch Enthusiasts

Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is pleased to introduce its latest award-winning expression, Laphroaig Triple Wood, just in time for the holidays. Garnering its name from a distinct triple maturation process, only 13,500 bottles of Laphroaig Triple Wood (48% ABV; 96 proof) will be available in the U.S. market in 2011, making it the perfect holiday gift for those who appreciate the finer things in life.

The newly available expression has enjoyed time in American Oak ex-bourbon barrels, 19th Century style quarter casks and European Oak Oloroso sherry casks, revealing a rich blend of subtle sherry sweetness and hints of sea salt. The spirit’s gentle suggestion of vanilla and smooth nutty flavor is complemented by Laphroaig’s signature peat smoke and a slight tang from time spent in rich White Oak casks – bold characteristics that earned Laphroaig Triple Wood a Best in Class Gold Medal honor at the 2011 International Wine & Spirit Competition.

“Laphroaig Triple Wood is one of the most complex expressions we have ever bottled, and we are delighted to begin offering it to our U.S. consumers,” said Laphroaig Distillery Manager John Campbell. “Triple Wood will satisfy palates with unique notes that are fresh, yet remain true to the Laphroaig heritage and standards of Scotch whisky.”

To build on the excitement of Laphroaig Triple Wood’s arrival, the brand is answering consumer demand by launching an integrated iPhone® app that allows whisky enthusiasts and scotch newcomers alike to easily locate venues nearest them that offer expressions from Laphroaig’s celebrated portfolio. To access the new Laphroaig Bar Finder iPhone app, visit http://itunes.apple.com.

Laphroaig Triple Wood is currently available at participating retail locations beginning in September 2011. Suggested retail price is $60.00 for a 750ml bottle.

ALDI LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION 40 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY FOR UNDER £50

Whisky lovers will be queuing overnight to get their hands on Aldi’s luxury, limited edition, 40 year old Speyside Single Malt Whisky, on sale this Thursday (8th December) for the unbelievable price of £49.99.

The first supermarket ever to sell an own-label spirit 40 years old, discounter Aldi will be releasing 3,000 bottles of the whisky throughout its 450 UK stores as a special Christmas present to loyal shoppers. The coveted whisky is predicted to sell out within hours and could even appear for sale on eBay as hard-up Brits look to capitalise on the amazing deal.

Aldi’s Spirits Buyer said: “Whisky of this quality and age would usually sell for around £300 plus.  Aldi is giving customers the chance to get hold of a very high quality luxury product for a very low price.”

The Speyside Single Malt comes from one of Scotland’s finest distilleries and has been matured in European Oak Sherry casks, resulting in a very intense and rich flavour. The beautiful decanter is presented in a stylish gift box.

With an aroma of dark chocolate and dried figs, the sweet taste gives off a marmalade zestiness, and the dry oak tannins fade into a lingering sweet and mellow finish.

Glenbridge 40 Year Old Single Malt Whisky – £49.99, 70cl, 40% ABV On sale from 8th December 2011, available as long as stock lasts.

ALDI LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION 24 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY FOR UNDER £30

Impress Dad or Hubby this Christmas with Aldi’s limited edition, unbelievable value Glen Marnoch 24 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, on sale as a Special Buy from 24th November.

There will be just 3000 bottles of the whisky released throughout Aldi’s 450 UK stores.

Casked in 1987, this very special Scotch whisky comes in a stylish gift box, making it the perfect gift for that special man in your life.

With a delicate floral aroma, notes of blooming heather and green vines and a very mellow taste, including gentle vanilla oak and a silky texture, this single malt provides a very rewarding taste experience for whisky lovers.

Glen Marnoch 24 Year Old Single Malt Whisky – £29.99, 70cl, 40% ABV On sale from 24th November, available as long as stock lasts.