Sept Outturn Previews: 121.43 & 53.153 (save £10)
We’ve released a pair of previews from September’s Outturn – and what a lovely pair! Enjoy 121.43 & 53.153 for only £86.70 and save £10.

53.153 Lovehearts in a coal sack
Islay
£52.60 inc. free p&p
A fabulous mix of smoke, scorched heather, TCP and clean seaweed with marshmallows, vanilla and fresh laundry

121.43 Songbirds and golden eagles
Highland Island
£44.10 inc free p&p
The palate sang extravagantly, like a bird in spring, of vanilla slices on bakery shelves, Parma violets, sherbet, cooked apple and flower beds

Try our August Recommendations: ENDING SOON!
PAIR OFFER: Buy 4.154 & 3.177 for only £84.90 (save £10)
4.154 Edinburgh rock and bath salts
3.177 The gentle giant

TRIO OFFER: Buy 50.44, 73.43 & 93.45 for £132.20 (save £15)
50.44 A pleasant little charmer
73.43 Meadow flowers and herbs de Provence
93.45 An unusual sweetie shop

CASE: Take the Aug PAIR, TRIO and ADD 28.23 for £274.50 (save £30)
28.23 Attention grabbing spicy wood

Browse all bottlings
(45 single casks online)

Society Tastings & Events (51 Society tastings online)
Winchester Preview Tasting – Royal Hotel, Fri 19 Aug
Chester Preview Tasting – New Blossoms Hotel, Fri 19 Aug
Durham Preview Tasting – Oldfields Restaurant, Fri 19 Aug
Aberdeen Preview Tasting – Caledonian Thistle Hotel, Thu 25 Aug
Sept Preview Tasting with Cheese – 28 Queen Street, Tue 30 Aug
Sept Preview Tasting for Meat-Lovers – 28 Queen Street, Wed 31 Aug

More Society tastings

Edinburgh Festival Fever is HERE
Celebrate the Edinburgh Festival at the Society with our programme of Tutored Tastings – three specially selected Society drams and a bit of chat for only £12! Dates available:

Fri 19 Aug at The Vaults
Sat 20 Aug at 28 Queen Street
Thu 25 Aug at 28 Queen Street
Fri 26 Aug at The Vaults
Sat 27 Aug at 28 Queen Street

Plus get you hands on last few tickets to our Festival Tasting with John Campbell

Win Tickets to Whisky Live in Glasgow:
Sat 3 Sept – ends tomorrow
The nice folks at Whisky Live have kindly given us a PAIR of complementary tickets to this year’s Whisky Live in Glasgow. You could be in with a chance of winning the tickets by simply emailing us with your name and contact details. Competition ends TOMORROW (Saturday)!

Enjoy Full Day access to the show along with tickets to one of the master classes being held. CAN’T WAIT? – We’ve also secured an exclusive 10% discount for SMWS members just use promo code’SMWS10′ on their website. More Whisky Live 

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.

A trip to Speyburn

This is the third instalment of Billy’s trip around the Inver House distilleries.  If you haven’t already, check out his visits to Balblair and Pulteney. The next stop on our tour of the Inver House distilleries was Speyburn, which someone had foolishly decided to site in Speyside, quite a long way from our current location of […please click on the link to read the remainder of the article..]

THE LINK

Speyburn

“Legend’s of Whisk(e)y Dinner”
Monday, September 12, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Los Gatos Brewing Company: Downtown San Jose, CA
(By San Pedro Square)

Presented by Beam Global’s Legend’s of Whisk(e)y:

Dan Tullio, Simon Brooking Bernie Lubbers,
Master Ambassador Global Ambassador Whiskey Professor
Canadian Whisky Laphroaig Small Batch Bourbons

Don’t miss this opportunity to indulge in a full range of the “water of life” with excellent company and delectable food.

Menu:
* Wild Mushrooms in Philo
* Smoked Salmon with summer succotash
* Grilled Hangar Steak with olive oil poached potatoes and green beans
* Dessert: Petite Fours

Whiskies:
* Reception Cocktail
* Canadian Club 12 Year Old
* Knob Creek Single Barrel
* Booker’s
* Laphroaig 18 Year Old
* Surprise Whisky

$65 ALL INCLUSIVE!
Save 10% until 8/17 ($58.50). Use discount code LOW10P
Click to BUY Tickets
Vegetarian Selection is available when requested in advance.

Whisky and Cigar After Party
Let us know if will be staying for our whisky and cigar after party.
(Whisky and Cigar feature not included in the price of dinner).

We look forward to sharing a Dram with you!

Tickets Must be Purchased in advance. Must be over 21 to attend.

Showcase Airport Store Boosts Sales of Irish Whiskey

Irish whiskey sales are up by 30% at Dublin Airport this year due to a new showcase outlet for Irish whiskey, which opened in Terminal 2 last November.

The opening of the Irish Whiskey Collection, a new store within a store concept devised by DAA’s in-house retail team, has boosted whiskey sales by almost one-third over the past seven months. The new shop was developed to stimulate demand for Irish whiskey and to showcase the category to both Irish and international travellers.

“Increasing our sales by 30% in the current economic climate is an incredible achievement and it’s all thanks to the Irish Whiskey Collection,” according to DAA Retail Director Paul Neeson. “We wanted to create an amazing shop window for Irish whiskey, and we’re already reaping the benefits of our investment in the category,” Mr Neeson added.

The Irish Whiskey Collection outlet has helped grow Dublin Airport’s duty free Irish whiskey sales by 39% this year and has also had a dramatic impact on duty paid sales for customers travelling within the EU, which have increased by 25%.

Given the success of the Irish Whiskey Collection, DAA is now planning to introduce the concept to Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport and to Cork and Shannon airports.

The Irish Whiskey Collection stocks more than 125 different products in an 80 sq m store that takes its design cue from the luxury cosmetics and perfumery sectors rather than the traditional airport liquor shop.

The store stocks a full range of Irish whiskey, with all the leading brands fully represented as well a number of smaller independent brands and several exclusive premium whiskeys, which are only available at Dublin Airport. “Our goal is to be the best Irish whiskey shop in the world,” Neeson said. “This is a shrine to Irish Whiskey, which is one of this country’s greatest exports. By providing a quality shop window for the Irish whiskey sector and by working in partnership with the trade we aim to increase the profile and grow sales for the entire Irish whiskey industry.”

The design of the store is aimed at meeting the needs of the existing whiskey buyer and also drawing in travellers who would not normally enter a whiskey shop. “We wanted to de-mystify the Irish whiskey category,” says Neeson.

The walls have a high black gloss lacquer finish, LCD screens are used to tell the Irish whiskey story, and the point of sale material carries clear information on each product and its provenance, as well as Irish Whiskey Collection branding. The centrepiece of the outlet from a design perspective is a black Tipperary Crystal chandelier while museum-style display cases feature some of the premium whiskeys available.

DAA’s decision to invest in the Irish whiskey sector is stimulating growth across the entire range of products and will also underpin growing export sales for Irish whiskey. “We are working closely with all the major suppliers and brands and we’re sure that the Irish Whiskey Collection will play its part in showcasing the fantastic range of products available within the Irish whiskey sector,” said Neeson.

The shop hosts regular tastings for customers, has also produced “The Ultimate Guide to Irish Whiskey,” a free mini guide to the sector. “All passengers, whether purchasing or not are given the same level of service by our enthusiastic staff, who have been highly trained to become in effect whiskey consultants,” according to Neeson.

The Irish Whiskey Collection stocks major brands such as Jameson, Bushmills, Paddy, Powers, and Tullamore Dew, as well smaller independent whiskies such as Inis Turk Beg, John L Sullivan and Coleraine. The store also carries a number of exclusives, such as a 19-year-old Greenore Single Cask and a 1991 Midleton Distillery Single Cask, both of which are only available at Dublin Airport.

“We are committed to carrying the entire range of Irish whiskey to satisfy aficionados and novices alike. It we don’t have an Irish whiskey then it’s not worth having,” according to Neeson.

Whiskey expert Tanya Lawless of Cooley Distillery discusses the merits of a Greenore single grain Irish whiskey with customer Edward O’Grady-Walshe at the Irish Whiskey Collection outlet in Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport.

JF Hillebrand Secures Three Year Global Deal with William Grant & Sons

11th August 2011 – JF Hillebrand is delighted to have been awarded a three year logistics contract with William Grant & Sons, providing in-house management, logistics and distribution services within several of their key global locations, including the majority share in volume from their global headquarters in Bellshill, Glasgow.

William Grant & Sons will benefit from JF Hillebrand’s total commitment to the beverage industry. With efficient and cost-effective transport solutions and state of the art order management technology, all supported through the global network of the Hillebrand Group, it can ensure William Grant & Sons products will be handled with the utmost care and attention along every step of the supply chain.

William Grant & Sons core brand portfolio includes The Balvenie, Grant’s, Glenfiddich, Sailor Jerry, Hendrick’s and Tullamore Dew.

JF Hillebrand’s Area Director for UK & Ireland David Mawer said: “We are extremely proud to have enhanced our position with William Grant & Sons as one of their strategic and logistical service partners. It reinforces our position as market leader within the beverage sector and endorses the service excellence that we consistently deliver to our clients. Our global network of offices specifically concentrating within the beverage sector will ensure that William Grant & Sons will experience the highest quality of service, at all times.”

JF Hillebrand has 45 offices and over 1800 employees, providing exclusive logistics services in land, sea and air, complemented by our award winning supply chain management solutions and in house management teams.

Notes:

About JF Hillebrand: With a global network headquartered in Mainz, Germany, JF Hillebrand employs 1800 people in 45 offices around the world.

Since 1844, it has dedicated itself to the efficient and cost-effective logistics of wines, spirits and beers. As well as offering first class logistics services, it also leads the way in the development of innovative products, services and IT tools to the global beverage industry.

JF Hillebrand was voted “Best Logistics Company” in the 2010 &2011 Drinks Business Awards. JF Hillebrand won the “Customer Care” Award at the 2010 IFW Freight Industry Awards.
For additional information, please refer to our website: www.jfhillebrand.com/uk

Fellow whisky enthusiasts,

Less than 4 weeks to go until the third edition of Maltstock. Time for an update.

Maltstock Morning Walk by Glenrothes
Those of you who have been at Maltstock before know we traditionally have a very nice morning walk on the Maltstock Saturday. A de-tox walk. Together with local guides we walk for about 1,5 hours in the beautiful nature area surrounding Maltstock. This year the walk will be back. But it will be a bit different. The terrific Dutch Glenrothes team decided it is a great opportunity for you to discover the great tastes of nature! It promises to be a very special walk. Everybody at Maltstock is welcome to join the walk. But we do need to know upfront how many will join. So if you want join please sign up by sending an e-mail to tastings@maltstock.com. Please do so before September 1st. More info is on the Maltstock website under “free tastings”.

Donald MacLellan at Maltstock
There was one masterclass still to be announced. We are happy to tell you it will be hosted by Donald MacLellan. He will bring some very nice expressions of both BenRiach and GlenDronach. You can find the complete tasting schedule at the Maltstock website. And as always, the tastings are included in your Maltstock ticket.

Master of Malt free sample
The guys from Master of Malt are offering a free sample with every order by a Maltstock visitor. You will get a sample of their brand new 27y Dailuaine with every order. If you haven’t received the special code yet, please contact us. Master of Malt is an award-winning independent bottler and online retailer with a range of thousands of whiskies and other fine spirits. They also offer a huge range of samples in their “Drinks by the Dram” section. Your chance to try before you buy. Master of Malt will also be present at Maltstock and will be hosting a special “lost distilleries” masterclass. Click here to visit the Master of Malt website.

10% discount at The Whiskyshop Dufftown
A final reminder: every Maltstock guest will receive a 10% discount at The Whiskyshop Dufftown. And owner Mike will also be at Maltstock. So you can collect your bottles at Maltstock if you like. If you haven’t received the special discount code, please contact us. The Whiskyshop Dufftown is right in the hart of Whisky Country and offers a fantastic selection of whisky. They also host many great tastings again during the Autumn Speyside festival. (Tickets available through the WSD website.) Both the shop and the festival are well worth a visit! Click here to visit their website.

Maltstock bottling
We need your help! At Maltstock Jan Beek from Van Wees Holland will be bringing four samples. All of them will be tasted blind. And you will decide which one you like best. The winning sample will be bottled as a Maltstock bottling!

Maltstock Clothing
As mentioned in our previous newsletter we now have Maltstock clothing available in our webshop. If you want to be sure you have your t-shirt, polo or hoodie ready for you at Maltstock, than please order now. Orders placed after this Tuesday (August 16th) will not be ready before Maltstock. And we will have a very, very limited stock at the Maltstock weekend.

Maltstock almost sold out!
Yes, indeed, Maltstock is almost totally sold out! We only have a few beds available in the Maltstock dorms and a few hotel rooms. And that’s it. We will be welcoming over 40% more guests than last year. Fantastic!

We’re all really looking forward to the third Maltstock! Only a few more weeks to go…

Arthur, Bob, Eline, Rogier & Teun
www.maltstock.com

We have a traditionally great Malt here, down on it’s luck unfortunately! Whisky Review #213 – Ben Nevis 10yo by Ralfy

See for yourself at www.ralfy.com

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey Launches Online Football Contests

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (August, 2011) – Buffalo Trace Bourbon wants to invite fans of football and whiskey to come together and compete in the 2011 Fantasy Football League and Football Pick’em challenge. Both are virtual contests that challenge contestants to compete with other football fans to see who has the best football knowledge.

“Smash mouth football and great bourbon whiskey are both great American traditions,” said Buffalo Trace Brand Manager Kris Comstock. “Both contests will allow our fans to compete with other bourbon lovers while enjoying the upcoming football season.”

Buffalo Trace, the flagship brand of America’s oldest continuously operating distillery, will give a grand prize for each contest. Winners will earn a free trip to the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, which includes hotel, airfare and much more. Weekly prizes are also awarded throughout the season. To compete, just go online to www.buffalotracefootball.com …

“We like our contests to challenge our fans,” continued Comstock. “These football contests take dedication and skill to be the best, just like making damn good whiskey.”

The contest is live and will continue through the end of the pro football season. For further details visit www.buffalotracefootball.com

There is no charge to enter these contests. You must be 21 years old to play. Please drink responsibly.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The distillery’s rich distilling tradition dates back to 1787 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Malt Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotrace.com.

Bluffer’s Guide to Whisky
The Britons Protection, Manchester
Friday August 26th 2011, 7.30pm

The Britons Protection

£10.00 / ticket at The Whisky Lounge

For those who ‘always wanted to know about whisky, but were afraid to ask’…

We recognize that not everyone knows their Peat from their Pot Stills or their Glenlivet from their Glenmorangie, so this series has been put together with these poor, misguided individuals in mind! Six whiskies from the various whisky-making regions of Scotland in a tasting designed to get the learning juices flowing.

Want to impress your Dad/Grandad? Want to know your blends from your malts? Want to know more and taste more? Then this is the event for you! Eddie Ludlow, founder and Whisky Evangelist of The Whisky Lounge guides you along the start of your journey towards Whisky Valhalla. Life will never be the same again. Ever.

If you would like to purchase tickets for this event as a gift, please email us at info@thewhiskylounge.com upon completion of your order. We can then email you a PDF with a gift voucher for you to print and pop into a card of your choice!

You will not be sent a ticket through the post. Your details will be added to the event register and all you need to do is print the payment confirmation page and bring it with you to the event.

Bardstown prepares to party
20th anniversary of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival September 13-18, 2011

BARDSTOWN, KY – AUGUST 2011 – The Kentucky Bourbon Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary, September 13 to 18, in historic Bardstown – the Bourbon Capital of the World – and invites you to come celebrate the Spirit of Kentucky. Thirty-nine events are planned, including two new ones: “Half Pint of Whiskey History with a Shot of Humor,” hosted by noted historian Dixie Hibbs at Wickland Home of Three Governors; and “Any Way She Likes It,” a private bourbon tasting just for the girls (although significant others are welcome), hosted by former Master Bourbon Taster Peggy Noe Stevens and the Bourbon Women.

“With the rapid growth of the new Bourbon Women’s association, it seemed like a natural fit,” says Noe Stevens. “I plan to have great fun teaching women about bourbon and taking them on a deep sensory dive into distinguishing flavors.”

Don’t miss events
With signature Kentucky warmth and hospitality, the five-day festival celebrates “America’s Official Native Spirit.” Highlights include the Kentucky Bourbon All-Star Sampler™ with an opportunity to meet the master distillers of the bourbon industry; Mixed Drink  Challenge™ competition to create the next world-class bourbon cocktail; Boots and Bourbon™ country event; the Culinary Arts, Bourbon Style Cooking School™; Bourbon, Cigars and Jazz™;
and the black-tie Great Kentucky Bourbon Tasting and Gala™.

Roll out the barrels
Family-friendly fun includes the Balloon Glow, which kicks off the festival on Tues., Sept. 13 and, on Fri., Sept. 16, the Whiskey City Cruisers Car Show, touring the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History, including displays featuring Abraham Lincoln, and the World Championship Barrel Relay. On Sun., Sept. 18, enjoy hands-on activities at the Family Fun Area and the music of the Bourbon Idle contest on the lawn of Spalding Hall.

Rounding out festival fun: music by the Kentucky Headhunters (Saturday), The Spirit Garden™, Let’s Talk Bourbon™, a golf tournament and a poker run and a Kentucky Bourbon Breakfast at Spalding Hall on Sunday.

PHOTO
Barrel racing is one of 39 events that will take place during the Kentucky Bourbon Festival’s 20th anniversary celebration. Photo: Bardstown-Nelson County Tourist & Convention Commission.

Kentucky Bourbon Festival 20th Anniversary
Festival website: www.KyBourbonFestival.com

Date Tues., Aug. 13-Sun., Aug. 18. Opens 7:30 p.m., Tues. with Balloon Glow. Concludes Sun., 5 p.m.

Place  Bardstown, various locations, including Spalding Hall

Cost  Varies by event.

Note  Kentucky Bourbon Festival offers a “Safe Ride Home” program Wed.-Sun.

ABOUT Bardstown │ With its quintessential Southern small town sensibility, nearly 200 National Register of Historic Place buildings and charming circular Courthouse Square, Bardstown seems more like a yesteryear village than a bustling town in central Kentucky. But bustle it does: The “Bourbon Capital of the World” is a spirited community that is home to the Barton 1792 Distillery, plus three of the six distilleries on the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Heaven Hill, Maker’s Mark and Jim Beam. Bardstown has one of the four most important Civil War museums in the country, the Civil War Museum of the Western Theatre, as well as the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History and The Kentucky Railway Museum. It is the backdrop for “The Stephen Foster Story,” Kentucky’s official outdoor drama, and for a vibrant restaurant landscape that includes numerous historic dining venues and plenty of locally owned eateries, many of them situated – along with a lively collection of shops, boutiques and galleries – in the historic downtown district. Additionally, Bardstown has four 18-hole golf courses, three self-guided tours (Historic Downtown Walking, Architectural and African-American), two wineries and numerous religious attractions.