Whisky Intelligence has added a new category called ‘Vignettes – Moments in Whisky’ which will feature whisky moments as experienced by the readership. If you have a whisky moment please feel free to submit your moment and we’ll do our best to publish it.
Voyage of discovery for Amrut Herald
Amrut Distilleries is once again pushing back boundaries in the whisky world. For its latest offering it has chosen a beautiful, but remote, island as the place to mature four barrels of its Bangalore-distilled single malt whisky. For a project like this, one might have expected Amrut to pick an island in the whisky heartlands, but the Indian distillery has once again opted for the unconventional and chosen an island 45 miles off the north German coast.
Helgoland is an unspoiled unique environment with dramatic red sandstone cliffs and sensuous sand dunes. Not only is it free of traffic and low in pollution, but it also enjoys a gentle climate thanks to the Gulf Stream which allows exotic plants and wildlife to thrive at its relatively high latitude.
From Bangalore, itself known as India’s “garden city” due to its lush tropical environment, the casks of malt whisky were shipped to Germany before being transferred to a boat for the two-and-a-half-hour crossing from Cuxhaven to the northern island idyll.
There, Amrut’s German importer, Prineus, had arranged for the barrels of the malt to mature further. Not only was the Helgoland climate a big contrast to tropical India, but the barrels were stored close to sea level. In Bangalore the Amrut distillery is at an altitude of 3,000 feet. The outcome is the stunning new Amrut Herald.
Keeping in tune with the pure unspoilt atmosphere of Helgoland, the whisky was bottled in as simple a way as possible. It was not filtered or diluted and in fact you will notice sediments in the hand-filled bottles.
This is the first time that any whisky has been matured and bottled on Helgoland and the bottles from one of the casks will be retained on the island, which is a duty free haven. Like Amrut’s previous limited edition malts, Amrut Herald will only be available in small quantities in certain locations and it is sure to become a popular bottling.
Gerd Schmerschneider of Prineus is delighted with the collaboration. “The result is a fantastic whisky, one of the finest examples you can get out of a Bourbon cask. It is clean, powerful and holds loads of vanilla and sweetness. It was a great honour for me, on behalf of Prineus, to work with Amrut. Neither maturation nor bottling of whisky has been done on the island of Helgoland before, but millions of litres of alcohol have been sold there. The environment is perfect for maturing whisky as it is 70km away from the mainland, no pollution is evident and cars aren’t allowed on the island.”
“Making this malt whisky was a real adventure,” said Ashok Chokalingam of Amrut Distilleries. “It travelled 5,000 miles to the edge of mainland Europe. Then we were able to mature and bottle whisky on Helgoland, for the first time in the island’s history. And in Amrut Herald we have created another unique malt whisky which will satisfy the connoisseurs who have come to expect the best from us.”
Notes
Further information: Amrut Distilleries
Amrut Single Malt Whisky from India was launched officially in Glasgow in 2004. Since then its reputation has grown, with its range of innovative whiskies using Indian barley from the Punjab distilled in the tropical garden city of Bangalore at 3000ft.
Amrut Distilleries was named a Distiller of the Year in the Icons of Whisky 2011 and was crowned in the Rest of the World category by the independent judges of the prestigious awards, which are organised by Whisky Magazine. The award was made to Amrut “for raising the profile of Indian whisky across the globe and its innovations in the production process”. The Rest of the World title meant the Bangalore distillery was also one of the four contenders for the Icons of Whisky Distiller of the Year title.
In The Whisky Bible 2010, leading whisky expert, Jim Murray awarded Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky the title of World’s Third Best Whisky. Murray said Fusion “has to be one of the great whiskies found anywhere in the word this year”. Admitting his No 3 choice could come as a surprise to some people, he said: “The fact that it is Indian? Irrelevant, from distillation to maturation this is a genius whisky from whichever continent.”
Fusion – which brings together two barleys: Indian and Scottish, with the latter being peated – was named the Best Natural Cask Whisky in the Daily Drams Category at the Malt Maniacs Awards 2009. It picked up the award for the best whisky matured exclusively in “untreated”, regular cask(s) in the category for whiskies with an average street price of up to 50 euros. It was also awarded a silver medal.
One of the Amrut Single Malt Whisky bottlings by Blackadder International won “The Best Daily Dram” category of Malt Maniacs 2008 Awards. All the Amrut brands entered into the same competition won silver and bronze medals.
Amrut Peated Malt Cask Strength Whisky won Silver and Amrut Single Malt Cask Strength Whisky Bronze at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2008.
Amrut is now sold widely in Europe (UK, Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Spain), Canada, South Africa, Australia and the United States.
Auchentoshan launches new expression
After the release of the Auchentoshan 1975 35 Year Old Bourbon Cask Matured and Auchentoshan Valinch last month, the Lowland distillery announced it newest expression on 5th July 2011.
They did so in avant-première through the social network site FACEBOOK at 6pm sharp (well, a few minutes after, but who’s counting?).
The Auchentoshan 11 Year Old 1999 Bordeaux Cask Matured is non-chill filtered and bottled at an ABV of 58%. It was matured solely on French Bordeaux casks.
The open grain of French Oak helps develop a full oaky character in this cask strength, non chill-filtered release. The result is pleasantly sharp, countering the sweet Auchentoshan style. Autumn sunset to the eye, the aroma is citric sharp balanced by lingeringcreamy sweetness. On the tongue there’s vanilla with layered fruit andwood spices – then a long, lingering finish. It will hit the shelves soon at a RRP of £46,99 (UK). Inside sources tell us that it will be available in the States as well as European markets soon.
Enjoy!
Mark Dermul
A Toshan Man
http://www.markdermul.be/toshanman
Kentucky Cooperage Tours
Mon.-Fri. ♥ 9:30 a.m. & 1 p.m.
712 E. Main St.
Tel. 270.692.4674
marcia.morgeson@kentuckycooperage.com
Kentucky Cooperage makes the charred oak barrels critical for the production of bourbon. See how “charring” is done, how staves are shaped, how hoops are put in place and how barrels are made leak proof without manmade sealers.
Find out more about Lebanon Kentucky at www.visitlebanonky.com
Dalmore Masterclass Tickets for Saturday 24th September 2011
With much anticipation The Midlands Whisky Festival Masterclass tickets go on sale this week opening with a chance to assist at a Dalmore distillery treat. After an exuberant sales period for initial entry tickets to the main festival it is expected to be followed now by quick sales of masterclass tickets .
First up for grabs are tickets for the Class presented by David Robertson, director of rare malts at the Dalmore distillery. David has pursued an illustrious career at top end distilleries around Scotland. and we are all very much smiley faced to receive his person for this fantastic opening gig. And here’s what he will be bringing with him :
Dalmore 15 YO
Dalmore 18 YO
Dalmore Castle Leod
Dalmore King Alexander
Dalmore 1981 Matusalem
Dalmore 40 YO
+ Mackinlay’s Shackleton Limited Edition.
Tickets are on sale now for a miniscule £10 each. Start time 12:30pm, duration 45mins. NB: To purchase this ticket you must already hold a Midlands Whisky Festival entry ticket.
You can buy both these now at www.whiskyfest.co.uk and by contacting Julie or David on 01384 394518.
The Midlands Whisky Festival Saturday 24th September 2011
Venue : Stourbridge Town Hall
Market Street
Stourbridge
West Midlands
Contact : David@nickollsandperks.co.uk
Where to stay :
The Talbot Hotel
High Street
Stourbridge
Macallan Lalique 55 Year Old Crystal Decanter
Macallan Lalique 55 year old is an exceptional malt whisky that has matured for 55 years in Spanish oak, Sherry casks.
This beautiful Lalique decanter draws its inspiration from Macallan’s natural colour, with the design based on a perfume bottle design by René Lalique from the early 1900’s.
Only 420 crystal decanters of this exceptionally rare malt have ever been released.
£15,000
07890 983 844
MASTER DISTILLER ANNOUNCES GLOBAL FINALISTS FOR ‘WHISKEY WORLD GAMES’
Colum Egan, Master Distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery, has today announced the eleven pairs of friends who will represent their countries at ‘Bushcamp’, the global final of ‘Make it 2 Bushmills’, a competition hosted by BUSHMILLS™ Irish Whiskey.
The eleven pairs will be taking part in the final, dubbed the ‘Whiskey World Games’, on Ireland’s north coast this August. The competition offers two friends the chance to win two weeks working at the world-famous Old Bushmills Distillery, where they will make their own unique blend of BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey, live in luxury penthouse accommodation and get £5,000 spending money. Then, the winning friends will get VIP access to the ultimate BUSHMILLS party back in their home country.
The Bushcamp finalists are:
· Representing Belgium – Johan Lolos, a Student (23) and Mathias Gilles, a Student (24)
· Representing Bulgaria – Marin Aganderov, a Student (22) and Kiril Todorov, a Student (22)
· Representing Czech Republic – Ondřej Šimeček, a Hospitality Product Manager (27) and Jiří Tlach, an Insurance Officer (28)
· Representing Germany – Patrick Seidel, a Bartender (27) and Andreas Andricopoulos, a Bartender (27)
· Representing Great Britain – Keeley Sutcliffe, a Junior and Infant School Midday Supervisor (34) and Tom Lawrence, a Telesales Manager (39)
· Representing the Netherlands – Richard Beatty, an IT Consultant (36) and Michael Weijzig, a Social Worker (36)
· Representing Northern Ireland – Richard Roberts, a Customer Service Assistant (59) and Carol Roberts, a Home Care Worker (55)
· Representing the Republic of Ireland – Peter Majernik, a Hotel Concierge (32) and Vladimir Majernik, a Hotel Porter (31)
· Representing Russia – Nikolay Fedoseev, a Graphic Designer (28) and Ilya Rybalsky, a Chemical Engineer (26)
· Representing South Africa – Sean Tickner, a Orthotist and Prosthetist (30) and Jonathan Oliff, a Brand Strategist and Marketing Consultant (27)
· Representing the United States of America – Curt Neeb, an Inventory Specialist (40) and Paul Kowalski, a Graphic Design Business Owner (49)
The duos were selected to represent their countries by public vote on Facebook and will compete against each other in a number of challenges to find the ultimate winners of Make it 2 Bushmills. Some of the challenges they can expect to face include barrel-rolling, coopering and beach golf.
The final will be judged by the BUSHMILLS Master Distiller Colum Egan and some famous fans of BUSHMILLS, including Kevin Baird of Two Door Cinema Club, Jonathan Galkin of DFA Records and Rob Allanson of Whisky Magazine.
Colum said: “Bushcamp is going to be the World Games of Whiskey, played out in true Bushmills style. Kevin, Jonathan, Rob and I will be challenging the finalists to try out some of the things that the team at the Old Bushmills Distillery do on a daily basis as well as some of the things that we like to do in our spare time…all with a Bushmills twist.
“But of course, being the Old Bushmills Distillery, we’ll not be forgetting the whiskey itself. A couple of the challenges will test how passionate the friends are about BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey. All will be revealed when we welcome them here in August!”
Bushcamp will take place from 16th – 18th August at the Old Bushmills Distillery, in Bushmills village and the surrounding area, with the winning pair of friends being announced on the evening of the 17th.
Visit facebook.com/bushmills1608 to follow the finalists’ progress and for more information on Make it 2 Bushmills.
Notes
Colum Egan Biography
Colum has been Master Distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery since April 2002. He’s responsible for all the critical stages of whiskey production – all of them carried out at the distillery itself. That’s very handy when your job is to ensure that the production of the whiskies is done to perfection – as Colum likes it to be. It is Colum’s knowledge of whiskey and his attention to the finest details that makes BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskies consistently the best. Colum lives in the little coastal town of Ballycastle with his wife and two sons and says that he has found his dream job.
Kevin Baird Biography
Kevin is the bass player and vocalist in Northern Ireland indie rock band Two Door Cinema Club. Their debut album Tourist History has gone Gold in the UK, selling over 100,000 copies and recently they’ve made a splash by picking up both the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year and the award for Best New Band at the 2011 mtvU Woodie Awards. Kevin is a big Bushmills fan and is looking forward to meeting some others at Bushcamp.
Jonathan Galkin Biography
Jonathan Galkin is the co-founder and head of operations for DFA Records worldwide, an independent record label that he launched in 2001.
Rob Allanson Biography
As the Editor of renowned Whisky Magazine, Rob a vast knowledge of all things whisky, from the science to the romance. He travels to distilleries and major whisky conventions around the world, reporting on the latest news in the industry on his blog and in the magazine, which is published worldwide eight times per year. In his spare time, Rob is a keen biker, charity advocate, husband and dad.
About BUSHMILLS
BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey is made at Ireland’s oldest working distillery in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. The brand portfolio includes six multi-award winning whiskeys: BUSHMILLS Original, BLACK BUSH, BUSHMILLS 10 Year Old Single Malt, BUSHMILLS 16 Year Old Single Malt and BUSHMILLS Malt 21 Year Old Single Malt and BUSHMILLS 1608. BUSHMILLS is the only distillery in Ireland to make triple-distilled Malt Whiskey. This is at the heart of all BUSHMILLS Whiskies and creates a unique combination of smoothness and richness.
Douglas Laing & Company have launched a Single Cask bottling of their finest Old Malt Cask – chosen to commemorate Scotland’s long association with the Gurkhas – Nepal’s legendary fighting men. Gurkhas first fought alongside Scottish soldiers in 1817 and have continued to do so with courage and professionalism to this day. Their 13 Victoria Crosses bear testament to their unfailing valour and loyalty to the British crown.
As with our Allt-a-Bhainne Highland Malt, the Gurkhas also come from wild and high places.
Fred Laing the company’s MD says:”Every year we select a charity for which we will bottle a Single Cask from our stock. This year we have chosen the Gurkhas. Their famous war cry “Ayo Gorkhali!” translates as “The Gurkhas are here!”, and whilst Douglas Laing & Co has no such famous war cry, we are proud and happy to send all proceeds of this bottling to the Gurkha Welfare Trust.”
Only 298 bottles have been filled of this 20 years old Allt-a-Bhainne, with a rrp of approximately £75.
For any questions on availability – contact info@douglaslaing.com
Dear Whisky Friends,
Bowmore and Rob Allanson, editor of Whisky Magazine, are hosting a very special whisky tasting in Glasgow on Friday the 15th of July 2011 in aid of the Bowmore Ben Nevis Challenge.
Participants will enjoy a tailored whisky tasting including some very unique limited edition whiskies from Auchentoshan and Bowmore, plus a few other special drams! Canapés will be served before the tasting, which will be followed by a raffle and silent auction featuring some rare whiskies signed by Bowmore distillery manager Eddie MacAffer.
The Bowmore Ben Nevis Challenge supports Capability Scotland and sees teams of disabled and non-disabled people work together to take on the challenge of scaling the UK’s highest peak, Ben Nevis on Saturday 20th August.
Money raised by the challenge will go to Capability Scotland to support them in their work campaigning with and supporting disabled people of all ages in Scotland at home, at work and at school.
Bowmore Ben Nevis Charity Whisky Tasting will take place at
Thistle Hotel Glasgow,
Cambridge Street
Glasgow, G2 3HN
Friday 15th July 2011
Guests to arrive at 6pm
£30 per ticket
Available via http://www.singlemaltwhiskyshop.com/store/bowmore/whisky-tasting/ben-nevis-whisky-tasting.aspx
For more information on the Bowmore Ben Nevis Challenge visit www.bowmore.com/ben-nevis
Royal Mile Whiskies Smokin’ New Whiskies!
We think it’s great what Kilchoman has achieved so far. Considering that it is already producing fantastic whiskies at just 3 years old makes it exciting to think about what is coming in the future. Kilchoman 100% Islay
This peaty wonder from Campbeltown is released under strict and severely limited allocation. It is unlikely this will change until 2015 at the earliest, as there is simply not enough aged stock to add it permanently to the Longrow range. Longrow 18 Year Old
Still a work in progress and progressing well. The third bottling from Springbank’s most recent distillery, Glengyle, shows much promise and bodes very well for the future. Kilkerran – Work In Progress 3
Signatory continue to out do some of the Islay distilleries at their own game, by releasing these great value, ‘does exactly what it says on the tin’ type peaty drams. Laphroaig 1999 Signatory
There is something in the water and it will soon be making it’s way over from Islay…
Never cry over spilt milk. It could’ve been whiskey.
~ “Pappy” Maverick, in Maverick (the TV series)
Slainte!
Royal Mile Whiskies
Whisky Magazine’s ‘Retailer of the Year 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011’
FOR ALL ENQUIRIES PLEASE CALL 0131 524 9380
or email contact@royalmilewhiskies.com
Edinburgh Shop:
379 Royal Mile
Edinburgh EH1 1PW
Tel: 0131 225 3383
London Shop:
3 Bloomsbury Street
London WC1B 3QE
Tel: 0207 436 4763
*All bottlings subject to availability, prices inclusive of VAT and subject to change.
