1792 RIDGEMONT RESERVE AND KENTUCKY TAVERN WIN SILVER MEDALS IN SAN FRANCISCO COMPETITION

BARDSTOWN, kENTUCKY (May, 2012) – Two Kentucky favorites from the Barton 1792 Distillery won Silver Medals from the 12th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), held in March. A newer favorite, 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Bourbon Whiskey is made at its namesake Barton 1792 Distillery and becoming increasingly popular. This 8 year old small batch Bourbon, introduced in 2003 has a deep amber color, aromas of honeyed fruit cake and chocolate covered cherries, followed by a rich taste and full body. Long-time favorite Kentucky Tavern also won a Silver Medal. This classic has a burnished copper color with caramel raisin aroma, medium body and spice accents.

A record number of entries – 1,218 products from 65 countries – were evaluated by 33 of the finest palates and spirits experts in the industry. Judging is based on a blind, consensual procedure to ensure competitive integrity. Complete results of the 2012 competition can be found at http://www.sfspiritscomp.com/results.html.

The 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Bourbon Whiskey is 93.7 proof and suggested retail for 750 ml is $29.99. Kentucky Tavern is 80 proof and suggested retail is $10.99.

About Barton 1792 Distillery

Barton 1792 Distillery is part of Barton Brands of Kentucky, with facilities in Bardstown, Ky., Carson, Calif., and Baltimore, Md. Barton Brands is owned by the Sazerac Company, a family-owned company based in New Orleans, La. Barton 1792 Distillery was established in 1879 and continues today as the only fully-operating Distillery in the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Bourbon whiskey is produced at Barton 1792 Distillery. This small batch Bourbon whiskey is the recent winner of a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. To learn more about the Distillery visit www.1792bourbon.com.

We need your help!

On the Diamond Jubilee weekend our home city of Perth will attempt to break the world record for the most kilted runners – a record that currently belongs to our twin town of Perth, Ontario in Canada.

The 8 kilometre run will take place in Perth’s city centre on Saturday 2nd June and in order to beat the world record we need more than 1,089 kilted runners.

Given that Scotland is the home nation of the kilt it really is a matter of national pride that we take this record from our friends in Canada but to do so we need your help.

All you need to do is sign up by visiting www.perthkiltrun.co.uk and if you’re not a big runner don’t worry, as long as you run the first 100m it is entirely acceptable to walk the rest. You can even hire a kilt and get kitted out on the day.

We are sponsoring Perth Kilt Run and all money raised will go to PKAVS and The Soldiers Charity.

Sign up, get your kilts on and break a world record.

Yours Famously,
The Famous Grouse team

WHISKI ROOMS LAUNCHES SUMMER WHISKY TASTING SCHEDULE

The innovative whisky shop of the WHISKI Rooms in Edinburgh has launched it’s full program of whisky tastings till the end of August. All of the tastings are bookable online and feature a great mixture of distillery tastings with bespoke offerings.

“I feel we have lined up a great program of interesting and affordable whisky tastings and offer daily tastings every day during the Edinburgh Festival” said Anne Still, Director of the WHISKI group.

All of the whisky tastings are listed on the WHISKI Rooms site and already some have sold out. £5 is redeemable against any 70cl whisky purchase with every ticket http://www.whiskirooms.co.uk/whiskytastings.html

“We have some favorites back from last year like our Blending Game and Introduction to Whisky as well as a great lineup of distillers keen to show off their range and some new tastings like Whisky and Cheese. I think there will be something for everyone to enjoy” said WHISKI Shop manager Gareth Van Rooyen.

Background

WHISKI Rooms is the sister venue to the multi award winning WHISKI Bar & Restaurant on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Launched in June 2011 it is an innovative hybrid venue comprising a bar, all day dining bistro/restaurant and an adjoining specialist whisky shop. The whisky shop stocks over 500 whiskies and every whisky in both venues is available to buy hence a “try before you buy” concept is in operation. WHISKI Bar & Restaurant is currently Whisky Bar of the Year 2011/2012, Dram Awards winner.

WHISKI Rooms
4 – 7 North Bank Street
Edinburgh
EH1 2LP

http://www.whiskirooms.co.uk/whiskytastings.html

Visit our online whisky shop – worldwide delivery

http://www.whiskishop.com/

Link to images http://www.whiskirooms.co.uk/gallery.html

Loch Fyne Whiskies ‘Loch Fyne Food Fair’

We’re not taking part (shop’s too busy anyway) but the Food Fair organised by Loch Fyne Oysters is this weekend (19 & 20th) at their shop and smokery in Cairndow at the head of the loch. Pop in for platters of seafood, venison burgers and then shuffle along to Inveraray (another 8 miles) and come and see us.

Best regards,
Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

Eight German Angels visited this years WhiskyFair in Limburg (GER).

It’s getting bigger and bigger we can say! Everyone who’s been there knows what I’m talking about!

We arrived at 2 o’clock at the fair and the weather was perfect. It was almost too perfect to have a dram! The thermometer outside in front of the entrance shew +30°. As we entered the tent in front of the Josef Kohlmaier Halle we saw Allistair Walker (BenRiach, GlenDronach) behind his stand sweating like crazy. There was no oxygen in the tent. The hosts tried to get fresh air into the tent with help of huge fans but without great success.
So we decided to leave the tent and head outside for a cool drink. We were standing at a table between the tent and the Josef Kohlmaier Halle. The sun was shining bright on our heads so we decided to get a cool fresh beer. Two angels went in to have some whiskies because we were at the WhiskyFair and not the BeerFair 😉

Inside the Josef Kohlmaier Halle it was hot, no fresh air and really crowded. We started with a Bruichladdich, emptied it while heading to the exit and took a WhiskyFair Bottling (Caol Ila ) dram from the WhiskyFair-Stand right next to the exit to enjoy outside. The other angels were still enjoying their cool beer as we came back to report on the conditions inside the hall. Having finished our excellent dram we ordered two beers to cool down a bit. The other six angels went inside to experience the hot conditions and get a few drams while we defended our table outside. It is very important to have a table at the fair because it makes it more comfortable with all your belongings.

We had backbags and jackets (for the night when it cools down) that you can leave at the table. See, it is horrible to walk through the crowd with your backbag. But you know what I mean when you ever been to a crowded place with a backbag =) So our system was that half of the angels stayed at the table outside while the others enjoyed the drams inside. Of course we did enjoy plenty of great drams!!! Worth to mention are Highland Park Thor (16y), Maltbarn Caol Ila 30y, Signatory Cragganmore 26y and Brora 30y.

We left the WhiskyFair in the evening for the Islay BBQ presented by Villa Konthor. The BBQ was set in a lounge close to the train station and like the fair it was crowded again. Three Bruichladdich Whiskies and a perfect Whisky based BBQ were waiting for us. I’ll never forget the delicious whisky-sauces along with perfect grilled meat! In the end the whole day was absolutly amazing! The weather was perfect, the drams worked and we enjoyed a tremendous BBQ.

No question that we’ll attend next years WhiskyFair again!!!

Jens
German Ambassador
www.angelswhiskyclub.com

BLACK BOTTLE STANDS OUT AT WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION

Black Bottle, the iconic and distinctive whisky, has lived up to its bold, inability to be ignored reputation by taking double gold at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Capturing the very essence of Islay, Black Bottle is the only blended Scotch whisky to include all the renowned single malts from the Isle of Islay balanced by the finest Highland, Lowland and Speyside malt and grain whiskies. With its bold taste Black Bottle is one of the most unique whiskies around as there are very few, if any, that come close in terms of style and taste profile. The whisky holds a fresh and fruity nose with a hint of peat that leads to a full yet slight sweet palate and a delightful smoky flavour. The finish is warm and long with the unmistakable smoky, Islay character.

Black Bottle’s unique taste owes its character and heart to the innovation and skill of Gordon Graham, its original master blender. A tea merchant, Graham’s ability to blend tea soon moved to the blending of whiskies in the late 19th century. This particular blend, which he marketed in opaque black bottles imported from Germany, in time became the whisky of choice of the locals of Aberdeen. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 forced the company to source new bottles and since that date Black Bottle has been packaged in a green glass bottle, retaining the distinctive pot-still shape.

Black Bottle is available, with or without a gift tube, from leading liquor outlets at around R200 per bottle.

Glen Garioch has been part of the Morrison Bowmore group since 1970 and despite being often seen as the quieter of their distilleries it’s evolved and changed a lot over the years. The relaunch of their whisky range in 2009 has breathed new life into the brand and recent releases have shown they’re a force to be reckoned with. We’re very fortunate to be joined by the company’s Malt Master Iain McCallum to lead us through a selection of their whiskies.

The relaunch has firmly positioned Glen Garioch as a connoisseur’s dram, with the standard expressions now bottled un-chillfiltered at 48%. They’ve also complimented their range by releasing a pair of cask strength vintage bottlings each year, some of which we’ll be able to taste on the night.

Iain will take us through the Glen Garioch range, showing the evolution of the whisky over the last 40 years and its emergence as a formidable single malt.

We’ll be starting the Masterclass with the Founder’s Reserve and the World Whisky Award-winning 12 year old, before moving through the 1994, 1991, 1986 and 1978 vintage whiskies, and ending on the excellent 1971 single cask, bottled in conjunction with TWE and launched at The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show 2011.

On top of that we will be continuing our campaign to educate everyone about food and whisky matching by serving a cheese with each of the drams, chosen from the excellent range available from the Neal’s Yard Dairy.

The tasting will take place on Monday 28th May at 7:30pm. Tickets are priced at £25 and will go on sale on Wednesday 16th May at 3pm. As ever, tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis and are limited to two per customer. You can book your place at the tasting by phoning the shop on 020 7403 8688 or by calling in.

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/nlv/nlv_15052012.htm

Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert

Book launch Sunday, May 20, 2012

Britton’s
846 Bank Street (near Fifth Avenue)
Ottawa
tel. 613 237 6116

Join Davin de Kergommeaux in Ottawa at Britton’s in the Glebe as he launches the first comprehensive book ever written about Canadian whisky.

A message from Scotch Whisky Auctions

Hi folks. We thought we would drop you a quick email to alert you to a number of special lots in the next auction. We have a 1969 10 year old Largiemeanoch from a single cask, a second release Black Bowmore from 1964 and the complete Springbank Millennium Collection, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 years old, PLUS the accompanying miniatures.

We’re still collating and photographing bottles for the auction and we’ll send you another email when we’re about to go live.

Best wishes from Glasgow

Bill, Tam and Mick

www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com

Have you ever been in a shop and you were not sure if you tasted a particular whisky? Maybe you even doubt if you have the bottle at home in your collection. It would also be nice to know if the price is right.

From now on, all these questions will be answered with the Whiskybase Android APP

The Whiskybase Android APP makes it possible to check your own collection and see what you have tasted, anytime and anywhere. The Whiskybase Android APP has the same features as the community website but you can also use it offline.

These are the features of the Whiskybase Android APP:

• Look up verified data from more than 30.000 whiskies
• Make a choice out of nearly 350 distilleries and brands from all over the world
• Select from the long bottlers list
• Searching by vintage is possible too.
• My Collection gives you easy access to the bottle in your own collection
• My Ratings shows a list with the whisky you rated
• My Wishlist shows the bottles you wish to own or taste one day
• My Notes shows a list with your notes
• Top 1000 is a list with the 1000 hightest ranking bottles on Whiskybase
• You can also add notes, rates and bottles to your collection and upload them to the community website
• And much more.

You can buy the Whiskybase Android APP for only 3,95 EURO on the Google Play pages: https://play.google.com/ Or click on this button

The Whiskybase IPhone APP will be ready within a few days. Please check the APP STORE for the Iphone version.