www.ralfy.com tackles three viewers asked-about whisky reviews with Whisky Review 288 – requested whisky reviews and 3 big questions.

SMWS unveils world’s first interactive whisky magazine for iPad

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) has unveiled a fully interactive iPad version of its award-winning members’ magazine Unfiltered – the first of its kind on Apple’s global Newsstand platform.

As well as offering some previously unseen content for the Society’s 26,000-strong membership, Unfiltered on the iPad also opens the magazine up to non-members, with videos, interviews and features, 360-degree photography, interactive maps and hidden extras for the curious of spirit.

SMWS teamed up with incumbent customer publisher Connect Communications to develop the cutting edge publication, designed from the ground up to take full advantage of the iPad’s capabilities. The result is as beautiful as it is useable, showcasing the creative photography and industry-leading writing that have become Unfiltered’s stock in trade.

Commenting on the launch, Unfiltered editor Kai Ivalo said: “Our vision for Unfiltered on the iPad was to reflect the excitement, adventure and curiosity which comes with a love of great whisky. Like a good dram, it impresses from the first nosing, but also has hidden depths for those prepared to explore.”

Richard Croasdale of Connect Communications added: “We knew from the outset that we wanted to avoid a flat reproduction of the print magazine – our readers expect us to be more imaginative. So we’ve fundamentally rethought what Unfiltered can be and how readers can interact with it. It’s been an exciting journey and we’re confident that Unfiltered has once again set the benchmark for its peers.”

Unfiltered can be downloaded now through iTunes or directly through Newsstand on the iPad. Search for ‘Unfiltered’, or visit http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/unfiltered/id525768278?mt=8

Update on the tasting with Ian MacMillan Master Distillery for Bunnahabhain, Deanston, and Tobermory Tonight from 5:30-7:30

Ian MacMillan

We’ll start pouring at 5:30 this evening joined by importer Jeff Karlovich; Mr. MacMillan will be joining us shortly thereafter. Please feel free to drop in any time and taste a terrific line-up of single-malt whiskies from the Burns Stewart group. Unfortunately, Ian’s time will be very limited and if you are looking to have a bottle signed we request that you pre-order it, as all bottles must be sold in the store, not at the tasting. All pre-order requests may be made by reply-email or my calling Joe at the store at 617-367-8605. We’re so thankful to be finally hosting another scotch tasting, it’s been too long. Please come out and show support for Ian MacMillan on his first (maybe only?) Boston trip. Pricing is as follows:

Bunnahabhain12 Y.O. Unchill-filtered Regularly: $57.99 On Sale: $52.99
Bunnahabhain Toiteach Regularly: $89.99 On Sale: 80.99
Bunnahabhain 25 Y.O. Regularly: $379.99 On Sale: $340.99

Deanston Virgin Oak Regularly: $34.99 On Sale: $30.99
Deanston 12 Y.O. Regularly: $55.99 On Sale: $50.99
Deanston 30 Y.O. Regularly: $274.99 On Sale:247.99

Tobermorey 10 Y.O. Unchill-filtered 46.3% Regularly: $56.99 On Sale: $51.99
Tobermorey 15 Y.O. Unchill-filtered 46.3% Regularly: $134.99 On Sale: $121.99
Ledaig 10 Y.O. Unchill-filtered 46.3% Regularly: $55.99 On Sale: $50.99

Joe Howell
Federal Wine & Spirits

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Email: joe@federalwine.com
Phone: 617-367-8605
Web: http://www.federalwine.com/

Hi folks. We are no longer accepting bottles for the 16th auction, unless you had previously intimated it to us. All bottles from today will be for the 17th auction.

Best wishes from Glasgow

Bill, Tam and Mick

www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com

The Top 10 Whisky Markets (2011)

Good afternoon all,

I admit I am a bit of a geek when it comes to the annual release of whisky sales numbers from the International Wine and Spirit Research, so I was quick to log on to their website when I heard the latest figures were out. Of course, and as I mentioned last year,…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Kind regards,
Ludo

Love Isle of Skye Whisky – £440 Worth of Isle of Skye Whisky Savings Plus WIN a break to the majestic Isle of Skye

From 1 September, look out for special promotional bottles of Isle of Skye Whisky in all major retailers stocking Isle of Skye throughout Scotland.

There will be a huge range of Isle of Skye savings worth £440 up for grabs, plus the chance to win a two-night self-catering break to the majestic Isle.

Special offers and discounts range from 20% off prints at The Croft Studio and by Diana Mackie, to free child places at Seaprobe Atlantis, 20% off at The Tartan Company and up to 20% off at Clan Donald.

Click here to find out more about this promotion

Black Bull 12 Year Old Recommendation

Black Bull 12 Year Old has been recommended in 101 Whiskies to Try before You Die. This book is intended as an accompaniment to his previous publication under the same name. Ian Buxton makes a new selection of 101 whiskies by broadening his geographical domain in which to choose from, he also takes care not to choose expressions from the same brand to allow for a greater diversity of whisky brands.

101 Whiskies to Try before You Die is not an awards list – it’s a guide to the 101 whiskies that enthusiasts must seek out and try in order to complete their whisky education. Furthermore, the book avoids the deliberately obscure and focuses on the whiskies that he believes every whisky lover should taste.

The selection process was governed by three basic conditions 1) Readily available 2) Affordable 3) An excellent example of its kind.

Black Bull 12 Year Old comfortably meets all these conditions, and is a must try!

The author Ian Buxton is a former Marketing Director of Glenmorangie and has worked in the industry for more than 20 years. He now runs a successful consultancy business. He was elected a Keeper of the Quaich in 1991, the highest honour of the Scotch whisky industry, and is a member of the international tasting panel for the annual World Whisky Awards and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers.

Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited
www.duncantaylor.com

GlenDronach Releases Latest Batch of Single Cask Bottlings

THE BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd. has today, Friday 13 July, released the latest batch of single cask bottlings from its GlenDronach Distillery.

This is the sixth batch of GlenDronach single casks to be released by the award-winning Aberdeenshire distillery.

The five casks were all bottled in June and are available as of today.

The batch comprises five sublime casks with vintages ranging from 1971 to 1993. Two have been matured in Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheons, one in an Oloroso sherry butt, one in an Oloroso sherry puncheon and the fifth in a Moscatel Barrel. The Moscatel cask (1989 cask # 4885) is a particularly unusual release from GlenDronach, given that the distillery tends to focus on sherry cask maturation.

All five have been hand-selected by The BenRiach Distillery Company’s Managing Director Billy Walker, and all share GlenDronach’s typically luxurious, richly-sherried characteristics, plus a fantasia of dates, orchestras of spices and explosions of honey, Demerara sugar, sweet molasses, mocha…and even fruit cake!

The cask details are as follows:

1971 cask # 1247 / 41 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 47.9% vol. / approx 529 bottles

1978 cask # 1068 / 33 years old / Oloroso Sherry Puncheon / 52.9% vol. / approx 318 bottles

1989 cask # 4885 / 23 years old / Moscatel Barrel / 53.9%vol. / approx 286 bottles

1990 cask # 2966 / 22 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 55.1% vol. / approx 539 bottles

1993 cask # 536 / 19 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 59.4% vol. / approx 596 bottles

Last year, after tasting and evaluating over 4500 whiskies worldwide for his “Whisky Bible 2012”, Jim Murray singled out GlenDronach as the distillery “with the most consistently impressive output throughout 2011” and placed it “in the Grand Crus of Scottish Malt Distilleries”. He added: “If there was a Whisky Bible Scotch Malt Whisky Distillery of the Year, GlenDronach would be it.”

Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page over the coming weeks for more information on these new releases, tasting notes and exclusive product photography.

If you would like to receive more information regarding Batch 6 releases, please contact us on info@glendronachdistillery.co.uk

Black Bull 40 Year Old Batch 3

Batch 3 of Black Bull 40 Year Old has recently been bottled and is soon to be available to purchase from retailers.

Black Bull 40YO batch 3 is a mix of 14.4% Grain Whiskies and 85.6% malt Whiskies from some of Scotland’s premium distilleries.

Black Bull 40 Year Old Batch 3 (41.6%, 70cl) Tasting Notes:

Colour: Bright Gold
Nose: Raisins, roasted almonds, butter scotch, dark chocolate, orange zest, freshly cut grass.
Taste: Citrus fruits, manuka honey, faint smoked oakiness, wild berries with a distance coastal flavour emerging.
Finish: Long mouth coating finish with a delicate traces of chocolate covered cherries, with salty traces fighting their way to the front.
Comment: This is a dram to be savoured and enjoyed.

Contact kat@duncantaylor.com for information regarding the location of shop retailers and URLs for Online retailers that are soon to be stocking the Black Bull range and any other Duncan Taylor Ranges.

Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited

www.duncantaylor.com