Isle of Skye Blended Scotch Whisky raises a glass to Fife’s Ship Inn Cricket team on Scotland’s most famous pitch

Isle of Skye Blended Scotch Whisky kicked off the summer cricket season in style by announcing its official sponsorship of The Ship Inn cricket team on Scotland’s most famous pitch – Elie beach in Fife.

Supported by Isle of Skye Whisky, one of The Ship Inn team’s first wins of the season was captured on film by BBC Scotland. Landward’s presenter Dougie Vipond joined the Ship Inn team as special honorary team member on 27 May for a special feature on Elie’s unusual cricket ground. With players and spectators basking in glorious summer sunshine on the golden sands, the quaint fishermen’s cottages of Elie proved the perfect backdrop to this traditional British summertime pursuit and The Ship Inn’s team glory. Watch the episode online.

The cricket season runs through to 9 September with home games at Elie taking place every second Sunday. People are being encouraged to come along, rain or shine, and support the Ship Inn cricket team for some guaranteed entertaining sport, delicious food at the Ship Inn and of course a wee dram of Isle of Skye 8 Years Old.

For future game listings visit: www.ship-elie.com

Dailuaine 40 Year Old, 1971 Vintage, 47.6%

Douglas Laing Director’s Cut

Single cask expression of the Speyside single malt rarely ever seen at this age from one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland established 1851.

Distilled December 1971 yielding only 117 bottles

£194.99 (£162.49 ex VAT)

Benromach’s stillmen at centre of distillery’s new creative concept

Two Scottish distillery workers have been penned by the Scottish illustrator, Jill Calder, to feature at the heart of a new design concept set to showcase the secret of Benromach, Speyside’s smallest distillery, to the UK and internationally.

Benromach is handmade by just two stillmen – Keith Cruickshank and Mike Ross – who make in one year what other distillers make in a week, making it one of Scotland’s best kept whisky secrets. Keith and Mike have now been immortalised in Fife-based artist Jill Calder’s illustrations, reflecting the personal qualities the two men bring to Benromach and its expressions. The design concept will be used in the distillery’s advertising, marketing and promotional campaigns.

David Urquhart, Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail, the family-run Elgin company which owns Benromach commented: “Benromach is a handmade, boutique whisky which is lovingly crafted by Keith and Mike. They are the essence of Benromach and so we thought it appropriate that they were placed front and centre of our new concept.

“Jill’s illustrations are a perfect fit for Benromach – home and handmade and with loving attention to detail.

Douglas Alexander of Stuff Creative was briefed to give the Benromach brand a new creative personality. Doug, who founded Stuff Creative in November 2011, commented: “We wanted to find a creative personality for the brand that would let it talk and express itself. Anyone who visits Benromach can meet Keith and Mike, but now those who can’t make the trip to Forres personally can ‘meet’ both of them in Benromach displays across the country.

“I’ve worked with the Urquhart family, which owns Benromach, for 25 years, in each agency I’ve been a part of. They have a lot of vision and guts, and it really has been exciting working with the family and Jill Calder to bring the brand to life and celebrate the two men who make it all happen at the distillery.”

Jill Calder commented: “Illustrating Benromach distillery and its two stillmen, Keith and Mike, was a lovely process. I’ve never been a whisky drinker but they’ve done their best to try and convert me!”

Keith and Mike’s illustrations are available, but in large file size (3MB each). Please confirm if you would like to receive these illustrations via email.

Notes:

About Benromach

Established in 1898, Benromach distillery changed hands many times and was virtually derelict when bought by Gordon & MacPhail in 1993. Drawing on generations of whisky expertise, the company carried out a painstaking refurbishment, and the distillery was officially re-opened by Prince Charles in 1998.

Just two men hand-craft Benromach using the finest Scottish barely and the purest spring water from the nearby Romach Hills. They fill new spirit into the highest quality casks before being left to mature at the distillery for many years. The Benromach portfolio includes the award winning Benromach 10 Years Old and the first fully certified organic single malt – Benromach Organic.

For more information on Benromach, visit www.benromach.com

About Jill Calder

Jill Calder is an award-winning illustrator based in Cellardyke, Fife. Trained at Glasgow School of Art, her clients include the New Yorker, Elle magazine, the British Museum, Sainsburys and Harvard Business review.

For more information on Jill Calder, visit www.jillcalder.com

About Stuff Creative

Stuff Creative was founded by Douglas Alexander in November 2011. Prior to founding Stuff, Douglas was managing director of Navy Blue in Edinburgh.

For more information on Stuff Creative, contact Douglas Alexander on doug@stuffcreative.com

As you may have noticed Whisky Intelligence was absent for a few days; the servers that host our files suffered a massive failure and it took the wee robots nearly 48 long hours to find the problem and repair it.

Now it’s catch up time!

Gold Award For Black Bull 40 Year old Batch 3

We obtained a GOLD medal award for Black Bull 40 Batch 3 in this year’s International Spirits Challenge, where over 400 Scotch Whiskies were blindly tasted in Edinburgh, Scotland, by one of the best panel of judges ever to date. The panel of judges consisted of 15 different worldwide master distillers and master blenders. To name a few: the chief blender of Nikka Whisky, Tadashi Sakuma, the Balvenie malt master, David Stewart, master blender at Chivas Brothers, Colin Scott, and the master blender at Whyte and Mackay, Richard Paterson.

Black Bull 40 Year Old receiving a Gold Medal is a fantastic achievement considering such an esteemed panel of judges, and the level of whiskies that entered the competition this year. Black Bull’s continuing success in competitions and popularity amongst customers proves once again that it is a brilliant Blended Whisky full of flavour and character.

Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited

www.duncantaylor.com

WIN a magical escape to the Isle of Skye

Isle of Skye Whisky has teamed up with VisitScotland as part of the Year of Creative Scotland 2012 to offer people the chance of winning a three-night self-catering break for two to the island, including return ferry travel from Mallaig to Armadale, a rare bottle of Isle of Skye 21 Years Old and up to £200 towards travel and spending money.

From the imposing skyline of the Black Cuillin shrouded in Celtic mist and towering high above the picturesque Glen Brittle, to the extraordinary cliff-like edge of Trotternish Ridge north of Portree, you are invited to journey ‘Over the sea to Skye’ and uncover an island full of surprises.

To help indulge your creative side during the Year of Creative 2012, make sure you experience the unique Poetry Trail at the Clan Donald Museum which brings to life the history of the Highlands and Islands through the Jacobite risings, to the sweeping cultural changes where clansmen became crofters and chiefs became landlords.

For full details and terms and conditions, visit: www.isleofskyewhisky.com/competition Or go to the VisitScotland Website.

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #15

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, crossed the pond to the USA and tries two very different American whiskies head to head: the soft Bernheim Original versus the feisty Wild Turkey Rare Breed. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/L0ZC24h5x84 (Go on, click on the link!)

GLEN GARIOCH UNVEILS NEW SMALL BATCH RELEASE

1995 expression offers the last chance to sample ‘old’ Glen Garioch at its finest

Glen Garioch, Scotland’s most easterly distillery, has unveiled its latest small batch release, the Glen Garioch Vintage 1995.

The limited edition, only the sixth special addition to the Glen Garioch single malt range, was laid down just months before the distillery was mothballed for two years in October 1995.

With just 1,000 8.4L cases available globally and a limited 100 in the UK, this expression encapsulates the final burst of rich and lightly peated malt produced at the distillery before its temporary closure.

Kirsteen Beeston, Head of Brands Marketing, said: “The aim with all our limited edition expressions is to showcase the distillery’s special quality of liquid, and the 1995 is certainly no exception.

“This vintage is the last to capture the old Glen Garioch peaty notes and has been matured entirely in first fill bourbon barrels for over 16 years.

“It’s a classically complex Glen Garioch; rich, full, robust and comes with a smooth velvety texture that accentuates its warm and spicy taste.

“Glen Garioch may be a small artisan distillery but our enduring spirit, honed over the last 200 years, means that we’re well versed at turning out distinctive single of exceptional quality.”

On the nose, the full flavour of the 1995 expression is heightened by an array of rich oak spices, with notes of spiced mocha and muscovado sugar turning more buttery when water is added. The end result is a wave of warm and spicy flavour with layers of baked banana, toffee sauce, mocha chocolate and warm golden syrup.

Rachel Barrie, new master blender for Morrison Bowmore, said this latest vintage reminds her of her roots, sitting in her grandmother’s kitchen in Glen Garioch’s closest town Inverurie.

She said: “This really takes me home to Inverurie, my gran’s kitchen was always filled with the smell of pancakes and maple syrup, honey drizzled waffles and apple strudel. These warm, spicy flavours are true Glen Garioch.”

This unique small batch release calls upon some of the last ever barley, malted and peated on site at the Oldmeldrum distillery. Following a short period of silence between 1995 and 1997 production was resumed without the use of the 200 year old malt barns, making this a rare vintage for single malt fans.

With its proud Doric history, the Aberdeenshire malt captures the enduring and couthie spirit of the Highland town of Oldmeldrum.

Barrie added: “With limited availability in the UK, and based on the blistering success of our previous small batch releases, whisky aficionados will need to be quick out of the blocks.”

At 55.3% ABV, Glen Garioch 1995 is available from specialist wine and spirit merchants, retailing circa £55. It is distributed by Cellar Trends in the UK.

Notes

• Glen Garioch, pronounced Glen Geery, founded in 1797 is one of the oldest remaining distilleries in Scotland
• The distillery lies on rising ground at the picturesque town of Oldmeldrum, just 17 miles north-west of Aberdeen
• Glen Garioch was relaunched in 2010 with a core range of two single malt whiskies – the Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve, a non chill-filtered single malt bottled at 48% ABV and the Glen Garioch 12 Year Old, non chill-filtered single malt bottled at 48% ABV after maturing in bourbon and sherry casks.
• Glen Garioch is owned by the Morrison Bowmore Distillers Limited who also produce Bowmore and Auchentoshan
• Glen Garioch is distributed by Cellar Trends in the UK, tel: 01283 217 703.

Arran The Devil’s Punchbowl 52.3%alc.

‘This Limited Edition release will highlight the cask selection skills of our Master Distiller and Blender James MacTaggart. Created from a vatting of our oldest and finest casks, the Devil’s Punchbowl will be bottled at Cask Strength and limited to 6660 bottles worldwide. With stunning packaging combined with superior whisky, we anticipate The Devil’s Punchbowl forming the first chapter of a new and highly sought after collection.’

Extremely limited in the UK and so a strict maximum of 1 bottle each whilst stocks last.

Single-Malt Scotch Tasting With Ian MacMillan, Master Distiller at Bunnahabhain, Deanston, and Tobermory
Thursday, July 19th. 5:30 – 7:30 PM
At our office at 60 State st. 7th floor
No set pouring times, come whenever you can

Ian MacMillan

Master Distiller/Blender, Ian MacMillan will be with us Thursday, July 19th to launch Bunnahabhain’s new single-malt, Toiteach. Toiteach is a no-age-statement peated single-malt harkening back to what Bunnahabhain would have resembled in the nineteenth century. Ian has been in the industry for for over forty years, and oversees operations at the three distilleries owned by Burns Stewart: Bunnahabhain, Deanston, and Tobermory (the last also makes a peated single-malt under the name Ledaig.) Some of these Scotch distilleries are not well known but produce whiskies that you should know; very good single malts at good value – something you do not see enough of.

Ian will taste us on some wonderful scotch including Bunnahabhain’s brand new Toiteach, their 12 Y.O; 25 Y.O; as well as The Deanston 30 Y.O. and something from Tobermory / Ledaig. We would love to see you come in to welcome Ian to Boston and taste some wonderful scotch. More information (pricing etc.) will be available on our website soon.

Joe Howell
Federal Wine & Spirits

BOSTON

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