Whisky Ramblings Via Video #20
Mark Dermul, Belgian Whiskyblogger, was part of a group of 20 whisky enthusiasts that selected a single cask of Clynelish 1997. The 15 Year Old Highland Single Malt was bottled to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of The Bonding Dram. And a stunning Clynelish it is, indeed!
From the magic people at Bowmore….
“This month Bowmore will announce a particularly extraordinary and precious bottling. There are but a few distilleries that have had the honour of nurturing something so rare and we are extremely excited to shortly unveil it to our friends around the world… until then, we leave you with a taster of something magical.”
On the Bowmore website here:
http://www.bowmore.com/news/something-magical/
And available to download:
The WMV version (for MS Windows):
http://www.mbdlibrary.com/ftp/SomethingSpecial/SomethingSpecial-Teaser1.wmv
The MOV version (for Mac)
http://www.mbdlibrary.com/ftp/SomethingSpecial/SomethingSpecial-Teaser1.mov
Compass Box Flaming Heart
4th Edition
The fourth edition of the award winning Flaming Heart from The Compass Box Whisky Company. Created from single malt whiskies from distilleries located in the Northern Highlands, Islay, Speyside and Islands. Primarily from the south shore of Islay and the village of Brora (Highlands).
Bottled at 48.9% vol, the malt blended in this Scotch whisky comes from a combination of refill American oak (ex-Bourbon), new French oak (heavily toasted) and sherry casks.
Only £78.00
(£65.00 ex vat)
Click here to buy Compass Box Flaming Heart 4th Edition
Abbey Whisky
enquiries@abbeywhisky.com
www.abbeywhisky.com
0800 051 7737
St. Columba’s Hospice auctions rare Single Malt Scotch whisky in unique bottle designed by Maeve Gillies
St Columba’s Hospice of Edinburgh, Scotland, is delighted to announce the upcoming auction of ‘AOIBHINN’, an exquisite hand-crafted silver bottle containing rare Single Malt Scotch whisky.
‘AOIBHINN’, pronounced “ee-vin” and meaning joyful in Scottish Gaelic, is the result of a unique collaboration between New York-based award-winning Scottish jewellery designer Maeve Gillies and Ardbeg Distillery on the island of Islay.
This one-of-a-kind bottle has been created specifically for St Columba’s Hospice ‘Live Life Ball’ auction in October, which hopes to raise funds for an essential rebuild of St Columba’s Hospice in Edinburgh.
The ‘AOIBHINN’ bottle is created from hand-blown glass with genuine sterling silver that has been raised, chased, pierced and engraved by expert craftsmen using ancient silversmithing techniques. The edging is traditional silver gilt and stone-set with hand-carved, polished beach pebbles collected from St Columba’s Bay on the island of Iona. The single green teardrop-shaped stone on the front of the bottle, suspended by the blue enamel doves of the Hospice, will be cut from a rare green Iona ‘marble’.
Ardbeg Distillery was selected by Master of the Quaich and well-known whisky writer Charles MacLean – a star of Ken Loach’s Cannes 2012 Palme d’Or Jury Prize winner ‘The Angel’s Share’ – as the perfect distillery to fill such a unique Celtic-inspired bottle. The whisky, a vatting from a rare 1974 Single Malt Scotch, was personally created by Director of Distilling & Whisky Creation at The Glenmorangie Company, Dr Bill Lumsden.
The auction will take place at the St Columba’s Hospice ‘Live Life Ball’ at The Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh on Saturday 6 October 2012. Sealed bids will be accepted in advance and anyone wishing to bid for this lot should contact Lesley Christie, the Fundraising Director at St Columba’s Hospice on +44 (0)131 551 1381.
Charles Maclean commented, “Maeve’s designs are just exquisite. This will be a bottle of the utmost beauty and craftsmanship, and when filled with a very rare 1974 Ardbeg makes this truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for single malt whisky aficionados and collectors. Magnificent!”
Designer Maeve Gillies explains; “I was honoured to be asked to design this very important bottle. St Columba is one of Scotland’s most important saints, which truly befits a unique Celtic-inspired creation. The outstanding craftsmanship and materials, unique story and content of this bottle will ensure it becomes a highly-prized possession of one lucky bidder!”
Lesley Christie, Fundraising Director, St Columba’s Hospice, said: “This beautifully designed bottle, filled with rare single malt whisky, will be auctioned to raise funds for an essential rebuild of St Columba’s Hospice in Edinburgh. This is without doubt one of the most exciting fundraising opportunities we have ever had. The combination of support from Maeve Gillies, a world class and award winning designer, Master of the Quaich Charles MacLean, and Ardbeg, one of Islay’s best loved single malts, is absolutely unique and we are very grateful for their support”.
Notes:
St Columba’s ‘AOIBHINN’ – The Story, by Maeve Gillies
St Columba is the most important saint in Scottish history. His well-documented monastic life, spent mostly on the island of Iona during the 6th Century, marked the beginning of a new era. He travelled widely and fearlessly, promoting unity and peace at a time of great unrest, and the miracles he is said to have performed became legendary. His legacy was so revered that more Scottish Kings are buried on Iona than any other place.
Following St Columba’s death, there came many centuries of war and invasion. Treasured monastic objects were hidden and lost, stolen or destroyed by invaders. Few relics survived. One such object discovered intact is the Ardagh chalice, made over 1000 years ago, buried and lost, then discovered by a boy digging for potatoes in 1868.
The St Columba’s whisky bottle design was inspired by this exquisite chalice and its chance discovery. It is finished to feel as precious as if made by a King’s silversmith many centuries ago – buried to survive a Viking raid, and discovered centuries later.
This unique bottle is indeed fit for a King. Made from hallmarked sterling silver, it is hand-raised, chased, pierced and engraved, using ancient silversmithing techniques. The edging is traditional silver gilt and stone set. All the stones are hand-carved and polished from beach pebbles collected from St Columba’s Bay on Iona. The geology of Iona is amongst the oldest in the world, so these stones may have been present as Columba himself landed in that Bay for the first time. The single teardrop stone on the front of the bottle, suspended by the blue enamel doves of the Hospice, has been cut from rare green Iona ‘marble’. Pebbles of this green stone, unique to Iona, are treasured to this day by sailors and pilgrims as a ‘tear of St Columba’, which legend tells will keep them safe when travelling over water.
The Celtic bordering detail is hand-chased and oxidised, to convey the sense of age and treasure. Inside is a rare 1974 Islay single malt whisky from Ardbeg, itself considered the ‘jewel of Islay’.
The ‘AOIBHINN’ name is pierced straight through the silver to reveal the whisky inside. On the back, a pattern inspired by St Martin’s Cross on Iona is also pierced through. When held up to the sunlight, the Celtic cross allows light to flood through the logo and name on the front – as if rays of sunshine piercing through clouds.
For further information please contact Jen Wood at St Columba’s Hospice on +44 (0)131 551 1381 / +44 (0) 7552 167967 / jwood@stcolumbashospice.org.uk
For more information or to register interest in the auction please contact Lesley Christie, Fundraising Director, St Columba’s Hospice on lchristie@stcolumbashospice.org.uk / +44 (0) 131 551 1381.
Notes on Contributors
ST COLUMBA’S HOSPICE has been caring for patients in Edinburgh and the Lothians with cancer and other terminal illnesses since 1977. The Day Hospice, In-Patient Unit and Community Nursing Team are all vital resources, providing specialist care to over 1,000 people and their families each year. The Hospice aims to help people live as actively as possible, from diagnosis, right up to the end of their lives. As well as the highest quality of clinical care, the Hospice also offers emotional, spiritual and practical support to patients, their families and carers. St Columba’s Hospice aims to help people face the most difficult experience they will ever go through, with confidence and dignity. All services are given completely free of charge. St Columba’s Hospice is currently being completely rebuilt to create a state-of-the-art specialist palliative care facility. The Hospice has temporarily decanted all clinical services to Kirklands House, Gogarbank for the duration of the rebuild project. St Columba’s Hospice will return to Trinity, North Edinburgh in 2014. St Columba’s is a charity, not part of the NHS. It costs over £6m per annum to keep our Hospice running and the Hospice is dependent on donations to find 67% of that money. The rebuild project will cost £26 million, £3 million of which still needs to be raised.
MAEVE GILLIES is a multi-award-winning artist and designer who grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, in a family of nationally-acclaimed writers, musicians, academics and politicians.
Maeve’s passion for jewellery began by chance at age 15, when trying out goldsmithing with a jeweller friend. She completed two degrees in jewellery and silversmithing – firstly from the Edinburgh College of Art, then a Masters’ Degree from the Royal College of Art in London.
Maeve has received numerous awards for her jewellery, including three from the Royal Society for the Arts in London, four from the American JCK Jewellers Choice Awards, plus the prestigious Town & Country COUTURE Award in Las Vegas, USA. Maeve’s unique Celtic-inspired jewellery designs for her US-based company MaeVona are sold in the finest independent retail stores across North America and beyond.
In 2010, Maeve was invited to collaborate with Highland Park to create 275 Limited Edition bottles for their 50 year old whisky. Maeve’s unique bottle won the prestigious double title of WORLD’S TOP DESIGN and BEST LIMITED EDITION at the 2012 World Whiskies Design Awards in London.
CHARLES MACLEAN has been researching and writing about Scotch whisky for over 30 years, and has published 13 books on the subject. The Times describes him as “Scotland’s leading whisky expert” (March 2010). He was elected a Keeper of the Quaich in 1992 for ‘his services to Scotch over many years’ and granted the rare honour of being elected Master of the Quaich, the industry’s highest accolade, in October 2009.
ARDBEG prides itself on being the ‘Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky’. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts. Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction. Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following.
Ardbeg was voted Scotch Whisky of the Year three years in a row by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.
Hi folks. The 18th auction is now bulging at the seams and we will only take bottles till close of business on Saturday, September 15. Anything after that will go to the 19th.
Bill, Tam and Mick
Please visit SWA, Bill, Tam and Mick at www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com
Whiskey in Emerging Markets to 2016: Market Guide
440 Pages – PDF Format – £1030
This report provides detailed analysis into the Whisk(e)y markets in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand. For each country the report examines market growth dynamics and details market consumption, consumption by major brands, consumption by channel (off- and on-premise), consumption by price segment and consumption by alcoholic strength.
Furthermore the report details for American, Canadian, Scotch & Irish Whisk(e)y by country overall consumption, consumption by price segment and by alcoholic strength. Actual data is included from 2006-2011 with forecast data provided for 2012-2016.
View table of contents here
Whisk(e)y market guides are also available for the following regions (click on the region for more information):
Emerging Markets, Europe, Middle East, North America & Latin America
Individual country reports are also available. Please contact us if you have any questions or specific requirements.
Kind Regards,
Drink Sector
On September 4th, David Stewart celebrated 50 years with The Balvenie.
As the Scotch industry’s longest serving Malt Master, David is known for his rare ability to create unique expressions of The Balvenie’s character.
And to celebrate his half-century of nosing and tasting delicious whiskies, he has crafted The Balvenie Fifty, aged 50 years in a traditional oak cask.
In David’s own words, “Cask 5576 and I have shared the last five decades together and I’m delighted to say this unique cask has turned out a truly special single malt.”
The Balvenie Fifty will be extremely rare, as only 88 bottles have been made available. You can find out more about it at thebalvenie.com or by clicking one of the links below.
Slainte Mhath
David Mair
The Balvenie Ambassador
Bruichladdich Octomore 5.1
2012 annual release of the World’s most heavily peated Scotch Whiskey!
Matured in American oak casks
Limited release bottled at 59.5% ABV
All prices are quoted in USD and are subject to currency fluctuation – prices may vary.
BEST OF THE WEST FESTIVAL INVERARAY CASTLE September 15 & 16
A bigger, better BoWFest is in preparation showcasing the West of Scotland’s creativity with music, food, ale and whisky.
Whisky Bar
The Loch Fyne Whisky Bar will be there to present the whiskies of our Western distilleries, many of which will be poured for you by their owners/managers or ambassadors. You can buy drams by the measure or you can buy an All Day Tasting Ticket that lets you graze samples (approx 7ml) from the entire offering in your own time for one low payment (subject to sensible drinking).
What to expect
Last year an all day tasting ticket, with free glass, was £12. Doing the pouring with (optional) discussion were representatives/owners/managers of Abhainn Dearg, Ben Nevis, Bruichladdich, Arran, Kilchoman, Oban and Springbank Distilleries. All the West Coast distilleries were present in spirit and 55 bottles to choose from (and one gin).
MUSIC
Skerryvore (Saturday), The Red Hot Chilli Pipers and Dr. Hip and the Blues Operation (Sunday), feature in two full days of music with many acts.
FOOD AND ALE
Food from Argyll (and beyond), the excellent Fyne Ales, crafts and amusements and entertainment for all ages are organised; bouncy, painty, horsey, fishy stuff and lots more. Two full days for the whole family is the plan. With big local acts as a draw with the very low entry price you are strongly advised to buy your tickets in advance from the BoWFest website.
NEW DISTILLERY CAT JOINS THE FAMOUS GROUSE FAMILY – BUT HE NEEDS A NAME
After a three month search to find a new distillery cat, The Famous Grouse Experience has welcomed an adorable kitten as the newest member to their family and they need your help to find him a name.
The Famous Grouse is calling on whisky fans and animal lovers to find the perfect name for the ginger tomcat. The name will be given to the famous whisky’s newest recruit and the winner will be invited to meet him at his new home and take a VIP tour of the distillery. Travel and accommodation is included. To make your suggestion please visit bit.ly/catnamingcomp.
The cat, donated to the distillery by a local farmer, will have the run of Glenturret as he settles in and makes Scotland’s oldest distillery his new home.
Cats have long played a part at Glenturret Distillery, where The Famous Grouse Experience opened its doors 10 years ago, with the newest recruit following in the footsteps of Brooke and Towser. Arguably the most famous cat, Towser still holds the Guinness World Record for best mouser having caught 28,899 mice in her 24 years at the distillery.
The new kitten will not need to worry about hunting mice, but can instead concentrate on welcoming visitors and exploring his new home. As the most visited distillery in Scotland, he will greet around 100,000 visitors every year.
Tracy McCafferty, General Manager at The Famous Grouse Experience said: “The newest addition to our family is already settling in well to distillery life and proving to be a big character but he really needs a name. His predecessors were well loved by visitors and staff and it’s clear he will be no different.”
About The Famous Grouse Experience
*The Famous Grouse Experience is located at Scotland’s oldest working distillery – Glenturret. Originally established as a single malt distillery in 1775, today The Famous Grouse Experience is the most visited distillery in Scotland (receiving an average of 100,000 visitors a year).
*The distillery offers the opportunity to learn about how a single malt is made in the traditional way, as well as learning about where some of the Glenturret single malt ends up – in the blending of The Famous Grouse.
*Not only is The Experience an attraction for tourists, offering three types of tours – ‘The Experience’, ‘The Celebration Tour’ and ‘Warehouse no. 9’ – as well as a cafe and shop, it also caters for corporate functions and private hire. The Experience has conference facilities for team meetings and away days and can be used in the evenings for events catering for up to 275 (248 seated).
*The visitor attraction has received a number of prestigious awards in recent years including three consecutive Thistle Awards in 2007, 2008 and 2009, for People Development, Customer Service and Business Tourism respectively. In addition to this it has been awarded Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Star Awards for Customer Service and Retail in November 2008, Customer Service in 2009 and Training and Development in 2011.
*Opening Hours 9am – 6pm. First Tour 9.30am & Last Tour 4.30pm. Tours from £7.50. Children under 12 go free. For more information please visit www.thefamousgrouse.com/visit-us or call 01764 656565.
*The Famous Grouse Experience is home to the world’s largest bottle of whisky.
