HIGHLAND PARK UNVEILS NEW GLOBAL BRAND ADVOVATE

Highland Park, the best spirit in the world, has made a significant new addition to its central brand team with the appointment of Daryl Haldane to the newly created role of Global Brand Advocate.

Daryl joins the team from Diageo’s Reserve Brands where he worked as a brand ambassador for over four years, specifically focused on cross category training around the UK. This covered a variety of functions from brand education to product development predominantly in the UK on-trade.

Commenting on his new role, Daryl said, “This is a very exciting time for me, having worked on all spirit categories before, whisky is where I always wanted to be. There are few brands who can boast the heritage, credentials and accolades that Highland Park achieves so consistently. I am very proud to become a part of that”

This new role reflects the ambition and focus of Highland Park in its drive to build brand awareness and distribution across the globe and also gives greater weight to the commitment to brand education in key markets.

Gerry Tosh, Global Marketing Manager, Highland Park, “Daryl is a great addition to the team, bringing a strong mix of marketing and educational experience to this new, pivotal role. The creation of this position and Daryl’s appointment mark a step forward for us in terms of driving forward our longer terms plans. It’s definitely going to be an exciting few years for us and what a great way to start!”

Proudly Presents

Whisky An’ A’ That IX

Ayr’s famous Whisky Festival

Saturday 9th June 2012

2pm-6pm

Ayr Town Hall

The perfect gift for Valentine’s Day

ORDER ONLINE HERE

PLEASE NOTE, THAT WHEN ORDERING YOUR TICKET(S) CLICK ON WHISKY FESTIVAL TICKET IN THE COUNTRY DROP DOWN MENU

YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED FOR POSTAGE

TICKET HOTLINE NUMBER:

01292 284279

You can also click on the email address below, stating how many tickets you require, your name, full postal address, daytime and evening telephone numbers. We will then contact you by phone for payment details and ticket confirmation.

info@whiskyanathat.com

Order yours today, as tickets are limited.

We look forward to hearing from you.

 http://www.robbiesdrams.com/ 

GLENTAUCHERS 1991

£10 OFF PER BOTTLE – NOW ONLY £25.99

TASTING NOTE

Colour: Dark straw.

WITHOUT WATER:
Nose: Delicate esters – very fresh and fragrant. Fruity influences with a sweet honey edge.
Palate: Mouth warming with a delicate hint of spice. Sweet with influences of freshly cut grass. 
 
WITH WATER:
Nose: A distinct freshness dominated by a sweet influence, soft and rounded edge with hints of butter toffees.
Palate: Initially sweet with delicate hints of cereal notes – malt. Mouth warming and fresh.
Body: Light.
Finish: Long and balanced.
Cask Type(s): Refill Sherry casks.
Whisky Style: Sweet, fruity and well balanced.

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW   

 
Highland Park Thor 16 Year Old

Valhalla Collection

Nose: Concentrated and forceful, with an explosion of aromatic smoke, pungent fresh ginger, antique copper, stewed plums, and golden syrup. With water, earthy notes emerge, like a garden after a heavy rain shower.

Palate: Thor’s high strength grabs the palate and refuses to let go. Initially dry, with fiery gingerbread then vanilla, blackberries, fresh mango, peach and hints of cinnamon. As its big flavours swirl around the mouth, some softer, sweeter notes develop, giving Thor and unexpected layer of complexity and depth.

Finish: The finish thunders on, leaving behind lingering notes of sweet vanilla and an intense spiciness.
 
£124.99

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW   

 
Octomore 4.2 Comus

THE MOST HEAVILY PEATED WHISKY IN THE WORLD

TASTING NOTES –
 
BODY: MEDIUM WEIGHT AND WELL DEFINED FOR A YOUNG ISLANDER. THE TEXTURE IS RICH, SWEET AND MELLOW AND THE VISCOSITY OF THE SAUTERNE BRINGS BALANCE TO THE POWER OF THE PEAT. THIS IS A MOST SOPHISTICATED OCTOMORE AND IT’S KIND OF UNBELIEVABLE TO SEE “THE BEAST” TAMED A LITTLE! 
 
NOSE: THE OPENING IS A BEAUTIFUL COMBINATION OF PEAT SMOKE, BRACKEN, LEATHER, TOBACCO POUCHES, BOG-MYRTLE & BRINY WAVES. THEN LITTLE TWISTS OF HOME-MADE MINT TOFFEE ENTER THE SYSTEM AS DO THE NUTTY NOTES FROM THE OAKS – BOTH FRENCH AND AMERICAN. AND SO  THE DANCE GOES ON BUT WHERE IS THE FRENCH BEAUTY? SHE WAITS PATIENTLY ON THE FRINGES THEN AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT MOMENT SHE MAKES HER ENTRANCE FROM THE EPICENTRE OF THE SPIRIT BRINGING AROMATICS AND FLAVOUR THE YOUNG ILEACH COULD ONLY DREAM ABOUT. IT’S A BRILLIANT ENGAGEMENT TO EXPERIENCE. FROM  DEEP IN HER SOUL SHE COMMITS TO THIS AMAZING  RELATIONSHIP, THE AROMATICS RELAY THE MESSAGE TO THE WAITING TASTE BUDS TO EXPECT A WHOLE NEW EXPERIENCE. THE GRAND CRU SAUTERNE FLAVOURS OF PEAR SYRUP, PLUMP BURSTING GRAPES, GUAVA, PASSION FRUITS AND CANTALOUPE WITH A DUSTING OF ICING SUGAR; YOU HAVE TO WONDER JUST HOW SURREAL THIS IS, A SUPER HEAVY PEATED SPIRIT BEING SEDUCED BY THE DELECTABLE CLASSIC FRENCH BEAUTY – PASSION CHANGES EVERYTHING! 
 
PALATE:IT’S ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS, THE COMING TOGETHER OF FLAVOURS SO FAR REMOVED FROM EACH OTHER YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE A DISASTER BUT ONCE AGAIN WE STAND IN AWE OF IMAGINATION AND THE COURAGE TO TAKE THE CONSUMER ON THIS INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY. THE KALEIDOSCOPE OF AROMATICS TRANSCENDS BEAUTIFULLY ONTO THE PALATE WHICH IS GOING CRAZY WITH EXCITEMENT. THE SMOKE IS THE PERFECT FOIL FOR THE SAUTERNE; THIS IS BRUICHLADDICH AT ITS BEST, WALKING ON THE WILD SIDE, BRINGING PLEASURE AND EXCITEMENT TO THOSE WHO HAVE THAT SENSE OF ADVENTURE AND PASSION THAT COMES ONLY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE TOTALLY COMMITTED TO TRADITION, YET FEARLESS IN THEIR SEARCH FOR THE ULTIMATE DRAM. 
 
FINISH: THIS LOVE AFFAIR SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED BUT IT HAS AND WE ARE WITNESS TO ITS ENCHANTMENT, PASSION AND JOYFULNESS AS THE FLAVOURS LINGER LONG INTO THE NIGHT, ENDING ON A DRIFT OF PEAT SMOKE AND THE MARINE MAGIC THAT IS TRULY ISLAY.

£99.99

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW   

Single Malts Limited | 36 Gordon Street | Huntly | Aberdeenshire | AB54 8EQ |  

Whisky Ramblings Via Video – Scotch Whisky News

Check out the second of Belgian whisky blogger Mark Dermul’s Whisky Ramblings on video: Glenmorangie Lasanta. Please click on the link below to view the viedo.

http://youtu.be/yYaDbB8dtKk

A visit to Holyrood

Hello,

Last night I was invited to join the Scotch Whisky Association and several Members of the Scottish Parliament to celebrate the global success of Scotch whisky and in particular, the 10,000 or more people who are directly employed by whisky distillers all around Scotland.

People are often regarded as Scotch whisky’s fourth ingredient. So I was…(please click on the link to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Kind regards,
Ludo

Rare whisky launched to mark Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

A 60 year old Single Malt Whisky is being launched today (6th February 2012) in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee by one of the world’s leading malt whisky specialists.

Gordon & MacPhail – the Elgin based and family-run Single Malt Whisky specialist – has released only 85 bottles of Glen Grant 60 Years Old.

Distilled on 2nd February 1952, four days before the Queen acceded the throne,   the whisky was bottled on 2nd February 2012 at cask strength, making it exactly 60 years old.

Gordon & MacPhail’s Joint Managing Director Michael Urquhart said: “Glen Grant 60 Years Old is a rare single malt whisky and we are delighted to be releasing it to mark the celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

“With whisky of this quality and rarity – each bottle comes with a certificate of authenticity – we expect considerable interest, not just in the UK, but from the international marketplace where recent export figures have shown we have an avid consumer following.

“In producing the packaging for this remarkable Single Malt we worked with Scottish craftsmen, allowing us to showcase some of the finest talent in the country.”

Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 60 Years Old is described as having poise and great complexity, displaying aromas of Cox’s Pippins and Granny Smith apples, laced with cinnamon and root ginger. 

The palate reveals the age and depth of character as rich, burnt fruit notes mingle with a drying, spicy edge and a dusting of white pepper.

The Single Malt is presented in a pyramid shaped crystal decanter adorned with a diamond shaped stopper.  Each decanter is expertly engraved – the script in-filled with silver – and uniquely numbered. 

The decanter carries an engraved crown with a sparking Swarovski crystal, set at the meeting point of the crowns two arches.   A silver collar, placed around the neck of the decanter completes the presentation.  

The decanter is packaged in a hand-crafted box made of Scottish Elm, felled a short distance from Holyrood House, the Queen’s official Scottish residence.   The decanter nestles in the box lined with luxurious, purple Harris

Tweed and a dust jacket made from the same material protects the box and the precious contents.

The limited edition bottles are now being put on the market for a recommended retail price in the UK  of £8,000 per bottle. Prices in export markets will differ depending on duty and import taxes.

The launch of Glen Grant 60 year old is supported by an online social media campaign and dedicated microsite www.gordonandmacphail.com/diamond and Facebook page.  Both display images of the hand crafting bottling process and packaging of the final product. 

Notes:

1.                   Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 60 Years Old will be sold in specialist wine & spirit retailers, Duty free outlets and consumed in high quality on-trade establishments.  A single decanter will have a UK RRP of £8,000. 

Prices in export markets will differ depending on duty and import taxes.

TASTING NOTE:

After maturing slowly for sixty years the result is a beautifully balanced Single Malt with poise and great complexity. The introduction to the whisky is one of fresh fruit and spices – aromas of Cox’s Pippins and Granny Smith apples, laced with cinnamon and root ginger. In the background linger subtle hints of lavender and rose petals, all wrapped in a sweet, toffee parcel.

A sip of the whisky reveals the age and depth of character. Initially there are hints of cedar wood and freshly cut grass. However, these are quickly replaced by rich, burnt fruit notes with a drying, spicy edge and a dusting of white pepper.

A smokiness twists its way through the flavour leaving a slightly bitter, treacle toffee finish.

About Gordon & MacPhail:

Gordon & MacPhail is an independent, family-owned spirit and wine merchant who have been based in Elgin, Moray, since 1895. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued the tradition of seeking out the best and rarest Scotch whiskies.

Since its founding, Gordon & MacPhail’s policy has been to send casks to distilleries throughout Scotland, fill them with ‘new make’ spirit and mature them either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouses in Elgin.

Now one of the world’s leading malt whisky specialists, Gordon & MacPhail exports to more than 55 countries. It offers more than 300 presentations of own-bottled Single Malts.  In 2009, Gordon & MacPhail was awarded the prestigious

Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

In 1993 the company purchased Benromach Distillery in nearby Forres.  After extensively re-equipping the distillery over a five year period, Benromach was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles in October 1998.  The award winning range includes

Benromach 10 Years Old and Benromach Organic – the world’s first single malt to be fully certified by the Soil Association.

Gordon & MacPhail named drinks wholesaler of the year

Elgin based whisky, wine and spirit merchant, Gordon & MacPhail, has been named Drinks Wholesaler of the Year at the Drinks Retailing Awards 2012.

The awards, held at The Dorchester in London on 7 February 2012, brought together the leading lights of the drinks industry to recognise innovation and best practice across the sector.

Established in Elgin in 1895, the family owned and managed business of Gordon & MacPhail is one of the UK’s leading independent specialist wholesalers.  Gordon & MacPhail stocks over 4,500 product lines, including an extensive wine list, an impressive portfolio of spirits and a wide range of micro beers.  The company is the UK’s top wholesaler for Malt Whisky, stocking every distillery bottling of Single Malt available in the UK market. 

The award was presented to Gordon & MacPhail in acknowledgement of the company’s extensive portfolio of products,  investment in staff training and commitment to delivering excellent customer service. 

The judges were also impressed by the company’s investment in technology including a new voice activated picking system.

Receiving the award on behalf of Gordon & MacPhail, Joint Managing Director, David Urquhart said: “Since 1895, we have placed our customers and their requirements at the heart of our business. 

We value our working relationships and are eager to listen to our customers, working with them to meet their objectives.  Along with the ongoing support from our suppliers and customers, winning this award is testament to the commitment and skills of the Gordon & MacPhail team at and their drive to continually exceed customer expectations.”

The company employs 140 people from its base in Elgin, of which a sales team of 20 covers the length of the UK.  Gordon & MacPhail operates wholly owned bonded and duty paid warehouses, along with an own transport network (supplemented by courier). 

Notes:

About Gordon & MacPhail:

The family owned and managed firm of Gordon & MacPhail is located in Elgin, Scotland.  The iconic retail shop on South Street still thrives today on the site where the business began in 1895. 

Since those early days the company has grown significantly and has business interests as a bottler, exporter, distiller, and wholesaler.

As a wholesaler

Gordon & MacPhail is one of the UK’s leading independent specialist wholesalers and distributors, stocking over 4,500 products, including an extensive portfolio of wines, spirits and UK specialist beers and ciders.

As a bottler and exporter

Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail’s policy has been to send casks to distilleries throughout Scotland, fill them with ‘new make’ spirit and mature them either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouses in Elgin.

The World’s Leading Malt Whisky Specialist, Gordon & MacPhail bottles more than 300 expressions of Single Malt Whisky under various ranges – selling them throughout the UK and exporting  to more than 50 countries worldwide.  

In 2009 the company won the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, following a 94% increase in exports over five years. 

In March 2010 Gordon & MacPhail made history as it launched the world’s oldest single malt whisky – Gordon & MacPhail Generations Mortlach 70 Years Old – at an exclusive event at Edinburgh Castle.  

This was followed up in March 2011 with the release of another ancient Single Malt – Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 70 Years Old.

As a distiller

Gordon & MacPhail owns Benromach Distillery.  Located on the outskirts of Forres, Benromach is Speyside’s smallest working distillery, employing just two experienced distillers.  Established in 1898 the distillery went through many changes of ownership and closures before being ‘rescued’ by Gordon & MacPhail, who purchased it in 1993.  The distillery was extensively re-equipped over a five year period before it was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998.

When the worms come out to play there is even a Japanese cocktail to mark the occasion – a Yamazaki Keichitsu

With 24 seasons each lasting 2 weeks the Japanese have the knack of finding interesting reasons to celebrate with their wonderful whiskies.

Early March sees the end of insect hibernation and a reason to mix the simple but very delicious Yamazaki Keichitsu cocktail to toast the worms, or anything else as the earth warms up for spring.

Yamazaki Keichitsu – Worms come out of hibernation (5March)

What better way to welcome them into the sunlight!

Recipe:

50mlml Yamazaki 12 year old single malt whisky

2 barspoons Saffron-infused caster sugar

4 Kumquats

Muddle kumquats in a glass, add crushed ice and rest of ingredients

Serve in an Old-fashioned glass over ice

Here’s mud in your eye!

 
Hibiki Shunbun –The middle of spring (20 March)

As spring warmth spreads a cool, refreshing cocktail is called for in the Hibiki Shunbun cocktail.

Recipe:

40ml Hibiki 17 year old blended whisky

25ml Ume shiso (Japanese mint)

2 drops of Old Time Aromatic Bitters (The Bitter Truth)

Orange zest

Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Garnish with orange zest

Both cocktails are from a range of 24 seasonal cocktail recipes created by Zoran Peric, Suntory Brand Ambassador, to welcome the warmth of spring.

Suntory Japanese whiskies are world beaters having won more than 60 international awards since 2003 and whisky lovers have taken to them. There is something about their subtle aromas and delicate flavours which appeals to the palate whether taken neat, over ice or in cocktails.

Yamazaki 12 Year Old Single Malt and Hibiki 17 year old Blended whiskies are firm favourites in Japan and here in Europe. Enjoy them and the warm glow that comes with the Yamazaki Keichitsu and Hibiki Shunbun cocktails.

Note: Pronouncing Suntory names

Yamazaki – (Ya-ma-zarkee)

Hakushu – (Ha-koo-shoe)

Hibiki – (Hi-bi-kee)

Yamazaki and Hakushu single malt whiskies are available from:  Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, The Whisky Exchange, independent specialist retailers and drinkon.com priced from:

Yamazaki 12 year old £42

Hibiki 17 year old £70 

Dear Client,

 This month we have selected four (4) PROVENANCE bottlings. PROVENANCE Tasting Notes follow:

PRV 0767 Dalmore 10 Year Old On the nose it is strawberry caramel sweet, citric and clean with a backdrop of barley. Spiced still with summer fruit (plus cream!) and sugar on the palate – it all runs to a finish carrying more warming spices, together with both mocha and liquorice flavours. (F)

RV 0768 Aberlour 11 Year Old Opens clean and fresh on the nose – carrying a zesty lemon style plus some honey. The palate opens sweetly with a fruity (peach & banana) character running to a soft creamy vanilla style. The finish is still sweet – now buttery – still fresh – and runs to a soft spicy tail. (J)

PRV 0778 Dailuaine 11 Year Old Sherry The nose opens with an attractively spicy and sweet character – carrying an interesting butterscotch style. The mouth coating palate remains spicily sweet and carries a toffee’d apples and buttery quality. The finish is medium long, still sweetly spiced with a ripe peach aspect. (J)

PRV 0780 Glentauchers 12 Year Old Opens clean and fresh on the nose carrying a sweet gristy quality and develops to crushed sugar and ripe pineapple. The palate is warmingly spiced, still fruity with dark cherries and apricots. The finish is medium long, still sweet and softly spiced. (J)

We hope you and your customers will like them as much as we do, and that we can progress together when convenient to you. Happy to be of assistance!

Yours sincerely

Fred Laing Managing Director

Hello Fellow Whiskey Lovers –    

I have some very exciting news to share with you.

As of today, ForScotchLovers has a totally new look, a vastly improved user experience…and a new name: ForWhiskeyLovers.com

The new site reflects the perspective we’ve heard from so many of our members, brand ambassadors and whiskey industry folk, and friends: that amazing whiskey is being produced in all corners of the world. 

The mission of the site hasn’t changed: provide a resource of expert whiskey content; a forum to learn from and share your passion with other whiskey drinkers; and a store that offers an unparallelled selection of amazing whiskies from around the world at fair prices. 

The new website, and all this talk of “world whiskies” around the FWL offices caused our boy Nicky “The Neck” to spring into action, as if on a new mission: Find a truly wonderful single malt whisky produced in some far corner of the world, and bring it on home Nick!

And because he IS “The Neck”, he succeed…which brings me to this weeks Whiskey Wednesday special: Lark Single Malt Single Cask Tasmanian Whisky.

That’s right…Tasmanian whisky…and man is it good!  

Lark Distillery produces all its whiskey in single quarter casks, smaller than the usual size, which means they gain more oak contact, ageing faster and acquiring many more flavours. This, along with the way Lark lightly peat their whisky and the fact that they own their own peat bog, results in a uniqueness that is enjoyed in every sip.

The actual barrel selected for bottling is carefully chosen at its peak for excellent drink-ability and is taken from the storehouse and bottled. The barrel number is hand written on the label of every bottle. Single barrel whiskies have the ultimate in uniqueness, where each barrel has a slightly different flavour profile to the next, meaning that Lark whiskies will always bring you something new.

Lark Single Malt Single Cask Whisky is the flagship product of the Lark Distillery. First produced in small quantities in 1992, it is distilled from Tasmanian (Franklin) barley, malted at the Cascade Brewery. The whisky is double distilled in locally crafted potted stills and it is only the “honey sweet” HEART of the run which we keep for barrelling in 100 litre oak casks. It is matured up to eight years in the smaller barrels which have a much larger surface area-to-volume of liquid. This allows a faster rate of evaporative losses and a considerably shorter maturation period than that required with the larger barrels used in Scotland.

The whisky is a lovely whisky, superbly made that is lightly peated (approximately 50% of the malt is peated) and resembles in flavour a Scottish Speyside or Highland whisky.

This is also a limited production whisky, but as always Nicky The Neck secured more than our fair share. And so I am thrilled to be able to offer you Lark Single Malt Single Cask Tasmanian Whisky for $149.95/ bottle.  
 
I hope you will take advantage of this exciting offer to try a wonderful whisky from “down under”…but do it fast…because as always, once it’s gone, it’s gone…

Until next Week…

Doug Stone
Founder
www.ForWhiskeyLovers.com

_________________________________________________

LARK SINGLE MALT SINGLE CASK TASMANIAN WHISKY
    
 
__________________________________________________
DISTILLERY TASTING NOTES: LARK SINGLE MALT SINGLE CASK WHISKY
 
COLOR: Varies due to single cask bottling from pale straw to golden honey rich.

NOSE: Malty, lightly peated, peppery spices dig into the oily malt.

TASTE: Massively malty, clean and fruity with a powdery oak offering further complexity, oily and fat.

FINISH: Beautifully spiced and delicate with fluttering malty tones caressing the palate.