Whisky Tasting: Bruichladdich, Tuesday November 27th

Join us for another eagerly anticipated tasting event sampling some special drams from these progressive, Hebridean distillers:

“We believe in variety, in chance, in progress, in irrationality, in a stubborn refusal to accept prescribed “process”; we believe in following the distilling Muse wherever it might take us. Above all we believe the world needs an antidote to homogeneity and blandness. Since our first spirit ran from our unique, Victorian stills on 11.09.01 we have been on an adventure – sometimes a white-knuckle ride, but a journey that has seldom been dull, often a challenge, throughout a joy and a thrill .”

It’s been a while folks, since this Islay favourite was brought to Stourbridge but from what we hear about Craig Johnstone’s whisky presentations it’s well worth the wait…. Bring it on!

(Starting at 7p.m. in the N&P cellars)

The evening’s drams include: Bruichladdich Islay Dunlossit Barley 2006 Bruichladdich Laddie 10 year old Bruichladdich Laddie Sherry 22 year old Bruichladdich Black Art III 22 year old Port Charlotte Peat Project and a Secret Laddie Special!

 £25.00 inc VAT
£20.83 ex VAT

Nickolls & Perks Ltd
37 Lower High Street
Stourbridge West Midlands DY8 1TA
UK

World Whisky Taste

If there is one thing that seems to unite most of the world it is a love for single malt Scotch whisky. However it’s surprising how tastes differ from country to country. Leading online whisky specialist, www.singlemaltsdirect.com send Scotch to over 100 different countries every year and their sales show some real differences in taste.

Managing Director of singlemaltsdirect.com Duncan Ralph explains “Our biggest export market is the USA and there we see a real love for Speyside and Highland single malts. Well-known brands like Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and Dalmore are very popular but the favourite brand for Americans recently has been Macallan .”

Europe throws up more diversity though. The Swedes and the Danes love Islay single malts, in Sweden both Bowmore and Lagavulin are popular but Bruichladdich is favoured and in Denmark it’s Ardbeg that is most popular, having had a couple of limited edition releases this year. Of course Islay, along with the rest of the Scottish Hebridean islands, was once under Viking rule so perhaps that’s where the taste for Islay whisky comes from! The Germans aren’t quite as keen on the peated single malts with Dalmore and Macallan proving most in-demand again this year. The Italians have enjoyed Dufftown from Speyside and the Highland single malts from Fettercairn have been very popular in France.

Further afield, India is now a popular destination for single malts too. The big, well-known brands are top choice as you might expect but some of the smaller Lowland single malts have also sold well there, Auchentoshan and Littlemill in particular. For the first time, this year saw sales to Peru where Dalwhinnie was the bestseller!

The top ten countries by sales and their most popular brand purchased are;

1. UK – Glendronach
2. USA – The Macallan
3. Australia – Edradour
4. Finland – Tobermory
5. Canada – AnCnoc
6. Denmark – Ardbeg
7. Italy – Dufftown
8. Sweden – Bruichladdich
9. China – BenRiach
10. Germany – Dalmore

Bottled January 2011

Sir Charles has released stocks from another cask, the November 2009 is done, enjoy the January 2011! Again this is a single, cask strength, sherry-wood matured, Speyside single malt this time it’s 19 years old.

The aroma is carried with plenty of (59%) alcohol! Under there is nutmeg, beef flavour crisps, bitter oranges, bees wax – all tightly locked in, adding water reveals a slight whisky-smoke, acetone, spangles and ice cream wafer.

Tasted neat is still strong, active on the back of the palate with spice and bitter chocolate and bitter oranges. However with a splash of water it becomes cool and creamy, round and not too sherryish and no sulphur which is becoming almost to be expected.

A fine single cask, cask strength, sherry-wood matured, Speyside single malt.

One the Rich side of Rich & Delicate, square J4 to be precise.

Macphunn 19yo

59.3% abv

£74.00 inc vat (£61.67 ex vat)

Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old Hailed ‘Supreme Champion’ at International Spirits Challenge 2012

The International Beverage team was this week (Monday 5th November) celebrating as its award-winning blended whisky, Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old, was named ‘Supreme Champion Spirit’ in the prestigious International Spirits Challenge (ISC) 2012.

With the cream of the global drinks industry gathered for the annual ISC dinner at London’s Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel, Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old won gold in the Blended Scotch Whisky category before scooping the night’s highest accolade: the Supreme Champion Spirit Trophy.

In a field of more than 1000 entries from nearly 70 countries worldwide, this Trophy is awarded to the highest scoring spirit across all categories in the competition and is considered to be one of the most coveted prizes for any spirit.
Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old was launched in 2007. It is an intricate blend of fine Scotch whiskies including malts from lost distilleries such as Glen Flagler and Killyloch, and grain from the demolished Garnheath distillery. It is bottled in a beautiful crystal decanter with Glencairn crystal glasses, only 1917 bottles were released to a select group of 20 markets internationally.

Karen Walker, Marketing Director of International Beverage commented: ‘Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old is already a well decorated whisky, and we are thrilled to have been awarded another great accolade at this year’s ISC. Our Master Blender Stuart Harvey and his team have done a wonderful job with the full Hankey Bannister range and in particular this very special 40 Year Old expression. If they were around today, I’m sure that Mr Hankey and Mr Bannister would be celebrating in style.’

Chairman of judges John Ramsay gave tasting notes including: ‘Fruit, vanilla, sweet, spicy, nutmeg, waxy and sherry’.

Now in its 17th year, the ISC is the most authoritative, respected and influential spirits competition in the world. The competition is founded on a rigorous and independent judging process, which serves to encourage the high calibre of spirits, designs and campaigns entered into the competition each year.

Hankey Bannister has one of the most colourful histories in the whisky industry. The flamboyant Mr Beaumont Hankey and his astute business partner Mr Hugh Bannister were the owners of a prestigious wine and spirits merchants with a history dating back to 1757. Their eponymous whisky is a smooth and complex blend of premium Scotch whiskies which were awarded royal warrants under King George V and Edward VII and were enjoyed by the likes of Winston Churchill. Their legacy of shared values, mutual respect and complementary skills and experiences continues to embody the brand to this day.

Hankey Bannister was acquired by Inver House Distillers in October 1988. It is already an award winner with Hankey Bannister Original Blend winning the Monde Selection Grand Gold Award for Quality in 2009 and the 40 Year Old voted World’s Best Blended Whisky at the WWA in both 2009 and 2011.

Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old tasting notes

Nose: Superbly balanced and enriched with warm fragrant aromas of raisin, chocolate, citrus and spices.
Colour: Rich amber combined with dark copper tones.
Taste: Exceptionally long-lasting smooth and full-bodied finish with hints of raisin, chocolate and spices.

Notes

International Beverage Holdings (www.interbevgroup.com) was established in 2005 as the international arm of ThaiBev, one of South East Asia’s leading alcohol beverage companies. With a network of regional offices in Asia, Europe and North America, the company is responsible for the production, sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of premium global brands in over 80 countries and territories.

Inver House Distillers (www.inverhouse.com) is globally integrated into International Beverage Holdings and drives the distillation and maturation of Scotch through its five distilleries.

International Beverage brands include:

➢ Chang Beer: Thailand’s iconic beer brand

➢ Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn

➢ Blended Whiskies: Hankey Bannister

➢ Mekhong: ‘The Spirit of Thailand’ since 1941

➢ Caorunn – a small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals

The company’s success is built on the combination of a strong understanding of local cultures and markets with the creation of a truly global operational network. Brand building pays respect to heritage, provenance and craftsmanship whilst delivering innovative and highly effective strategies at global level. A skilled and dedicated team of people of more than 12 nationalities, speaking over 14 languages delivers the highest standards of customer service and attention to detail across all aspects of the business.

Glenmorangie Artein 15yo (46%, OB, 2011) 

The 3^rd limited edition Glenmorangie from the private edition range and non chill filtered. On the nose there a massive blast of malt (duty and dry) quickly followed by some leather and tobacco however after some time in the glass things settle down and some very pleasant heather notes emerge to compliment the malt (some somewhat subsided) and then some really good unspecified fruitiness. Quite pleasant and enjoyable. The taste is more of the malt, some eye squeezing lemon or lime, bang on time the leather and tobacco followed by a little meatiness (think of Mortlach) and then the heather notes. There are also some cream soda moments at the last. The finish is creamy and rounded with loads of the malt and heather notes but creaminess is definitely present as well as some very nice dry moments that bring out some cocoa. The finish is lengthy to say the least.

A different Glenmorangie however it’s very good.

$87

Score 88 points

BIG Outturn:  Little Preview 
Our biggest Outturn of the year is on its way,  packed full of tongue-tingling winter goodies…be the first to sample its delights with our selection of preview bottlings.  

Holiday Preview Pair: 30.74 & 36.60 only £99.00
30.74 Sweet, fruity and rich
36.60 Highland streams and daisy meadows
BUY  

71.31 An assignation in a boudoir
Speyside Lossie, £50.40
An immediate impression of crème brulée, with thick cream, is followed by mandarin fondant chocolates and Russian caramel toffees – ‘the smell of wealth’; satin and velvet swags, polished furniture, soft leather and newly laid carpets
BUY  

3.190 Heather honey and burnt toast
Islay, £61.10
Gentle smoke on the nose was burnt heather and combined seductively with savoury and sweet aromas – rye bread, pastrami, apricots, heather honey and cough mixture
BUY  

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm).

Visit the Society at http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers.

Loch Fyne Whiskies has stocked some new items;

Muckle Flugga Blended Malt
40% abv

£31.50 inc vat
£26.25 ex vat

Balvenie 14yo Caribbean Rum Cask
43% abv

£42.90 inc vat
£35.75 ex vat

Macallan Gold
40% abv

£35.90 inc vat
£29.92 ex vat

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

Hi folks. We are filling up rapidly for the 20th auction and will accept no more bottles from close of play on Wednesday November 14.

Best wishes from Glasgow

Bill, Tam & Mick

Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select is a special edition whiskey crafted to honor Frank Sinatra’s fifty-year friendship with Jack Daniel’s. Frank was a fiercely loyal, lifetime fan of the brand, and Sinatra Select was designed to be both a classic expression of style and an homage to two American icons. This exclusive outpouring of the distiller’s craft is matured in proprietary oak barrels for a bold flavor, timeless character and exceptional smoothness. Sinatra Select will be available at high-end retail stores and major airports worldwide, debuting in Las Vegas and later spreading to destinations including New York, London, Sydney and Singapore.

The vessel designed for Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select is a taller, sleeker interpretation of the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey bottle, with a weighted base, an embossed metal shoulder label and a medallion featuring an icon of Frank’s familiar fedora.

Sinatra Select incorporates many of the brand’s defining elements, and adds new ones specific to this expression. The capsule features the Jack Daniel’s Country Club logo created by Frank to adorn a blazer he wore in the 1950s—a statement of his independent way of living.

Sinatra Select is packaged within a bespoke bottle made for this special edition product. The branded box incorporates a medallion with the Frank Sinatra fedora icon and orange ribbon. The color orange works as the perfect complement to Sinatra Select’s classic black color palette. Sinatra said that orange is the happiest color, and often used a bright orange pocket handkerchief to add some pop to his tailored suits and tuxedos. Inside is a special book that tells more about the story of Frank’s fifty-year relationship with Jack Daniel’s.

This super-premium offering from Jack Daniel’s celebrates a man who lived without hesitation or compromise. The result is a distinctive expression of style and grace, in keeping with the kindred spirit that it honors.

Design work credit to Cue at www.designcue.com