Archive for 2012

Port Ellen 31yo 1979/2011 (52.1%, Douglas Laing Old & Rare, Refill Hogshead, 253 Bts) – Scotch Whisky Tasting Note

sample image

Port Ellen 31yo 1979/2011 (52.1%, Douglas Laing Old & Rare, Refill Hogshead, 253 Bts) 

Some slight ‘greenish’ notes on the nose with some cocoa, , coffee grounds and then after some moments some welcome peat smoke. Very clean, a flash of kippers and brown toast (we’re almost headed towards Patum Peperium on white toast here but pull up just short – and in time). Then after some time languishing in the glass a striking moment of 7-Up (which can be interpreted as quite sweet). The peat smoke, while present, is very gentle and the coffee grounds make a reappearance. So far so good and quite jolly too! With time in the glass the peat smoke grows, not to Kilchoman levels but it does increase. The taste is quite gentle at the fore with a little fizziness and some citrus and the peat smoke ; the wash away pretty much everything else …hold on here comes the coffee grounds. Quite sensational. The finish is chewy peat smoke with some coffee caramel in the back ground. The finish continues for a long while and holds tight to the afore mentioned descriptors. Some delightful chocolate malt makes a late appearance.

Not overly complex but quite frankly who cares, this is really good and very well balanced.

$733

Score 91 points (to hell with your friends, damned the price, drink it all to yourself!)

Part four of four of Old & Really Expensive Week.

Ralfy Publishes Whisky Review #317 (2/2) – Scotch Whisky News

www.ralfy.com concludes a two-parter with Whisky Review 317 (2/2) – concluding review of Greenfield’s 1960’s Scotch.

Loch Fyne Whiskies Selects, ‘LFW’S BOTTLING OF THE YEAR’ – Scotch Whisky News

Loch Fyne Whiskies Selects, ‘LFW’S BOTTLING OF THE YEAR’

Once a year, your LFW team consider which whiskies have proved most attractive for our customers following an in-shop taster. The selection of just one single whisky involves long drawn out debate, featuring strong contenders and strong individual’s minds!

In a sea of competition winners this focuses on one product with the maximum appreciation of the […please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article]…

THE LINK

Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

New Old Malt Cask, Old & Rare, Clan Denny & Double Barrel for November 2012 – Scotch Whisky News

1 November 2012

Dear Client

There are fifteen (15) new bottlings under the OLD MALT CASK label – sorry about that! -– together with three (3) OLD & RARE as well as three (3) CLAN DENNY Old Grains and lastly 2 new DOUBLE BARREL releases being an Ardbeg/Glenrothes as well as a Ledaig/Bowmore.

Tasting Notes for OLD MALT CASK follow:

OMC 2215 Glenlivet 11 Year Old Sherry
Nose: Spiced & sweet + macerated dark fruits – vanilla syrup & toffee
Palate: Nutty with chewy barley – Scotch tablet – mocha &sweet spices
Finish: Camphor cough drops + muscovado sugar – grist + flamed orange. (F)

OMC 2217 Mannochmore 13 Year Old
Nose: Clean & fresh – grassy & spiced – peppery & malty
Palate: Big on the barley! citric – still grassy + butterscotch
Finish: Long – warmingly spiced +that same barley style(F)

OMC 2220 Laphroaig 14 Year Old
Nose: Tarry sweet – warmingly spiced – “bandaged” + iodine.
Palate: Opens soft & honey sweet – builds to intense ash-soot-peat.
Finish: Nicely “medicinal” distinctly phenolic spices –soot – and tar (F)

OMC 2204 Tamdhu 14 Year Old
Nose: Toffee’d and vanilla’d – citrus abounds – then oak & Malt too.
Palate: Massively sweet – treacle? + barley & maraschino cherry
Finish: Butterscotch-y – then expect subtle spices and soft oak. (F)

OMC 2218 Ben Nevis 16 Year Old Sherry
Nose: Big & fruity – aromatic & sweet –honey’d & spiced
Palate: Attractively sweet – both fruity and fudgy + late barley & smoke
Finish: Carries a spicy gristiness + warming camphor & more soft honey (F)

OMC 2208 Caol Ila 16 Year Old
Nose: Big and “Islay” in style – oily rags + phenols & rock pools
Palate: Smoked barley + soft peat + ash & a soft tarry quality.
Finish: Camphor style cough drops + chimney soot & spices. (F)

OMC 2169 Clynelish 16 Year Old
Nose: Sweetly barley’d – attractively spiced & vanilla’d – distinctly citrusy.
Palate: Now honey’d + spicy – mellowing to cedar, camphor and warm sugary.
Finish: Sweet cough drops with milk chocolate powder plus muscovado sugar. (F)

OMC 2197 Highland Park 16 YEAR OLD
Nose: Carries dark treacle, peat, salty ozone, cedar + trailing smoke
Palate: Phenolic with- iodine, leather, demerara sugar + more smoke
Finish: Maritime& leathery+ darkly spices – camphor &late treacle (F)

OMC 2209 Glentauchers 16 Year Old
Nose: Fresh and fruity – spiced/lightly oaked with sweet barley.
Palate: Citric sweet with juicy barley sugar, vanilla & Malt.
Finish: More barley + a sugared biscuit quality & late camphor. (F)

OMC 2207 Speyside 16 Year Old Sherry Finished
Nose: Warmingly spiced – sweetly fruited – now with demerara sugar
Palate: Lightly oaked -relatively dry – then catch barley sugar+ soft fruit
Finish: Back to the spices +a gristiness + caramel & now marshmallow !(F)

OMC 2203 Tormore 17 Year Old Nose: Sweet & buttery + vanilla & banana + smoke & spices Palate: Sweetly spiced now – distinctly vanilla’d + fruit & butterscotch Finish: Medium long – round & mellow + spicy toffee & sweet mocha (J)

OMC 2198 Macallan 18 Year Old Nose: Opens sweet & fuity – carrying a butter cream style + vanilla Palate: Still sweet & creamy + softly spiced running to vanilla tablet Finish: Smoothly honeyed + crunched sugar – in a more’ish style (J)

OMC 2205 Glenturret 18 Year Old
Nose: Carries fresh fruit and honey – warms to juicy barley, spices & oak.
Palate: Has a peppery tang – more oak + macerated fruit & molasses.
Finish: Spicy – still showing honey’d sweetness, malt and late camphor. (F)

OMC 2219 Linkwood 21 Year Old
Nose: Big – “beefy” – spicy with brown sugar – citrus & vanilla
Palate: More sweet spices with vanilla – sugar & barley.
Finish : Lightly oaked – still vanilla’d – nicely gristed + mocha. (F)

OMC 2216 Glen Mhor 30 Year Old
Nose: Clean and spiced + cedar, cappuccino, barley and vanilla.
Palate: Citric – smoked- toffee’d + a homebaked style (& peat?)
Finish: Carries burnt sugar – more spices – malt & trailing smoke. (F)

Tasting Notes for OLD & RARE:

OAR0182 St Magdelene 30 year old
On the nose detect a clean – fresh and herbal style which warms to barley , caramelised fruit (particularly peaches) and crème anglaise/ vanilla custard. Palatewise it is still sweet and herbal – being distinctly fruited, now in a macerated style, and carries warming spices together with toffee/fudge flavours. The finish remains fruity with that same peachy style plus molasses and demerara sugar- showing a late butterscotch and cereal based style. (F) – PLEASE NOTE – THIS ALSO HAS A MID NOVEMBER RELEASE

OAR0179 Port Ellen 35 year old
Opens in a softly subtle – yet self evidently Islay – style, then anticipate smoked barley-mocha-peat and a leathery belt combination. Palatewise it is initially light – but holding it opens it to soft tar, bonfire ash with more coffee and chocolate flavours which all run to a finish which is now more tarry – citric – sooty and phenolic. (F)

OAR0136 Bunnahabhain 37 year old Sherry
The nose is rich and heavily spiced and carries a marinated plums character with a polished oak quality. Still massively spiced on the palate, it now develops to dried fruit & nuts with an attractive oceanic style – lightly salted and softly peated. The finish is long, carries a dark chocolate quality and remains spicy with a ginger and pepper quality. (J)

CLAN DENNY Tasting Notes:

DEN0091 Port Dundas 34 year old
Burnt orange plus Scotch tablet sweet as the nose opens – detect also some soft oak and perfumed spices. Palatewise anticipate mouthcoating sweetness – in the style of sugary fudge, flambéed banana and sherbet – running to an equally all combining sweet finish with soft spices and floral notes off setting it. (F)

DEN0090 North of Scotland 38 year old
Screams Bourbon initially on the nose – it is so sweet and very vanilla’d – distinctly toffee’d and coffee’d in style. Early oak gives way on the palate to creamy and vanilla flavours – maybe even some citric pineapple and more toffee – then its (all too short finish) is candied, still creamy, softly spiced and buttery (F).

DEN0070 Dumbarton Bourbon 46 year old
Massively and sweetly spiced early on the nose – it then softens to a truly fruity mixed bag – beyond which detect sugar and light oak. The palate is BIG, still fructiferous but carries black coffee, sweet spices and vanilla flavours – all neatly (and too swiftly) replicated on the finish. (F)

That was a busy 6-7 weeks of tastings for Mr Fred – but he believes there are some real value-for-money younger, quality driven PROVENANCE bottlings – allied to some top end Malts, too many to itemise from OLD MALT CASK/DIRECTOR’S CUT and OLD & RARE … but they are – we believe – self-evident!

Yours faithfully

Fred Laing

Visit Douglas laing at www.douglaslaing.com

BENRIACH RE-STARTS ITS OWN MALTINGS – Scotch Whisky News

BENRIACH RE-STARTS ITS OWN MALTINGS

BenRiach started making its own malt again this week which means the Elgin distillery is now one of only a handful of distilleries in Scotland with its own maltings.

Malt whisky production begins when the barley is “malted” — by steeping the barley in water, and then allowing it to get to the point of germination. Malting releases enzymes that break down starches in the grain and help convert them into sugars. When the desired state of germination is reached, the barley is dried using the traditional kiln floor.

BenRiach’s Stewart Buchanan explained: “For the last year we’ve been working hard to get the maltings back up and running. After being shut for the best part of thirteen years, the machinery is still in great condition.

“Earlier, we got some weight on the system to see how it would run under stress. Three tones of barley whirled round the floors and it was great to hear its blood pumping and the old place coming back to life.

“Re-starting the maltings has coincided with some strange events in the old distillery. As some of the boys worked late into the night painting around the steeps, footsteps and voices were heard over at the kiln area on the other side of the building. Thinking it was myself or Les, our engineer, they headed over for a blether…but found no-one! They thought we had left and went back to the job in hand. The second time they heard the noises they shouted over but no reply. And the third time, the paint brushes were dropped and a hasty exit was made! Perhaps it was the wind…or perhaps not!”

BenRiach MD Billy Walker said: “From a commercial point of view, it makes no sense because the costs of producing malted barley are significantly more. The reason we’re doing it is because we had everything in place and in fantastic condition. Bolting the maltings onto BenRiach is a beautiful join-up.”

Founded in 1898, BenRiach is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in the Speyside area of Scotland. Gaelic for “speckled mountain”, it’s operated independently by the BenRiach Distillery Company Limited which was formed by two South African funding partners, Geoff Bell and Wayne Keiswetter, and Scotch whisky expert Billy Walker. In 2008, the company expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of the GlenDronach distillery in Aberdeenshire.

Two pictures show the resumed maltings at BenRiach.

Glenglassaugh Managers Legacy 1967/2010 (40.4%, OB, Walter Grant”, Refill Hogshead, 200 Bottles) – Scotch Whisky Tasting Note

Glenglassaugh Manages Legacy 1967/2010 (40.4%, OB, Walter Grant”,  Refill Hogshead, 200 Bottles).

On the nose there’s the very welcome characteristics one always associates with old ex- American oak and it’s very, very good. Some good gentle sweetness, a little influence from the cask and some heady warmed honey or brown sugar. There’s a little sweet apple in the back ground (a warm apple off the counter not straight from the refrigerator). The taste is a good reflection of the nose but a little more concentrated but now with some leather and tobacco and then some really good dry cocoa powder. Sensational! There’s not much more to be said, it’s very good. The finish is much the same and holds together very well, some moments of the cask but it’s merely a welcome addition and does not detract for one moment. It’s not overly long but this does not detract for a moment since it holds together so very well.

Score 92 points 

$830 (~ a Macaulay Caulkin “Home Alone” face moment!)

Part three of four of Old & Really Expensive Week.

Top Picks, Back in Stock & New Arrivals at K&L California – Whisky News

Top Picks

Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 year old Blended Malt Whisky 750ml ($55.99)
94 points Wine Enthusiast: “This maple syrup-toned spirit is a blend of Islay and Speyside malts, with no grain whisky added. The result is an effortless mix of lightly smoky and oaky caramel notes, and a smooth, velvety feel. A splash of branchwater amps up the peat quotient.” (09/2011) 89 points Whisky Advocate: “Just as complex as Johnnie Walker Gold, but fuller and more richly textured. (Not surprising, given that there are no grain whiskies in Johnnie Walker Green.) This is one of the finer vatted malts on the market. Its flavors are well-integrated. You’ll find creamy toffee and nougat at its core, which is then layered with notes of vanilla, mint, fresh brine, and even a hint of mustard seed. Excitingly fresh and vibrant on the finish. A whisky for both the blend and single malt drinker. (Vol. 14, #2) ” K&L Notes: Special order items are not in stock and are dependent upon quantity available from distribution. All special orders are final and non-refundable. Top Blended Whisk(e)y – 2006 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The preliminary aromas are an interesting mix of paraffin, toasted cereal and dried tobacco leaf; more minutes resting in the copita stimulate fragrances of summer grass, vegetable oil, light toffee and oak. Palate entry is off-dry and a touch toffee/nougat-like; at midpalate the oiliness/oakiness noted in the latter stages of nosing come to the fore as tastes of sweet butter, oleo margarine and black pepper vie for flavor dominance. Finishes chewy and a tad honeyed.

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

Bowmore Legend Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($23.99)
The Bowmore Legend is an absolutely delicious Islay whisky. It’s got the perfect amount of smoke and the right amount of richness. At this price, we had to taste it against Johnnie Black and there’s really no comparison. The Walker Black, being a blend, is tasty enough, but it thins out at the back when the malt turns into grain. The Bowmore Legend being 100% single malt whisky is simply more exciting and smoother on the finish. Being someone who loves oily, smoky, and fruity flavors in my malt, I can’t think of a better deal for a bottle of whisky since I started working at K&L. This is cheaper than Glenfiddich 12!!! Kudos to Morrison-Bowmore for finding new ways to work with retailers and bring consumers some financial relief. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)

1995 Mortlach 17 year Duncan Taylor Dimensions Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 4 available ($134.99)
This meaty Mortlach comes from Duncan Taylor’s high quality “Dimensions” line. It exemplifies this rare and wonderful distillery perfectly. Bottled at cask strength, availability will be very limited.

United States – Bourbon and Rye

2002 Evan Williams Single Barrel #726 K&L Exclusive Bourbon 750ml ($26.99)
Our first ever Evan Williams exclusive barrel is here. Enchanting as it is affordable, Evan Williams is one of America’s great whiskies. Here we have a single barrel that we selected after combing through countless samples. While the standard Evan Williams is great and bottled one barrel at a time, occasionally you get a bottle that just out shines the rest. Trying to find another bottle from that same cask is next to impossible. What we have is an entire cask of this superior quality, one that will certainly be compared to the best offerings from this famed brand to date. It’s extremely limited yielding less than 16 cases. This is one of the more elegant Evan Williams, I’ve come across. Easy and approachable, but with tons of depth. Some tropical citrus flavors, mark the overal honey and spice. The palate shows great depth, although it’s not one of these sticky bourbons. The sweatness is balanced by a lovely exotic tea element, not bitter, but a bit tanni c. It all come together with a lovely drinkable balance and a totally lack of any heat at all. This is painfully easy to drink. Be very careful!

Smooth Ambler Old Scout 11 Year Old Bourbon 750ml – 6 available ($69.99)

BACK IN STOCK… (items we’ve carried in the past that have just arrived again)

Bourbon and Rye

Old Potrero Single Malt 18th Century Style Whiskey 750ml – 2 available ($69.99)
The fascinating spirit represents Anchor Brewing Company’s attempt to re-create the original whiskey of America. This release was distilled in a small copper pot still at Anchor’s distillery on San Francisco’s Potrero Hill, from a mash of 100% rye malt. Rye was the grain of choice for America’s first distillers, and using a mash of 100% rye malt produces a uniquely American whiskey. Aging in handmade oak barrels–lightly toasted in the traditional manner–imparts a wonderfully subtle flavor to this 18th-century-style American whiskey. (In the 18th century, barrels were made by heating the staves over a fire of oak chips, allowing them to be bent and formed into a barrel shape. During this process, the inside of the barrel would become toasted–but not charred.) For aging, Anchor chose several uncharred oak barrels–both new and used–to achieve the balanced complexity that complements this whiskey’s unique heritage.

Scotland – Blended Scotch

Black Bottle Blended Islay Scotch Whisky 750ml – 11 available ($19.99)
Black Bottle is the staff favorite for a peaty style blended whisky. Seven Islay distilleries all in one bottle, how can you go wrong and for this oustanding price! In 1879 Gordon Graham of Aberdeenshire created Black Bottle whisky for his own pleasure. It almost immediately changed his life. Not only did he now have a splendid blend to enjoy in his evenings, it was so outstanding that he became famous throughout his village, and then Scotland. He soon abandoned his regular tea making and blending business to concentrate on fine whisky. Black Bottle is a unique and accessible tribute to the much-revered Islay malts bustling within it. Smooth, bold and balanced, it is uncompromising and flexes its rich credentials at every sip. And its muscular physique hasn’t gone unnoticed: Black Bottle has been described as having a “quite brilliant array of Islay-iodine and smoke notes”, in Jim Murray’s Classic, Blended Whisky. Color: Rich gold Nose: Warm, smoky and peaty Body: Clean and round with profiles that marry the nose. Finish: Intense Peatiness – 5 Sweetness – 7

Johnnie Walker Gold 18 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky 750ml ($75.99)
93 points Wine Enthusiast: “This amber blend of 15 whiskies, each aged at least 18 years, yields a mellow, balanced mix of sweet caramel, raisin and smoky notes, all lingering and pleasing.” (09/2011) Whisky Advocate: “An example that older, more expensive isn’t always better, this 18 year old gem is as good as many blends twice its price. The foundation of Johnnie Walker Gold is delicate, clean, and honeyed, along with a fresh sea character (from Clynelish?) that provides a youthful zing. Notes of vanilla, shortbread, tropical fruit, freshly cut hay, marshmallow, and even a hit of peat, round out the palate. Its finish is subtly complex and nicely balanced. The blend has improved nicely over the past several years. (Vol. 15, #2)”

 Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

Tobermory 15 year old Unfiltered Island Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 6 available ($129.99)
Tobermory 15 Year has the prestigious distinction of being the only single malt ditillery on the Isle of Mull, 70 miles north of Islay on Scotland’s west coast. The name Tobermory is a Gaelic word meaning “well of Mary.” The distillery was built in 1798 in an area known as “Ledaig” (pronounced “Lechig”) which means “safe heaven.” This new release is produced from Scottish unpeated malted barley, un-chill filtered, natural colour and 46.3% alc/vol. 90-95 points and Highly Recommended Wine Enthusiast: “Fragrances of butterscotch, brown butter, toffee, dried pears and apple, as well as salt and old oak notes. Palate entry is toffee and butterscotch laden; midpalate is concentrated, toasty, buttermilk-like and full-weighted. Ends up heavily in the marzipan/light caramel/toffee “sweet zone” which, while not for everyone, works for me.” (12/09)

United States – Bourbon and Rye

Michter’s 10 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon 750ml – 5 available ($89.99)
Good ol’ Michter’s 10 year old. Back in stock for a limited time.

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Bunnahabhain 40 year old Now Available To Pre Order at The Whisky Shop – Scotch Whisky News

The Bunnahabhain 40 year old is available to pre order now!

The Bunnahabhain 40yo is a one-off release of 750 individually numbered, hand signed bottles presented in bespoke packaging. According to the distillery the whisky was discovered by Master Distiller Ian MacMillan, who found the casks listed in the distillery ledgers. “It was an exhilarating moment to stumble on such a special find,” he said. “There are very few 40yo Islays and unlike any other, Bunnahabhain’s taste is considered unique because the distillery does not heavily peat the fine malted barley.” Nose – Fragrant notes of sweet oak, hazelnuts, citrus peel and chocolate with hints of light smokiness.

Palate – A rich and complex balance of heather honey, ginger chocolate and sweet fruits.
Finish – Teasingly long with lightly spicy nutty notes and a hint of sea salt. 41.7% vol. Un-chillfiltered

Click Here To Buy

Movember at The Whisky Exchange – Whisky News

Movember at TWE

The 11th month is here and with it comes the time of Movember. A season of moustache growing, the awareness of parts of gentlemen’s bodies that we don’t generally think enough about and a bit of charity fund raising. At TWE … Continue reading >>

Bon Iver & Bushmills Irish Whiskey Release ‘The 1608’ Guitar – Irish Whiskey News

“Justin Vernon of Bon Iver called me and asked,
‘Hey Gordy, can a guitar be built from a whiskey barrel?’
My answer was, yes.
This is that guitar. Enjoy.”
– Gordy Bischoff, luthier

BON IVER’S JUSTIN VERNON TEAMS UP WITH HIS HOMETOWN LUTHIER GORDY BISCHOFF HANDCRAFTS A BARITONE GUITAR FROM BUSHMILLS™ IRISH WHISKEY BARRELS

GUITAR TO BE AUCTIONED TO BENEFIT THE CONFLUENCE COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER IN EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN

October 2012: Justin Vernon, the Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter and frontman of Bon Iver, has teamed up with longtime friend and master luthier Gordy Bischoff (www.bischoffguitars.com) to develop ‘The 1608’ – a baritone guitar made with original white oak wood from BUSHMILLS™ Irish Whiskey barrels.

‘The 1608’ is Bon Iver’s collaborative release with Bushmills for ‘BUSHMILLS BROTHERS™ Since Way Back’: the initiative that celebrates the lives and close friendships of artists and creative talent across the world and collaborates with each to produce inspired content that reflects each of their passions.

A link to view and embed the official video premiering ‘The 1608’ can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNqp-AtDSqQ

From Monday, October 22 to Thursday, November 1, ‘The 1608’ will be available to take home via an online auction (http://www.ebay.com/itm/281003876062) to benefit The Confluence Community Arts Center: a community arts center in support of Vernon’s hometown community of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

“The goal is to put art back on the map in Eau Claire,” said Vernon. “Far too many artists from this area have had to leave because what we want to do with our lives just isn’t possible here. That’s what the Confluence Project is: to build a center that can be a nucleus for art here in Eau Claire.”

Vernon joined ‘Since Way Back’ in 2011 with brother Nate and close friends Kyle Frenette and Brian Joseph, all of whom form the backbone of Bon Iver as Co-Managers and Audio Engineer, and whose relationships define the ‘Since Way Back’ story of supporting family and friendship.

The guitar was revealed last week at a private event for friends and family of the band in Wisconsin. Eau Claire is home to one of the strongest and most diverse music scenes in the United States, and Vernon utilises his international notoriety to bring awareness and support to his Wisconsin community. From the initial idea to conception, everything ties back to his hometown.

The importance of supporting a community is parallel to the history of Bushmills; whiskey has been made in the Bushmills area since the original licence to distil was granted in 1608. Since the brand’s inception, BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey has a held belief in the power of timeless friendship and brotherhood.

“I was really happy to have this opportunity to work with Gordy on this collaboration,” said Vernon. “He’s an example of someone who’s stayed in Eau Claire and built an artisan career from the ground up. His guitars are not only world class, but from our area. I’ve known him for many years – he’s built a lot of guitars for us, it’s been a lot of fun to see what he came up with.”

Bischoff, a master luthier for 37 years, utilised a combination of his woodworking skills with moisture and heat to mould and soften the fibers to bend the wood into place, and develop the shape needed to create a guitar. This baritone guitar is made almost entirely out of the white oak wood from the whiskey barrels, with only a touch of additional wood added to the internal structure. The nine-pound guitar features two separate pickup systems, an acoustic transducer and two passive electric pickups, and features a neck made from hard rock maple and Ebony. The finishing touches tie the entire collaboration together, featuring BUSHMILLS bottle caps as the volume and tone control knobs, with a bit of BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey added to the guitar humidor in the case to enhance the aroma of the iconic brand.

“I first met Justin when he was in one of his early bands, Mt. Vernon,” said Bischoff. “After coming in for various setups and adjustments, he eventually ordered his first custom acoustic guitar from me – that guitar went on to be featured by Bon Iver in their Grammy-nominated song of the year, Holocene. I knew I was in for a test when I got a call from Justin and he said he had two questions for me: one, could I build a guitar from a whiskey barrel and two, was I interested. It was a ‘yes’ for both.”

Keep Up with Bushmills at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Bushmills1608
Twitter: @BushmillsGlobal

NOTES

About The Confluence Project
The Confluence Project is a public-private partnership to redevelop a blighted area at the confluence of the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers in the heart of the Eau Claire, WI, downtown district. The centerpiece of the project is the construction of a community arts center that meets a significant need for the local arts community. The Confluence Project combines philanthropy with private, state, county and city funds in a true collaboration. In addition to revitalizing prime real estate at the heart of the community, the Confluence Project builds upon existing competitive strengths, further establishes the distinctive artistic nature of the Chippewa Valley and strengthens the creative community as a viable economic development driver. For more information, head to www.eauclairearts.com/confluence.

About BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey
BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey is hand crafted in small batches for a smooth taste at Ireland’s oldest working distillery, in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. The brand portfolio includes six award-winning whiskies: BUSHMILLS, BLACK BUSH™, BUSHMILLS 10 Year Old Single Malt, BUSHMILLS 16 Year Old Single Malt, BUSHMILLS 21 Year Old Single Malt and our anniversary edition, BUSHMILLS 1608. Whiskey has been made in the Bushmills area since 1608, when the original grant to distil

About Diageo
Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Buchanan’s, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Jose Cuervo, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.

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