Balcones Brimstone & Whisky Wednesday Continue – American Whiskey News
April 10th, 2013
Archive for April, 2013
DIAGEO ANNOUNCES NEW DISTILLERY LOCATION IN HIGHLANDS, AND MAJOR INVESTMENT IN SPEYSIDE WHISKY PRODUCTION – Scotch Whisky News
April 9th, 2013
DIAGEO ANNOUNCES NEW DISTILLERY LOCATION IN HIGHLANDS, AND MAJOR INVESTMENT IN SPEYSIDE WHISKY PRODUCTION
by Pat Roberts
Diageo has today (3 April 2013) announced Teaninich near Alness in the Highlands as the location for its plans to build a new malt whisky distillery.
The company also announced a major new phase of expansion to its Scotch whisky production in the Speyside area. All of this activity is a key milestone of the £1bn five-year investment plan which was launched last year.
Brand new distillery
The new distillery, which will create up to 20 new Diageo jobs, will be adjacent to the company’s existing Teaninich distillery but will have its own name and identity. It involves an investment in the region of £50 million and will have the capacity to produce around 13 million litres of spirit per annum (mla) from 16 copper stills. An on-site bio-energy plant will also be constructed to convert co-products into green energy to power the distillery.
Expansion of Teaninich
At the same time, Diageo also plans to invest £12 million in expanding the existing Teaninich distillery to almost double its capacity. The single malt whisky produced at the new distillery and at the expanded Teaninich distillery will be used in a range of Diageo’s world-leading blended Scotch whisky brands.
Expansion of Mortlach
Full planning applications will be submitted to Highland Council and the company hopes to be in a position to begin work on the new distillery in 2014. Diageo also announced plans to invest around £30million in new production facilities in Speyside, including a project to substantially increase the capacity of the Mortlach distillery at Dufftown. This will involve the building of a new stillhouse, which will replicate the unusual partial-triple distillation process which makes Mortlach unique.
Bio-energy plant at Glendullan
Another element of the investment will be the construction of a new plant at Glendullan to process co-products in an anaerobic digestion process, producing bio-gas which will be used to power the Glendullan distillery. This new plant is an important element of future distillery expansion plans on Speyside as it creates the capacity to process the extra co-products which will result from increased Scotch whisky production.
Other recent Diageo investments in Scotch whisky
These developments build on recent Diageo investments in Speyside totalling in excess of £40m, including distillery expansion and upgrade projects at Linkwood, Mannochmore, Glendullan, Dailuaine, Benrinnes, Inchgower, Cragganmore, Glen Elgin and new bio-energy plants at Dailuaine & Glenlossie.
Elsewhere in Scotland, as part of the £1bn investment programme, the company is progressing plans for a major expansion of Glen Ord Distillery, near Muir of Ord and is progressing with construction of new warehousing at Cluny near Kirkcaldy.
Diageo comments
Brian Higgs, Diageo Malt Distilling Director, said: “We are delighted to announce the next phase of investment in expanding our Scotch whisky production capacity in Scotland.
“All three sites we considered for the new malt distillery were excellent potential locations but after detailed investigations Teaninich came out just ahead in terms of the many complex logistics required when planning such a development.
“It is a significant investment for the local economy around Alness and we look forward to working positively with Highland Council and the local community as we progress our plans.”
In relation to the latest Speyside investment Brian Higgs added: “Mortlach is one of Diageo’s most important malt whisky distilleries, producing the finest quality single malt used in our world-leading blended Scotch whiskies. We are delighted to be able to develop and expand this distillery.
“Along with the plans for the new bio-plant, our financial investment in Speyside is the equivalent to building a new distillery and with other expansion work already underway, the Moray economy is benefiting significantly from Diageo’s investment in Scotch whisky distillation.”
Bryan Donaghey, Managing Director, Diageo Scotland, said: “This announcement is a significant milestone in our £1 billion investment programme in Scotland to support the global growth of our Scotch whisky brands. The plans also demonstrate Diageo’s commitment to building a sustainable business through investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.”
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Scotch Malt Whisky Society “April Outturn: Honk, Honk!” – Scotch Whisky News
April 9th, 2013
April Outturn: Honk, Honk!
Throw caution to the wind and rush headlong into our Spring offerings…
April Pair: Only 70 available at £106
35.86 Sumptuous breakfast dram &
76.101 Juicy & gum-smacking
More
Regional Trio: Only 65 available at £169
26.92 Hard glazed pretzel sticks PLUS
35.86 Sumptuous breakfast dram &
53.182 Keep it neat
More
Case Offer: Only 20 available at £320
78.40 Tantalisingly sweet and savoury
77.30 Attractively accessible and mouth-watering PLUS
April Regional Trio: 26.92, 35.86, 53.182
More
*35.86 & 76.101 are exclusive to April Offers
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.
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A Wee Update from Tomatin Distillery – Scotch Whisky News
April 9th, 2013
World Whiskies Awards
We are delighted that 2 of our expressions won in their categories for Best Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky at the recent World Whiskies Awards. Fighting off competition from other high quality whiskies, Tomatin 12 won the 12 Years and Under category and Tomatin 18 won the 13 to 20 Years category. We are extremely proud of this achievement, highlighting the consistently high quality of spirit produced here at the distillery. www.tomatin.com/news
Belladrum Art Competition
Something a bit different, we are continuing our connection with local music event, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, by calling upon artists, sculptors, makers and designers to create a work of art using ex-Tomatin whisky casks which will be displayed at the festival in August and for years to come. This will generate a lot of exposure for the brand and should have some exciting results! www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk/tomatin.html
Johnnie Walker Platinum Label at World Wide Whisky Design Awards – Scotch Whisky News
April 9th, 2013
Johnnie Walker Platinum Label
As part of the re-organisation of the Johnnie Walker portfolio, Platinum Label is a new addition to the mainstream line-up. Introduced in 2012, Johnnie Walker Platinum Label whisky represents the first truly new “colour” in the Johnnie Walker range for … Continue reading →
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Milroy’s of Soho Tasting Calendar 2013 – Scotch Whisky News
April 9th, 2013
Tasting Calendar 2013
Tuesday 9th April 2013, 6.30-8.30pm Milroy’s of Soho, W1D 4NX
Stewart Buchanan joins us from the esteemed Speyside distillery of Benriach to talk us through their fascinating history and the intriguing range of single malt whiskies they produce. As with all our Ambassador Nights the £20.00 ticket price can be redeemed against purchases made on the night.
Dates and information about forthcoming tastings
Thursday 18th April 2013
Come along to taste some fantastic independent whiskies bottled by A D Rattray on the west coast of Scotland. A D Rattray is an independent bottler of high repute and every whisky of the evening will be from a different distillery so a huge variety of flavours will definitely keep your palate guessing! As with all our Ambassador Nights the £20.00 ticket price can be redeemed against purchases made on the night. £20.00
Tuesday 30th April 2013
Come along to taste the fantastic range of single malt whiskies from the Isle of Skye’s only distillery Talisker. The ever exuberant Colin Dunn will talk us through the iconic whiskies from this famous island distillery. As with all our Ambassador Nights the £20.00 ticket price can be redeemed against purchases made on the night. £20.00
Wednesday 22nd May 2013
This evening will take you on a wonderful exploration of food and whisky pairing. Be prepared to be inspired and even surprised by some fantastic combinations complied by some of the best eateries around Soho. £55.00
THE PERFECT WHISKY MATCH – THE DAVIN PROJECT INVITATION – Canadian Whisky News
April 9th, 2013
THE PERFECT WHISKY MATCH – THE DAVIN PROJECT INVITATION
Hi and thank you for participating in this next grand adventure! One of the things I love to do is promote good whisky and for those of you who don’t know me that well I also love to promote whiskies from Canada. Why? Well because I have been drinking it most of my adult life, I’m a proud Canadian and I truly feel there are several great Canadian Whiskies on the market that most of the world will never get to try.
Davin de Kergommeaux is a certified Malt Maniac, a writer for several large whisky magazines and as of last year published what I consider the “epitome” of what Canadian Whisky history is. The book not only debunks many myths and common mistakes but truly enlightens the reader with why Canadian whisky is different and worth drinking. It is not surprising to me that his book has won Bronze for best Spirits Book of 2012 and is shortlisted again for a prestigious American award. The idea to do a whisky book review/twitter tasting came to Davin and me in February and we quickly started working on accomplishing that goal. To our surprise and delight, 32 people replied to the invite & I felt bad I had to turn away more than half. The great part of this particular adventure is that this (we believe) has never been done before. So thank you, again for taking the plunge and joining us!
For the month of April, please read the first 9 chapters. Canadian whisky has a very distinct style, not only in the way we make it, but the way it smells and tastes. You will find so much information in these chapters that will really help you once we start the tastings! And as of this date, feel free to tweet about the upcoming event, take/post pictures (as some of you have and they’ve been great!) Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, wherever you want! All the hype we can create, the better. The schedule will be as follows on Twitter (HASHTAG – #DavinTT):
Thursday May 2nd at 5:00pm EST (contact me if you need to know what time this will be in your region) we will discuss chapter 10 – 13. Feel free to ask Davin any questions, promote discussion amongst the participants, etc. We will take 30 minutes (no more) to do that. At 5:30pm, we will open mystery bottle “week 1”, nose/taste, discuss, share our thoughts. At the end of the hour, we will reveal which of the four distilleries the sample came from and what the whisky was.
Thursday May 9th at 5:00pm EST, we will discuss chapter 14 – 17. Follow same format: Q&A, discussion, etc.. until 5:30, then bottle “week 2”. At the end of the hour, we will reveal etc.
Thursday May 16th at 5:00pm EST, chapter 18 – 21. Same format, and end with whisky “week 3”
Thursday May 23rd at 5:00pm EST, chapter 22 – 25. Same format, end with the last mystery sample. And of course take a few minutes to thank Davin, etc…
For those of you who are bloggers, we encourage you to blog about the book, the experience, the whiskies and/or Davin. If that’s at all possible before the end of May or first week of June, that would be awesome! My blog will be up by May 31st so if anyone has theirs done by then, I’d be happy to add it to mine, etc.. Just let me know. Let the fun begin! If you have any questions, feel free to get a hold of me.
CHEERS!
Johanne (@whiskylassie)
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TAMDHU DISTILLERY LAUNCHES A DRAM FINE WHISKY FETE Saturday 4 May: 12-4pm – Scotch Whisky News
April 8th, 2013
Iain Weir, Marketing Director for Ian Macleod Distillers, said: “Tamdhu was one of the first Speyside distilleries. It was built by a consortium of local entrepreneurs in 1897 on the banks of the River Spey and represents one of the most cutting edge distilleries of its time.
“The Distillery TAMDHU DISTILLERY LAUNCHES A DRAM FINE WHISKY FETE
Saturday 4 May: 12-4pm
Making an exciting return to the world of Speyside whisky is Tamdhu Distillery, one of the pioneering Speyside distilleries. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival will play host to the re-launch of this celebrated malt on Saturday 4 May 2013.
This landmark occasion will see the Distillery open its doors for one day only giving whisky enthusiasts a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore the sensational world of Tamdhu. Visitors will also enjoy the spectacular Whisky Fete, featuring an array of the best food and drink Scotland has to offer.
The distillery was mothballed in 2010 and reopened in January 2012 and we have been perfecting the malt since then. We look forward to welcoming festivalgoers to this unique event.”
In celebration of the Distillery’s Victorian roots, the Tamdhu Whisky Fete will guide visitors through the Tamdhu story from its early beginnings up to Tamdhu today. Informative tours and tastings will be led by the Distillery craftsmen throughout the day and visitors will be given a rare opportunity to experience one-off tastings of Single Cask samples.
The Event will also support the official global launch of the Tamdhu Core and Limited Edition Whisky, of which only 1000 bottles will be released in May. Tamdhu visitors will be among the first to taste and purchase these Tamdhu whiskies along-with other Tamdhu collectables.
An array of Scottish seasonal food, drink and entertainment will be on offer including a hog roast, ice cream, Speyside Craft Brewery and live music from Scottish ceilidh band Stravaig and more. There will also be face painting to keep the children entertained.
Tickets are priced at £30.00 and children under the age of 14 go free. Tickets are limited so don’t delay.
To buy tickets visit http://www.spiritofspeyside.com/. More info can be found at tamdhu.com.
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The Victoria Highland Games “Whisky Tasting School” May 18th & 19th, 2013 Victoria, British Columbia – Whisky News
April 8th, 2013
The Whisky Tasting School
The Victoria Highland Games Association is once again pleased to present “The Whisky Tasting School” on both May 18 and 19, 2013 at the 150th Victoria Highland Games & Celtic Festival at Topaz Park. There will be three sessions each day (noon, 1:45 pm and 3:30 pm) featuring different single malt whiskies presented by ambassadors representing a variety of Scotch single malt distilleries. Guests will sit down and enjoy a Scottish educational and cultural experience on the Victoria “Whisky Trail”. This year’s lineup promises to be the best “The Whisky Tasting School” of all!
The registration fee is $35 and includes a one-day field entry (value $15). Whisky School guests are also able to buy an engraved Victoria Highland Games Glencairn whisky nosing glass for $15 (one per guest per class). Guests must be aged 19 years or older to attend!
Each session offered is limited to 44 guests. In previous years all sessions have sold out prior to the Games so don’t be late in registering! Download the registration form here.
Details on the 6 sessions plus complimentary Heritage Tent presentation are as follows:
1) Saturday May 18th 12-1:00 PM. The Whyte and Mackay Blending Seminar with J. Wheelock
Want to impress your friends at parties? Want to improve your resume? How about… sampling some excellent Whiskies while trying your hand at being a Master Blender? The Whyte and Mackay Blending Seminar will be conducted by ambassador J. Wheelock and the lucky attendees will nose and sample 5 of the component Whiskies in the Whyte and Mackay Special and then actually blend them together. Participants will then go on to compare with their neighbours as to how well they did compared to the control sample of Whyte and Mackay Special Blend. Seats are limited, don’t miss your chance to have the best bragging rights in town. P.S. We’re just kidding about the resume thing. This only counts as FUN.”
(Note: the Saturday & Sunday seminars are identical in format).
2) SOLD OUT!! Saturday May 18th 1:45-2:45 PM. Scotch & Irish Whisk(e)y 101 with Graeme Macaloney PhD. SOLD OUT!!
Looking to understand how Scotch & Irish whiskies are made, where their flavours come from, and taste the final product? This Scotch & Irish Whisky 101 tasting session will encompass classic whiskies including blended Scotch, triple distilled Irish whisky, a Speyside single malt and Island Scotch single malts from Edrington and Beam Global. A Scotsman and university trained in fermentation, Graeme Macaloney will take you through an organoleptic tasting experience of these ‘old-country’ whiskies and how they are made.
3) Saturday May 18th 3:30-4:30 PM. Around The World in Six Whiskies with Roberto Roberti
Strap yourselves in for a round the world journey where ambassador Roberto Roberti will show case some exceptional award winning whiskies from a variety of countries. This class will be conducted so that the attendees will not know which whisky is which until revealed by Roberto. Test your skills and see if you can determine from where each whisky is from!
4) SOLD OUT Sunday May 19th 12-1:00 PM. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society with Colin Southcombe SOLD OUT
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is the largest private whisky club in the world and it has finally arrived in British Columbia! Society whiskies are by their very nature unique, extremely limited and quite deliciously varied. Colin Southcombe will be leading this class and the single malts being poured will be a revelation!
5) SOLD OUT! Sunday May 19th 1:45-2:45 PM. The Independents with Roberto Roberti SOLD OUT!
Ambassador Roberto Roberti has reached into his magnificent bag of whiskies to formulate the lineup for this class which will feature two of Scotland’s most famous independent bottlers including some award winning blends, some single cask limited editions and a two whiskies from a distillery whose name was only recent revealed.
6) Sunday May 19th 3:30-4:30 PM. The Whyte and Mackay Blending Seminar with J. Wheelock
Want to impress your friends at parties? Want to improve your resume? How about… sampling some excellent Whiskies while trying your hand at being a Master Blender? The Whyte and Mackay Blending Seminar will be conducted by ambassador J. Wheelock and the lucky attendees will nose and sample 5 of the component Whiskies in the Whyte and Mackay Special and then actually blend them together. Participants will then go on to compare with their neighbours as to how well they did compared to the control sample of Whyte and Mackay Special Blend. Seats are limited, don’t miss your chance to have the best bragging rights in town. P.S. We’re just kidding about the resume thing. This only counts as FUN.”
(Note: the Saturday & Sunday seminars are identical in format).
7) Sunday May 19th 1:00-1:40 PM. Whisky 101: An illustrated talk on the History, Manufacture & Flavour Origins of Whisky, with Graeme Macaloney PhD. No charge, no whisky tasting, no registrations required – simply go to the Heritage Tent.
This is a general interest talk and illustrated PowerPoint presentation (no whisky tasting / no charge attendance) located in the near-by Heritage Tent on the history of whisky, the process by which it is made, and how this affects flavour. This interactive presentation will include samples of important ingredients including peat, malted barley and peated malt for touching and tasting. Any unanswered questions you may have on how whisky is made will be welcomed. This talk has been carefully timed to allow Whisky School participants to attend both the Whisky Tasting School and this nearby Heritage Tent presentation.
NOTE: Condition of Entry to The Whisky Tasting School is that guests DO NOT DRINK and DRIVE.
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Hudson Whiskey at D&M California – American Whiskey News
April 8th, 2013
Hudson Whiskey is a young, yet rapidly growing brand of fine artisanal spirits. The awards, accolades and global recognition they receive are increasing at a breakneck pace. Each of the whiskeys in Hudson’s 5-member family start with good grains – the soft, balanced richness of corn, the sharp, peppery notes of rye, the smooth subtlety of wheat and the sweetness of malted barley.
Discounted Items
Hudson New York Corn Whiskey *375 (Half Bottle) $39.99 $37.99
Hudson Single Malt Whiskey *375 (Half Bottle) $42.99 $37.99
Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey *375(Half Bottle) $44.99 $37.99
Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey *375 (Half Bottle) $44.99 $37.99
Hudson Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey *375 (Half Bottle) $41.99 $37.99
