SOUTHERN COMFORT RELEASES LIMITED EDITION FOOTBALL WRAPPED BOTTLE

Extends Partnership as an Official Sponsor of Fantasy Football on ESPN

August, 2013, LOUISVILLE, KY – Southern Comfort has released a limited edition football wrapped bottle to mark their sponsorship of ESPN’s Fantasy Football for the 2013 season.

“We’re extremely excited to release these unique football wrapped Southern Comfort bottles to kickoff the upcoming season,” said Jason Kempf, Southern Comfort Brand Director. “We encourage fans to pick up a bottle to enjoy with friends during their fantasy football drafts and throughout the 2013 football season.”

Bottles will begin hitting shelves in early August with a suggested retail price of $16.99. They will be available nationwide while supplies last.

Along with the release of the wrapped bottled, Southern Comfort is also launching the Fantasy Getaway Sweepstakes. One winner and a guest will receive a four day/three night stay trip to New York from Friday, January 31, 2014 to Monday, February 4, 2014. Fans may enter by texting the word “SOCOFANTASY” to 68405 or online at www.socofantasygetaway.com.

About Southern Comfort

Southern Comfort®, a fruit, spice, and whiskey flavored liqueur, was created in New Orleans by bartender M.W. Heron in 1874. Today, it is enjoyed by friends in over 100 countries around the world and continues to grow as an icon brand.  Please visit us at SouthernComfort.com and facebook.com/southerncomfort.

Please Drink Responsibly.

Spirit Specialty, 15-50% Alc. by Volume, Southern Comfort Company, Louisville, KY ©2013

The ESPN Fantasy Football Logo is a trademark of ESPN, Inc. Used with permission of ESPN, Inc. ESPN is not affiliated with this sweepstakes.

A note from Templeton Rye;

“Greetings from Templeton!

We’re excited to announce the introduction of our new community exclusively for Templeton Rye enthusiasts – the Templeton Rye Bootleggers Society.

We would like to extend you this invitation to sign up for free membership.

Please click on the link below to complete your membership profile and be one of the first people to become an honorary citizen of Templeton, Iowa.

http://www.bootleggerssociety.com

We look forward to seeing you!

– Your friends at Templeton Rye”

OLD PULTENEY AND CLIPPER RACE SERVE UP GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP

‘Maritime Malt’ Whisky Teams up with Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

First time Team Sponsor, the single malt Scotch whisky Old Pulteney, today announced its yacht entry in the Clipper 2013-14 Round the World Yacht Race. The yacht, which is part of the newly designed Clipper 70 fleet will debut in the ninth edition of the world’s longest ocean race and will be called Old Pulteney.

Old Pulteney’s decision to sponsor a yacht in the Clipper Race is rooted in the whisky’s strong maritime heritage and long standing involvement with sailing. Pulteney Distillery is one of the most northerly on the UK mainland – and whisky connoisseurs even say they can detect a faint hint of the sea in the delicious malt thanks to its windswept location and close proximity to the North Sea.

Known as the ‘Maritime Malt,’ Old Pulteney holds the coveted title of ‘World Whisky of the Year’ for 2012 in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible – one of the industry’s highest accolades. The whisky achieved top ten status in the UK single malt market in 2012 as well as being the fastest growing single malt in Travel Retail and now positioned number 20 in the category. The brand is flourishing in many other countries around the world.

Clipper Race Founder and Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston toasted the announcement today and remarked: “When I set sail for my historic circumnavigation back in 1968, on board were 12 bottles of whisky and homemade fruitcake. Old Pulteney have a great history of supporting sailing and we look forward to toasting our successes with them as we travel around the globe. We are extremely pleased to welcome our new Team Sponsor, Old Pulteney on board for the Clipper 2013-14 Race.”

Old Pulteney Senior Brand Manager Margaret Mary Clarke commented: “Old Pulteney has a long and rich association with the sea, from our coastal location and maritime heritage to our involvement with sailing communities around the world today. We are therefore thrilled and very proud to unveil our partnership with the Clipper 2013-14 Round the World Race, which will be our biggest global sponsorship to date. Our whisky is enjoyed by people who love sailing and with Clipper, we are looking forward to embarking on the sailing adventure of a lifetime.”

People from around the world and from all walks of life compete in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race; over 650 crew members from over 40 nationalities are set to take part in Clipper 2013-14 Race, which starts Sunday, 1 September from St Katharine Dock, London. The Clipper Race fleet is made up of twelve brand new identical ocean racers with each one sponsored by a different destination or brand.

The Clipper Race generates intense global media coverage and provides a powerful marketing platform for global brands. Old Pulteneyplans to utilise this platform in each of its key territories through brand activation sand awareness exercises which will be announced as the race progresses.

About Clipper Ventures Plc

Clipper Ventures Plc was established in 1995 by legendary yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world in 1968-69.  Sir Robin founded the company on the premise that sailing should be made available to everyone, regardless of age or experience. So he launched the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in 1996. The company owns and operates its own matched fleet of ocean racing yachts and so far more than 3,000 people have competed in the eight editions of the Clipper Race to date. The company also owns the rights to the professional solo round the world VELUX 5 OCEANS race and runs a successful events division offering corporate sailing and development programmes. Today Clipper Ventures is recognised as a leading international marine events company which is focused on developing and promoting major global events such as the Clipper Race.

Clipper 13-14 Round the World Yacht Race

The Clipper 13-14 Round the World Yacht Race will start on Sunday 1 September from St Katharine Docks London, and return almost a year later after completing the 40,000 miles route, making it the world’s longest ocean race. The event was established by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston to give everyone, regardless of sailing experience, the opportunity to discover the exhilaration of ocean racing. 650 people representing more than 40 nations will compete in the Clipper 13-14 Race on twelve brand new 70-foot yachts designed by renowned naval architect Tony Castro. It’s the largest race ever. Crew members can sign up for the whole circumnavigation or one or more of eight legs. The only qualification for the race is the minimum age of 18 (there is no upper age limit) plus a thirst for adventure. The overall race is divided into individual stages and points are accumulated in a Formula 1-style scoring system. The yacht with the highest total points at the finish wins the Clipper Race Trophy.

About Old Pulteney

Old Pulteney is one of the world’s finest and most distinctive single malt Scotch whiskies. Known as the ‘Maritime Malt’, it is crafted in the windswept coastal town of Wick, home to the Pulteney Distillery which is one of the most northerly on the Scottish mainland. The distillery was established in 1826 in the heart of ‘Pulteneytown’, the town created to house fishermen during Wick’s famous herring boom which drew a fleet of over 1000 boats and 7000 workers to this remote and rugged harbour.

Old Pulteney is the embodiment of this place, its people and its remarkable history. The skilled Pulteney distillery team continue to craft their whisky using the most traditional and time-honoured techniques that most others have long abandoned. This includes the uniquely shaped Pulteney stills, which are reflected in the design of the Old Pulteney bottle on shelves today.

Matured in hand-selected oak casks, the resulting whisky has been acclaimed for its excellence, its smooth drinking style and faint hint of the sea. Old Pulteney holds the coveted title of ‘World Whisky of the Year’ for 2012 in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible – one of the industry’s highest accolades. The whisky also achieved top ten status in the UK single malt market in 2012 and is flourishing in many other countries around the world.

Old Pulteney continues to celebrate all things related to its maritime heritage and is renowned for its long standing support of sailing adventure across the globe.

August Update: Pick of the Specials Board  

We’ve chalked up this month’s bottlings with some inspired meaty pairings. A few choice cuts have already sold out: here are the top five dishes ordered by members from this months menu…

1) 66.43 Charmingly hefty and manly

10yo Refill ex-bourbon barrel, £44.10

Pair with Texan style sticky BBQ ribs

8 available… Buy

2) 76.107 A Moroccan tagine

24yo Refill ex-bourbon hogshead, £79.00

Pair with Moroccan spiced lamb neck fillets

24 available… Buy

3) 9.73 Frighteningly easy to drink

16yo Refill ex bourbon barrel, £57.40

Pair with chicken in ginger & spring onion marinade

26 available… Buy

4) 53.187 Simplicity at its best

22yo Refill ex-bourbon hogshead, £74.80

Pair with surf & turf

34 available… Buy

5) 4.179 Compartments of complexity

22yo Refill ex-bourbon hogshead, £85.00

Pair with rosemary & honey Wiltshire cured pork loin

20 available… Buy  

August Offers: This Months Serving Suggestion

August TRIO: 7.92, 29.121 & 30.77 for only £165

45 available… Buy

August PAIR: 9.73 & 30.77 for only £99

45 available… Buy

Butcher’s Half dozen CASE Offer: 66.43, 72.37, 9.73, 7.92, 29.141 & 30.77 for only £325

Only 5 left…  Buy  

Browse August Outturn

*30.77 is exclusive to our August 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.

New – Westport
15 Year Old Burns Malt (52.5%)

Rare opportunity to enjoy Glenmorangie
with a teaspoon…

Buy – $57.96

New – Glenrothes
25 Year Old Burns Malt (51.1%)

Great value 1988 vintage single cask expression
of the Speyside favorite.

Buy – $98.25

The Whisky Shop are proud to present some incredible deals on some fantastic products. Only available while stocks last! Simply click on a product to buy – offers are only available online at www.whiskyshop.com

Cragganmore Distillers Edtion
Was £62.99 Save £18.49
Now only £44.50

Lagavulin 12yo 2012 Release
Was £77.99 Save £14.99
Now only £63.00

Johnnie Walker Platinum 18yo
Was £82.99 Save £28.09

Now only £54.90

Dalwhinnie 25 year old
Was £192.99 Save £35.99

Now only £157.00

Talisker 57 degrees North
Was £72.99 Save £22.49

Now only £50.50

Glenkinchie Distillers Edition
Was £62.99 Save £23.49

Now only £39.50

www.ralfy.com heads eastwards with Whisky Review #384 – Kavalan malt whisky Taiwan Like scotch, but not really like scotch.

Whisky Innovators Team Up to Unveil DELILAH’S –
Limited-Edition Scotch Whisky to Celebrate 20th Anniversary of Namesake Chicago Destination

Unique Style of Compass Box Whisky Beckons; a Shot and a Beer, Please!

―Everyone who comes to Delilah‘s knows you can drink your whisky any way you like. It‘s a mutual perspective John Glaser and I share that inspired our collaboration,‖ said Mike Miller, owner of Delilah‘s. I have a deep appreciation and respect for  John‘s philosophy and talents and am honored to mark twenty years of combining great music and great whiskies with a  Compass Box whisky blended uniquely for us and our community.‖ – Mike Miller, Owner of Delilah‘s

LONDON (August 29, 2013) – Through a shared vision that a great whisky should be enjoyable by all, boutique Scotch whiskymaker and craft blenders, Compass Box Whisky Co., and Delilah‘s, Chicago’s legendary punk rock bar recognized as “one of the best whisky bars in the world,” have collaborated to create DELILAH’S – a limited-edition Compass Box blend to celebrate the bar’s 20thanniversary. Only 4,800 bottles of this eponymous craft Scotch whisky will be available in select markets nationwide following its debut at Delilah‘s on “Delilah’s Anniversary Day” August 29, 2013.

DELILAH’s Limited-Edition Blended Scotch Whisky is a combination of single malt and single grain whiskies aged in a mix of experimental new American oak barrels, which give the whisky a delicious sweetness. Bottled at 40%, DELILAH’S has an intense richness yet is subtly complex with honeyed and seductive fruity notes and hints of cereals and vanilla cream.

―Mike wanted a Scotch whisky blend that, in his words, ‗thinks it‘s a Bourbon,‘ so we sourced some single malts aged in new American oak hogsheads, something that‘s very hard to find in Scotland,‖ said John Glaser, Compass Box founder and whiskymaker. ―The result is a Scotch blend with a big, luscious vanilla-oak character that has echoes of Bourbon flavor yet makes it dangerously easy to drink neat and perfect served as a shot with a beer—the way a lot of whisky is enjoyed at Delilah‘s!‖

Just as this commemorative whisky is a twist on more traditional Scotch whiskies, so too Compass Box has used it to create a twist on the Mint Julep, perfectly refreshing to celebrate summer and Delilah‘s anniversary:

Delilah’s Julep
2 oz Delilah’s whisky
1/3 oz honey syrup
10 mint leaves
Crushed ice

Fill glass with crushed ice, add whisky and syrup. Rub mint leaves around rim of glass before mixing in.

Delilah’s Anniversary Day – Thursday, August 29th, 2013 #DelilahsWhisky

In the spirit of Miller’s direction and with the support of their local communities, a celebration dubbed “Delilah’s Day” will take place August 29th at Delilah’s unveiling the namesake Scotch whisky along with artwork by eight local artists who have each created a one-of-a-kind piece inspired by their own personal connections with Delilah’s. Artists include painters Tom Billings, Jon Langford, Emily Rapport, Joey Lala and Erica Huntzinger. Their works will be on display at the bar through Thursday, October 3rd.

The evening would be incomplete without the music that made Delilah’s known as one of the best rock bars in Chicago and beyond. DJ and bar owner Casino El Camino from Austin, TX, a longtime friend and inspiration for Miller and his own bar, will be spinning throughout the night. Other DJs will include Jump Up! Records’ Ska, Reggae DJ Chuck Wren, and a visit from Fisto the Clown.

In addition to being served at the iconic bar itself, DELILAH’S will be available from September 1st for approximately $65 (750ml) at fine liquor store locations nationwide, including Binny’s in Chicago. For more information on DELILAH’s whisky and Delilah’s Anniversary Day, visit www.compassboxwhisky.com and www.delilahschicago.com.

ABOUT JOHN GLASER – American ex-pat John Glaser started Compass Box Whisky Company from the kitchen of his west London home in 2000. Having started his career on a path to become a winemaker, then re-routing himself through the corporate world and ending up as marketing director for Johnnie Walker in London, Glaser has a unique perspective on both the creation and the marketing of Scotch whisky.

Glaser established Compass Box based on his commitment to evolving practices in the industry to make great Scotch whisky more approachable and relevant to more people. From the beginning, his vision has been to create one of Scotland’s finest and most exciting whisky companies, re-establishing the standards for quality and style in the industry.

ABOUT COMPASS BOX (www.compassboxwhisky.com) – The Compass Box Whisky Company is a boutique Scotch whiskymaker and craft blender, started in 2000 by John Glaser. Compass Box produces and bottles a range of Scotch whiskies, available in over 25 countries around the world. A four-time winner of the Whisky Magazine Innovator of the Year award, Compass Box is known throughout the whisky world for quality, innovation and passion for great whisky. The Compass Box signature range of whiskies includes Asyla, Oak Cross, The Peat Monster, The Spice Tree and Hedonism. They also produce limited release whiskies annually, and Orangerie, a Scotch whisky infusion. Their latest creation is a groundbreaking range of Blended Scotch whiskies called Great King Street. The first in the range is Artist‘s Blend.

ABOUT MIKE MILLER – Mike Miller has been the owner and operator of Delilah’s in Chicago since 1993. Writer, designer, film maker, teacher, spirits judge and world traveler, Mike let’s his interests and discoveries guide him and his business decisions – determined to offer to the world his vision of fun by bringing different elements of life and art together to create an ever evolving canvas. Miller also plays pinball at and operates Bottom Lounge, a live music venue he opened in 2008 in Chicago’s West Loop.

ABOUT DELILAH’S (www.delilahschicago.com) – Delilah’s has been Chicago’s premiere cavern tavern since it opened in 1993. Delilah’s is open every night of the year and features nightly Rock and Roll DJs, local art exhibitions, film screenings and a world class selection of beer and spirits – including more than 600 whiskies! Delilah’s has been recognized internationally for its selection of whiskies, its juke box, its special custom whiskey releases and for its overall atmosphere – Esquire’s Best Dark Bar in America!

British beer and whiskey writer Michael Jackson said “Delilah’s is the most important bar in America.”

 DELILAH’S

Limited Edition

Blended Scotch Whisky

• Delilah’s is a Limited Release Compass Box homage to Delilah’s, Mike Miller’s legendary punk rock whisky bar in Chicago, to celebrate the bar’s 20th anniversary in 2013.

• The whisky was developed jointly by John Glaser and Mike Miller as an expression of their shared vision that great whisky should be enjoyable by all.

•Delilah’s is an intense yet subtly complex Scotch whisky aged in a mix of experimental new American oak barrels and rejuvenated American oak hogsheads.

• It has been created to be perfect served as a shot with a beer.

If you like whisky and you like to have fun, you will love Delilah’s, which has been voted many times “Best whisky bar in America”.

At Delilah’s you can drink your whisky any way you like. In classic American style, you will always find an evening special for a “shot and a beer”…

…Which is the inspiration for this whisky. We’ve created a Scotch whisky that works perfectly as a shot with a beer. To achieve this, we have chosen a combination of single malt and single grain whiskies, all of which have been aged in American oak casks, some of which were new. So you get lovely, intense richness, vanilla character and sweetness. It’s an unusual style for Scotch whisky, but one that we think is absolutely delicious drunk as a shot along with a beer.

Happy 20th Anniversary to Mike Miller and Delilah’s!

John Glaser, Whiskymaker

Availability; Limited Release of 6,324 bottles Bottled in July 2013.

Flavour Descriptors; Rich and sweet, with intense yet subtly complex, honeyed and seductive fruity notes, cereals and vanilla-cream.

Recommendations; Delicious drunk as a shot along with a beer or sipped neat with chilled water to taste.

Distillery Sourcing; Single malts from the towns of Alness and Longmorn (approx 50% of the recipe); single grain whisky from Fife (approx 50% of the recipe).

Bottling Details; Bottled at 40%. Not chill filtered. Natural colour.

Buffalo Trace Distillery Releases Tenth Round of Single Oak Project Bourbon

New Barrel is in the Lead for Favorite

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Aug. 2013) – Buffalo Trace Distillery releases the tenth round of the Single Oak Project Bourbon and there are new barrels in the lead!  Barrel number 106 has been knocked off its perch, and instead, barrel number 59 is currently in the lead, with barrels number 92 and number 188 respectively, close behind.

This tenth release in the Single Oak Project focuses on different entry proofs, and is an excellent opportunity to compare the wheat and rye recipes at two different proofs entered into the barrel, 105 proof and 125 proof.  The wood grain size varies on this release between coarse, average or tight, but all other variables remain constant, such as char level, tree cut, stave seasoning, and aging warehouse.

So far, more than 2,800 industry expert and consumer reviews have been logged online at www.singleoakproject.com with many reviewers tasting and scoring multiple bottles.  But Buffalo Trace Distillery encourages more people to get involved with the project and try their hand at reviewing.

“We’re not expecting everyone who participates to own and taste all 196 bottles. With just a few bottles, one can experience and learn the subtle differences and discover more about their own taste preferences,” said Kris Comstock, bourbon marketing director.  “It’s an excellent opportunity to find out if your preference is for wheat or rye recipe bourbons, and a higher or lower entry proof. Moving forward, insights like these can help you be a more knowledgeable bourbon connoisseur and help you in your bourbon selection.”

The Single Oak Project is part of an intensive research project Buffalo Trace Distillery started conducting in 1999 by hand picking 96 trees with different wood grains and then dividing them into a top and bottom piece, yielding 192 unique sections. From there, staves were created from each section and were air dried for either 6 months or 12 months. After all the staves were air dried, a single barrel was created from each tree section, resulting in 192 total barrels. These barrels were given either a number three or a number four char and then filled with either wheat or rye recipe bourbon.

To further the variety of experiments, the barrels were filled at two different proofs, 105 and 125 proof.  And if this wasn’t enough, two completely different warehouses were used, one with wooden floors and one with concrete floors.  In total, seven different variables were employed in Buffalo Trace’s ultimate experiment.

For eight years the Distillery continued with its tracking process, creating intricate databases and coming up with a potential of 1,396 tasting combinations from these 192 barrels!

The Single Oak Project Bourbon is being released in a series every three months from 2011 through 2015 until all of the 192 barrels have been released. The first release hit select stores in 2011.  This tenth release will reach stores towards the end of August. Like all the other releases, the quantities are very limited. Every case will contain 12 bottles, each from a different barrel. The ninth release is made up of barrel numbers 9, 25, 41, 57, 73, 89, 105, 121, 137, 153, 169, and 185. All releases will be packaged in a 375ml bottle. Suggested retail pricing per bottle is $46.35.

At the conclusion of the Single Oak Project, the Distillery plans to take the top rated Single Oak Project Bourbon and make more just like it, under the Single Oak name.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1786 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com