Archive for August, 2013

THIS SUMMER JOIN THE BUFFALO COCKTAIL TRAIL AND TRY SCOTLAND’S BEST BARREL-AGED COCKTAILS

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THIS SUMMER JOIN THE BUFFALO COCKTAIL TRAIL AND TRY SCOTLAND’S BEST BARREL-AGED COCKTAILS

SCOTLAND’S BEST BARTENDERS

This summer, 9 of Scotland’s top bartenders have been tasked with creating a unique cocktail using the distinct barrel-ageing technique, with either Buffalo Trace White Dog un-aged spirit or the hallmark bourbon of the Buffalo Trace Distillery, Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

Each bar has been presented with a hand crafted bar-top miniature barrel made of the same oak used at the world-renowned Buffalo Trace Distillery. Their creation has to be aged in the barrel for a minimum of 24 hours, to ensure the cocktail offers an enhanced taste experience, which will then be judged by a panel of drink experts in Edinburgh on 12 August 2013.

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WINNING RECIPE

All 9 of the creative cocktails, including the crowned winner, will be available on the cocktail list at the bar in which it is designed until February next year as part of the Buffalo Trail. The Buffalo Trail gives you a chance to sample and savour each of these bespoke cocktails that have been created by Scotland’s top bartenders, infusing and integrating rich flavours from the barrel-ageing process.

THE THINKING DRINKERS

To coincide with the Buffalo Trail in Edinburgh, you can also sample the range of Buffalo Trace bourbons throughout August at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they will be featuring as part of The Thinking Drinkers Guide to Alcohol – a hilarious celebration of alcohol’s influence on life, love and literature from award-winning drink experts duo, Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham. Tickets for this highly coveted and not-to-be-missed show are £10. www.thinkingdrinkers.com

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BUFFALO TRACE KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON

On the banks of the famous Kentucky River where the buffalo crossed on their ancient westerly migratory route, Buffalo Trace is distilled, aged and bottled at the most award-winning distillery in the world.  Crafted with the finest Kentucky and Indiana corn, selected rye and superior malted barley, this bourbon is aged in new oak barrels for 8 – 12 years in century old warehouses until the peak of maturity, determined by our Master Blender Drew Mayville.

For more information visit: http://buffalotrace.co.uk/barrel-ageing/

www.buffalotrace.com

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Runrig 40th Celebration Whisky 1995 Glen Grant at Single Malts Direct – Scotch Whisky News

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We at Single Malts Direct are proud to continue our long relationship with Runrig by bottling this exclusive cask of Glen Grant 1995 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of Scotland’s musical treasures. The limited edition of 250 bottles will be available exclusively online at www.singlemaltsdirect.com from Saturday 10th August.

CLICK TO PURCHASE £85.00

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BenRiach UK Exclusive & Kilchoman 100% Islay 3rd Edition at Abbey Whisky – Scotch Whisky News

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BenRiach 1994 Single Cask 286 19 Year Old UK Exclusive

70cl / 57.6% Vol

A very exciting release as this is the 1st UK exclusive single cask from BenRiach to be launched in the last few years. Single cask #286, a peated malt was distilled in 1994 and aged in a single hogshead for 19 years. Bottled at cask strength in 2013.

Very limited, only 215 bottles filled.

Official Tasting Notes:

Appearance: Deep harvest gold.

Nose: Intense waves of spiced oak with creamy vanilla over apricots and peaches, all backed by a delicate, sweet honeyed peat.

Palate: A combination of delicate soft fruits and sweet oak spices, covered by dramatic bursts of intense wood smoke, which mellow and mingle with hints of melon and pineapple in the lasting after-note.

RRP – £83.99

Abbey Whisky – £76.25 (£63.54 ex vat)

Click here to buy BenRiach Single Cask 286 UK Exclusive

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Kilchoman 100% Islay 3rd Edition

Kilchoman 100% Islay 3rd Edition, a vatting of four and five year old fresh bourbon casks. Every part of crafting this very special malt; the barley growing, distillation, maturation to bottling was completed at Kilchoman Distillery, Islay.

100% Islay 3rd Edition Tasting Notes…

Nose: Floral and delicate with a mix of soft fruits and pear drops.

Palate: The peat smoke explodes in the mouth with sweet soft mixed fruit very evident.

Finish: A long sweet lingering finish with a soft peaty after taste.

£54.95 (£45.79 ex vat)

Click here to buy Kilchoman 100% Islay 3rd Edition

Kilchoman 100% Islay 3rd Edition at Single Malts Direct – Scotch Whisky News

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Kilchoman 100% Islay 3rd Edition

Kilchoman Distillery was founded in 2005 and is the first distillery to be built on Islay for 120 years. It is a farm distillery and a proportion of the barley used in production is grown and malted at the distillery. The spirit is filled into a combination of bourbon barrels from Buffalo Distillery, Kentucky, USA and oloroso sherry butts from Miguel Martin in Spain. This is the third 100% Islay release from Kilchoman and has been produced from barley grown, malted, distilled, matured and bottled at the distillery. It has been aged for 4 years in a combination of fresh and refill bourbon barrels.

Product Description

Nose: Floral and delicate with a mix of soft fruits and pear drops
Palate: The peat smoke explodes in the mouth. Sweet soft mixed fruits are very evident.
Finish: A long sweet lingering finish with a soft peaty aftertaste.

Buy Now! £59.99

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AUCHENTOSHAN CELEBREATES INNOVATION WITH ITS FIRST VIRGIN OAK MATURED EXPRESSION – Scotch Whisky News

AUCHENTOSHAN CELEBREATES INNOVATION WITH ITS

FIRST VIRGIN OAK MATURED EXPRESSION

August 2013: Auchentoshan, Scotland’s only triple distilled Single Malt Scotch Whisky, is launching an exclusive limited edition – Auchentoshan Virgin Oak. This complex, non-chill filtered dram is Auchentoshan’s first ever single malt to be solely matured in virgin North American oak casks, wood that is previously untouched by any spirit.

Intuition and industry knowledge led the team at Auchentoshan to believe they could challenge the firmly entrenched belief that Scotch whisky must be matured in ex-bourbon or sherry casks. Since the millennium, Auchentoshan has placed small batches of the unique, triple distilled spirit in virgin North American oak whose charred surfaces have held neither bourbon nor sherry.

Time and patience revealed the whisky, which had spent its maturation in this virgin oak, to possess a deep orange colour with spiced apple and candied notes as well as layer upon layer of complexity.

Established in 1823, Auchentoshan triple distils every drop meaning the spirit produced reaches 81.5% ABV, significantly higher than most distilleries in Scotland. It is this smooth distillate paired with the carefully selected oak casks that gives Auchentoshan an unmistakably light and fruity flavour. Auchentoshan’s inventive approach to whisky production has led the brand to embrace innovative ideas and processes such as maturing whisky in virgin oak. 

Auchentoshan Brand Ambassador Gordon Dundas said: “Auchentoshan is one of the few distilleries to produce a virgin oak Single Malt. The lightness of the triple distilled spirit makes it perfectly suited to absorbing the unique qualities of the charred virgin oak casks. The result is a lowland whisky that is subtle as well as complex in nature.”

Boasting the same classically modern livery as a number of its Auchentoshan Limited Edition peers, the Auchentoshan Virgin Oak packaging is refined yet impactful. The contemporary typography is bright white against the classic grey background of the carton and gives the pack a premium contemporary feel. One that reflects Auchentoshan’s classically modern approach.

Tasting notes:

To the eye: Sienna orange.

To the nose: Cinnamon and nutmeg, toasted vanilla and candied orange.

To the tongue: Spiced apple, smooth chocolate caramel, maple candy and a velvety mouth feel.

The finish: Warm with spiced orange and brown sugar.

Available from specially selected retailers from the end of July at £69.99 / ABV: 46%

For more information visit http://www.auchentoshan.co.uk/

UK Distributor: Cellar Trends on 01283 217703 or auchentoshan@cellartrends.co.uk

Notes

Auchentoshan – The Modern Classic

–        A traditional and authentic single malt, distilled three times and matured in the finest wood

–        A whisky produced with passion and enriched with heritage

–        Favours the classic but with a nod to the contemporary

–        It’s a combination of two worlds; old and new

–        It’s a throwback to the future

–        It’s style not fashion

–        The very best of the past with the very best of the present…

As Glasgow’s closest Distillery, Auchentoshan is truly unique as it is the only distillery to use a third still in the whisky making process. It means Auchentoshan is the only Single Malt Scotch whisky to triple distil every single drop. This third distillation takes the new spirit to 81.5% ABV (not 70% which is achieved through only distilling twice) making it the highest distillate of any Scottish distillery. The result is a light and delicate single malt of unmistakable smoothness.

Awards 2011

IWSC

–      Gold Medal, 1975 Bourbon

–      Best in Class Silver, 18YO

–      Best in Class Silver, Classic

International Spirits Challenge

–      Silver Media, 1975 Bourbon

–      Silver Medal, Valinch

–      Silver Medal, Three Wood

Scottish Design Awards

–      Best Packaging – Auchentoshan Travel Retail Award

Awards 2012

San Francisco Spirits Competition

–      Double Gold Medal, Three Wood

–      Silver Medal, Classic

–      Silver Medal, 12YO

World Whiskies Awards:

–      Best Lowland – Auchentoshan 1999 Wine Matured

Ultimate Spirits Challenge:

–      94 points/Excellent-Highly Recommended  – Auchentoshan Three Wood

Ultimate Cocktail Challenge:

–      Chairman’s Trophy – Best Scotch Whisky in a classic Rusty Nail cocktail – Auchentoshan Three Wood

Save Lars Whisky – the Limited Fan Edition! – Scotch Whisky News

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Save Lars Whisky – the Limited Fan Edition!

You recently read about the Save Lars Whisky from Belgian whisky vlogger Mark Dermul. He was met with so much response that he has decided, together with his pal Imanuel Dijk, to release 50 more bottles from this exceptional cask.

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The Save Lars Whisky Limited Fan Edition can be preordered through this website: www.markdermul.be/savelarswhisky. But you will have to hurry as the bottling is limited and bottles are going fast.

Price 99 EUR + shipping.

May the Malt be with you!

Rye Whiskey, New & Old Favorites, Available Now at Mora’s Fine Wine & Spirits (E. Setauket, New York) – Rye Whiskey News

Mora's

Rye Whiskey, New & Old Favorites, Available Now at Mora’s Fine Wine & Spirits (E. Setauket, New York)

Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Straight Rye Whiskey BIB, 100 Proof  – $68.99 4 bottles in stock!

Copper Fox Distillery Virginia Whiskey, 90 Proof– $44.99 2 bottles in stock!

Wiser’s Legacy Canadian Whisky, 90 Proof – $39.99 9 bottles in stock!

Willett Family Estate Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey, 110 Proof – $38.99 5 bottles in stock!

James E. Pepper 1776 Straight Rye Whiskey, 100 Proof -$28.99 2 bottles in stock!

Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whiskey BIB, 100 Proof – $24.99 4 bottles in stock!

Mora’s Fine Wine & Spirits

www.moraswines.com

631-941-4458   sev.clemens@moraswines.com

American Whiskey at K&L California – American Whiskey News

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United States – Bourbon and Rye

  • Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon 750ml (Ships as 1.5L) – 8 available ($24.99)
  • Old Weller Antique 107 proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey 1L (ships as 1.5L) ($25.99)

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

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Behind the Blend with Ludo ‘Blendologie’, Part III – Scotch Whisky News

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‘Blendologie’, Part III

The third and final highlight video from our series of live French webcasts is now available. You can catch it here or on blendologie.com. After speaking about nosing and flavours in Part I, the art of blending in Part II, Part III sees Jason Roberts, one of our Girvan coopers, Jane Millar, one of our…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Kind regards,

Ludo

FANS ENCOURAGED TO SHARE THEIR FAVOURITE SONGS WITH LAUNCH OF BALLANTINE’S SOUNDTRACK OF YOU COMPETITION – Scotch Whisky News

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FANS ENCOURAGED TO SHARE THEIR FAVOURITE SONGS WITH LAUNCH OF BALLANTINE’S SOUNDTRACK OF YOU COMPETITION 

In celebration of its new Finest bottle Ballantine’s, the No. 1 whisky in Europe, has partnered with legendary British DJ Pete Tong to launch Ballantine’s Soundtrack of You; a global competition inviting people around the world to tell their life stories through music, submitting and sharing a soundtrack of their lives.

The new Ballantine’s Finest bottle reflects the essence, personality and life story of its founder, George Ballantine. Recognising that music is a universal passion and that the music we make, listen to and share is the ultimate expression of who we are as individuals, Ballantine’s is asking people around the world to share a playlist of five songs best representing their own personality and life story.

The competition, which launches today [5th August 2013] and runs until 13th September 2013, invites participants to submit their personal soundtracks at http://apps.facebook.com/soundtrackofyou . The people with the most popular playlists, as voted for by Facebook fans, will win the chance to see Pete Tong perform live at an exclusive, one-off Ballantine’s event in Edinburgh, Scotland this October.

The search for people’s favourite soundtracks begins with a teaser film featuring Pete Tong detailing the songs which feature in his own personal soundtrack, which includes surprising song choices from the likes of James Brown and Led Zeppelin. His number one song is a unique choice and is revealed only by following a link at the end of the film, which then allows the song to be displayed.

You can view the film of Pete Tong discussing the soundtrack of his life here: http://youtu.be/w322QvEOQIQ

Ballantine’s Master Blender Sandy Hyslop has also created his own playlist, featuring some unexpected choices. Sandy’s own playlist will be revealed during the course of the competition, so visit the competition page or Ballantine’s global Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ballantines, to find out more.

Jenny Shipton, Ballantine’s Global Senior Marketing Manager, comments: “Ballantine’s Soundtrack of You celebrates the profound effect that music has on people’s lives and allows our fans to leave an impression by sharing their very own life soundtrack. We are very fortunate to be working with such an established DJ as Pete Tong for the competition, who really enjoyed going through his record collection to find the five songs that he felt best represented who he is. We’re now looking forward to seeing which songs feature in the playlists submitted by our fans from around the world.”

Pete Tong comments: “Music is the ultimate form of self-expression for most people and no matter where I am in the world, I love to see how passionate people are about music. It’s been a real challenge to come up with just five songs that make up the soundtrack of my life, but also a really incredible opportunity to go back through my records and listen to songs that evoke memories from key moments throughout the years.”

“My choice of songs may be slightly surprising to some, but it shows how diverse my inspirations have been. I’m looking forward to seeing what people choose as their own personal soundtracks and to celebrating the climax of this competition at the Ballantine’s event in Edinburgh.”

To further inspire fans and appeal to customers in Latin America, Ballantine’s has also enlisted the help of global rising star DJ and Producer duo, Heatbeat, who are from Argentina. Heatbeat will join the line up in Edinburgh and have also created a film talking about the eclectic song choices which best represents them. Fans are being urged to enter their playlists via Facebook and to enjoy and share their favourite playlists with their friends, so as to be in with the chance to see Pete Tong and Heatbeat perform live in October.

You can view watch the video of Heatbeat here: http://youtu.be/at2whwTUX-o

Ballantine’s Soundtrack of You is the latest consumer activation under the brand’s hugely successful global marketing platform, ‘Leave an Impression’, which launched in 2007. Create and share your own playlist by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/soundtrackofyou. 

Pete Tong

Notes: 

The Ballantine’s Soundtrack of You competition opens on 5 August 2013 and closes on 13 September 2013. Entrants will be asked to submit a playlist consisting of five songs via a Facebook App, which can be found at apps.facebook.com/soundtrackofyou. Each playlist will be subject to a public vote, with the winner declared as the person with the highest number of votes for a single playlist at the end of the competition.

The prize includes flights and two nights’ accommodation for one winner and a friend to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland, and to attend the Ballantine’s Soundtrack of You event on 16 October 2013, at which Pete Tong and Heatbeat will be playing.*

 * Full Terms and Conditions apply; please see the competition for further details.  

About Ballantine’s

Ballantine’s is the No 2 ultra-premium Scotch whisky in Asia, No 1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the range sells over 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 120 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for quality, as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by the latest in a tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827. 

About Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits.  Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport Scotch.

In July 2010 Chivas Brothers launched The Age Matters campaign to help consumers understand the importance of Scotch whisky age statements. 

For further information please visit www.chivasbrothers.com


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