www.ralfy.com continues exploring obscure, less-known single malts with Whisky Review 460 – Royal Brackla Cask Malt 16yo @ (Adelphi)

Isle of Arran set to rock with distillery’s Malt and Music Festival 

The team at Isle of Arran Distillers is gearing up to host the island’s fifth Malt and Music Festival this summer. 

Taking place over the last weekend in June, Scotland in Miniature will come alive to the sound of bands from Arran and the mainland, all enjoyed with a dram of the distillery’s finest single malt.

The schedule of events is broad and ranges from an exclusive White Stag Dinner on Friday 27^th to the Texas Scramble – a tournament at the Lochranza Golf Course – on Sunday 29^th, though the main event takes places on Saturday 28^th June. 

Doors at the distillery site open at 11am and the £5 entry fee includes a spey dram glass, a drink token and the opportunity for a guided tour of the distillery. 

Throughout the day, the team will be hosting a range of expert masterclasses including sessions ideal for whisky novices such as the ‘Whisky is Fun Masterclass’.  More avid whisky fans can enjoy workshops such as ‘A Foray into Finishes’ which looks at the influences different wood types have on the spirit. 

For the evening festivities, the team will be hosting an evening to remember in The Grand Marquee in the Distillery grounds including ceilidh dancing and music*. 

Euan Mitchell, Managing Director of the Distillery, said: “We really look forward to our Malt and Music Festival each summer as the event is a celebration of everything we love about Arran and whisky.

“As well as being a great party, the festival gives people the opportunity to really get to know the team behind Arran Distillers, which is something that not many distilleries offer.

“For nearly two decades we’ve been producing unique malt whiskies for discerning drinkers around the world. We are delighted to again welcome people to enjoy the stunning location that is our home, some great music and the Arran Malt.” 

The fun continues on the Sunday with the Survivors’ Lunch and Masterclass where Euan will host a traditional meal of haggis, neeps and tatties, accompanied by a selection of drams chosen by the man himself. 

The unique and collectable Arran Malt and Music Festival Bottling 2014, which has become a key souvenir of the weekend for many, will be on sale on the Saturday only from the Visitor Centre priced at around £130. 

Tickets are available at http://www.arranevents.com/. 

*Tickets for the evening event cost £10 

Tickets to the Festival and Masterclasses can be purchased from http://www.arranevents.com/ 

About Isle of Arran Distillers:  

For more information visit http://www.arranwhisky.com/ 

Accolades for Isle of Arran Distillery include Winner for: Best New Exporter (2004), Queen’s Award for International Trade (2005), Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007) and Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (2007.) 

Product awards include: Best Whisky Liqueur (2007), ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Years & Under’ for The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish (2008) ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for The Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998 (2010) and ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for the Icons of Arran Peacock (2011.) ‘Double Gold Award’ for Arran’s 14 Year Old Single Malt and ‘Gold Award’ for Arran’s 10 Year Old Single Malt at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2012). Double Gold in FiftyBest.com awards (2012). Double Gold Medal for the 12 year-old Cask Strength in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2013). Double Gold for both the 10 year-old and 12 year-old Cask Strength at the China Wine & Spirits Best Value Awards 2014.

Stock Image

Arran Premium Sherry Single Cask 1997 2014 Release

Cask number: 217
Bottled date: 02/05/2014
Distillation date: 02/17/1997
53.2% alc. by vol.
562 bottles total.

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WHISKY AUCTIONEER’S LATEST AUCTION DRAWING TO A CLOSE

Whisky Auctioneer’s current auction will finish from 19:00 (GMT) Monday 2^nd June (Tonight)

Johnnie Walker 1805 Celebration Blend

Our May auction highlight is this stunning bottle and box, produced to mark the 200^th anniversary of John Walker’s birth. This extremely limited Johnnie Walker was never available for public sale as all of the bottles were given to people who, in Diageo’s words, “made a significant contribution to modern life.”  Blended from nine whiskies all aged between 45 and 70 years old and limited to only 200 bottles, this is bound to be a hotly contested bottle this month. 

Whether you are looking for an Ardbeg Supernova Stellar Release, Laphroaig 40 year old or a Macallan 1981 18 year old, we have almost 300 whiskies on offer this month.

The auction will end Monday 2^nd June, 2014!

This month, the auction will end after 19:00 on Monday the 2nd. From 19:00, activity on any item will prolong the entire auction by a further five minutes; the auction will end when there has been no activity on any item for five minutes. 

International Shipping 

Whisky Auctioneer has a successful record in shipping whiskies internationally, including to the USA. To find out more information on our very competitive shipping charges, take a look at the delivery page: 

http://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/shipping  

Whisky Auctioneer can also provide insurance if required; contact us for more information. 

Future Auctions

Entries for future auctions are always invited.  Whisky Auctioneer makes selling whisky online easy!

With a low sellers’ commission rate of 5% and competitive listing and reserve fees, there is no better place to sell your bottle(s) or collection.

The deadline for the next auction will be June 11th; the auction will begin on June 20^th. 

Happy Bidding!

Loch Fyne Whiskies ‘The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Year Old Sherry Cask’ 

Join us as we sit down with the exquisite Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Year Old Sherry Cask; it makes for great company! Read full review…(Please click on the link to read the full article)

THE LINK 

david@lfw.co.uk
Loch Fyne Whiskies

JUNE EVENTS

10 Year Anniversary Jazz Improvisation Tasting, 28 Queen St, Edinburgh – Wed 4 June
10 Years of Queen Street Tasting, 28 Queen St, Edinburgh – Fri 6 June
New List Open Tasting, 19 Greville St, London – Sat 7 June
Steak & Whisky Tasting, 19 Greville St, London – Mon 9 June
Scotch on the Rocks, 19 Greville St, London – Wed 11 June
Speyside Tasting, 28 Queen St, Edinburgh – Thu 12 June
Global Whisky, 19 Greville St, London – Wed 18 June
Society on the Road: Glenkinchie, The Vaults, Leith – Sat 21 June

Browse all events

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 here for membership information This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

WEST COAST WHISKY TOUR, MAY 2014. 

Our friends from Finland (Malt Whisky Association of Finland) once again came on tour with us, this time for a scenic west coast whisky tour. 

We started in Glasgow, driving to Oban, where the first distillery visit had been arranged; Oban distillery, a good tour and taste.  At 5pm we had a whisky tasting at the Oban whisky/wine shop, 3 good drams including Tobermory, really good! Group dinner followed, a good first day! 

Taking the 09.55 ferry to the Isle of Mull, first stop; Duart castle, home to the Macleans! A good and interesting tour here we had 7 in the group purchase the Maclean gathering special whisky; chosen by Charlie Maclean, and Adelphi 18 yo Tobermory. As Paul was on hand, he introduced his chief to the group, who signed the bottles!  Nice touch, he has not signed that many, so a good keepsake. From here to Tobermory, our next distillery tour. We all stayed in Tob overnight, met up at Macgochans pub for dinner and drinks, many thanks Neil for the drams! 

Day 3 we had to alter plans somewhat (in advance 2 days earlier) as calmac had changed the ferry to a much smaller boat, for the sail to Ardnamurchan, meaning we had sent our coach the night before on a round trip, to meet us at the ferry next day – it couldnee fit on this wee ferry! After a dram on the ferry, we met the coach and drove via tiny roads to Adelphi distillery, for a good tour and a great tasting. Not quite up and running yet, but we did taste two really good drams before sadly departing.  From here to Glenuig and lunch! Before our next and final ferry to the Isle of Skye. First call on the island; Gaelic whiskies, a good range of whisky at this independent bottler.  Highlight (for the very few) was a 30 year old, now no longer available – superb! From here the hour drive to our hotel, which by the way, had 400 whiskies behind the bar!

Day 4 we headed down to Talisker distillery – why are we here so early (09.30) Liz asked me, to get an early tour and a longer day I said, she didnee believe me – until we went in at 09.30!!! Lesley did a great job on our extended tour and extended taste! Many thanks Lesley, see you again soon. Leaving here for the road bridge and our lunch stop Eilean Donan castle.  Through some rain we headed to Loch Ness, staying at Drumnadrochit, dining at Fiddlers.  Jon did a great job, lots of great food and whisky, gin, wine and beers! Thanks for my aged drams Jon, went down smooth! A good night! 

Leaving at 9am, we headed through Inverness down to Perth for lunch, followed by the visit to Scotland’s smallest distillery; Strathearn (not, as the signs says still, Edradour), here Tony took us through the processes he uses, very traditional, tasted many gins, took lots of photos, a farm setting, surrounded by horses and cattle (smells).  Alas – from here we drove to Glasgow were there was a Scottish Cup Final being played at Parkhead – the Perth team, St Johnstone won! A final tasting at the hotel by a good friend of ours, with some very exclusive drams, we cannot mention – too exclusive! Then to waxy O’Connors pub for dinner.  A grand tour, we hope all went back to Finland happy – we do know a lot of whisky bottles went back! 

 Message from Mika Jansson, Finland; What a fab tour it was, many many MANY thanks to Liz and Paul!!! We all had a grand time, and saw many a beautiful places! 

The tour was worked with Mika Jansson in Finland, designed and operated by www.mcleanscotland.com

Story by Paul McLean

www.mcleanscotland.com

www.angelswhiskyclub.com

facebook; McLean whisky tours – more photos on facebook

Sunday 25 May 2014, Paul travels to the capital.

I caught the 09.36 train to Edinburgh frae Perth, the train that stopped at EVERY station in between, too just over 2 hours! Och well, got there at last, took a taxi to the first hotel in the west end – dropping off tour notes for guests. Then to the south of the city, another hotel, more tour notes. Headed then towards the venue for the Stramash whisky fest. Took an early lunch, healthy stuff to line my belly to make ready for the juice to follow. A wee bit early so took photos of the Edin University – part of it, really good Georgian buildings.  Nearing 12.20 I thought “to hell with this waiting aboot” and went to the door, some big ape asked what I wanted, luckily I was wearing my Glen Moray jacket “am setting up on the stand with Glen Moray mate” he let me in, some security eh! Even later as I went to get my tickets, none there, I had pre – arranged for these months back and was told they would be there – nope! Anyhow, went in early, saw a few old pals and took some pix and had a few drams. After a few hello’s I flew over to to the Japanese whisky table, Suntory. A friend from the Highlander was ambassador for Suntory, hell’s and chatted bewfore a good slug of Hakushu Distillers Reserve, interesting, I hadnee seen this before, a green bottle, 12 year old single malt, from the mountain distillery, it was herbal? Wee bit of smoke, fruity and a wee bit minty. Apparently, it has only been available in Europe one month, so very pleased to try it.  I did go back later for more! I also enjoyed the 12 year old Hibiki, banana, pepper, fruits, almost a sweet and sour, lovely! I like the bottle also! There then followed samples of Glen Moray, who were a busy table as usual, drifted over to Stewart at GlenDronch/BenRiach/Glenglassaugh table… “where’s the kilt Stew?”, a smile… “just home from China, its in the cleaners, mingin!” I do like the sherry finish to the drams here, tried all 3 labels on the stand, top end; sherry hogshead, 35 year old Glenglassaugh – thanks Stew! Superb.  The festival opened and filled quickly, but – not as mad as Saturday many told me. There’s a suggestion folks; if you attend next year, try out the Sunday, no as crowded.

A good venue, the Surgeons Building, but fer an old codger like me, too many stairs! Sat doon wi a dram and made these notes, took it easy. As mentioned, Sunday is easier, especially for first timers, but still awash with the Scottish juice. Plenty of opportunity to get a dram from each table.  Other tables there of note, Glenfiddich, Deanston, Drambuie, Scallywag, Famaous Grouse, Dewars and so on … a good fest for a first time reveller I would say, not panicked like Speyside or Islay, nice and easy (Sunday). By the time I escaped it was raining. Then debunked around the corner to a favourite capital pub, the Brass Monkey, a traditional pub, not touristy, good ales, drams and spirits of all kind, good staff too! As it was chuckin it doon wi rain, it was the nearest I could fall into – honest! Enjoyed a Silent Sun beer and a chat with a local and the staff, shared some fun here, stayed longer than planned – I only went in oot of the rain and to make a few notes. Er, the toilets are something to be seen! Say no more. I decided enough was enough and took a taxi towards the train station, still pouring down, at the traffic lights I said to the driver “this will do mate, thanks”. Got out at the Balmoral 5 star hotel – I needed to do some research here at their whisky bar. Over 400 drams on offer, leave some for another day perhaps. Started with a Glengoyne 1985 summer release, butterscotch, fruits and lovely! Michal was on duty at the bar, very good, he knew his tuff and fed me stories and drams; Signet is superb! Most of the bottles are “behind bars” (d’you like that?) and found easily by the staff, a relaxing but high end bar – a nice touch, when you order a dram, you also get almonds and chocolates etc, nice touch. This bar has been assisted by Diageo and Glenmorangie, evident when you look at the bottles in the menu.

Again, stayed longer here than intended – research is a hard job, serious research is even harder, I put myself through the wringer on your behalf, hope all appreciate this. The station is just around the corner, wandering through the rain I found the platforms and ticket barriers, asking “where is the Perth train please?” I was shown a platform to the left, I think the guy was havin a laugh, I woke up an hour later in the Borders! Wrong train, took me ages then to get home on two more trains, once home – rain – I looked longingly at a bottle of red wine, but that’s all I did; look. Bed!

Paul McLean

www.mcleanscotland.com    www.angelswhiskyclub.com