Whisky Wednesday Reviews Chivas Regal 12yo – Scotch Whisky News
Due to popular demand, UK vlogger Joe Ellis from Whisky Wednesday reviews Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky!
Due to popular demand, UK vlogger Joe Ellis from Whisky Wednesday reviews Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky!
The judges’ votes are in and today we announce the brands that hit the highest scores at the fifth annual ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE. Led by F. Paul Pacult and his merry band of judges including: Sean Ludford (judging co-chair), Jacques Bezuidenhout, Tad Carducci, James Conley, Dale DeGroff, Jim Meehan, Dan Nicolaescu, Steve Olson, Andy Seymour, Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, MW and David Wondrich, USC named the top spirits in their categories based on the 100-point scale (including a rare 100 pointer!).
The results are in for the 2014 Ultimate Spirits Challenge®, the world’s premier spirits competition. Today, Ultimate Spirits Challenge (USC) announces 37 Chairman Trophy winners, the highest award, along with 218 Finalists, 171 Tried & True AwardsSM and 89 Great Values. The Challenge, celebrating its fifth anniversary, was held in New York on March 10-14. For the second consecutive year, a perfect 100 point score was given by multiple panels to a whiskey. This year’s 100-point recipient is Redbreast 21 Years Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey.
“Interest in Ultimate Spirits Challenge has never been greater,” says Ultimate Spirits Challenge founder F. Paul Pacult. “Companies enter because they want brands to be evaluated against their peers by the world’s best judges. USC provides the most trusted, sought after testimonials that help distillers and importers build their brands.”
This year, USC introduces the Tried & True AwardSM to recognize brands that can be relied on to provide unfailing quality and superb taste to consumers year after year. To be eligible, brands that entered USC 2014 must have scored 85 points or higher in this year’s Challenge as well as in at least two previous Challenges.
All products entered are rated on the 100-point scale by the spirits industry’s most renowned judges that include award-winning authors, spirits buyers, journalists, educators, bar owners and consultants. This year’s judges were: USC Founder and Judging Chairman F. Paul Pacult, Judging Co-Chairman Sean Ludford, Jacques Bezuidenhout, Tad Carducci, James Conley, Dale DeGroff, Jim Meehan, Dan Nicolaescu, Steve Olson, Andy Seymour, Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, MW and David Wondrich.
THE 2014 RESULTS
All spirits rated 85 points and higher receive their own page showing current award results, downloadable score icons, tasting notes and bottle image. USC results will be promoted via the Ultimate Beverage Challenge Guide to be published in the October issue of The Beverage Media Group’s top 15 U.S. markets, reaching more than 70,000 on- and off-premise spirits buyers.
2014 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE – CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY WINNERS
For a complete list of results visit www.ultimate-beverage.com/usc2014results
WHISKEY – USA
American: Wild Turkey Forgiven
Kentucky Straight Bourbon: George T. Stagg
Rye: Bulleit 95 Small Batch
WHISKEY – IRELAND
Blended: Tullamore D.E.W. Special Reserve 12 Years Old (Tried & True Award)
Irish Pot Still: Redbreast 21 Years Old
Single Malt: Bushmills 16 Years Old (Tried & True Award)
WHISKY – SCOTLAND
Blended Malt: Big Peat
Blended: Ballantine’s 17 Years Old
Single Malt: Glenmorangie Quarter Century 25 Years Old
WHISKY – CANADA
Alberta Premium Dark Horse
WHISKY – JAPAN
Nikka Coffey Grain
Next Challenge: Ultimate Wine Challenge, June 2-13, 2014. Information at: www.ultimate-beverage.com/uwc2014info
Ultimate Spirits Challenge…like no other competition and doesn’t want to be.
ABOUT ULTIMATE BEVERAGE CHALLENGE
Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC) provides expert evaluation of wines and spirits for producers, importers and marketers through its two innovative annual competitions: Ultimate Spirits Challenge and Ultimate Wine Challenge. Based on exacting standards, expert judges and rigorous methodology, UBC raises the standards of spirits and wine evaluation and supplies ratings and accolades to help companies build their brands with buyers, both industry and consumer. UBC partners are F. Paul Pacult, Sue Woodley, David Talbot and Sean Ludford. Past Challenge results and event photos, videos and press coverage can be found at http://www.ultimate-beverage.com/.
Ultimate Beverage Challenge inquiries: info@ultimate-beverage.com, 1-347-878-6551
CÙ BÒCAN WINS DESIGN AWARD
Cù Bòcan wins ‘Best New Launch Whisky’ at World Whiskies Design Awards
The Tomatin Distillery Co Ltd is celebrating a win at the World Whiskies Design Awards 2014. Its newest single malt brand, Cù Bòcan Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, was awarded the ‘Best New Launch’ award.
The World Whiskies Design Awards are the annual awards recognising excellence in bottle, label and pack design. Judged by an international panel of design experts, the winners were announced on Thursday 20th March 2013 at the Whisky Magazine’s Awards Presentation Dinner held at the Waldorf Hilton in London. The World Whiskies Awards were also announced, in which the Tomatin 18 year old single malt won “Best Highland Single Malt 13 to 20 Years” for the second year running.
Released in September 2013, Cù Bòcan is a departure from the traditional Tomatin range, both in flavour – it is lightly peated – and in its contemporary presentation. Cù Bòcan (loosely translating from Gaelic as “ghost dog”) tells the story of a legendary hellhound who has been stalking residents of Tomatin for centuries, expertly portrayed by its innovative and eerie packaging.
The judges said about Cù Bòcan: “Evocative and relevant graphics designed to attract new consumers and freshen up the image of whisky. The imagery evocatively describes the nature of the product inside. This package works on many levels – it is clean, contemporary and stylish – it feels new yet, at the same time, reassuringly authentic.”
Commenting on the award, Jennifer Nicol, Marketing Manager, said: “We were clear right from the beginning of the development process that we wanted to separate our peated whisky release from the existing Tomatin brand so as not to confuse our existing customers. This allowed us to push the boundaries and experiment with a more contemporary design. We are delighted with the result; top quality and striking, reflective of the whisky contained within. The brand’s success has surpassed all expectations and we look forward to its forecasted growth with further batches and limited editions.”
The Cù Bòcan packaging was designed by Stirling based creative agency Pocket Rocket Creative Ltd. who were also celebrating on the night having won in two other categories, and winning overall with ‘Best Design Agency’. Del Sneddon, the lead creative on the Cù Bòcan project, said: “It’s an incredibly exciting win and we’re encouraged to see that progressive designs like Cù Bòcan are being endorsed and commended by the whisky industry cognoscenti.”
Tomatin will be releasing the first limited edition Cù Bòcan in April 2014, with several others also in the pipeline.
Notes
1. Award information and results: http://www.worldwhiskiesdesignawards.com/results/2014/ http://www.worldwhiskiesawards.com/tomatin-18-years-old.18485.html
2. The Tomatin Distillery Co Ltd is a producer and blender of Scotch whisky, boasting a strong core range of single malt whiskies along with a range of popular blends.
3. Website: www.tomatin.com / www.cu-bocan.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/Tomatin1897 Twitter: www.twitter.com/Tomatin1897
4. The distillery was established in 1897, and while historically the whisky produced was primarily sold for use in other brands of blended whisky, the company is now very focussed on growing the Tomatin single malt brand in its own right.
5. The company’s most popular blends are The Antiquary, The Talisman and Big ‘T’.
6. The distillery is owned by Japanese company Takara Shuzo: http://www.takarashuzo.co.jp/english/index.htm
There’s an elephant in the room and we want to talk about it!
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of Canada is thrilled to announce a new Partner Bar in its portfolio!
Victoria’s “Little Jumbo” will join Calgary’s “Brasserie Kensington” and Vancouver’s “Fets Whisky Kitchen” as our newest ‘Society Spot’ where SMWS bottles are on the bar.
Little Jumbo will join an exclusive group of only 22 other Partner Bars around the world (the full list is here: http://ow.ly/uDke3 ) where whisky lovers can enjoy a unique range of single cask libations.
Please join Little Jumbo’s proprietor Shawn Soole and his amazing staff, along with Rob and Kelly Carpenter of SMWS Canada as we kick off this new partnership with an evening of 5 one-of-a-kind Society whiskies paired with 5 fantastic appetizers.
Monday, April 14th
8:00 – 9:30pm
$50.00
Little Jumbo
Down the Hall, 506 Fort Street, Victoria, BC
(778) 433-5535
Register here: http://ow.ly/uQiXf

New! Invergordon Burns Malt Octaves
Two new expressions of the Highland single grain Scotch from Invergordon distillery. Double matured in either Oloroso or Pedro Ximenez sherry oak.
Whisky & More Tasting with Karl duHoffman from Anchor Distilling & Imports, March 26 at Mora’s Fine Wine & Spirits (E. Setauket, New York)
Karl DuHoffmann brings over 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry to bear when speaking on distilled beverages. A passionate advocate for the diversity to be found amongst the great spirits of the world. A dynamic educator who challenges received wisdom and brings a fun informative presence to the event.
At Mora’s on March 26th from 4-7pm we will be sampling 3 Scottish single malts, 2 Japanese whiskies, and 2 additional special spirits with special guest, spirits expert, Karl duHoffman. Featured brands include, Benriach, Glendronach, Glenrothes, Nikka, Maurin, and No. 3 Gin. Products are discounted for purchase through April 2nd. Please visit Mora’s Monthly Spirit Tasting page for more information or to place an order for shipment across the US.
Mora’s Fine Wine & Spirits
631-941-4458 sev.clemens@moraswines.com

Lynchburg, TN, March 14, 2014 – Saying that Tennessee Whiskey is “under attack,” the Jack Daniel Distillery today forcefully denounced legislation pending in the Tennessee General Assembly allowing for the reuse of barrels that its Master Distiller says will dramatically diminish the quality and integrity of the whiskey.
Current law passed by the General Assembly last year and signed by the Governor created a designation of “Tennessee Whiskey” as being made from fermented mash of at least 51 percent corn, aged in new oak barrels, charcoal mellowed and stored in the state. The effort was a natural progression to help grow the Tennessee Whiskey designation and similar to what the bourbon industry did in the past to codify the definition of “bourbon.”
“When consumers around the world see ‘Tennessee Whiskey,’ they expect it is a premium product representing a world-class standard and utmost quality,” said Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Jeff Arnett. “What we have here is nothing more than an effort to allow manufacturers to deviate from that standard, produce a product that’s inferior to bourbon and label it ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ while undermining the process we’ve worked for nearly 150 years to protect.”
Arnett continued, “This is not about the interests of micro distillers in our state. We support micro distillers. This is about Diageo, a large foreign company with more interest in scotch and bourbon, trying to weaken what Tennessee Whiskey is and we simply shouldn’t allow it.”
Arnett said that Jack Daniel’s – and the bourbon industry – have always used new toasted and charred barrels only once for the color, flavor and character they impart upon the whiskey. Reusing a barrel would likely require the use of artificial colorings and flavorings which in the end would produce a product inferior to bourbon, he noted.
“Using quality grains, quality water, quality barrels and other natural ingredients has been the backbone of Tennessee Whiskey and, frankly, the bourbon industry for decades. Why in the world would we want to change that now by inserting artificial ingredients into our processes? And why in Tennessee would we willingly give the bourbon industry the upper hand in quality by cheapening the process we use to make our whiskey,” Arnett said.
Arnett noted that exports of Tennessee Whiskey and bourbon eclipsed $1 billion for the first time in 2013 and Tennessee Whiskey, led by Jack Daniel’s, is one of the top ten exports for the state. American whiskey is booming and Tennessee can take pride that we have the leader of American whiskey recognized around the world, he said.
“We have only scratched the surface of what Tennessee Whiskey can be in the future, but to do that we need to ensure it remains a quality designation. No one is saying that companies can’t make the product however they want – whether that’s not charcoal mellowing it or even using old barrels. They just shouldn’t be able to label it ‘Tennessee Whiskey.’ It’s a real head scratcher why anyone would support legislation classifying our product as inferior to bourbon,” Arnett added.
HB2330 and SB2441 are currently being considered before the Tennessee House State Government Committee and Senate State & Local Government Committee.
About Jack Daniel’s
Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery, Lem Motlow, proprietor, is the oldest registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Jack Daniel’s is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey-Based Ready-to-Drink Beverages and Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails.
Jack Daniel’s encourages its friends to drink responsibly.

or as they say here, Failte…
Bowmore, the first distillery on Islay, Scotland’s Whisky island, is proud to introduce it’s latest expression, Small Batch – a perfect and accessible embodiment of the Taste of Islay. The distillery has used its century’s long experience to create a perfect combination of flavours that encapsulate scotch from the Southern Isles.
To celebrate the release of Small Batch, we are pleased to introduce our new animation, which recreates all that is Islay, using Scottish illustrators and composers.
“If I could select only one dram to transport an enthusiast to Islay, it would be Small Batch. No one liquid better showcases the tranquillity and elegance of the Island.”
– Rachel Barrie, Master Blender. Morrison Bowmore Distillers

Taste of Islay encapsulated in Bowmore Small Batch
Exclusively matured in first and second-fill ex-bourbon casks, Small Batch evokes the Islay house character of gentle peat, smoke, salt, citrus and vanilla. This makes Bowmore Small Batch the perfect dram for those wanting to experience an Islay single malt.
The first-fill ex-bourbon imparts a delicious vanilla sweetness alongside spice and a bourbon style oak smoke, created by a charring of the barrel in the bourbon production process. The second-fill cask brings fantastic complexities with honey and creamy malt combining perfectly with hints of sea salt, coconut and lime. The water from the Laggan River and infamous Islay peat adds the quintessential earthy smokiness that makes Bowmore renowned for its single malts.
Have you enjoyed a dram of Bowmore Small Batch yet? Let us know what you think on our Facebook.
Slainte
The Bowmore Team
Website now fully updated
With tickets going on sale this coming Monday March 24 at 10am, the Spirit of Toronto website has now been fully updated including the schedule for our 2014 Masterclass Series. For those of you attending the show for the first time, these are seated tutored tastings presented by a variety of guest speakers on the lower level of Roy Thomson Hall.
Masterclass seats may be reserved when tickets for this year’s show go on sale. Early admission at 5:30pm is **$35 HST included and reserves seating in any one of the pre-show masterclasses starting at 5:30pm, with priority entry into the main tasting hall when the class is over. The remainder of the classes are scheduled for 7:00pm and 8:30pm and may be reserved at a cost of $15 HST included per person per class.
(** Please note that Early Admission for the 5pm session is $75 HST included.)

Liquid Time Travel: “A remarkable drinking experience…”
The word rare is bandied about easily these days. Too easily in most cases, so I’ll skip the hyperbole and simply state that this year’s headline masterclass is not one that you’re likely to attend anywhere else as whisky specialist and writer Angus MacRaild joins us to present a time capsule of Scottish whisky and history entitled “Liquid Time Travel”:
“With these bygone whiskies you taste so much more character derived from a much slower, more careful and hands-on production process. You get a far more authentic sense of their origins and location, and a real sense that they were actually made by people.”
Angus is one of Scotland’s leading luminaries in the valuation and sourcing of old whisky bottles, and together we’ve curated a special collection to celebrate Spirit of Toronto’s 10th anniversary.
I personally love themes so Angus has agreed to begin this journey in the 1930s with a taste of pre-War distillation, offering a glimpse into an extinct style of whisky making. Carrying forward through the decades, guests can look forward to gaining an appreciation of the labour intensive methods that were once used to make whisky over a much longer period of time. All of this will be further illustrated with samples of whisky made in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
A collector since age fifteen, Angus’ knowledge and passion for whisky rival his contagious enthusiasm, and I look forward to having him treat our guests to what can only be described as an education in the glass.
2014 Masterclass Series
The schedule for our 2014 Masterclass Series is now online and we’re happy with the variety it offers, be it something that appeals to seasoned connoisseurs, novice tasters or those simply looking for an adventure on the palate.
Without a doubt you can’t go wrong with the classics and Speyside’s most iconic and best regarded distilleries are well represented this year, offering guests an in-depth taste of The Balvenie, The Glenrothes, Aberlour, The Glenlivet and Glenfiddich.
Those looking to do more than just taste will not want to miss the chance to try their hand at blending with Wiser’s Master Blender Don Livermore as he samples 6 component whiskies and invites you to blend your own version of the fabulous and award-winning Wiser’s Legacy.
India, Ireland and Italy: three countries that are not usually featured in our line-up but variety is the spice of life and we’re confident that none of these will disappoint. The charismatic Ashok Chokaligam is back and this time with single cask offerings from Amrut, the darling of new world whisky and rightfully so.
Also to be noted is that Irish whiskey is experiencing its own renaissance at the moment and there is no better place to learn about its DNA than through the whiskeys made at the Midleton Distillery, to be presented by Jameson brand ambassador Sibeal Bird.
On the continent another renaissance is taking place in Italy with grappa, courtesy of the Marzadro Distillery. Forget what you may already know about grappa: from what I have tasted Marzadro produces a spirit of character and finesse, distilled in copper alembic stills and then further aged in a variety of woods including cherry, ash and acacia. Those who appreciate having their preconceptions challenged will be pleasantly surprised.
Speaking of preconceptions, Compass Box Whisky looks forward to debunking what they term the ‘single malt myth’. I know for a fact that this class concludes with a taste of The General, a veritable tour de force if only for its great antiquity. If this doesn’t convince you of the merits of blending, then I’m afraid nothing will.
Dry Fly Distilling is another whiskymaker known for charting new frontiers, having fired up their stills in 2007 which put them at the forefront of American craft distilling. Those of you with an open mind and palate have much to look forward to as Kent Fleischmann samples their whiskeys made from 100% wheat and triticale, a rye/wheat hybrid developed in Scotland in the 19th century.
Last but not least I look forward to presenting a ‘Love Letter to Islay’ with Gordon and Melanie Homer, a tasting born out of passion and terroir as Islay’s unofficial ambassadors give us their own guided tour of Scotland’s most iconic whisky making region.
Automatic ticket notification
Those of you subscribed to this list will receive an automatic notification the night before tickets go on sale next week. We’re often asked about the best way to purchase tickets in order to secure your first choices but regrettably we can offer no guarantees as tickets will be available online, by telephone and in person, and all three purchase methods are certain to experience a queue.


We’re on a journey of American discovery this month as we speak with our US Brand Manager Steph Ridgway. Steph fills us in on the benefits, difficulties and differences of working in the US of A – along with her tip for the perfect New York Highland Park dram.

The adventurous Americans
We have a superb team of ambassadors across the globe who work hard to spread the good word of Highland Park, each of whom has a unique story to tell.
Throughout the year we’re going to catch up with each and every ambassador and find out their own personal Highland Park journey. This month we have the lovely Highland Park Brand Manager, Steph Ridgway who is based in the ultra-cosmopolitan city of New York in the USA.
Steph, your role covers a large whisky drinking nation. What challenges does that have geographically? There are so many people who really, really want Highland Park to come visit and educate them. Fortunately, I’ve got a team of amazing colleagues around the country who are just as passionate about Highland Park as I am, so they’ve been incredibly helpful in spreading the gospel!
Being so far away from where this award-winning whisky is made, how do you introduce people to what Orkney is like? I’ve been blessed with the classic Scottish gift of storytelling so I put it to good use. And of course, you can taste a little bit of the island in every bottle!

Do you manage to visit the distillery often yourself? I get there between three or four times a year. If I stay away too long, I get withdrawal symptoms.
From coast-to-coast, are there differences in taste profiles of the American malt whisky consumer? By and large, the American single malt drinker is fairly adventurous and willing to try different things. I’ve met my share of whisky drinkers in sunny Los Angeles who just adore the big, smoky peaty drams and just as many drinkers from wintry Minnesota who like the light, delicateness of a Speyside dram. That’s why there’s so much love for Highland Park across the country, we deliver the best of both worlds in a single glass.
You are a member of the Les Dames de Escoffie (LDE). What is that and how do you use it to educate people about single malt whisky? LDE is a membership organisation for women in food. Having earned my culinary and restaurant management degrees, I spent many years in the hospitality industry before taking on this role. My background in food has enabled me to engage people beyond a normal nosing and tasting, rather offering unique pairings with food. This makes it a touch more relatable and less intimidating for folks who are new to Scotch Whisky.
How has it been to welcome the Norse gods (and goddesses) into the States? Wow – it has been such fun! Getting to tell the stories and watch how people react to the whiskies. The recognition that they’ve brought to the Highland Park brand overall has been incredible.
If you could take just one person to visit the distillery on Orkney, who would that be? I’d have to take two; 1) Anthony Bourdain, because he’d be an absolute blast to run around the island with, drinking drams of Highland Park and making new friends along the way and 2) My mum because, well, she’s my mum and she’s the one who got me into whisky in the first place. My mum’s really pretty cool.

Which city in the US would you say is the most Orcadian? Out of all the US cities that I’ve lived in or travelled to, I’d have to say Chicago. There’s a boatload of wind and the people are hardworking, friendly and fearless. And they love their whisky.
Finally, which warrior or god/goddess are you most like, from the Highland Park range? If I’m to believe what people say, I’m a cross between LOKI and FREYA… kind of like yin and yang. Just enough Freya to keep me honest and just enough LOKI to make it interesting.
Ambassador’s whisky of the month…
Living in New York, we asked Brand Manager Steph Ridgway what the ideal Highland Park to drink in an urban environment is? The response – “Loki, without a doubt. It’s the edgiest one in the bunch and it keeps you on your toes… just like New York!”
About: One of the most complex characters in Norse mythology, Loki constantly challenges the gods, questioning their order and hierarchy within Asgard. Yet with every treacherous situation he engineers, his actions ultimately create heroes amongst the other gods. Like its namesake, this whisky is unpredictable and impulsive, echoing the formidable weather of the Orkney Islands. It is a single malt which is both dynamic and energetic, with constantly evolving flavours and a fiendish inner complexity.

Tasting Notes
Nose: A spirited lift of dried bitter orange, which quickly turns into lemon peels. Cardamom notes trick then tease the nose, before an enticing hit of gingerbread develops. With water, liquorice and aromatic smoke are both unleashed.
Palate: The true shape-shifting ability of Loki springs to life on the palate: its waxy texture is amplified by an intense smoke that doesn’t appear on the nose, shattering the light citrusy illusion of the aroma. All is not what it seems. The smoke fades as liquorice and rich spiced apple flavours come out to play. Lemon and grapefruit are consistent throughout this elusive, yet intriguing character. With a touch of water, lingering notes of melted dark chocolate over spent embers leave a soft smoky impression.
Finish: As Loki departs, he leaves behind toasted cloves, hickory smoke and soft vanilla. It is constantly changing, from appearance to finish. Loki is an enigma and truly another whisky of the gods.
Have your own ‘ spirit’ in Orkney…
Orkney might be a just a tad too far away for a lot of you to journey to – but as part of the Inner Circle, we want to make sure you’re a firm part of the family. As we’ve mentioned before, we have an ever growing Mosaic on display in the distillery’s Visitor Centre which we would love you to be a part of.
All you need to do to join this divine piece of memorabilia is upload a photo of yourself – simply click here for the on screen instructions.