THE GLORIOUS RAMMY RETURNS TO LEAD HOMECOMING SCOTLAND’S WHISKY MONTH

The Edinburgh Whisky Stramash is returning to Scotland’s capital in May to lead a programme of events as part of Homecoming Scotland’s Whisky Month. 

Celebrating Scotland’s national drink, the two-day experiential event, which takes place on 24^th and 25^th May, will once again take over the famous Surgeon’s Hall in the heart of the city’s historic Old Town. 

Designed to appeal to consumers with an appetite for adventure, as well as whisky purists open to intrigue, Whisky Stramash will bring whisky inspired fun and frivolity to Edinburgh, with high-jinx character and thought-provoking activities.  Big name brands including The Dalmore, Isle of Jura, Dewars  and Glenfiddich, as well as small independents within the industry, are already signed up to showcase their whiskies in their own inimitable style. 

Not your average whisky event, the Whisky Stramash has attracted over 4,000 whisky lovers from across the globe since its launch in 2012, and is devoted to bringing whisky to the masses in its own unconventional way.  It showcases new ways to enjoy whisky with madcap molecular mixology stations as well as bring famous whisky brands to life with immersive and interactive experiences.  

Scott Martin, founding partner, Whisky Stramash commented:

“Whisky is a core part of our Scottish heritage that has been enjoyed for hundreds of years and we are privileged to have been selected to lead the celebrations throughout Scotland this year.  What started out as a boutique event organised by myself and Darroch Ramsay has very quickly grown into a world-class celebration of our national drink, with a whole month of events now devoted to it. 

“We are working closely this year with some exciting whisky brands to ensure this year’s event will be our best yet, with plenty of imagination, ridiculous secrecy, and our signature modern take on good old fashioned fun, bringing whisky into the modern-day world.” 

Tickets are on sale now from Ticketsoup. Ticket prices are £26 per person. 

Event session times: 12:00, 17:00
Price: £26.00
Event Tel: 0844 481 8898 

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Established in 2012, The Whisky Stramash is organised by founding partners Darroch Ramsay and Scott Martin
• In 2013 the event attracted 2,400 attendees over two days (Male 60% / Female 40%)
• Since it was founded in 2012, the event has attracted visitors from all over the world including Iceland
• The male average age was 36 years, and female 34 years

www.ralfy.com turns to the green side for St Patricks Day with Whisky Review 439 – Redbreast 15yo Whiskey @ 46%vol:

The North American Whisky Dinner Tuesday March 25th 

On Tuesday, March 25th, we will be hosting another whisky pairing dinner. This time around we have Brown-Forman’s Western Canada Brand Ambassador for dinner, Ryan Cheverie. Brown-Forman is one of the worlds leading whiskey producers. Ryan represents such iconic whiskey brands as Woodford Reserve, Jack Daniels and Collingwood. Ryan spends his time conducting whiskey master classes throughout western Canada and can be found at all of our whisky festivals.

We will be challenging our kitchen team to once again pair 5 whiskies with 5 dishes. The team is talented and the whiskies exceptional so join us to see how it all works out. A bit southern perhaps?

Join us on Tuesday March 25th at 7pm for a great evening of whiskey and food with Ryan Cheverie down at The Kitchen.

Please make arrangements for a safe ride home! 

The cost for this event is only $60 + gst and gratuity and is open to only 25 people! click here to register

Hakushu and Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve – A Tasting

Japanese whisky is proving to be rather popular at the moment and not being one to shy away from providing you with some lovely new whiskies, we were very pleased to have Shinji Fukuyo visit our shop for a very … Continue reading >>

Differing Wood Effects Thursday 20.03.14 £28/25* 7.30pm Kilderkin, 65 Canongate, Royal Mile Edinburgh

There will an accompanying glass of each of the original contents of the casks.

Springbank Gaja Barolo 9yo (4y refill + 5y fresh) 54.7% 02/04 – 10/13 11,000 bottles

Springbank Bourbon hogsheads & barrels 12yo 58.5% 12/91 – 02/04 5,986 bottles

Springbank Marsala 9yo (7y refill + 2y fresh) 58.0% 10/96 – 08/06 7,740 bottles

Springbank rum hogsheads and barrels 12yo 54.6% 89 – 04/02 5,700 bottles

Springbank port 14yo (12y refill + 2y fresh) 52.8% 89 – 09/04 7,200 bottles 

*£3 discount for first timers or members- membership costs £10 for 13 months

Tickets via www.jollytopertastings.co.uk

Arran & Campbeltown Whisky Classic

4-night cruise departing from Holy Loch, Dunoon

What better way to explore the whiskies of Scotland that from the sea? This 4- night cruise will take you to visit the actual distilleries of Arran and Campbeltown, while onboard you will learn and discover the secrets and flavours of the whiskies of Scotland’s Islands.  This short cruise takes place in October when the Scottish colours are at their most vibrant and at one of the best times to spot the rare wildlife that lives in the area.  Our onboard chef prepares all meals using fresh local produce sourcing the highest quality Argyll beef, venison, salmon, seafood and of course haggis!

The actual itinerary will depend on weather and tide conditions with these planned highlights

Drop anchor in the Kyles of Bute for a dinner on board of the best Argyll produce in a spectacular maritime setting.  An onboard whisky tasting explores the importance of peat and the different regimes which provide the depth, mouth feel and complexity to these unique whiskies.

Tour the award winning Arran Distillery, one of last remaining independent Scottish Single Malt Distilleries and taste the whiskies produced there.

An onboard exploration of the key role that wood management plays in the Single Malt industry with a tasting focusing on different wood finishes.  The session finishes with a blind tasting where guests are challenged to match casks with whiskies.

Visit Broddick on Arran, the heart of Arran local produce, with the option to visit the Arran Brewery, the fish smokery, Creelers of Arran and Isle of Arran Cheese.  Also on offer is a visit to Arran Aromatics and fabulous Brodick Castle.

Visit Scotland’s oldest family owned, independent distillery, Springbank, in Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre. Springbank is the only distillery to carry out the full production process on one site.  They use traditional production methods throughout and the result is the most hand made whisky is Scotland. We enjoy a private tour of the distillery before having a tasting which focuses on Springbank and it’s twoother single malts, namely Longrow and Hazelburn.

An evening onboard tasting centred around the importance of water.  We use water from 3 different locations around Scotland to show the difference that using localized water can have in unlocking new flavour profiles and highlighting certain key flavours in these island Whiskies

Your final night on board is a traditional Scottish Feast with each course being matched to a different whisky.  Each whisky and distillery is discussed as they are tasted…

E-mail: info@caledoniacruises.com
Phone: +46 722 06 94 88

Pride of the Whisky Isles 6-night private charter

Our 6-night “Pride of the Whisky Isles” Cruise takes in 5 distilleries where some of the world’s most legendary and smokiest malts are created. Whisky tastings of a further range of Scottish malt whiskies aboard the vessel complete an exclusive whisky experience while enjoying spectacular Scottish scenery and gourmet local food to complement the whiskies. This cruise can be booked for charter groups of up to ten guests with a flexible itinerary to reflect the interests and wishes of those onboard. Visits to non-whisky attractions can be built into the tour such as a walk to Kildalton Cross, a visit to the Islay Woollen Mill, Birdwatching at Loch Gruinart Nature Reserve, or a visit Finlaggan, home of Lord of the Isles.  We can also provide trout fishing trips.

Typical highlights on offer

Cruise to the “Isles of the Sea”, namely the Garvellachs, via the Firth of Lorne. These islands are rich in ancient history with monastic ruins dating back to the Norse invasions.  A carved stone marks the burial site of St Columba’s mother. Our anchorage provides an idyllic scenic backdrop to the evening’s whisky tasting.  A “Whisky Tour of Scotland” will taste the best whiskies from each region matched with some of the finest Scottish smoked salmon.

The option of an onshore trip to the Garvellachs, to soak up the spiritual atmosphere and visit some of the well-preserved monastic remains.

Steam to the mouth of Corryvreckan, Europe’s largest whirlpool, and the name of one of Ardbeg’s most explosive whiskies.

Cruise the eastern shores of Jura, enjoying the rugged and wild coastline famous for its herds of red deer. From the sheltered anchorage of Craighouse, go ashore for a tour of the Isle of Jura distillery.  Dine on hand-dived, local scallops which are a great pairing with Jura’s flagship whisky, Origin.

Follow the southern coastline of Jura for Port Ellen on Islay. Go ashore for a distillery tour and tasting at Islay’s oldest distillery, Bowmore.  This distillery is extremely special not only because of the smooth, balanced single malt it produces but it also has the oldest maturation warehouse in Scotland and is the only one below sea level.

Guests have the option of a one-way walk along the shores of Loch Indaal between the Bowmore and Bruichladdich Distilleries, to be picked up by tender en route.

A distillery tour and tasting at Bruichladdich, home to the Octomore range, the world’s smokiest whisky. It is also home to Islay’s award winning Botanist Gin.

Experience a celebration of smoke with tours at both Laphroaig and Ardbeg distilleries. Laphroaig Distillery is one of the few distilleries to still do their own maltings.  Ardbeg, is Islay’s ultimate Single Malt, winning Whisky of the Year three years in a row, an honour no other distillery has achieved.  Their whiskies have been described as ‘perfection on a palate’.

Cruise the Sound of Islay with stunning views of the Paps of Jura to reach an anchorage in one of the most scenic and remote areas of the Inner Hebrides, west Loch Tarbet on Jura. Go ashore to explore some of Britain’s finest examples of raised beaches before cruising the west coast of Jura, passing through Corryvreckan. Weather permitting we anchor in  ‘Bagh Gleann nam muc’ a bay in the entrance to the whirlpool on its western approach and enjoy a trip ashore exploring  numerous caves and watch black goats precariously scramble the cliffs.

An evening’s whisky tasting of the Pride of the Isles presents a selection of whiskies from the Islands and matches them with a selection of Island cheeses.

Cruising the Sound of Luing, anchor on the southern end of Kerrera, opposite the picturesque setting of Gylen Castle.  Guests have the option of a one-way walk to the north end of the Island to be collected by tender.

The final dinner on board is a traditional Burns Supper followed by a blind tasting where guests are challenged to recognise some of the whiskies tasted during the cruise.

It is also possible to factor in an independent visit to Oban distillery, Scotland’s smallest and oldest distilleries established in 1794, before or after the cruise.

Tullamore D.E.W. Marks Major Milestone in Time for St Patrick’s Day

As the world raises a glass to Ireland to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, Tullamore D.E.W. brings Irish whiskey production back to its roots  

Tullamore D.E.W. celebrates St Patrick’s Day 2014 with the arrival of four hand crafted copper stills, in preparation for the landmark opening of its new distillery in Tullamore in the heart of Ireland.  This is the first public glimpse inside the distillery building and marks a major milestone in Tullamore’s history by bringing Tullamore D.E.W. whiskey production back to its roots after 60 years.  

The copper pot stills are the heart of a whiskey distillery and play a vital role in creating Irish whiskey’s distinctive taste.  Forged by the famous Forsyths Coppersmiths in the town of Rothes, the imposing stills were painstakingly hand crafted to replicate the originals, which were in use at the old Tullamore distillery until its closure in 1954. The custom-designed copper stills travelled 775 km in six separate pieces across the Irish Sea from Northern Scotland, before being riveted and welded together on arrival at the Distillery in Tullamore, County Offaly. 

Commenting on the arrival of the stills, Independent distiller William Grant & Sons’ Chief Executive, Stella David said, “The arrival of the stills marks another step towards the return of the whiskey making tradition to Tullamore. We areexcited to be marking this momentous event in a journey that has been almost 3 generations in the making”. 

The rapid international growth of Tullamore D.E.W. sales worldwide has played a role in reviving Irish whiskey into the world’s fastest-growing spirit. As the second largest Irish whiskey brand in the world, with global growth of around 10% per year, Tullamore D.E.W. is a key contributor to the growth of Ireland’s exports. 

Worldwide sales of Tullamore D.E.W. have doubled to almost 850,000 (9L) cases since 2005. With construction now well under way, the distillery ensures that family owned distiller William Grant & Sons can cope with demand as the brand continues to grow globally in the USA, Germany, Sweden and Central and Eastern Europe where Tullamore D.E.W is already a leading player. The annual production of the new distillery will be 1.84Mla of triple distilled pot still and malt whiskeys – the equivalent of about 1.5m cases.   

Notes

• About Tullamore D.E.W: known the world over for its smooth and gentle flavour, the combination of all three types of Irish whiskey, triple distilled creates a gentle yet complex flavour profile. The sweet softness of grain whiskey, soft spice from the pot still and citrus from the malt – this unique triple whiskey combination marks out Tullamore D.E.W. from all other Irish whiskeys. Tullamore D.E.W.’s award-winning range includes the Tullamore D.E.W. Original, Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Old Special Reserve and Tullamore D.E.W. 10 Year Old Single Malt. 
• About Tullamore: a medium sized town in County Offaly, in the Irish midlands with a population of 15,000, Tullamore is approximately 100km west of Dublin.  Slieve Bloom, to the north is believed to be one of Europe’s oldest mountain ranges, and to the south is Lough Boora, a vast nature reserve. The town is connected to Dublin by the Grand Canal, an old merchant waterway linking the capital city with the mighty River Shannon in the West of Ireland. Tullamore D.E.W. is the town’s most famous export, dating back to 1829.  Despite the original distillery’s closure in 1954 the town has maintained a proud association with Tullamore D.E.W. and the Tullamore D.E.W. Visitor Centre, opened in 2012, has become a popular tourist attraction.    
• About Irish whiskey: The old Tullamore distillery closed in 1954, having been in the town for 120 years.  This was at a time when Irish whiskey’s international trade had been decimated. From its heyday in the early 20^th century when it was in huge global demand to being severely crippled first by Prohibition and then by Irish political instability and the Economic War. In the meantime Scotch, which was not handicapped by the same challenging trade environment, went from strength to strength and became the default import whisky of choice in large markets such as in North America and the UK. Irish whiskey was all but wiped out in the US and in fact may have been saved because of its use in Irish coffee, which become very popular on the West Coast through the legendary Buena Vista bar in San Francisco after a local journalist was served one in Shannon Airport. As the entire Irish whiskey production sector was rationalised Tullamore D.E.W. then went through a number of different ownerships.  It became part of the William Grant & Sons family in 2010. Today Irish whiskey is the fastest growing sector in the spirits category, as a new generation of consumers discover its smooth taste and accessible character. 
• About William Grant & Sons: an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the global premium spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s most awarded single malt Glenfiddich^®, The Balvenie^® range of handcrafted single malts and the world’s third largest blended Scotch Grant’s^® as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick’s^® Gin, Sailor Jerry^® and, Tullamore D.E.W.^® Irish Whiskey. Click on www.williamgrant.com  and www.tullamoredew.com for more information on the company and Tullamore D.E.W.

www.ralfy.com shares a few recent purchases of whisky, where I bought them, and why with Whisky Review 438 – Buying Scotch 2014