Whisky Month 2014 goes molecular

Tickets go on sale 1st March for a unique molecular food pairing event with Glasgow based company ‘Scotch Broth Events’. Marrying Malts & Molecules is a new multi sensory taste experience, where cutting edge meets – Scotch, science, technology and Scottish produce.

Taking place on 24th May, the event is part Homecoming Scotland’s 2014 Whisky Month, the month long, country wide celebration of Scotland’s national drink.

This ‘Grand Sensory Tour’ will take place at one of Glasgow’s most historic buildings – the Merchants House of Glasgow, steeped in history and an architectural hidden gem on George Square. Glasgow is the beating heart of the Scotch whisky industry and stores over 60% of all Scotch whisky globally within 10 miles of the city.

Top quality, local artisan food producers will be showcased along with local foraged foods in molecular paired canapés, providing dynamic taste sensations with delicious drams.

Participants will also be encouraged to download the event app Showmappr which with real time analytics will socialise and map the audience journey.

Commenting, Ewan Henderson founder of Scotch Broth Events, said ..”In discovering more meaningful ways to pair whisky we explore the molecular affinity between Scotch whisky cask finishes to local artisan produce in delicious new ways like our smoked mussel tapenade, Irn Bru pulled pork and Alba Arancini. With record-breaking exports worth £5.3 billion, Scottish food & drink is going through a new period of enlightenment and we’re here to showcase it with cutting edge experiences.”

Tickets prices at £45pp go on sale today, 1st March 2014.  Available online http://maltsandmolecules.eventbrite.co.uk/

• 2002 Bladnoch 11 Year Old K&L Exclusive Lightly Peated Single Barrel #303 Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($69.99)
  Ladies and gentlemen, Bladnoch single malt whisky is finally here in the U.S.! That’s not to say you couldn’t get Bladnoch whisky in the past, but it had to come in from an independent bottler like Signatory or Chieftain’s (we did our own cask a few years back). But this particular Bladnoch doesn’t come via a third party. It’s distillery-direct, straight-from-the-source Bladnoch and our three casks mark the first time any American retailer has done business with the Armstrong family directly (we worked with them to design our own new labels specifically for the U.S. market). Formerly owned by Diageo, Bladnoch distillery was shut down in the mid-90s until two Irish brothers – Raymond and Colin Armstrong – purchased the site and lobbied to have it resurrected. By 2000, they were distilling whisky at Bladnoch once again. Located in the Scotland’s deep southern region, it’s one of three designated “Lowland” distilleries and i t’s by far the most interesting of the group. Our 11 year old cask is actually a lightly-peated formula that the Armstrongs began distilling at the beginning of their tenancy. It captures the soft fruitiness that Bladnoch has always been known for, but adds just a touch of phenolic complexity to the mix (think somewhere in between Talisker and Springbank). With a rich, almost jelly bean-like sweetness on the finish and that hint of peat adding the accent, the whisky pops perfectly with the 51.5% alcohol providing a balance against the fruit.

• 2009 Bladnoch “Young” K&L Exclusive Heavily Peated Single Barrel #57 Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($54.99)
  Ladies and gentlemen, Bladnoch single malt whisky is finally here in the U.S.! That’s not to say you couldn’t get Bladnoch whisky in the past, but it had to come in from an independent bottler like Signatory or Chieftain’s (we did our own cask a few years back). But this particular Bladnoch doesn’t come via a third party. It’s distillery-direct, straight-from-the-source Bladnoch and our three casks mark the first time any American retailer has done business with the Armstrong family directly (we worked with them to design our own new labels specifically for the U.S. market). Formerly owned by Diageo, Bladnoch distillery was shut down in the mid-90s until two Irish brothers – Raymond and Colin Armstrong – purchased the site and lobbied to have it resurrected. By 2000, they were distilling whisky at Bladnoch once again. Located in the Scotland’s deep southern region, it’s one of three designated “Lowland” distilleries and i t’s by far the most interesting of the group. This three year old cask marks the first time the Armstrong’s heavily peated experiment has hit the states. Bright cinnamon Red Hot spice blisters the backend of this whisky, as the flavor builds slowly from the initial sip into a flurry of flavor in the finish. It’s very Kilchoman-like, but with more fruit. While some may hesitate with the youth of this whisky, you’d be doing your mouth a disservice. We pounced immediately on this cask during our visit and we think you’ll see why. It’s a Lowland explosion.

• 1996 Bowmore 16 Year Old Faultline Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($105.99)
  This year we were lucky enough to secure two different Bowmore Casks for the Faultline selection. As I’ve stated previously, Bowmore is absolutely one of the finest distilleries in Scotland and finding casks like this at reasonable prices is just not normal. This lovely whisky comes from a refill sherry butt. This is a lovely contrast to our other Bowmore, showing much softer aromas of candied fruit, densely wafting smoke, but with a subtleness that is not seen on the Hogshead cask from 1997. This barrel perhaps captures the current distillery profile more precisely because of the sherry influence (limited as it may be) and will make any Bowmore lover happy. It may also provides an opening for none Islay drinkers to appreciate a smoky whisky that is fully integrated and approachable without to much of the medicinal side. Similar casks are currently selling in Europe for upwards of $150, so don’t expect this to be around forever.

• 1980 Caol Ila 32 Year Old Sovereign K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($269.99)
  We’ve teased the idea of three ultra-mature Islay casks since this past March, but we were never able to give any specifics. “Three ancient casks, reminiscent of what we used to see all the time back in 2007, from the same warehouse as our fantastic Port Ellen cask a few years back.” People were curious. If you ever hear anyone say, “There’s no more old whisky in Scotland,” they’re not completely off-base. At this point, it’s no longer about who will pay the most or who’s got the most coin–it’s only about access. Do you have the connections, the relationships, and do people actually want to do business with you? Luckily for us the past few years of hard work, loyalty, respect, and friendship have opened more doors for us. Three doors, actually. And what’s behind door number three? The sister cask to our former K&L exclusive, a 1980 Caol Ila now two years older than when we last visited her. While our former cask was rather light on its feet, its older sister comes in at a whopping 57.1% and brings all the earthy peat you can handle. It’s also classically Caol Ila with a rounder, fruiter palate from those famous, fat-necked pot stills. The price is in line as well with that offering. Our 30 year old cask sold for $199.99, so considering inflation, the increasingly-insane demand for whisky, and the extra few years, we think it’s pretty reasonable. If 150 people agree with us we’ll be sold out.

• 1989 Cragganmore 23 Year Old Faultline Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($109.99)
  Finally, the return of Cragganmore to the Faultline line up. One of our first bottlings was a fabulous 20 year old Craggy, from a hogshead. That was three years ago and we haven’t seen another Cragganmore from any of our suppliers since, so when this one popped up as a potential Faultline candidate we jumped on it. We were surprised again by both the quality and the incredible price! Cragganmore is distilled from very lightly peated barley. Over the course of 23+ years in a refill sherry butt, that subtle smokiness has morphed into what can only be described as quintessentially Speyside. Imagine a highland shrub recently in bloom after months of dormancy during the long cold winter. Imagine the honey bee attracted to the tiny purple flowers, returns to her hive, which is situated precariously on the outstretched limb of knobby oak tree. The honey slowly drips out of the dense honeycomb on to the damp reeds below. This tiny florally flecked speck of honey trapped on a blade of grass flutters in the breeze to land on a damp stone on the banks of the river Spey. Droplets from the idly lapping river loosen the blade from its sticky perch on the wet stone, eventually releasing it into the meandering river as it twists toward the north sea. Now imagine yourself with a bottle of Cragganmore. You have a very good imagination…

• 1997 Glengoyne 16 Year Old K&L Exclusive “Sovereign” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($79.99)
  Glengoyne is one of those distilleries that everybody loves, but never remembers. Located right on the border between Highland and Lowland -a line conveniently drawn right around the distillery- it’s definitely one of the up and coming malts these days. Despite being quite well regarded by many, we rarely see Glengoyne around and even less so as an independent bottling. This lovely cask came as a surprise when we first tasted it as it was not on our radar either. What we found was a splendidly idiosyncratic example of this little distillery. It feels like we’re a little more on the lowland side of the street here, with soft grassy aromas, subtle white pepper, and only moderate oak on the nose and palate. The oak spice builds on the finish, but it’s not a power house. Instead, a fresh and forward aperitif that should do well for you as the weather starts to heat up again.

• 2005 Glenrothes 8 Year Old K&L Exclusive “S overeign” Single Sherry Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($49.99)
  We are so lucky to have such incredible suppliers. We built relationships with some of Scotland’s best bottlers and none more exciting than the Laing Brothers. Stewart Laing’s new company Hunter Laing is responsible for bottling our Sovereign line of single malts and when we told Stewart that we were looking for some affordable options to go with our three incredible old Islay casks, he was happy to oblige. You may know Glenrothes, the gorgeous little distillery outside of Aberlour, as one of Speyside’s finest. There are no questions that Glenrothes is a blue chip malt and finding it on the secondary market is rare. Finding first fill single barrel cask strength sherry butts for less than $50 is just silly. It’s like having our own A’bunadh. This unctuous little cask has everything you could want from a young sherry bomb. Despite the youth, we have powerfully aromas, shifting from Glenrothes’ classic earthy pepper notes to the dense dr ied raisin and baking spices. The high proof isn’t evident on the palate, but it swims really really well. A like this a lot with a few drops of water. We probably should have bought two of these. At this price it will be gone soon.

• 1992 Longmorn 21 Year Old Faultline Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($115.99)
  Oh Longmorn, you elusive lovely creature. Last year, we bottled a Longmorn from a fresh sherry butt that was arguably our most positively received whisky of 2012. All the whisky geeks went mad and snatched up every bottle moments after it arrived. This year we return with another Longmorn of a similar price and aged, but this time it’s coming from a second fill butt. It’s not the sweet up-front style of last year’s, but instead a powerful whisky filled with fresh vanilla, dark dense fruit, and aromas of toffee and spice. This is a fabulously complex whisky with a roundness that’s undeniably pleasurable. Again don’t expect a redux of last year’s cask, but a special whisky that stands tall on it’s own merit. All lovers of this splendid Speyside distillery, located just south of Elgin, should buy now before the price goes up. A very welcome addition to the Faultline family.

• 1982 Miltonduff 30 Year Old Faultlin e Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($159.99)
  This baby will be the oldest single malt whisky we’ve ever bottled under the Faultline label. Miltonduff is certainly rare on the market right now, although we find casks regularly, the quality is highly irregular. This cask was just transcendent in my opinion. Aged for 30 years in a bourbon barrel, we really get to the essence of Miltonduff. Exhibiting exotic wood notes and powerfully aromatic qualities of incense, gentian, and spice on the nose give way to intense vibrancy and life on the palate. While this whisky is mature, it certainly shows no sign of slowing down, layering on the aromatic elements as the whisky finishes. Sandalwood, cardamom, bay leaf, and subtle honeyed sweetness soften the powerful masculine quality of this special whisky.

• 1987 Mortlach 25 Year Old Faultline Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($139.99)
  Here is a fun whisky from the fabulous and sought-after distillery in Dufftown. We’ve already had great success this year with Mortlach from various bottlers, but this cask was just too good a value to pass up. What we have here is a total turnaround from the sherry monster that we bottled via Chieftain’s this year. Coming from a refill bourbon barrel, the savory quality of Mortlach is not framed by the sweet dried fruit of the sherry cask. Instead, the subtle influence of the bourbon barrels works to highlight the distilleries distinctive qualities. Just an all together stupendous value, if somewhat geared for the more expert drinker. The high proof will be a definite surprise for those not expecting it. I believe that many who liked our first Faultline – a Littlemill 21 yo – will enjoy this cask for its unflappable uniqueness and rich complexity.
• 2008 Talisker “The Speakeasy” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask St rength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($59.99)
  I cannot express how utterly unusual it is for this cask to be here right now. The incredible rarity of independently bottled Talisker is not a surprise. This little distillery on the Isle of Skye is one of the world’s best. It’s an integral part in many of the Johnnie Walker expressions and is therefore never traded. If, however, you were one of the lucky few to own a blending operation back when Talisker contracts were actually available, you potentially could be sitting on some decent stocks of this fine whisky. Needless to say, owning Talisker is not the same as bottling single cask Talisker, as the distillery’s owners are notorious for discouraging independent bottlings with the name divulged. I don’t know if that’s folklore, but I know when we first decided to take this cask, it was going to be under a different name. When the labels showed up, that policy had changed. Talisker it was indeed and everyone would know it. Luckily, this is the boring part of the story. The real story is in the barrel. Here, this whisky’s youth is an asset. It’s lost the leesy grappa notes that the distillate displays at an earlier stage, allowing the peat to push through to the foreground. The intensity the results is absolutely mind-bending. While we should/could be asking a lot more for this whisky for various reasons, we’ve made a commitment to providing great values for our customers and that means we’ve fought to get the price way down for you. Similar whisky sells for $120 in Europe.

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 

NZ Whisky proclaimed one of the world’s best

Oamaru, New Zealand– Feb 2014 – He’s believed to have visited more whisky distilleries than anyone on earth and Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible boasts over 4,500 whiskies. But few score 94 points or higher, so Murray has created a special symbol for the handful of whiskies that earn the status ‘Liquid Gold.’

In a great start to 2014 for the New Zealand Whisky Company, Jim Murray’s latest edition hot off the press in London, sees the South Island Single Malt 21 y.o. scored at 95 points, placing it in the highly coveted category. This is the first time ever that a New Zealand whisky has scored so high and been anointed ‘Liquid Gold’.

“This is a salute to the craftsmanship of the Dunedin distillers,” says company CEO Greg Ramsay. “Being recognised as one of the world’s great whiskies by Jim Murray, that’s the ultimate endorsement of your dram and all the Dunedin distillers like Cyril Yates can be proud that what they were doing in the 80s and 90s in New Zealand, was every bit as good as what the Scots were doing over in Speyside and on Islay.”

Murray tastes every whisky and scores each dram out of 25 for nose, taste, finish and balance, totaling 100 points. His influence on the whisky world is unrivalled, with the bible now in its tenth year, including an additional 1,100 new whiskies in 2014.

“There are over 4,500 different brands and expressions listed in this year’s Whisky Bible and from every corner of the planet,” says Murray. “Those which score 94 and upwards represents only a very small fraction of them. These whiskies are, in my view, the elite: the finest you can currently find on the whisky shelves of the world. Rare and precious, they are Liquid Gold.”

The South Island Single Malt is the company’s flagship single malt, aged for 21 years in American Oak, ex-bourbon barrels. According to Murray’s latest bible, “you would be forgiven for thinking this was a 30 or even 35-year-old Speysider; almost a grassy maltiness melding into the light, exotic fruit and freshly chopped celery. Clean, delicate and elegant beyond words.

If someone asked me how I would like my 21-year-old non-peated malt to come to me, it would probably be something like this: a top of the range 40-year-old. Proof that the country in which a whisky is made is totally irrelevant. Great whisky is great whisky.”

At the World Whisky Awards last year, the New Zealand Whisky Collection’s Dunedin DoubleWood won the category for Best Australasian Blend, while it’s the second big gong for the South Island Single Malt, the first being the DoubleGold at the World Wine & Spirits Show in San Francisco.

The whisky is now exported from Oamaru and available across Canada, the UK, Australia and Europe.

“ClassicDram-2014”  Whisky Festival in Moscow, Russia. 

In February 2014 there were 2 major spectacular events in Russia. One of them was the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. But the first (and by far the most important for every whisky lover!) was The 3rd  Independent whisky festival “ClassicDram-2014”– that took place on Saturday, February 15th 2014 in central Moscow.  

Oh, aye – with more than 420 bottles of malts offered to festival guests by 16 various whisky stands. Most important – the ClassicDram- 2014 festival has proved once again (for the third time in a row!) – that a non-commercial whisky event may be a very successful, most interesting and undeniably impressive celebration of a true passion of dedicated people to their favourite liquid nectar. The festival remains truly independent – for the simple fact – it is organized and carried out without any influence or command by any whisky (or spirits) distributor, wholesale or retail whisky sales agent. It is independent from any specific whisky producing company, from marketing budgets, from distribution bias, and from any sales targets. The main aim was to gather the true whisky lovers across Russia and let them meet each other in a warm and friendly atmosphere with sophisticated and collectable whiskies accompanying their communication. ClassicDram-2014 was organized for every person passionate with malt whiskies, for all newbies and experienced connoisseurs, for our friends and everyone interested in culture and traditions of Scotland – the land closely associated with whisky. 

The organizers of the festival wanted to let the guests feel and understand the history of making, drinking and appreciating the malts – which are an essential part of the Scotland’s history, that over the centuries was enveloped with various true stories and fables, legends and anecdotes. Whisky is an integral part of the Scottish image, that was formed by the best examples of the prowess and courage of Scottish soldiers, the silent beauty of the Scottish virgin nature, herds of sheep and the sounds of bagpipes, highlanders kilts and Burns’ poetry. Whisky flows in the veins of Scotland, warming one’s body and soul. It was really nice and reassuring to know that in Russia there are many true connoisseurs of whisky – specifically the malt whisky – which is that very traditional product, the vast variety and the highest quality of which allows connoisseurs to express the admiration for the subtleties of the bouquet. There was no need to repeat once again the axiom of a ‘wee dram’, according to which even the smallest bit of malt can get you a great deal of incredible pleasure, savoring and finding more and more nuances of aroma and taste in it. 

The festival allowed a live communication and exchange of ideas with peers and experts, unique master classes by leading experts of the whisky world (3 internationally renowned whisky gurus were giving their master-classes), cheerful live Scottish music and traditional costumes, an intriguing raffle and a charity auction. The whisky festival had charged it’s guests with the most positive emotions (for the entire year?!) and given them a great opportunity to stock up on the best examples of “water of life” to maintain their good mood until the next year’s Moscow  festival –  ClassicDram-2015 !

_____________________ 

The author of this report; Tim Prokopov, Angels Whisky Club Ambassador Russia, and one of the Founders of “ClassicDram”  Whisky Festival (appears in pic 56 – top picture far left) – The Whisky Man!

BOWMORE AND MACALLAN STAR IN BONHAMS EDINBURGH WHISKY SALE 

Three exceptional bottles of Bowmore, presented in one lot and estimated at £12,000-15,000, made £16,500 at Bonhams Whisky sale in Edinburgh yesterday, 26 February. 

The bottles were: Black Bowmore-42 year old-1964, number 557 out of an edition of 827 bottles; White Bowmore-43 year, number 183 of 732 and Gold Bowmore, number 83 from an edition of 701.

A bottle of The Macallan-55 year old in a Lalique Crystal Decanter sold for £12,500 against an estimate of £12,000-15,000.  The Macallan 55 year old is regularly included in the world’s top 10 most desirable whiskies and this bottle was numbered 220 out of 420.

A bottle of the Macallan Select Reserve-52 year old from 1946 estimated at £5,000-6,000 sold for £6,250 and two bottles of The Macallan 1938 estimated at £4,000-5,000 both made £5,625. 

Bonhams whisky specialist, Martin Green, said, “The Bowmores were a special and unusual combination of very desirable bottles so it is no surprise to see them doing well. The Macallan is highly sought after and seven of the top 10 bottles came from this famous Highland Distillery including, of course, the celebrated Macalllan-55 year old.” 

In total 87% of the lots were sold with the sale making 90% by value. 

NOTES  

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The

present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to www.bonhams.com

Okay, I know, it is the end of February and you’ve heard nothing from us. I’m sorry, but you’ve been busy, we’ve been busy and time marches on. You know how it is.

However, like an old friend that you never lose complete touch with, here we are to spread some whisky love to the people once again! We haven’t been sitting on our hands and we have a packed calendar of new and established events for you to get your teeth into. This is probably to most event packed Lounger we have ever sent out so it is well worth reading to the end! You never know there my be the chance of a prize for you…

You take the High Road…

We are extremely proud to announce our festival’s second year in Edinburgh also coincides with, and is very much part of, Scotland’s ‘Homecoming’ celebrations for 2014. Once again we are at the beautiful Hub, within a stones throw of Edinburgh Castle and right in the centre of the ‘old town’.

We are partnering with the SMWS (Scotch Malt Whisky Society) with retailers RMW (Royal Mile Whiskies) this year with all sorts of food, beer, whisky and Clan shenanigans to truly elevate this event to new heights.

If you’re in the area on that weekend, we challenge you to find something better to do for the day for £30!

We’ll take the Low Road…

In May we head down to London for our spring London ‘Whisky Weekend’. Never ones to do things quite the same every year, we have partnered with funky music and arts venue, Oval Space in Hackney. Of course there will be the usual Whisky Festival shenanigans, but we are planning a whole host of things to keep you there all weekend.

‘Booze in the Blitz’ tastings overlooking the last remaining Blitz site in London, an ‘East is East’ themed Friday night with Indian whisky (among others), a Speakeasy with pre-war themed activities and whisky library courtesy of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, live music and blending sessions in the evenings.

Much more is planned and being worked on as we speak so keep checking the website for further details…

We still have a few ‘Early-Bird’ 2 for £50 tickets on all sessions, but be quick as these must end this weekend!

This is going to be the most exciting London whisky event of the year!

Bluffer’s Guide To…

In an effort to reach even more interested and spirits-curious folks across the UK, we have decided to launch our Bluffer’s Guide tastings nationwide. Each session starts at 7.30pm, is an hour ½ to 2 hours and includes all samples and ‘course material’. Only £20 per person.

Our first dates in London are confirmed and we will be announcing the rest of the UK soon.

London Dates:

Thursday 20th March Bluffer’s Guide to Whisky The Red Lion, Crown Passage, SW1

Whisky? or Whiskey? UK-Wide

Never mind independence, this is the real question on everyone’s lips! Both countries have a rich tradition of distilling and both can lay legitimate claim to being the originators of ‘modern’ whisky styles. Sure, Scotland have run away with it as far as sales and sheer breadth of distilleries and styles. Surely the ‘Whisky War’ is now over?

Well… investment in whiskey from the Green Isle by new and established distilling companies (including quite a few Scottish…) is at an all time high.
This series of tastings takes a tongue in cheek look at this rivalry and its aims are simple as always – taste some damned fine drams from both countries.

Does it matter who wins? You decide…
£20 per head, please see individual listings for timings.

Ireland Vs Scotland Dates

Tuesday 25th March London The Red Lion, Crown Passage SW1
Wednesday 26th March London, The Red Lion, Crown Passage SW1
Thursday 27th March Brighton The Hilton Metropole, Kings Street
Wednesday 2nd April Liverpool Jenny’s Bar, Fenwick St., Corn Market
Thursday 3rd April Leeds The Crosskeys, Water Lane
Friday 4th April Manchester The Britons Protection, Gt. Bridgwater St.
Friday 4th April Newcastle Blackfriars, Friars Street
Saturday 5th April York The Brigantes, Micklegate

India Vs Scotland

Our latest bruising encounter is full steam ahead as we speak! Newcastle and Manchester are sold out but there are still places available in Leeds, York, Liverpool and Sheffield.

As a reminder, we have teamed up with John Distillers for this most tumultuous of blind tastings. It can’t be emphasised enough the quality of whiskies chosen from both sides…

Not only do you get to taste 6 incredible whiskies, but you also get to be among the first to taste a brand-new bottling from Paul John – all for just £15. We can’t tell you which one obviously, but get your skates on and you can still be in on it!

India Vs Scotland Dates

Tuesday 4th March Sheffield The Blake Hotel, Blake St.
Wednesday 5th March Leeds The Crosskeys, Water Lane
Wednesday 4th March Liverpool Jenny’s Bar, Fenwick St., Corn Market
Friday 7th March York The Brigantes, Micklegate

We’re Going to Islay…

You may or may not be aware of the Islay Festival of Whisky (and Music), and if you’re not, check out this video for a taste. We have a handful of spaces left on the second half (27th-31st May) of this amazing trip.

It is an incredible place at an incredible time and getting accommodation is very difficult, so let us take that particular burden off your shoulders. Click here for more.

COMPETITION TIME!

Topical as always, we have three samples of one of John Distillers newest whiskies to give away for the person/s who can answer the following in the shortest space of time…

1. Amrut produced the first single malt whisky commercially available from India.
On what date and year?
2. In what year did John Distillers first commercial bottling of single malt appear?
3. In which UK city does Amrut currently have its H.O?
4. From where does John Distillers get the peat for smoking their barley?
5. How many years maturation in Scotland does one years maturation in Bangalore equal, according to Amrut?

Once you have your answers, click here and fill them in on the email to us, along with your name and postal address. Good luck!

Congrats to Aaron Lee and Jonathon Webb who were first out of the blocks with the right answers to the Xmas comp. 20cl Oloroso Bomb and T-Shirt on its way to you soon!

THAT’S ALL FOLKS!

Phew, that’s it for now, plenty to work at there and we’ll see you at an event soon – happy dramming!

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter – @thewhiskylounge – and like and share our Facebook page to keep bang up to date with the latest news about our events and more.

We look forward to seeing you over a dram or two soon.

Sláinte!

Eddie, Amanda & Joe
Team Whisky Lounge

UK vlogger Joe Ellis from Whisky Wednesday reviews Bailie Nicol Jarvie!

http://youtu.be/BR8Bqq2f-oU

http://Facebook.com/whiskytube

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

Speyburn Distillery Unveils £4 Million Expansion Programme as Global Demand Grows

One of Scotland’s most picturesque and time-honoured distilleries has announced a major expansion plan to double its production capacity, in a bid to satisfy demand for Scotch whisky which continues to grow around the world.

Speyburn Distillery, which is nestled in a beautiful glen near Rothes in Speyside – the heart of single malt whisky distilling in Scotland, will undergo the £4 million programme which is set to be completed by the end of 2014.

Speyburn is part of the Inver House Distillers portfolio, which is owned by International Beverage Holdings.  The distillery investment will increase Speyburn’s production capacity from 1.8 million litres to over 4 million litres each year, allowing the business to lay down stock for predicted future growth in both established and emerging markets – with the brand’s volume growth forecast at 15 per cent for the 2013 / 2014 period. 

The expansion design will significantly reduce the distillery’s energy consumption per litre of alcohol and improve its carbon footprint, with predicted energy savings of more than 20 percent once the extended distillery is up and running. This will be achieved by using the most up-to-date and energy efficient distillation equipment – whilst maintaining the distillery’s traditional methods of production. The expansion will also provide a boost for local businesses, with Rothes-based whisky specialists Forsyths contracted to manufacture all new production equipment and Elgin-based construction company Robertson also undertaking elements of the project. 

Often described as one of the nation’s most photographed distilleries, Speyburn Distillery was founded in 1897 and produces Speyburn Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, which is already a top 10 malt brand in the USA – the biggest Scotch single malt market in the world.

Nestled in a valley in the northern edge of Rothes, very little has changed at Speyburn Distillery in the last 100 years, including its time-honoured distillation methods and most of its original features – a pagoda roof, wooden wash backs, unique stills and traditional dunnage warehouses, helping maintain its unique character. 

The award-winning Speyburn 10 Year Old, 25 Year Old and ‘Bradan Orach’ expressions are distilled using water from the nearby Granty Burn, a tributary of the River Spey, which is famed for its purity and world-class salmon fishing. The result is a classic, perfectly-balanced single malt with a distinctive character and unique flavour. 

Inver House Distillers’ Managing Director Graham Stevenson commented: ‘As we continue to be very optimistic about the long term potential for Scotch whisky, particularly in the emerging BRIC, African and South East Asian economies, investment in our production capabilities is crucial. Having the infrastructure in place to produce our high quality whiskies in greater quantities will be key to the future success of our brands, so we are delighted to see the first phase of this major programme of work get underway at Speyburn Distillery.’ 

Bobby Anderson, Speyburn Distillery Manager added: ‘This is an exciting time for everyone here at the distillery and we are working with a great team of local companies to deliver the expansion programme, whilst retaining the great traditions and time-honoured techniques involved with crafting our whisky. It’s exciting for us to know that even more people around the world will be able to enjoy a taste of Speyburn as the project progresses this year.’ 

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said:

 “This is excellent news not only for the whisky industry, but to the local economy in Speyside.  

“We know there is great demand for Scotland’s national drink with whisky exports from the UK increasing by 87 per cent over the last ten years from £2.3 billion in 2002 to £4.3 billion in 2012, and the expansion of this distillery will play an important role in meeting that global appetite for our premium product. I also welcome the fact the distillery is showing leadership by reducing its carbon footprint through the installation of energy efficient distillation equipment, and playing its part in the move towards making Scotland a low carbon economy.”  

Notes 

Speyburn Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky was first distilled on December 15, 1897, the diamond jubilee year of Queen Victoria. Today, Speyburn continues to use the time-honoured traditional distillation methods that created the single barrel of the 1897 vintage. Speyburn is matured in American and Spanish oak casks in traditional stone-built warehouses. The result is a classic Speyside single malt; golden amber in colour with a floral and citrus nose. It is medium-bodied and easy to drink, with a delicate, fruity character and a dry, complex finish. The portfolio includes Speyburn 10 year old, Speyburn 25 year old and Speyburn Bradan Orach expressions. 

International Beverage Holdings

International Beverage Holdings Limited is one of the industry’s most dynamic global drinks businesses. Established in 2006 as the international arm of ThaiBev, the company specialises in developing distinctive, premium local brands for global growth, with a portfolio that is led by a range of high quality Scotch whiskies and includes some of the fastest growing and most prestigious beers, spirits and whiskies on the market today. These high quality brands are enjoyed by consumers in over 85 global markets and include:

• Chang, Thailand’s iconic global beer brand
• Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn
• Blended Scotch Whiskies: Hankey Bannister, Catto’s, MacArthur’s
• Caorunn, a super premium small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals
• Thai spirits: Phraya, Mekhong

International Beverage’s international operation is headquartered in Hong Kong, with two major bases in China and Scotland and a growing number of regional hubs around the world, such as the USA. The business is focused on the delivery of winning investment, sales and marketing strategies. International Beverage is committed to producing brands of character, representing the care and craftsmanship of the people that make them – from the brewers of Chang Beer in Thailand, to the distillers of the fine single malt Scotch whiskies Old Pulteney and Speyburn in Scotland. Crucially, the global development of every brand continues to be rooted in its home territory, supporting the company’s mission to build authentic brands of outstanding character. 

International Beverage is investing in ambitious growth across its global operation, employing over 850 highly skilled people across production, sales, marketing and finance, together forming an effective and expert international team. In 2011 the International Beverage portfolio outperformed the market with outstanding sales across all categories.

When we tasted this as a group, we said of the nose: This is delightful! There are aromas of soft rye spice and a touch of apple brandy. The palate shows the power this bottle packs. The palate is helped with the addition of water and displays a focused soft rye spice and dry caramel. Yummy!

Get your bottle today for just – $49.99

NEWSFLASH – THE CAMPBELTOWN MALTS FESTIVAL!

Good afternoon Society Members,

Just sending you all a quick newsflash with some exciting information about THE CAMPBELTOWN MALTS FESTIVAL!

For those of you who aren’t aware, we have been running the Springbank Open Day since 2009 and the event continues to attract more and more visitors to Campbeltown each year. On the day, activities usually include free distillery tours, masterclasses, local craft stalls, live music, special bottlings and much much more!

Inspired by the Explore Campbeltown initiative, this year we are extending the celebrations and from Wednesday 21st May to Friday 23rd May 2014, Campbeltown’s three distilleries will be working together to create The Campbeltown Malts Festival where the whiskies from Springbank, Glengyle and Glen Scotia are all celebrated.

During the day on Wednesday 21st of May we will be mainly focusing on Glen Scotia. There will be free tours of Glen Scotia Distillery running at 12 noon and 2.30pm. At 4pm, a representative from Glen Scotia will be holding a masterclass where you will get to taste some of the range. The masterclass will be held in the Tasting Room at Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop and will cost £25 per person which includes a branded Glen Scotia Glencairn glass.

On the Wednesday we will also be doing something extra special for you lovely Society Members. Some of you may already be aware but in April this year it will be the 10th birthday of the Springbank Society which is the perfect excuse to treat you to a tasting! We will hold this at 1.30pm in the Tasting Room at Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop. The focus of the tasting will be “The best of 10 years” where we will carefully select some of our favourite bottlings from over the years. This tasting will be exclusive to Society Members and numbers will be limited to 40. If you would like to come along then please let me know as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss out.

Details on the Wednesday evening events are still being finalised at the moment but I have a sneak preview of what we are planning: We will be holding a special dinner at Glengyle Distillery to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the re-opening. This will be a similar idea to the Kiln Dinner at Springbank last year but will take place in the Still House at Glengyle. After the dinner we will hold a ceilidh at Glengyle so remember to bring your dancing shoes with you! More information on both these events will be sent to you in the coming weeks. Customers who have pre-purchased the 10 year old Kilkerran sets and single bottles will be able to collect them from the Wednesday onwards.

On the Thursday it will be the Springbank Open Day – much the same idea as in previous years. The following masterclasses and tastings will be available:

11.30am / Cadenhead Masterclass with Mark Watt & Grant Macpherson

12 noon / The Distillery Manager’s Warehouse Tasting (3 drams)

1.30pm / Glengyle Masterclass with Jenny Karlsson

2pm / The Distillery Manager’s Warehouse Tasting (3 drams)

2.30pm / Springbank Masterclass with Ranald Watson

4pm / The Distillery Manager’s Warehouse Tasting (3 drams)

Masterclasses cost £25.00 each and include a ‘Springbank Open Day’ Glencairn Glass / Manager’s Warehouse Tastings cost £15.00 each.
If you would like to book onto any of the masterclasses/tastings on the Wednesday or Thursday then please email my personal email address mairi@springbankwhisky.com which will make it easier to keep all festival emails together!

On the Friday we will be holding our annual Golf Competition which this year will be re-named The Campbeltown Malts Open Golf Competition to be inclusive of all the distilleries in the Campbeltown region. We are still in the planning process for this but again, as soon as this is finalised I will let you know.

Our whisky celebrations will kick off a busy weekend of events within the town when it will play host to both the Kintyre Songwriters Festival and the Mull of Kintyre 10k and Half Marathon. Each of the different events will be a great opportunity to attract visitors to the town and there is sure to be a great buzz and excitement around the place that week – I can’t wait!

To finish, this is just a summary of the events announced so far….

Wednesday 21st May

12 noon / Free tour of Glen Scotia Distillery

1.30pm / ‘The best of 10 years’ Society Tasting – exclusive to Springbank Society Members

2.30pm / Free tour of Glen Scotia Distillery

4.00pm / Glen Scotia Masterclass – £25 per person & includes Glencairn glass

Thursday 22nd May

11.30am / Cadenhead Masterclass with Mark Watt & Grant Macpherson

12 noon / The Distillery Manager’s Warehouse Tasting (3 drams)

1.30pm / Glengyle Masterclass with Jenny Karlsson

2pm / The Distillery Manager’s Warehouse Tasting (3 drams)

2.30pm / Springbank Masterclass with Ranald Watson

4pm / The Distillery Manager’s Warehouse Tasting (3 drams)

Masterclasses cost £25.00 each and include a ‘Springbank Open Day’ Glencairn Glass / Manager’s Warehouse Tastings cost £15.00 each

Hopefully that is enough information to keep you going for the time being and as soon as I have more to share with you I will be in touch!

Have a great weekend when it comes!

Best regards,

Mairi

Mairi Paterson

For the Springbank Society

To join the Springbank Society please contact them at society@springbankwhisky.com