Archive for 2014

Welcome to the Haig Club at The Whisky Shop – Scotch Whisky News

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AA Beckham Haig

Welcome to Haig Club

Forget everything you thought you knew about Scotch. Haig Club is a new Single Grain Whisky developed in partnership between Diageo and global sporting icon David Beckham and British entrepreneur Simon Fuller. Seen by many to be Scotland’s hidden gem, single grain whisky is being predicted by experts as the next trend in whisky.

AA Haig Club

Haig Club has an ultra-smooth taste, with delicious notes of butterscotch and toffee. This makes it enjoyable served neat, over ice or in a long refreshing cocktail.

Click here to buy

ISLE OF ARRAN’S DRAMATIC LANDSCAPE INSPIRES NEW LOOK FOR CORE RANGE – Scotch Whisky News

AA ARRAN Core Range

ISLE OF ARRAN’S DRAMATIC LANDSCAPE INSPIRES NEW LOOK FOR CORE RANGE

Whisky lovers are invited to raise a glass to the natural beauty of the Isle of Arran with a dram of whisky from the distillery’s redesigned core range…

Isle of Arran Distillers has given its core range of single malts a makeover after being inspired by the dramatic landscapes of the place where the whisky is made.

The distillery has redesigned the packaging of its four key expressions of the Arran Malt to reflect the quality and provenance which lie at the heart of the spirits.

The colours on each of the new bottles have been specifically chosen to mirror the hues of the landscapes on the Isle of Arran where the whisky is made.

Isle of Arran Distillery Managing Director Euan Mitchell said: “Arran is known as ‘Scotland in miniature’ and offers in a single location the stunning and varied landscapes for which Scotland is noted – we could have no better inspiration.

“We feel very lucky to call such a beautiful place home. It offers us so many perfect conditions for making top quality whisky and as so many of our expressions are inspired by the legends and landscapes of Arran, it makes sense that the packaging does too.”

The Arran Ten Year Old Malt, the distillery’s classic expression and flagship bottling, has been redesigned in shades of green which reflect the mossy green of Arran’s hills.

The Arran 12 Year Old, the only cask strength expression in the core range, now comes in shades of grey inspired by the rugged rocks and stones that adorn the island while the 14 Year Old has shades of purple in an echo of the heather scattered across Arran’s hills.

The new look of the Lochranza Reserve, a non-aged Single Malt bottled at 43%, uses shades of blue inspired by the often dramatic skyline of Arran.

Euan added: “We’ve gone for a modern feel but kept some of the classic design cues such as the copper edging as these are our classic single malts which our loyal followers will recognise.

“The new packaging is being rolled out gradually and has already been very well received – as we find is the case when people taste the Arran spirit.”

Each of the whiskies in the Arran range are non-chill filtered and made without the addition of any artificial colours. The distillery only ever uses ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks to achieve the characteristic well-rounded flavour.

Retailing at £32.99 to £44.99, the Arran core range is available from specialist whisky shops and from http://www.arranwhisky.com/. The Lochranza Reserve should soon be available in supermarkets.

Notes

For more information visit 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.

New Limited Edition Arran Whisky at Abbey Whisky – Scotch Whisky News

abbey whisky logo

Arran Machrie Moor

“Machrie Moor is named after a peat bog located on the west coast of the Isle of Arran where bronze age stone circles and standing stones are strewn across the terrain…”

Arran Machrie Moor / Fifth Edition

The fifth edition of Arran Machrie Moor has arrived and is the first release of this series at a peating level of 20PPM – (The fourth edition was 14PPM). Sure to be another solid release from Arran distillery, bottled at 46% vol.

AA Arran 1

£39.98  (£33.32 ex vat)

Click here to purchase Arran Machrie Moor 5th Edition

Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength
First Edition

The first release of Arran Machrie Moor, cask strength edition…Only 480 bottles of this limited edition bottling released to the UK. A peating level of 20PPM, bottled at 58.4% vol.

AA Arran 2

£47.98  (£39.98 ex vat)

Click here to purchase Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength 1st Edition

Arran Machrie Moor / Fourth Edition

The fourth edition of Machrie Moor from Arran distillery, named after a peat bog located on the west coast of the Isle of Arran where bronze age stone circles and standing stones are strewn across the terrain… Bottled at 46%, this fourth release has been released at a peating level of 14PPM.

AA Arran 3

£41.95  (£34.96 ex vat)

Click here to purchase Arran Machrie Moor 4th Edition

Arran Single Cask #815 / 1998

The 2014 Spring release from Arran distillery is single sherry cask #815. A limited edition release, distilled in 1998 and aged for 15 years. Bottled in 2014 at 55.3% vol, 269 bottles filled.

AA Arran 4

£66.95  (£55.79 ex vat)

Click here to purchase Arran Single Cask 815

Arran 17 Year Old

A limited edition release from Arran distillery produced from un-peated malted barley and aged for 17 years in casks that previously held Spanish sherry.

This bottling is the second in a series marking the countdown to the launch of The Arran Malt 18 year old in Spring 2015.

AA Arran 5

£66.95 (£55.79 ex vat)

Click here to purchase Arran 17 Year Old

Lots and Lots at the Party Source – Whisky News

Party Source

Here’s a quick update of products that showed up this week. Some are new arrivals and some are back in stock. Our Private Barrels from Wild Turkey, Ridgemont Reserve and Buffalo Trace have finally arrived. We can’t stress enough how good our Russell’s Reserve Barrel #556 is.

Cheers,
-The Party Source Spirits Department

AA Private

RUSSELL’S RESERVE Single Barrel Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $48.99

WILD TURKEY Kentucky Spirit Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $43.79

1792 RIDGEMONT RESERVE Barrel Select Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $23.49

BUFFALO TRACE Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $22.49

AA PS II

JACK DANIEL’S Winter Jack Tennessee Cider – $17.99

AMRUT Single Malt Whisky – $44.99

AMRUT Single Malt Whisky Fusion – $51.99

AMRUT Single Malt Whisky Intermediate Sherry – $102.99

AMRUT Single Malt Whisky Cask Strength – $58.99

AMRUT Single Malt Whisky Peated – $51.99

AA PS III

GARRISON BROTHERS Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey Fall 2013 – $79.99

GARRISON BROTHERS Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey Fall 2014 – $79.99

GARRISON BROTHERS Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey Spring 2014 – $79.99

BLACKADDER Raw Cask Single Malt Scotch Bladnoch 1991 22 Year – $168.99

BLACKADDER Raw Cask Single Malt Scotch Bunnahabhain 1990 24 Year – $168.99

BLACKADDER Raw Cask Single Malt Scotch Clynelish 1995 19 Year – $154.99

BLACKADDER Raw Cask Single Malt Scotch Glen Ord 1996 18 Year – $119.99

A.D. RATTRAY Cask Islay Single Malt Scotch – $68.99

WOODSTONE CREEK Single Malt Whiskey Sherry Cask 13 Year – $139.99 (750ml), $73.99 (375ml)

CANADIAN HUNTER Rye Canadian Whisky – $8.99

The International Wine and Spirit Competition Announces Shortlist for ‘Outstanding Achievement Award in the Scotch Whisky Industry’ – Scotch Whisky News

ISWC

The International Wine and Spirit Competition Announces Shortlist for

‘Outstanding Achievement Award in the Scotch Whisky Industry’

Today (14th October) sees the announcement of the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s (IWSC) shortlist for ‘Outstanding Achievement Award in the Scotch Whisky Industry’.

The award sponsored by Chivas Brothers Ltd, was created to honour individuals who have made important international contributions to the Scotch whisky industry. The shortlist of candidates have been chosen, because they demonstrate evidence of influencing and protecting the development of the industry and effectively promoting its image.

Last year the award was won by Steve Sturgeon, who is marketing director at Distell Group. Past winners have included Charles Maclean, Glen Barclay and Dr Bill Lumsden.

This year’s shortlist of nominees:

Rachel Barrie

Rachel Barrie

Rachel is a Master Blender at Morrison Bowmore Distillers and one of only a few female Master Blenders in the world, creating some of the world’s finest single malt Scotch whiskies. She started her career in whisky straight after studying chemistry at Edinburgh University. During her 23 year in the industry she has sampled in excess of 130,000 casks from more than 80 malt distilleries.

Ken Robertson

Ken was the Corporate Relations Director at Diageo Whisky, working there for over 25 years creating conditions for the long-term growth and success of the Scotch whisky category. He represented Diageo on industry bodies that include Council of the Scotch Whisky Association, the Board of the Scotch Whisky Experience and the management committee of The Keepers of the Quaich. He is now retired from Diageo and directing Ken Robertson Associates.

Douglas Cruickshank

Douglas Cruickshank

Before announcing his retirement in October 2013 Douglas was the Production Director at Chivas Brothers with over 40 years’ experience in the Scotch industry. He played a key role in the growth of Chivas Brands including Chivas Regal. He started his career as a labourer with Distilleries Company Limited at the age of 15.

Dr Charles Soong

Charles is the MD of Edrington China and has had over 20 years’ experience in the industry, starting as the on-trade marketing manager for Remy Martin. In 2005, he was nominated by TEG to become the Keeper of the Quaich as a lifetime member of that organisation.

Dr Nicholas Morgan

Dr Nicholas Morgan

Nicholas is Head of Whisky Outreach at Diageo, where he has become renowned for his expertise on the history of the Scotch whisky distilling industry. He has over twenty years’ experience and has been responsible for a number of key innovations for malt whisky including the development of the Talisker range.

Gavin Hewitt CMG, OBE

Gavin Hewitt CMG, OBE

Gavin was Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association for over 10 years, he retired in December 2013. The body promotes, protects and represents the interests of the industry in Scotland and around the world. In November 2011 he was elected as president of the European Spirits Organisation. 

Dr Tim Dolan

Dr Tim Dolan

Tim joined the industry in 1966 after his degree and PhD in chemistry from Edinburgh University. Working as both Chairman and Secretary for The Institute of Brewing & Distilling, he has provided an exceptional contribution to brewing, malting and distilling science over the last 40 years. 

The winner will be announced at the IWSC awards banquet, to be held at London’s Guildhall on 12th November 2014.

Notes:

For more information please contact Holly Axelrad at Green Row, Holly@greenrow.co.uk

    • The International Wine and Spirit Competition was founded in 1969 and is the premier competition of its kind in the world. Its aim is to promote the quality and excellence of the world’s best wines, spirits and liqueurs. All entries are blind tasted in groups divided by variety, region and vintage as necessary.
    • IWSC has appointed Laura Catena as the 2014 president.
    • The 2014 Annual Awards Banquet will be held on Wednesday 12th November, at The Guild Hall, City of London.
  • The IWSC has partnered with Wines Direct to promote its top 2014 award winning wines. The price comparison website will allow consumers to search for medal winners by country, variety, colour, region, or retailer. The website will also show judges’ tasting notes for wines which has won trophy, gold, gold outstanding and silver outstanding.
  •  Chivas Logo Pernod Ricard

Scotch Malt Whisky Society October Outturn – Scotch Whisky News

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October 2014 Outturn Offerings 

Cask No. 50.56                                           $180

‘Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!’

Lowland

Tiddly om pom pom! The panel found vanilla ice cream in the cone with Monkey blood (raspberry sauce) and cinnamon toffee apples. The benches were newly varnished and aroma of boot polish floated over the morning air. To taste they found blackcurrant and Navy rum laced with chewy, ashy licorice. With water, they were reminded of freshly cut wood and vinyl on the jukebox, with bagfuls of citrus Turkish delight and Blackpool candy. The finish was soft like tea soaked prunes and soothing like ginger and honey pastilles. A heady cocktail of Grenadine and red mints concluded the seaside stroll.

Drinking tip: For a bracing moment

Colour: Red pear skin

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 23 years

Date Distilled: July 1990

Alcohol: 60.3%

USA allocation: 105 bottles

 SMWS Green Logo II

Cask No. 7.100                                           $210

Hawaiian holidays

Speyside, Lossie

The nose was wonderfully juicy with Sauternes, cola and rum soaked fruits in trifle topped with maraschino cherries. A warm forest of cedar and pine sap. To taste it was all red: Big Red chewing gum, cherry cola, cinnamon sticks and strawberry jam. The addition of water was like a tropical rain storm. One astute botanist observed the floral aromas of plumeria and tuberose in a Hawaiian lei. ‘Beef Hoola Hoops!’ Honey glazed monkfish washed down with Mai Tai’s on the beach. The final fling of the holiday was feet up, hippy pipe tobacco and heavily waxed leather.

Drinking tip: On a hot day

Colour: Tabby cat

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 28 years

Date Distilled: September 1985

Alcohol: 58.7%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

 SMWS Green Logo II

Cask No. 27.105                                        $125

Too Cool for School

Campbeltown

The panel was in unanimous agreement this was as good as it gets. Imagine dipping ginger nuts in rich creamy latte with strawberry syrup. Throw in mint chocolate ganache and bramble jam. Old leather books in a library and waxed church pews with a puff of hickory smoke. The taste was of toasted marshmallow and peppered tuna steak. Ginger snap baskets with red berries and a drizzle of honey. Our American described her bizarre habit of dipping French fries into chocolate milk shake. On the finish, Coco pops and creme caramel. The panel thought it must be using fake ID.

Drinking tip: Only for loved ones

Colour: Polished conker

Cask: Refill Sherry hogshead

Age: 13 years

Date Distilled: March 2000

Alcohol: 53.9%

USA allocation: 150 bottles

 SMWS Green Logo II

Cask No. 53.197                                        $150

A stoker in drag

Islay

A smoky, coal tar nose, with dried lavender and old fashioned marker pen scents behind. A clean, sweet, fresh, maritime taste, still with a hint of perfume, but also of Bovril and soy sauce. Light olive oil emerges with water; the smoke recedes and the lavender (now faded) is joined by aloe vera leaves. Still sweet, salty and smoky to taste – consistent with its taste unreduced. Many would say the operators at this distillery have the finest view from any still-house.

Drinking tip: With teppanyaki steak

Colour: Vin gris

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 18 years

Date Distilled: August 1995

Alcohol: 57.4%

USA allocation: 150 bottles

 SMWS Green Logo II

Cask No. 66.49                                           $110

Art class enchantment

Highland, Eastern

There was something of the art class in the nose (poster paints, charcoal, paper, pencils, leather satchels); also ginger snaps, pepper, hazelnuts, Pears soap, wood-smoke and venison sausages. The palate was delightful – a gentle marriage of smoky, sweet and light savoury flavours – mild chilli, lemon bonbons, pears, vanilla and honey on burnt toast. The reduced nose suggested old libraries and sweetie shops, with rainbow drops, popcorn, pepper and hessian sacks of smoky barley. The palate now discovered heathery, herbal notes; butterscotch and malt extract, while the muted, measured sweet smokiness continued to enchant us. The distillery was built by Teachers.

Drinking tip: To relax with, after work, as the sun goes down

Colour: Buttercup gold

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 11 years

Date Distilled: July 2002

Alcohol: 54.4%

USA allocation: 150 bottles

SMWS Green Logo II

Cask No. 76.113                                        $110

John Barleycorn was a hero bold

Speyside, Spey

The nose weaved an intriguing tale (chiefly in the Scottish dialect). Oak shavings, linseed oil and new pine furniture in the National Library of Scotland. Then, we dream’d we lay where flowers were springing (heady scents of marigolds and lavender). A citric sharpness appeared with barley sugars, tea caddies and mild tobacco. Water softened – wood and laundry conjured up Steamie washboards; also butterscotch, Barbour Jackets and snuff. The unreduced palate was sweet, tart and tasty – ‘soor plooms’, lemon peel, apple scones and pear skins with traces of heather honey and tongue-tingling spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove). With water, lemon meringue pie and stewed apples jostled chummily with oak, cedar, chilli and menthol. The wee witchie from Tam O’Shanter lives here.

Drinking tip: To accompany fine literature

Colour: Sultry summer sun

Cask: First-fill barrel

Age: 11 years

Date Distilled: April 2002

Alcohol: 58.5%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at http://www.smwsa.com/

Balvenie Tun 1509 / Batch 1 at Abbey Whisky – Scotch Whisky News

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Balvenie Tun 1509 / Batch 1

 AA Balvenie

Balvenie Tun 1509 is combination 42 of casks! – 35 traditional American oak barrels and seven European oak sherry butts… Transferred and matured for several months in Tun 1509 which holds 4 times as much liquid as Tun 1401.

Batch 1 of Tun 1509 has been bottled at 47.1% vol.

Ralfy Follows Up With Whisky Review #494 – Scotch Whisky News

ralfy

www.ralfy.com explores an iconic malt moment with Whisky Review 494 – Springbank 18yo @ 46%vol

Whisky innovators Compass Box release The Lost Blend Limited Edition as a homage to their own long lost whisky – Scotch Whisky News

AA Lost Blend

Whisky innovators Compass Box release The Lost Blend Limited Edition as a homage to their own long lost whisky 

Yes, sir, the stuff was distilled elixir of battle, money and high life.”

From The Lost Blend by O. Henry, 1907

 

For the first time, three different front labels adorn the front of the same whisky.

THE LOST BLEND is the new limited edition release from award-winning Scotch Whiskymaker Compass Box. This marriage of three single malts is a homage to their long lost (and much loved) Eleuthera whisky, and boasts the same unique smoky fruity style. After 10 years of searching, whiskymaker John Glaser was finally able to track down the unique whiskies he required earlier this year. The result is The Lost Blend. Bottled at 46% and packaged in a high quality gift box adorned with ‘lost items,’ it will be priced at $120 in the US, £85 in the UK and $100 in Europe. It will be available from 1st October in the US, UK, Europe and all key international Compass Box markets.

John Glaser adds, “In 2001, we created our first single malt blend which we called Eleuthera. It was an elegant marriage of approximately 80% unpeated Highland and 20% peaty Islay single malts. Alas, after 3 years, we were suddenly no longer able to obtain one of the key whiskies required for the recipe so, sadly, we retired Eleuthera in 2004. Quietly, I have been looking for whiskies that we could use to bring it back, even if temporarily, but without any luck. Until now.”

Glaser has had a name that he’s been waiting to use for a whisky project like this—The Lost Blend, inspired by the O. Henry story of the same name.  This sharp and witty portrait of life in a New York bar in the early 1900s was published in 1907 and features two business partners who try to recreate a blend of different spirits with close to supernatural properties. 

Compass Box has created three different front label designs all around the same theme: lost items. These include an antique nautical octant, a Woodstock typewriter, an Excelsior cylinder gramophone, the tragically lost RMS Lusitania, and of course the Dodo. The whisky behind each label is the same, and the three labels have been randomly bottled and put into cases, which allows customers an additional discovery to the whisky itself:  which label did I get?

ABOUT THE LOST BLEND

This elegantly complex whisky is a union of rare old Highland single malts and a delicious peaty Islay single malt. An ethereal fruit and herbal character and a sweetness on the palate is buttressed by an underlying smokiness. Single malt whisky (of a certain age) from the Clynelish distillery, and a small cache of extraordinary whisky from the Allt-A-Bhainne distillery, aged in American oak barrels and just a few years shy of two decades old, is combined with malt whisky from the Caol Ila distillery. Bottled at 46% this limited edition of 12,018 bottles was bottled in August 2014. It is not chill-filtered and is natural colour..

ABOUT JOHN GLASER

American ex-pat John Glaser started Compass Box Whisky Company from the kitchen of his west London home in 2000.  Having started his career on a path to become a winemaker, then re-routing himself through the corporate world and ending up as marketing director for Johnnie Walker in London, Glaser has a unique perspective on both the creation and the marketing of Scotch. Glaser established Compass Box based on his commitment to evolving practices in the industry to make great Scotch whisky more approachable and relevant to more people. From the beginning, his vision has been to create one of Scotland’s finest and most exciting whisky companies, re-establishing the standards for quality, innovation and style in the industry.

ABOUT COMPASS BOX (http://www.compassboxwhisky.com/)

The Compass Box Whisky Company is a boutique Scotch whiskymaker and craft blender, started in 2000 by John Glaser. Compass Box produces and bottles a range of Scotch whiskies, available in over 25 countries around the world.  A five-time winner of the Whisky Magazine Innovator of the Year award, Compass Box is known throughout the whisky world for quality, innovation and passion for great whisky. The Compass Box Signature Range of whiskies includes Asyla, Oak Cross, The Peat Monster, The Spice Tree and Hedonism.  They also produce limited release whiskies annually, and Orangerie, a Scotch whisky infusion. In 2011 they launched a groundbreaking range of Blended Scotch whiskies called Great King Street. The first was called Artist’s Blend with a second, Glasgow Blend, due to be released in October 2014.

Scotch Whiskymaker Compass Box Releases Smoky Sherried Sibling to the Award-Winning Great King Street Artist’s Blend – Scotch Whisky News

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Scotch Whiskymaker Compass Box Releases Smoky Sherried Sibling to the Award-Winning Great King Street Artist’s Blend  

There is no Blended Scotch whisky quite like this.”

John Glaser – Compass Box Founder & Whiskymaker 

GLASGOW BLEND is the second permanent whisky to be introduced to the Great King Street range of innovative, small-batch Blended Scotch whiskies from Compass Box.

Glasgow Blend will be available from mid-October in UK and Europe, and from November 1st onwards in the US, North America and all key international Compass Box markets. It will be priced at around £30 in the UK and €36 in Europe for a 50cl format (with stylish red gift tube), and $45 and $25 in the US for the 750ml and 375ml formats respectively (without a gift tube).

The Great King Street range is dedicated to applying a contemporary approach to the creation of Blended Scotch Whiskies in the full-flavoured style of the late 19th century blending houses. To this, they lend a 21st century sense of exploration and innovation for which Compass Box is known. The range takes its name from 24 Great King Street, the company’s registered address in Edinburgh since John Glaser started the business in 2000. Great King Street Scotch whiskies lend themselves to a variety of usages—they can be enjoyed neat, with ice and a splash of water, served as a classic Highball, or as a key ingredient in cocktails.

John Glaser adds, “Over a year in the making, the ‘Glasgow Blend’ involved the creation of over 100 recipe prototypes before we finalised it. We’ve been trying to make a Blended Scotch whisky like no other on the market today, something based on the traditional Scotch whisky styles of peatiness and sherry cask aging, but reinterpreted for today’s drinkers who seek out big flavours, complexity and fullness on the palate.  This is full-on Blended Scotch whisky, in all its sherry-aged, peaty glory, classic in style, updated for today with its flavour intensity and sweetness – part owing to the grain whiskies, part owing to the small amount of French oak finished malt.  There is no Blended Scotch Whisky quite like this.” 

In his 1930 book ‘Whisky’, Aeneas MacDonald mentions that Glaswegians historically preferred fuller bodied and more flavour-packed whiskies than people in other parts of the world. So what better name for a whisky such as this? For decades, The Wellington Statue, outside Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art, has been cheekily topped by a traffic cone, something the local population has taken to heart as a symbol of their sense of humour. It has become one of Glasgow’s most iconic images, and graces the label for the Glasgow Blend. 

ABOUT GLASGOW BLEND

Glasgow Blend has been created to provide a very different expression of the Great King Street house style. While the whiskies share the same moreishness, creaminess and approachability, Artist’s Blend is fruity, spicy and packed with vanilla, while Glasgow Blend is rich, round smoky and sherried. Glasgow Blend offers a rich vein of peaty-smokiness underpinned by sherry cask-aged whiskies full of dried fruit and wine character.  The palate is full and round, with a sweetness typical of whiskies from Comapss Box. It is made from approximately 67% malt whisky from the regions of Islay, the Highlands and Speyside and 33% Lowland grain whisky from a Fife distillery. It is aged in a combination of first-fill Sherry casks, first-fill and refill ex-Bourbon barrels with a small portion of new French oak finishing. It is bottled at the traditional bottling strength of 43%, is not chill-filtered and is a natural colour..

ABOUT JOHN GLASER

American ex-pat John Glaser started Compass Box Whisky Company from the kitchen of his west London home in 2000.  Having started his career on a path to become a winemaker, then re-routing himself through the corporate world and ending up as marketing director for Johnnie Walker in London, Glaser has a unique perspective on both the creation and the marketing of Scotch. Glaser established Compass Box based on his commitment to evolving practices in the industry to make great Scotch whisky more approachable and relevant to more people. From the beginning, his vision has been to create one of Scotland’s finest and most exciting whisky companies, re-establishing the standards for quality, innovation and style in the industry.

ABOUT COMPASS BOX (www.compassboxwhisky.com)

The Compass Box Whisky Company is a boutique Scotch whiskymaker and craft blender, started in 2000 by John Glaser. Compass Box produces and bottles a range of Scotch whiskies, available in over 25 countries around the world.  A five-time winner of the Whisky Magazine Innovator of the Year award, Compass Box is known throughout the whisky world for quality, innovation and passion for great whisky. The Compass Box Signature Range of whiskies includes Asyla, Oak Cross, The Peat Monster, The Spice Tree and Hedonism.  They also produce limited release whiskies annually, and Orangerie, a Scotch whisky infusion. In 2011 they launched a groundbreaking range of Blended Scotch whiskies called Great King Street. The first was called Artist’s Blend with a second, Glasgow Blend, released in October 2014.


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