Raise The Macallan in Edmonton – A FREE Tasting with Ambassador Dan Volway October 30, 2014
Back in Stock…
Knockando 12 Year Old 40% ABV | 70cl
Save £5.00 (RRP £39.75)
Knockando 12 Year old single malt Scottish whisky comes from one of our neighbours here in Speyside. Described as light, sweet and fruity the Knockando 12 year old is still a serious single malt whiskey with a great heritage. As well as its great taste qualities it is also very well priced making the Knockando 12 year old a Scotch that`s kind on the palate and the purse. A very popular whisky with our customers.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Delicate and sweet with fresh almonds.
Palate: Light sweet and fruity cereals and gentle spice.
Finish: Clean and satisfying.
£28.96 ex VAT £34.75 inc VAT
This week Joe Ellis reviews Tincup Colorado Whiskey and then makes an Old Fashioned cocktail!
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Feisty Spirits Releases American Roots Whiskey
Millet whiskey is the newest addition to the Feisty Nectars series
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Oct. 7, 2014 – Feisty Spirits, Fort Collins first distillery, today released American Roots, the newest addition to their Feisty Nectars series. This whiskey gets its name and flavor from a root tea that is infused into a whiskey made from millet.
“All of our flavored whiskeys in the Feisty Nectars series start with a smooth, mellow whiskey and are than infused with delicious flavors from natural ingredients,” said Jamison Gulden, co-founder of Feisty Spirits. “American Roots is flavored with root tea and has essences of root beer and chai with a hint of anise.”
American Roots is made from locally sourced millet grown at Golden Prairie in Nunn, Colo. Millet whiskeys have a strong nutmeg and allspice aroma, with wild flower notes. At first sip, this whiskey will be smooth and transition into a more saffront-like at the end. The hint of anise at the end of American Roots is a result of the millet. It is then aged for a short period of time in oak barrels.
American Roots is available today in the Feisty Spirits tasting room at 1708 E. Lincoln Ave Unit 1 Fort Collins, CO 80524. It is available in 750ml bottles for $43.
“The hint of anise, similar to that of liquorice and fennel combined with the chai make American Roots the ideal fall whiskey. Pour yourself a neat glass and curl up next to the fire,” said Gulden.
About Feisty Spirits
Feisty Spirits is Fort Collins’ first craft distillery and the original Still Rebels™. Their whiskey is created by artisans with a passion for hand-crafted small-batch distilling. They use natural and organic ingredients, and source locally whenever possible, to create inspired spirits worth drinking. At Feisty Spirits they enjoy showcasing the complexities of alternative grains and different flavor profiles, going outside the boundaries of tradition to create fresh, unique tasting whiskeys. For more information visit http://www.feistyspirits.com/.
BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY WINS FIVE TOP AWARDS
AT 2014 NEW YORK WORLD WINE & SPIRITS COMPETITION
Eagle Rare Single Barrel Received Double Gold and Named Best in Show
FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Oct. 7, 2014) – Buffalo Trace Distillery received top marks at the 2014 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, coming away with three double gold designations, a gold medal, and a best in show.
Eagle Rare Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey received double gold and was named Best in Show Spirit Sweepstakes Winner for “Best Bourbon. Best Whiskey & Best Brown Goods.”
Also receiving double gold awards were Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Blanton’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon.
Sazerac Straight Kentucky Rye Whiskey received Gold.
“These results are fantastic,” Harlen Wheatley, master distiller, said. “We are very pleased to have fared so well among so many other excellent spirits.”
The New York World Wine & Spirits Competition is one of the largest competitions for the retail beverage industry and has attracted top professional judges from broad spectrum of expertise. The competition is judged each year in New York City.
Complete results of the 2014 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition are available at www.nyworldwineandspiritscompetition.com.
About Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1786 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.
LEADING AFRICAN DJ BLACK COFFEE INSPIRES WITH A UNIQUE MUSICAL EXPERIMENT FOR BALLANTINE’S
Electronic music and vocal techniques collide in ‘Black Coffee’s Human Orchestra’, which sees inspiring DJ and Producer Black Coffee lead a 40-strong group of African vocalists to create a stunning voice-only recreation of his most famous electronic track, ‘Rock My World’
OCTOBER 2014: Ballantine’s, the world’s No 2 Scotch whisky, has launched an inspiring short film, ‘Black Coffee’s Human Orchestra’, created in collaboration with world-renowned African DJ and Producer, Black Coffee. The film is the latest in a series presented by Ballantine’s, each of which has been shot around the world and features unique individuals who represent Ballantine’s global mantra, ‘Stay True, Leave an Impression’. Each film in the series, which can be seen at www.StayTrueStories.com, captures these individuals as they bring their own story to life, performing innovative, creative and artistic experiments centred around their passions, philosophies and talent.
The latest film, shot in and around Johannesburg (Soweto and Maboneng), illustrates Back Coffee’s passion, creativity and ‘Stay True’ spirit of continuous experimentation with music. The film opens with Black Coffee’s own back-story and beliefs around life, music and creation, before we see him assemble a group of vocalists from across Africa. The climax of the film is an experiment which defines Black Coffee’s ambition as an artist; an impressive feat to deconstruct one of his most famous electronic music productions, ‘Rock My World’, recreating it using only the vocal abilities of his 40 strong choir.
About Black Coffee
Hailing from Durban but now based in the creatively buzzing metropolis of Johannesburg, Black Coffee has been creatively involved in music since the age of two. From then, he has followed a path of musical experimentation via bands, jazz, music school (where a passion for production led him to copy his teacher’s studio key so he could experiment after hours) and latterly, as a club-filling DJ known for his modern and international take on the booming ‘Afropolitan’ house movement.
He is known for his passion in bringing people together and uniting them through music, participating in numerous projects and launching his own Foundation in support of social cohesion, raising funds through challenging himself with initiatives that include a marathon 60-hour DJ set. This philosophical belief developed during South Africa’s transition from the Apartheid regime; a period during which music had a united thread that helped to, and continues to, bring people together.
It is this sense of conviction to music and desire to innovate that truly define Black Coffee as the perfect representation of Ballantine’s mantra of ‘Stay True’.
About Stay True Stories and StayTrueStories.com
Ballantine’s is engaged in a global journey to produce a series of films which feature personalities who serve as an embodiment of ‘Stay True, Leave an Impression’. ‘Black Coffee’s Human Orchestra’ follows on from films including ‘Kilian Martin’s Carmen’, featuring world leading freestyle skateboarder Kilian Martin and his unique take on Bizet’s Spanish set opera Carmen, ‘Ben Mead’s Art of Drumming’, which shows the London-based star of Ballantine’s global ‘Stay True’ TV campaign performing an exceptional experiment to visualise sound, and ‘The Whale Song’, featuring Chilean bassist, Juan Manuel Aguirre, as he takes to the sea in a rare experiment to capture the union of music and nature. Further films are currently in production across four continents and will be released throughout 2014 and 15.
These films can be found at www.StayTrueStories.com, an online hub which also launches today, collating the richest and most captivating stories from across the web, chosen as a result of their ability to inspire us to Stay True to our own courage and conviction.
Black Coffee commented: “Musical experimentation and its power to bring people together is why I do what I do. When Ballantine’s asked me what my dream experiment would be, I wanted to set us the challenge to do something unique. To see the group of vocalists we put together from throughout Africa with each playing their own part, producing the final recreation of ‘Rock My World’ was an amazingly satisfying moment.”
Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s, commented: “Black Coffee is a true representation of what we mean by Stay True; someone who does what they do because they have to, because it’s inside them. We hope that both this film and others online at StayTrueStories.com, will inspire those watching to drive themselves forward in their own way, just as Black Coffee does himself.”
Notes
About Ballantine’s:
Ballantine’s is the No 1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the world’s No 2 Scotch whisky by volume, and the range sells over 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 130 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for quality, as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by the latest in a tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827.
About Chivas Brothers:
Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.
Great King Street – Glasgow Blend New Release! After more than a year of creation and well over 100 different recipes, we are delighted to announce the release of the second permanent whisky in our Great King Street range: Glasgow Blend. For those of you – like us – who really liked both Great King Street Smoky and Sherry Experimental Batches last year, you’ll be pleased to hear that we’ve settled on a recipe that combines the best of both!
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 our company. In his 1930 book ‘Whisky’, Aeneas MacDonald mentions that Glaswegians historically preferred fuller and more flavourful whiskies than people in other parts of the world. So what better name for a whisky such as this? Glasgow Blend is made from a high proportion of Highland and Islay single malts – around 67% – combined with 33% Lowland single grain whisky. It is matured in a combination of sherry, American and French oak casks. Bottled at 43%, quite simply there is no other blended Scotch whisky quite like it. Contact your local retailer now for a bottle or, alternatively, just pick one up from our UK-based web shop*.
* Great King Street Glasgow Blend is available now in the UK and Europe, and in the next month or so in Canada, South Africa and Asia. It will be released in the US on 1st November 2014.
The November monthly tasting event is already 50% sold out.
IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY BOOKED, CONTACT US VERY SOON to avoid disappointment.
Here are the details for the event:
Date: Friday November 7th, 2014
Time: 6:30pm to 8:00pm
We start promptly right at 6:30; doors open 6:15pm
Location: The Strath Ale Wine & Spirit Merchants, 919 Douglas Street, Victoria. The event will be in the Maple Room, above the Sticky Wicket Pub, entrance on Courtenay Street
Price:$35 each for Members & Partners, $45 for Non-Members/Guests
REGISTRATION:
Please email, drop into the store or phone with credit card details (we do not keep card details on file)
Email: whisky@strathconahotel.com Phone: 250-370-9463
We are also accepting bookings already for December when our First Friday falls on a TUESDAY (!) December 9th, 2014
IMPORTANT:
Please remember these are cask strength whiskies, so you should not be driving home after the tasting.
Sláinte!
Colin
Colin Southcombe
General Manager
The Strath Ale Wine & Spirit Merchants
919 Douglas Street, Victoria BC, V8W 2C2
Tel: 250-370-9463
Email: whisky@strathconahotel.com
www.ralfy.com splashes out on the more expensive older stuff with Whisky Review 493 – Benriach 25yo single malt @ 50%vol
PRODUCTION COMMENCES AT CHIVAS BROTHERS’
NEW SPEYSIDE MALT WHISKY DISTILLERY
Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, has completed the construction of its new Speyside malt whisky distillery, reinforcing its long term growth prospects in the face of increased global demand for Scotch whisky. Production at the new distillery, commissioned by Chivas Brothers in 2012, will commence this month [October 2014].
Built using the latest innovations and environmental expertise such as heat recovery technology, the distillery is capable of producing up to 10 million litres of high quality Speyside style spirit per year to support the growing global demand for the bestselling blended whisky brands within Chivas Brothers’ portfolio, which includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s and Royal Salute.
The new distillery, which is Chivas Brothers’ 14th operating malt whisky distillery, is named Dalmunach after the nearby pool in the River Spey on whose banks the distillery sits. It has already had a positive impact on the local economy with companies from the Speyside area heavily involved in the construction, while an additional eight permanent employees have joined the Chivas Brothers production team.
Every element of the distillery design, including the unique still shapes, has been geared to producing the very highest quality Speyside malt whisky with a rich, fruity character, a vital ingredient to the highest quality blended Scotch whiskies.
Laurent Lacassagne, Chairman and CEO of Chivas Brothers, comments: “As global demand for Scotch whisky increases year on year, our confidence in the long-term growth prospects for the category remains strong. The construction of the new Dalmunach distillery is a clear demonstration of our confidence and also of our commitment to invest to meet the significant growth potential.
“With their reputation for crafted excellence, our blended whiskies form a key part of the Chivas Brothers portfolio in both emerging economies and mature markets, so we believe the increased capacity which the new distillery will provide will help to drive the business forward in the years to come.”
The distillery architecture has been inspired by the shape of a sheaf of barley reflecting the core ingredient of single malt whisky. It houses eight unique copper pot stills, with a tulip shape used for the wash stills and an onion shape used for the spirit stills, replicating those from the Imperial distillery which was situated on the site until 2012. In a departure from distillery traditions, the stills have been positioned in a circular design that provides a unique aesthetic for the future.
Other original features from the previous distillery have been carefully incorporated to ensure a sense of heritage remains intact. Red brick from the original mill building has been reclaimed to create a feature wall in the new entrance area, and wood from the original washbacks has been used to form an entrance ‘drum’ and adorn the gable walls of the new tun room which contains 16 new stainless steel washbacks. A new 9.5m diameter mashtun has been installed which draws spring water for production from the site’s original distilling water sources.
Situated on the banks of the River Spey, the Dalmunach distillery will not be open to visitors but will be visible from the nearby Speyside Way walking trail. Great care has been taken to ensure the external façade of the distillery is in-keeping with its surrounding environment and the traditional architectural style of the region, thus providing an interesting and fitting new viewpoint for passers-by.
The construction of the distillery was managed from start to finish by Douglas Cruickshank, who stepped back from his role as Chivas Brothers’ Production Director last year to concentrate on the new build. The project is a fitting end to Cruickshank’s career prior to retirement which began at the age of 15 at the Imperial Distillery and has now come full circle as he restores distilling to the same location after a 16 year slumber.
Notes:
Contractors employed during the construction of Dalmunach Distillery:
Company Responsibility
Architects Archial, Inverness
Robertsons Construction Northern ltd, Elgin Main contractor
WR Simmers, Keith Structural steel
Forsyths Ltd, Rothes Copper (stills, condensers, safes)
LH Stainless Ltd, Keith Process pipe work & vessels
Briggs of Burton Plc, Burton on Trent Mash tun
Advanced Electrics Ltd, Keith Electrical installation (ex. still house)
John McNicol & Co, Glasgow Electrical installation (still house)
Buhler Ltd, London Malt handling & milling equipment
Kerr Compressors Engineers Ltd, Glasgow Compressed air equipment
Cochrane Ltd, Annan Steam boilers
McCormacks, Rothes Scaffolding
Blyth & Blyth, Glasgow Civil Engineers
About Chivas Brothers
Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.
