International whisky expert to headline Birmingham festival 

• Ian Buxton will launch new book during exclusive masterclass at Whisky Birmingham on 7 March
• Renowned whisky writer and expert has 30 years of industry experience
• Ian will host session exploring 5 whiskies from heritage distillery Bowmore
• Newly announced masterclass series to pair whisky with cigars, chocolate and cheese

An international whisky expert will make a headline appearance at the Whisky Birmingham festival on 7 March.

Whisky author and connoisseur Ian Buxton will host the first public signing of his new book But the Distilleries Went On: The Morrison Bowmore Story, during an exclusive masterclass on whiskies from the Bowmore distillery.

Ian Buxton is a best-selling whisky author and has spent thirty years in the industry. He is a judge for the World Whisky Awards and writes for a range of titles including Whisky Advocate and Whisky Quarterly.

He said:

“Traditionally Birmingham hasn’t been a whisky heartland, but something has happened over the past few years. There’s an exciting landscape growing, with retailers, bars and events like this one reaching a new and younger audience of whisky lovers. I’m really looking forward to being part of it.” 

Ian’s other whisky honours also include the highly regarded ‘Keeper of the Quaich’ and ‘Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers’.

His appearance is a coup for Whisky Birmingham, which started in 2012 with an attendance of 200.

Three years on, the festival has tripled its visitor capacity and will spread across two exhibition halls.

Amy Seton, founder of the festival, said:

“It’s a real honour to have Ian Buxton on board as he is greatly respected within the whisky world and has a wealth of knowledge to share with our visitors.”

Brands exhibiting will include BenRiach, Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet, Old Pulteney, Hard To Find Whisky and Laphroaig. There will be a special tasting session led by Highland distillery Balblair.

Local whisky expert Craig Mills will host a series of masterclasses pairing whisky with cheese, chocolate and cigars. There will also be street food by Soul Food Project and Peel and Stone.

The Whisky Birmingham 2015 festival takes place on 7 March 2015 at The Bond. Information and tickets are available at the official website.

FEBRUARY & EARLY MARCH EVENTS

Cheese and Whisky Tasting >  28 Queen St, Edinburgh – Tue 24 Feb

Birmingham Preview Tasting >  Hotel du Vin, Birmingham – Fri 27 Feb

Manchester Preview Tasting >  Malmaison, Manchester – Fri 27 Feb

Newcastle Preview Tasting >  The Caledonian Hotel, Newcastle – Fri 27 Feb

Stirling Preview Tasting >  The Golden Lion Hotel, Stirling – Fri 27 Feb

Scotland v Italy Tasting Lunch > 28 Queen St, Edinburgh – Sat 28 Feb

New List Open Tasting >  19 Greville St, London – Sat 7 Mar

Steak & Whisky Tasting > 19 Greville St, London – Mon 9 Mar

St Patrick’s Day > 19 Greville St, London – Tue 17 Mar

Irish Whiskey Tasting > The Vaults, Leith – Thu 19 Feb

NEW TO THE SOCIETY?

New Members Welcome Night > The Vaults, Leith – Thu 26 Feb.

Come on down and meet us (and each other): we’re very friendly, we don’t assume any whisky knowledge and we love sharing our passion for single cask whisky…

Browse All Tastings >

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame and World Whiskies Awards American winners announced at the W&SC North America

In its 10th anniversary year, the World Whiskies Conference has evolved to reflect the growing trends of this dynamic sector by becoming the Whiskies & Spirits Conference.

The Whiskies and Spirits Conference North America will be held in New York City, at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, Pier 61, on Tuesday 24 February, 2015. The event will host global leaders with speakers from the most influential companies in the industry. A presentation of the 2015 World Whiskies Awards will take place during lunch as well as the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame American inductees. Three remarkable individuals will be recognised for their lasting contribution to the industry:

• Steve Beal, Diageo
• Al Young, Four Roses
• Bill Samuel’s Jr., Maker’s Mark

Content has been developed by an industry panel and the program for the day will revolve around current major business issues. “The global spirits business continues to surge and this event offers a unique environment in which to learn from the best to harness growth and development of your own business,” says Damian Riley-Smith, Conference President.

Speakers at the 2015 Whiskies and Spirits Conference North America include:

• Chris Bauder, General Manager and Vice President, Beam Suntory Whiskey & Cognac
• James Espey OBE, Last Drop Distilleries, Founder of the Keepers of the Quaich
• David Frost, Chief Executive, Scotch Whisky Association
• Dr. Nicholas Morgan, Head of Whisky Outreach, Diageo
• Joseph J. Magliocco, President, Michter’s
• Craig Wolf, President and CEO, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America
• Ivan Bell, Managing Director, Stranger & Stranger
• David Ozgo, Chief Economist, Distilled Spirits Council

Delegate booking is now open at www.whiskiesandspiritsconference.com/register.php and delegate rates start at $425.

February 2015 Auction Ends on Monday 2^rd March 2015!

View February Auction

Our February auction is now live and will finish on March 2^rd from 19:00.

This is an incredible auction with so many interesting bottles, one of which has to be this: Hanyu Monochrome Joker, distilled in 1985.

Following this we have an absolutely stunning collection of the old ‘dumpy’ Cadenhead’s bottlings. Keep an eye on the Springbank 22 year old, however there are quite a few and they range from all over Scotland: from Dallas Dhu to Teaninich and Glenury Royal to Talisker!

An absolutely legendary Bowmore, distilled in 1964 from the same batch of casks as the infamous Black Bowmore’s this incredibly stunning whisky was released at 35 years exclusively to Oddbin’s. This is bottle number 5 of only 99 and is presented alongside a ‘sample’ of the whisky. 

Please remember!

There is no registration fee, our commission structure is very competitive and we offer worldwide shipping. For our terms and conditions please click here.

With over 15 years of experience in the whisky industry, Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable. Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, we aim to be the most comprehensive website for the buying and selling of whisky online.

http://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/

Happy Bidding!

Auction is now live folks. Enjoy.

THE 47th AUCTION

Kind regards from Glasgow – The SWA Team

This Weekend Only!

Talisker 10 Year Old 45.8% ABV | 70cl

Save £5.00 (RRP £43.99)

The Talisker 10 Year Old is a single malt Scottish whisky from the Talisker distillery on the west coast of the Isle of Skye. This Talisker scotch has won many fans around the world as well as awards. The whiskey is variously described as peaty and smoky and is credited by many as being the finest 10 year old island single malt. The Talisker 10 year old is well worth a try.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Powerful peat-smoke with seawater saltiness, the liquor of fresh oysters and a citrus sweetness.

Palate: Rich dried-fruit sweetness with clouds of smoke and strong barley-malt flavours: warming and intense. At the back of the mouth.

Finish: Sweet malty flavours that blend into a smoky climax.

Price:£32.49 ex VAT £38.99 inc VAT

Blair Athol 12 Year Old Flora & Fauna 43% ABV | 70cl

Save £5.00 (RRP £51.99)

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Creamy, nutty, lightly peaty.

Palate: Full-bodied. Decidedly silky-smooth. Spiced cake. Candied lemon peels. Lots of flavour development.

Finish: Smoky, rooty, treacly. Impeccable balance between sweetness and dryness.

(Tasting Notes by Whisky Magazine)

Tasting note by whiskyfun.com

Colour: amber. Nose: starts very nutty and caramelly, with a big maltiness and hints of liquorice, developing more on notes of sherry, Seville oranges and a little peat, leather and tobacco. Rather concentrated and oily on the nose, despite the slightly ‘blendish’ character. Pleasant for sure. Mouth: the attack is even more sherried, not exactly bold but certainly satisfying. Classic fruitcake, coffee-schnapps, liquorice and orange liqueur, with hints of cherry stem tea in the background and maybe just faint hints of rubber and walnuts. An assertive dram, half-sweet, half-dry. Finish: medium long, very balanced, with an added spiciness (spices for mulled wine, cloves, Chinese anise and cinnamon.) Comments: perfect balance and profile at 43%, excellent cask selection I think. SGP:443 – 85 points.

Glenmorangie Pride 1978 triumphs at design awards

**UPCOMING EVENTS AT GLENFARCLAS**

Join us at the 2015 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival from 30th April – 4th May to celebrate whisky from the Speyside area and sample some of the finest single malts at Glenfarclas. Our brand ambassadors will be hosting 4 events this year. Please go to www.spiritofspeyside.com for tickets and more information.

Thursday 30th April 3.15 – 5.15pm
The Manager’s Tour with Callum Fraser – A technical tour & selection of Glenfarclas whiskies chosen by Callum, our Distillery Production Manager. A tour made in heaven for the real whisky enthusiasts!
£60.00 per person. Over 18s only. Limited tickets available.

Friday 1st May 3.15 – 5.15pm
Back to Basics Tour & Visitor Centre Exclusive with Myriam Mackenzie, Export Sales Executive – A distillery tour and tasting including the 10, 15, 21, 25 year old & 105 from our core range whiskies, followed by the launch of our 1991 Spirit of Speyside Visitor Centre Exclusive.
£35.00 per person. Over 18s only. Limited tickets available.

Monday 4th May 10.30am – 12.30pm
Bunch of Fives Tour – Ian McWilliam, Marketing Executive, invites you on a tour of Glenfarclas followed by a tasting of The Family Cask Vintages (including Family Casks ending in 5s – 1965, 75, 85, 95 & 2005).
£85.00 per person. Over 18s only. Limited tickets available.

Monday 4th May 3.15 – 5.15pm
Selection of ‘Blue’ Family Cask 2000 Vintage with George Grant, Sales Director and 6th generation of the family – This tour invites the public to help choose the Family Cask vintage from the year 2000 and also includes an unusual ‘blue twist’ especially created for the 2015 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.
£60.00 per person. Over 18s only. Limited tickets available.

LOSE YOUR HEART TO THE LAST DROP

The pressure to make a big romantic gesture may be over for another year but the heart is not bound by calendar dates or the love of just one good whisky. Let it lead you into the arms of these beautiful bottlings: there are only a few left in the world and once they’re gone, they’re gone forever…

Sweet, fruity & mellow
1.182

Aromatic and enigmatic

Only 5 bottles left!
BUY  £45.00

Spicy & sweet
73.66

Toffee and humbugs in a tea chest

Only 6 bottles left!
BUY £92.40

Deep, rich & dried fruits
39.100

Exotic contradictions

Only 5 bottles left!
BUY £87.20

Light & delicate
44.63

Zesty, zingy and alive

Only 14 bottles left!
BUY £49.20

Juicy, oak & vanilla

95.15

A graceful tight rope walker

Only 8 bottles left!
BUY £87.20

Oily & coastal
4.202

Salt and pepper

Only 5 bottles left!
BUY £126.00

Lightly peated

3.235

The happy camping holiday

Only 12 bottles left!
BUY £114.20

Browse New Outturn
Browse All Bottlings

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Chris Bauder, General Manager and Vice President of Beam Suntory

Chris Bauder is the General Manager and Vice President of Beam Suntory’s Whiskey & Cognac Business and Canada Marketing. Before joining Beam, Bauder served as SC Johnson’s Vice President Marketing, International Markets. Prior to this role he held several positions of increasing responsibility throughout his 17 years at the company, including Vice President Marketing, Developing Markets. In this role he led marketing, media and new product development efforts across Latin America, Africa, Asia, Russia and the Middle East.

Find out more…

Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame

The Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame is a permanent tribute honouring those noteworthy individuals who have made a lasting contribution to the world of whisky. This year’s American inductees will be presented during lunch at the Conference and the three remarkable individuals to be recognised are… Steve Beal, Diageo Al Young, Four Roses Bill Samuel’s Jr., Maker’s Mark

Find out more…

World Whiskies Awards

Join us for lunch as we present the winners of the World Whiskies Awards 2015 American whiskey categories. Lunch only tickets available at a price of $129 per place.

Book tickets now…