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THE JAMESON WORKS x GALVIN BROTHERS WHISKEY DEN OPENS TODAY 

Jameson transforms London’s Reverend JW Simpson bar into a whiskey drinking den with furniture that enhances the drinking experience designed by Galvin Brothers.

Enjoy a unique whiskey drinking experience with bespoke furniture that you can buy and exclusive cocktails including a ‘Galvanised Jameson.’

Visit The Jameson Works x Galvin Brothers Whiskey Den at the Reverend JW Simpson, 32 Goodge Street, London, W1T 2QJ; open from today (July 2nd) until mid-August 2015, Monday – Saturday 5PM – 11:30PM.

London, 2 July 2015 – Today, The Jameson Works launches its latest venture, working with Yorkshire-based contemporary furniture makers, Galvin Brothers, to turn part of a London bar into the ideal whiskey drinking den.

Open from today until mid-August, The Reverend JW Simpson bar is the home of The Jameson Works x Galvin Brothers Whiskey Den where the public can experience, unique cocktails and even purchase the bespoke furniture they are sitting on, named The Whiskey Drinking Collection [available to buy from 2 July 2015 at www.galvinbrothers.co.uk/pages/jameson].

Made up of Matthew Galvin (designer) and Andrew Galvin (joiner) the brothers came together just over two years ago after building on their father’s 61 years of joinery and cabinet making experience. Working to the brief of Form & Function, Galvin Brothers have created a collection, which sees them working beyond their traditional skillset of furniture making. Inspired by how Jameson makes its whiskey, and by looking carefully at the way in which people consume it, they have created a space that is designed to enhance the drinking experience.

The Whiskey Den provokes different ways for drinks to be served with a range of furniture with different functions – some merely for seating, some for the presentation of cocktails and others to create a social enclose and convivial space. Copper pots are also an integral part of the distillation process of Jameson and have inspired part of the design through beautiful copper vessels and ice buckets.

The Whiskey Drinking Collection furniture range that features in the den are individually handcrafted and made from solid sustainable European Oak. The range can be purchased online with prices starting at the lower end for hand spun copper vessels to higher priced pieces such as the Drinker’s End Table, which stores everything you need to make the perfect whiskey cocktail.

The Reverend JW Simpson bar also responded to the brief of Form & Function with an exclusive Jameson cocktail to be purchased in the bar called Galvanised Jameson, made up of tea syrup, lemon juice, elderflower and Jameson, garnished with a lemon balm leaf and a charged siphon serve.

Matthew Galvin, designer at Galvin Brothers commented: “After our visit to the Jameson distillery, we wanted to create a space that reflected the true quality, craft and passion that is put into the whiskey making process. It made sense for us to use copper and wood, which are key materials involved in the Jameson distillery process but to also create a distinct, intimate, sociable and functional space for whiskey to be enjoyed in.

“The brief of Form and Function really echoes our principals of designing furniture that looks good but also has a purpose – the ‘how’ of the furniture is just as important as the why.

“Whether it’s an after work drink with mates or a date, we hope that everyone enjoys the space and people even have the chance to bring a little bit of the drinking experience into their own home, with a limited edition of the furniture range on sale from today.”

The collaboration is part of The Jameson Works series which recognises and shares the stories behind real ‘modern makers,’ who are prepared to innovate and challenge their skillsets, and who are passionate about telling the story of the process along the way. The Jameson Works is not just about what you make but how you make it, and aims to spread the knowledge of how great craftsmen work today.

Head to thejamesonworks.com to find out more and see the Galvin Brothers’ journey from brief to production or join the conversation @Jameson_UK #thejamesonworks

Time to blow our (and Balblair’s!) trumpet – we are proud to present an exclusive single cask, cask strength bottling of some of the last remaining 1997 vintage available. If you’re lucky enough to be in Edinburgh, London or Pitlochry call in at one of our shops for a wee sample (while stock lasts!)

BALBLAIR 1997 RMW Excl. 52.6% £99.95

RMW staff have all been saving up their pennies for this exclusive, specially selected single cask. It’s no secret that we love Balblair, but what a treat to get a rare cask strength bottling!

We’ve come a long way in the last 200 years. So this Ardbeg Day, as well as looking back into the past, we donned our jet packs and glimpsed the future of Ardbeg. And we have to say, it looks fantastic.

15,000 of you made this one not only the best, but the biggest Ardbeg Day ever, at 135 events around the world.

Japan had a time travel tunnel, the US had Shortie Circuit racing, while in Germany five cities competed against each other with games involving drones and robotic barrel racing, amongst other things.

Here on Islay, we welcomed friends old and new for futuristic food, music, and of course, drams of Ardbeg Perpetuum. Take a look at the pictures from around the globe and share your own at facebook.com/Ardbeg and Twitter @ardbeg_com using #ArdbegDay.

So how can we possibly top Ardbeg Day 2015? You’ll just have to wait until next year to find out…

Mickey Heads

Committee Chairman

JUNE AUCTION ENDS TODAY!

The latest auction at whisky.auction ends today from 7.30pm BST, so if you haven’t looked at the wide range of whiskies and fine spirits available, don’t miss your chance. The chance to purchase single-cask and old vintage whiskies is getting more difficult, so whisky.auction gives a great opportunity to stock up on bottles no longer made and explore styles of whisky that are hard to find, including bottles from the 1970s and 1980s. There are some rare bottles still at low prices at whisky.auction, so don’t miss out on a potential bargain:

• Black & White Bot.1940s
• Midleton Master Distiller’s Selection
• Bowmore 1983 Feis Ile 2011
• Bowmore 1985 Feis Ile 2012
• Ichiro’s Blend 33 Years Old
• Highland Park 1957 BBR
• Macallan Coronation
• Springbank 1972 Chieftain’s
• North Port-Brechin 1977 Cadenhead

Finally, a larger-than-usual range of miniatures. To make it easier for bidders, each category has a different end time – this is a great way of simplifying placing your final bids, without having to bid on multiple items in a rush. These are the closing times for each category:

• 7.30pm – Books, jugs, memorabilia and miniatures
• 7.40pm – American, blends, grains, Irish and other whisky 
• 7.50pm – Japanese
• 8.00pm – Islands
• 8.10pm – Lowland
• 8.20pm – Highland
• 8.30pm – Speyside
• 8.40pm – Campbeltown
• 8.50pm – Islay

Our shipping rates are very competitive, and for customers in the US, India and Russia, Customs duty will be included in your delivery fee, and your order will not be subject to any further charges. Our next auction will start on Monday 27 July – If you have bottles to sell, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

SA’S SINGLE GRAIN WHISKY LAUNCHING IN THE USA 

The multiple award-winning Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky – South Africa’s first and only premium, 100% single grain whisky – is making its United States debut this July in Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri.

Andy Watts, master distiller, has just arrived in the USA where he will introduce Bain’s to consumers and media in selected parts of Illinois and Minnesota.

Lee-Anne van Wyk, Bain’s Global Marketing Manager, says the plan is for Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky to roll out across the USA over the next couple of months.

“Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky showcases South Africa’s ability to produce a premium, specialist whisky that reflects a unique taste of place, while holding up to award-winning, world-class standards,” said Lee-Anne van Wyk,. “The whisky is elegant, lightly flavoured and a refined spirit that is overdue for the American consumer who appreciates a smooth, easy-drinking whisky and is interested in trying new products.”

Named World’s Best Grain Whisky at the 2013 World Whiskies Awards, Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky is skillfully crafted at the James Sedgwick Distillery, in the historic farming town of Wellington, South Africa.  The inimitable single-grain whisky owes its delicate aroma and distinctive flavours to the finest-quality South African grain and double maturation in carefully selected first-fill bourbon casks – first for three years before being re-vatted into a fresh set of casks for a further 18 to 30 month period. 

The exceptional interaction between spirit and wood produces an incredibly balanced whisky with vanilla, toffee and floral aromas and flavours, and a hint of spice softened by the sweet undertones of the oak casks in which the product is matured.  The result is a warm and extended mouth-feel, with an exceptionally smooth finish.

For more information about Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky in USA visit the website especially created for the launch www.bainswhisky.com

Ledaig Dusgadh 42 – still life 

The now-retired stills at Tobermory
Every so often, a truly historic bottling comes along. One recent release that deserves that accolade is Ledaig Dùsgadh 42 Year Old.

The Isle of Mull’s sole distillery was reopened under the Ledaig name in 1972 after four decades of silence. Today known as Tobermory, the distillery’s former name is reserved for the peated whisky it produces.

500 bottles of Dùsgadh (Gaelic for ‘reawakening’) have been released, comprised of some of the first spirit to run from the then-new stills. It has been aged in a variety of casks, including the final 12 years in an oloroso sherry cask.

After 42 years, the stills were retired last year and this bottling has been released to commemorate their life. Some of the copper from them has been used in the handcrafted packaging, which includes a card entitling the buyer to a bottle of 10 Year Old Déanta (‘done’ in Gaelic), a whisky to be released in 2024 using some of the final spirit from the same stills.

Let’s see what it tastes like:

Ledaig Dusgadh 42 Year Old, 46.7%

Billy’s Tasting Notes

Nose: Big, rich, elegant and old. Polished oak tables sat on old oak floors, with forest floor notes behind – damp earth, green leaves and bark. Savoury notes dominate, with an umami meatiness taking centre stage, but there’s still a touch of marzipan sweetness with burnt raisins hiding in the wings. As it sits in the glass, some comparatively lighter notes develop, with apple juice, apple sauce and warm leather car seats appearing, along with spiced pastry and red berry compote.
Palate: Sweeter and oilier than expected from the nose, with a thick mouthfeel joined by butter icing, marzipan and candied apple. Spice builds, with clove and cinnamon giving a gentle tingle, before rich raisins and sticky black liquorice take over. From there things go savoury, with wood smoke and the forest notes from the nose balanced by lingering dark chocolate.
Finish: Spice and earthiness, with riverbank loam and green grass accompanied by black pepper. As the greenness hangs around, become sharp, before sweet liquorice builds and then fades, leaving a hint of anise and menthol.
Comment: Dense, with a lot to get through. It’s a dram you can spend a very long time on, and you will be well rewarded if you do. It has layers of flavour, going from the weighty to the very weighty, with a gentle seem of smoke running through the middle. You don’t often get to try a whisky of this old-school style, and it’s always a treat when you do.

I’ve been lucky to try many historic, cult or long-aged whiskies and sometimes they don’t live up to their reputation, but this one does. For an official bottling at more than 40 years of age, it’s reasonably priced, too. A superb tribute to the faithful stills that produced the distillery’s two brands for more than four decades.

MASTERCLASSES RESERVATION ONLINE

We know many of you are eagerly awaiting the masterclass schedule. Well, the wait is over. At ‘July 10’ the schedule will go online. And everyone ordered a Maltstock 2015 ticket will receive an e-mail with a link to the reservation page.

We have fantastic masterclasses lined up for you again. It will probably not be easy to choose your favourites. Simply use the reservation page (which is going to be emailed to all people who have ordered a Maltstock 2015 ticket) to let us know which masterclasses you would like to attend. And we will try our very best to make everybody happy again.

As always, the masterclasses are free at Maltstock.

MALTSTOCK CLOTHING

Do you want to be part of the next big trend in fashion?
Do you want to look just as relaxed as we do?
Do you want to look 10 pounds lighter?
Or do you just want to help us organizing Maltstock.

Then a good quality Maltstock polo must be something to your liking!

In about 2 weeks we will email the size options and other information.

The price will be only 32,49 euro.

More info will follow. Keep a close eye on your inbox.

BOCKJE BATHMEN BATTLES

Last year’s blind bottle battle was a relaxed success, “almost too” many bottles entered. This year we are back with another blind bottle battle! On top of that we have a second competition for you to participate in as well.

Competition No. 1
Bockje Bathmen Blind Bottle Battle
– All bottles can compete
– pre selection off 6 bottles by a counsil of wise men and women (other bottles are returned to their rightfull owners of course)
– Blind tasting by a jury of guests (details on how to apply will follow)

Prize: Braes of Glenlivet 25 years, Carn Mor
(sponsored by: Slijter Bockje uit Bathmen)

Competition No. 2
Bockje’s Fast Speaking Contest
Utter or sputter: ‘Bockje Bathmen Blind Bottle Battle’ as quick as lightning, flawless, three times in a row, and go home with !

Prize: a beautiful bottle of champagne
(sponsored by: Slijter Bockje uit Bathmen)

Agenda:
Festival season is over for us. However you still can have a dram with us at one of the Woest Genoegen Club Meetings in Nijmegen www.hetwoestgenoegen.nl for more info.

JULY TASTINGS & EVENTS

Steak & Whisky Tasting – 19 Greville Street – Mon 6 July  More >

Spirit of The Vaults – The Vaults – Fri 10 July   More >

Whisky Sensory Tasting – 19 Greville Street – Tue 14 July  More >

Whisky & Jazz with Stephen Duffy – 28 Queen Street – Fri 17 July  More >

Summer Seafood Tasting – The Vaults – Fri 24 July  More >

New Members’ Tasting – 19 Greville Street – Tue 28 July  More >

Birmingham Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin – Fri 31 July More >

Durham Preview Tasting – Radisson Blu – Fri 31 July  More >

Stirling Preview Tasting – The Golden Lion Hotel – Fri 31 July  More >

Harrogate Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin – Fri 31 July  More >

FREE ENTERTAINMENT AT THE VAULTS

Live Music with In The Mix >  Wed 8 July

Monday Night drop-in: Speyside Lovers Night >  Mon 13 July

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

Glenlivet
42 Year Old 1973

Buy – $489.54