AUGUST TASTINGS

August Outturn Preview Tasting – The Vaults – Thu 6 Aug  More >

New List Open Tasting – 19 Greville Street – Sat 8 Aug  More >

Steak & Whisky Tasting – 19 Greville Street – Mon 10 Aug  More >

Aberdeen Preview Tasting – Caledonian Thistle Hotel – Thu 20 Aug  More >

Staff Star Drams – The Vaults – Fri 21 Aug  More >

Carlisle Preview Tasting – The Hallmark Hotel – Fri 28 Aug  More >

FREE ENTERTAINMENT AT THE VAULTS

Live Music with Main Street Blues >  Wed 5 Aug

Monday Night Drop-In: Islay Lovers Night >  Mon 10 aug

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

JULY AUCTION ENDS TODAY!

The latest auction at whisky.auction ends tomorrow 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 – place your bids before it is too late.

• Balvenie 50 Years Old – currently leading the auction, with many Japanese whiskies hot on its heels
• The Macallan – from the 1950 handwritten label to the 1972 Fine and Rare
• we have a stellar line-up of American whiskey, with bottles of George T Stagg, William Larue Weller and Pappy Van Winkle – pick your favourite
• plenty of rare miniatures, including a sample bottle of Mortlach 70 Year Old
• don’t miss out on our selection of old bottles and everyday drinking whiskies.

These are the closing times for each category – a great way of simplifying your final bids:

• 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 – your order will not be subject to further charges. Our next auction will start on Monday 31 August and we already have some special bottles ready, including sought-after bottles from Brora and The Macallan. If you have bottles to sell, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Algramo announced as stand out winner of The Venture 2015

[July 27th, 2015]: The Venture, Chivas Regal’s global search for the world’s most promising social entrepreneurs, rewarded all five finalists the remaining share of the $1m fund at the final pitch event which took place on Friday. The announcement came after the five finalists pitched the potential of their start-up to create transformative social change to an expert judging panel that included actor and social entrepreneur Adrian Grenier. Algramo from Chile was awarded the largest share of the fund, receiving $300,000 to further develop the pioneering food distribution enterprise.

Other finalists to come away with funding on the night included Chipsafer ($150,000) from Uruguay who use innovative tracking devices to transform the way farmers look after their livestock; SenSprout ($150,000) from Japan who aim to make farming more efficient using a wireless field-monitoring system; Lumkani ($75,000) from South Africa, a company that uses technology to decrease the risk of devastating fires in informal settlements, and Diseclar ($75,000) from Colombia who turn waste materials into stylish furniture.

The Venture – which saw more than a thousand social entrepreneurs apply for $1million in funding – culminated at The Final Pitch event at The Herbst Pavilion, San Francisco in front of a large audience. The evening was hosted by the Late Late Show presenter, James Corden who applauded all five of the social entrepreneurs who pitched for their commitment to using business as a force for good.

The Final Pitch event was attended by a range of high profile entrepreneurs and business leaders from Silicon Valley and beyond. Also in the audience was Golden Globe nominated actor Oscar Isaac who starred in Chivas Regal’s Win The Right Way film, which helped launch The Venture by issuing a challenge to aspiring social entrepreneurs and the world at large to re-frame their meaning of success.

The judging panel which included Adrian Grenier, Sonal Shah, Alex Ricard and Morgan Clendaniel, assessed each business based on their ability to create sustainable change through a viable business model and potential to scale. To find out more about the winners and the other finalists who took part in The Venture visit www.theventure.com.

Adrian Grenier congratulated each of the winners on the night:
“Social entrepreneurship challenges society to reimagine what is possible and inspires us to create a better future and a better world. All of The Venture finalists tonight challenged us to imagine how business could transform a problem into an opportunity. They are all very deserving of support and show why it’s important for initiatives like The Venture to exist, to inspire as many brilliant minds from around the world as possible and to contribute to using business as a force for good.”

Speaking on behalf of the finalists Jose Manuel Moller Dominguez from Algramo added:
“What a night! I can’t believe I’ve received $300,000 in funding from Chivas – it’s truly life changing for me. The money will enable me to scale the business and really take it to the next level. I’m truly grateful for this experience and can’t wait to apply everything I’ve learnt since being in San Francisco.”

Pernod Ricard’s Chairman and CEO, and The Venture judge, Alex Ricard, expressed his and the brand’s commitment to the world of social entrepreneurship, and congratulated the winner:
“All five of the social entrepreneurs who pitched for funding tonight have founded innovative and inspiring social enterprises, each providing sustainable solutions for different issues. Ultimately Jose from Algramo demonstrated a concrete proof of concept and really convinced us that The Venture funding could deliver tremendous transformative change for their business. We’re extremely proud of the first year of The Venture and Chivas is looking forward to continuing this legacy in years to come.”

Social entrepreneurs from across the world are invited to apply for $1 million in funding as The Venture Year 2 kicks off from 10th August 2015, visit www.theventure.com for further details.

Overview of the Five Finalists

NOTES

The Venture The Venture is Chivas Regal’s global search to find and support the most promising aspiring social entrepreneurs who want to succeed whilst making a positive impact on the lives of others. With over $1 million in funding and resources, The Venture will enable social entrepreneurs from around the world realise their potential and gain exposure for their business.

About Chivas Regal Launched in 1909, Chivas Regal is the world’s first luxury whisky and is considered to be a timeless classic, renowned for style, substance and exclusivity.

A truly global brand, Chivas Regal today sells 4.6 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across the globe. Brotherhood, generosity, entrepreneurship and integrity are at the heart of Chivas Regal so in 2008, the brand launched its successful Live with Chivalry campaign, which has inspired Modern Gentlemen in more than 60 countries around the world to pursue success with integrity.

The Chivas Regal range includes Chivas 12, Chivas 18, Chivas 25 and the Global Travel Retail exclusive, Chivas Brothers Blend. In October 2014, Chivas Regal announced the addition of a fifth permanent expression in the Chivas Regal family, Chivas Regal Extra, sitting within the super-premium range, positioned between Chivas 12 and Chivas 18.

Carnegie Whisky Cellars

Carnegie Court House

Dornoch, Scotland

Job Description: General Manager

Carnegie Whisky Cellars is seeking a General Manager for a new bespoke whisky shop located in The Carnegie Court House retail project in central Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland.

Job Description: The General Manager will be responsible for all aspects on the management of Carnegie Whisky Cellars. Responsibilities will include inventory management, staffing, marketing, finance and administration. Manager will report to a Board of Owners with meaningful whisky industry experience. A portion of Manager’s time will include training in a new Dornoch Distillery (gin,vodka and whisky) as well in the renown Castle Whisky Bar both located next door.

Business Overview: Carnegie Whisky Cellars is a new start-up fine whisky shop to be located in the new Renovated Carnegie Court House in downtown Dornoch. Carnegie Whisky shop will be constructed over the winter of 2015-2016 and is set to open Spring 2016. The shop will cover approximately 50 square meters on the ground floor to include retail space as well as a tasting room.

Carnegie Whisky Cellars is to be one of the finest bespoke whisky shops in the Highlands. Products will include a broad array of specialty whiskies and whisky-related products as well as selected beer, wines and other spirits. Carnegie Whisky Cellars will also develop a very bespoke whisky inventory of unique, high-value specialty whiskies sourced strategically at auction or private purchase. Many of these specialty whiskies will be able for drams in the adjacent Castle Whisky Bar (awarded Best Whisky Bar in UK). Certain attention and potentially strategic relations will be developed with the local distillers such as Balblair, Clynelish, Dalmore, Glenmorangie, and Old Pulteney.

Compensation: Competitive

Experience: The General Manager will have had direct experience and passion for exceptional customer service in a retail setting. Demonstrated experience with employee management and oversight critical. Knowledge and experience in in the beverage industry valuable. Mature, trustworthy, self-starter.

Board of Owners: The General Manager with report directly to a Board of Owners with exceptional whisky industry knowledge and experience. The Board also possesses material experience in customer service, finance, and administration. The Board will include:

Philip Thompson – Proprietor, Castle Hotel Whisky Bar and Founder Dornoch Distillers

Simon Thompson – Proprietor, Castle Hotel Whisky Bar and Founder Dornoch Distillers

Murray Lamont – Proprietor, Mackay Hotel (Wick) and Owner, Bin-Ends Whisky Shops

Todd Warnock – Proprietor, Links House Hotel (Dornoch) and Owner, Carnegie Court House

AMBLING ALONG: SMOOTH AMBLER

If you’ve been sat at our whisky bar recently you will have probably overheard our staff pontificating about the whiskeys from Smooth Ambler. Smooth Ambler buy casks from various American distilleries that they believe are absolutely fantastic, then they slap their label on the side and hey presto we have the Old Scout whiskey range. Having tried everything they produce we are very much inclined to agree. Furthermore, due to the lack of availability of casks there will no longer be any Smooth Ambler rye, so get it whilst you can!

On another note we are now stocking California’s St George Spirits. These chaps make everything spirit related, but our top pick is the Terroir Gin which uses Douglas Fir as a primary botanical, try it and you won’t be disappointed! Oh and we have the brilliant Breaking & Entering Bourbon. St George Spirits are up-front and honest about their products – they didn’t make this whisky, they sourced it from a certain distillery in Kentucky – hence the Breaking & Entering nature of the whiskey!

Smooth Ambler Old Scout 8 Year Old Single Barrel Rye, 57.7%

Sadly the final single cask rye whisky from American whiskey bottler Smooth Ambler due to lack of availability. Bottled at barrel proof this rye has notes of apples, vanilla pods and allspice with absolutely superb balance.

£73.95

St. George Breaking & Entering Bourbon, 43%

Perhaps our favourite name for a Bourbon – Breaking & Entering refers to the fact that St George Distillery bought the casks from another distillery. We like the honest nature of this whiskey, and its great maple syrup and berry fruit flavour profile really hits the spot!

£54.45

Speyside and Highlands Cask Strength Single Malts Limited Edition Small Batch

Aberlour 2000 15 year old 54.3%

243 bottles with only 18 available in London

Nose: Dry and malty with hints of raisins, almonds and dried apricots. Palate: Gooseberries. Malty with melted butter, honeycomb and faint white pepper. Finish: Waxy fruits with bursts of limes, kiwis and then fading to melted white chocolate.

GLENGOYNE DISTILLERY 2001 14Y/O 58.2%

(612 btls) Only 18 bottles available in London

Nose: Brandy soaked raisins. Vanilla flavoured tobacco and prunes. Palate: Baked bananas and brown sugar. Light soya sauce and quite meaty. Lots of dark honey. Finish: Creamy with rich sherry notes. Soft spice with honey and soft salty notes.

GLENGOYNE DISTILLERY Sherry Cask 2001 14Y/O 58.2% 70cl

Only 132 bottles in this small cask

Nose: Dried oranges lemon rind with candied ginger and clotted cream. Palate: Very creamy with hints of strawberries. Lots of vanilla with some salted butter and golden syrup. Finish: Slightly salty in the finish with faint spice giving way to vibrant grassy notes and hints of lime cordial.

BUNNAHABHAIN 12 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
£39.99 – £44.99

INDEPENDENT SPIRIT TAKES ARRAN FURTHER 

Isle of Arran Distillers has reported record results with the publication of their latest annual accounts.

The figures to the end of 2014 reveal that turnover rose by 21 per cent and net profit increased by 51 per cent – the best performance posted since the business started in 1995.

Success is being driven by brand sales that are ahead by 25 per cent – in marked contrast to a 7 per cent decline for the Scotch whisky industry as a whole.

The results reflect the underlying strength of the business. After a succession of healthy profits reported over the last five years, turnover for the independent distiller has more than doubled since 2010.

While 2014 saw total Scotch whisky exports fall at their fastest rate for 16 years, export sales for Isle of Arran Distillers climbed, with key markets for growth including Germany, Taiwan and Canada.

The award-winning Arran Single Malts are now available in 45 countries and further markets are being explored.

Managing director, Euan Mitchell, is delighted with the year-end results, saying: “In a challenging period for Scotch whisky our continued growth is testament to a focus on quality and a clear strategy well executed.

“Some people believe when the big companies in the industry sneeze we all catch a cold but this is not our experience. Interest in smaller, independent brands such as ours is surging and we are not even scratching the surface in global terms.”

As well as driving export sales, the Arran Malt is set for increased distribution in the UK with M&S, where two products will be available in stores later in 2015.

A key factor in the recent success of the business has been the repackaging of The Arran Malt core range, which launched in the second half of 2014. Combined with a schedule of limited edition releases, especially the final release of the acclaimed Devil’s Punch Bowl series, helped to grow sales of Arran single malts by 23 per cent over the previous year.

Euan Mitchell added: “We have invested to support the progress we expect to make.

“Two new pot stills are on order and will be installed in late 2016. This will allow production to double beyond one million litres of pure alcohol once fully commissioned.

“We have never been the kind of distillery to produce more than we expect to sell, so this boost in capacity and capability is purely a reflection of the anticipated demand for Arran malts.

“Though never complacent, we look forward with great confidence to celebrating our 21st anniversary in 2016.”

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.

Hi folks.

A quick email to say that the 52nd auction will end this evening. For the benefit of our first-time bidders, this is how it works:

From 6pm UK time the software starts monitoring activity on the site, and at an unspecified time it will shut down the auction. This feature has been designed to beat sniper software.

Please note : The auction does not end at 6pm, only the end process begins then. In our experience it is some time after 8pm before the auction ends, so there is no need to rush to bid dead on 6pm

We hope you have enjoyed the auction.

Kind regards from Glasgow

The SWA Team

DIAGEO WINS THE GOLDEN BARREL TROPHY FOR THE WHISKY OF THE YEAR

(Jim Beveridge, Master Blender at Diageo, and his team receiving the Golden Barrel Trophy during a special award ceremony held at Diageo Archive.)

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND (July 23 2015) — Held annually in Chicago since 2010, the International Whisky Competition awarded the title Whisky of the Year to John Walker & Sons King George V who scored an impressive 97 Points during the blind tasting competition last spring. With this highest award comes the Golden Barrel Trophy symbolizing the mark of excellence in whisky making.

A ceremony was held last week at Diageo Archive in Menstrie, Scotland to present the trophy to the winning blending team responsible for creating John Walker & Sons King George V. The team is led by Jim Beveridge, master blender at Diageo, who was also awarded the title Master Blender of the Year by the International Whisky Competition.

This is the first year that a blended whisky scored higher than a single malt for the top position and shows that a complex marriage of grain and malt whiskies can produce a whisky of exceptional quality. As one of the judges wrote in his notes after blind tasting John Walker & Sons King George V: “This whisky has everything that makes a complex, beautiful, majestic dram featuring all the components of perfection.”

About the Golden Barrel Trophy

Designed in Switzerland and unveiled at Diageo Archive, the Golden Barrel Trophy represents the pinnacle of excellence in whisky making, showcasing two lions holding a whisky barrel. It is casted in bronze with 24K golden leaves on each side of the barrel. The Golden Barrel will be kept by the winner of the Whisky of the Year until next year’s competition and the name of each winner will be engraved in its marble base to commemorate the history of each annual Whisky of the Year. Basically, the Golden Barrel is to whisky what the World Cup is to football.

About the the International Whisky Competition™

The International Whisky Competition brings whiskies from around the world together to be tasted and rated by a professional tasting panel. Unlike other competitions, the judges on its tasting panel are presented with one whisky at a time, to ensure each whisky gets the proper attention. In-depth notes are taken at every step for review ultimately to be compiled by the tasting panel. It’s the only such competition in the spirits world to deliver unique medals designed to promote each of the winning whiskies. Only 3 medals (Gold, Silver & Bronze) are awarded per category. Just like in the Olympics, not everyone can be a winner.