ADRIAN GRENIER JOINS THE VENTURE JUDGING PANEL

Adrian Grenier, American actor, producer and social entrepreneur, has been announced as a judge for The Venture – Chivas Regal’s global search for the most promising social entrepreneurs around the world.

Grenier will bring his experience as a social entrepreneur and angel investor to the panel of judges who are tasked with awarding a share of a $1 million fund amongst the most exciting social enterprises at The Venture Final Pitch event in San Francisco on July 24^th 2015. The star of the hit TV series and upcoming feature film, Entourage, will be joined on the panel by Morgan Clendaniel (Editor of Fast Company’s Co.Exist) and Alex Ricard (Pernod Ricard Chairman and CEO).

Since launching back in October 2014, The Venture has received over 1000 applications from social enterprises across five continents. Sixteen finalists from as many countries have been selected to take part in an Accelerator Week in Silicon Valley, the epicentre of the start-up world, where they will be mentored by global businesses leaders and successful social entrepreneurs. Five finalists will then be selected to pitch in front of a live audience and the global judging panel at The Venture Final Pitch event. The finalists will be judged on the viability of their business and the scalability of their impact model.

Adrian Grenier has already successfully launched a number of social enterprises including SHFT, a lifestyle platform focused on a sustainable approach to the way we live through film, design, art and food, so has a wealth of personal expertise to bring to The Venture. He is also currently running an exciting Kickstarter campaign for the project entitled, ‘52: The Search for the Loneliest Whale’, a cinematic quest to find the “52 Hertz Whale” which scientists believe has spent its entire life in solitude, calling out at a frequency that is different from any other whale.

Adrian Grenier commented on the announcement: “I’m delighted to be part of The Venture’s prestigious panel. Business is the driving force of society; in an ever-shrinking world, we need businesses to look outside their sometimes myopic, selfish goals, and practice a large global vision. Social entrepreneurship is a huge passion of mine, and to have the opportunity to observe and judge 16 of the most exciting social start-ups from around the globe is a real privilege. Good luck to all the finalists, and I’ll be seeing you in San Francisco!”

Richard Black, Chivas Regal Global Brand Director, added: “We’re proud to be announcing Adrian as a judge for The Venture Final Pitch event in July. He has an understanding of the start-up world and a desire to use innovation to create positive change so we know he will bring invaluable insight to the panel and provide great business advice to the finalists. There are a variety of industries represented amongst the 16 finalists, and with Adrian joining Alex Ricard and Morgan Clendaniel, we feel we have just the right expert judges to evaluate each business’ potential and how we can help them grow.”

The Venture’s 16 global finalists will be announced on the May 11^th, 2015 and will go head to head in a 5 week public vote to secure a share of the $1 Million in funding before they even reach The Final Pitch.

To find out more about Adrian’s role and to vote for your favourite finalist from May 11^th, 2015, visit  http://www.theventure.com/.

Notes:

The Venture
The Venture is Chivas’ 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.

Win the Right Way
Win the Right Way aims to inspire a new generation to achieve success whilst making a positive impact on the lives of others and is the latest installment of Chivas Regal’s Live with Chivalry campaign, which launched in 2008.

Live with Chivalry
Chivas’ Live with Chivalry campaign launched in 2008 and has since inspired modern gentlemen in more than 60 countries around the world to succeed in the right way. Win the Right Way is the latest instalment of the Live with Chivalry campaign. It communicates Chivas Regal’s brand values, and aims to inspire a new generation to achieve success whilst making a positive impact on the lives of others.

About Chivas Regal
Chivas Regal is a truly global brand, selling 4.9 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific and Americas. The Chivas Regal range is the epitome of style, substance and exclusivity and includes Chivas Regal 12, 18 and 25 Year Old.

www.chivas.com

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.

www.chivasbrothers.com

About Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is the world’s co-leader in wines and spirits with consolidated sales of €7,945 million in 2013/14. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin & Spirit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector and employs a workforce of approximately 18,000 people, operating through a decentralized organization with 6 ‘Brand Companies’ and 80 ‘Market Companies’ established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics. Pernod Ricard is listed on the NYSE Euronext exchange (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is a member of the CAC 40 index.

http://www.pernod-ricard.com/

Everyone’s Irish on March 17th!

Why not celebrate the occasion with one of our favorites.

Discounted Items

Bushmills 10yo Irish Whiskey Melted chocolate and honey that sits on the tongue$43.99

Mosswood Barrel Aged Irish Whiskey This Irish whiskey leaves a wonderful impression.$59.99

Green Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Crisp, mouthwatering with a fabulous honey burst, alarmingly sensuous $52.99

Yellow Spot 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Another game changer.$104.99

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015: Irish Whiskey of the Year:  $249.99

Brace yourselves – it’s the 50th anniversary of ‘The Sound of Music’. Expect a sing-a-along at a venue near you soon! The perfect Mother’s Day gift perhaps? Alternatively we have the usual fine range of whiskies!

Also on the horizon is St Patrick’s Day. While we are fully aware that this usually entails the sampling of a glass or two of the Black Stuff, it would be amiss of us not to highlight the strong growth (not forgetting the long history) of the Irish whiskey category of late.

Elsewhere the whisky year is shaping up very nicely with a plethora of exciting new releases becoming available. Last month we had some very short lived Springbank, Highland Park and Glendronach. This month we have Arran, Tomatin, Benriach and Teeling, to name but a few.

NEW BENRIACHS & GLENLIVET

BENRIACH 15 Sauternes £48.95

Not one to shy away from a cask finish or two, this delicious Benriach has spent some of its time maturing in fine Sauternes casks.

BENRIACH 18 Albariza £71.95

Heavily peated and PX sherry finished. “Albariza” is the chalky white soil, regarded as the best for growing grapes for sherry production.

GLENLIVET Nadurra US Oak £46.50

Nadurra fans rejoice! Glenlivet continue to treat domestic markets with great value cask strength versions, while in travel retail it’s ‘only’ at 48%!

Small Batch Collection

DUE EARLY APRIL

CREATIONS BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY 23Y/O 54.3%

Grey stripe (Robust smoky embers)! (Composition: Cao Ila, Invergordon)

Nose: Smoke is present , fairly mellow and not attacking. Invergordon provides lots of vanilla and custard cream notes. Palate: Very sweet with lots of toffee, fudge and tablet once you get past the initial smokiness. Becomes fruitier with time, very mouth coating with earthy dunnage overtones. Finish: A salty lingering finish with smooth honeycomb.

SMALL BATCH 46%

NORTH BRITISH DISTILLERY 1985 29Y/O 46% Nose: Yoghurt covered raisins. Honeycomb and buttered pancakes. Palate: Dry oily cereal notes with lots of vanilla. Blanched almonds and some peach notes with soft brown sugar. Finish: Fruit syrup and cookie dough. Soft delicate finish with Jamaican rum notes.

STRATHMILL DISTILLERY 1995 19Y/O 46% Nose: Lots of marzipan, and very floral – apple blossom? Some lime notes and a touch of cardamon. Palate: Toasted fennel seeds, gooseberries and almost salty. Vanilla ice-cream and cocoa powder. Finish: Saltiness develops in the finish. Hay like with whiffs of shortbread and golden syrup.

SMALL BATCH CASK STRENGTH

AALT-A-BHAINNE DISTILLERY 1992 22Y/O 52.5% Nose: Custard creams; hints of fennel and allspice. Creme caramel. Some dusty notes with some strawberries coming through. Palate: Very creamy with growing ever changing fruit bursts; limes, satsumas, peaches and solid toffee. Finish: Develops an effervescent fruitiness mingling in a blanket of thick cream.

GLENALLACHIE-GLENLIVET DISTILLERY 1992 22Y/O 48% Nose: Vanilla; freshly cut grass; icing sugar and buttered gingerbread. Palate: French cakes, very creamy with pistachios, marzipan and lemon icing. Finish: Faint coconut notes; gentle grassiness and and some fresh herbs. A picnic whisky – very refreshing.

GLENDULLAN-GLENLIVET DISTILLERY 1996 18Y/O 55.6%

Nose: Very minty with lots of toffee. Hard boiled sweets and very floral and grassy. Palate: Less minty on the taste with tablet and shortbread coming to the front. Becoming more buttery. Lemon meringue pie and lashings of cream. Finish: Initially short and creamy before giving way to some quince and apple notes.

GLENROTHES-GLENLIVET DISTILLERY 1990 24Y/O 55.7% (SHERRYWOOD) Nose: Huge sherry; very meaty with liqueur chocolates. Roasting pan juices with figs and poached pears. Palate: More massive sherry – grab a knife and fork for this. Lots of marzipan, quite creamy like a sherry trifle and then more meatiness grows. Finish: Huge sherry tussles with dried oranges, soft black pepper and a little rubber. One for the hardcore sherry fans.

MILTONDUFF-GLENLIVET DISTILLERY 1994 20Y/O 51.5% Nose: Bakewell tart, clotted cream and soft ginger notes. Fresh runny honey with cashew nuts and lemongrass. Palate: Bitter lemon, with lime and growing creaminess. A touch of cinnamon and white pepper mashed over ripe bananas and chocolate bourbon biscuits. Finish: Soft dry chocolate notes becoming creamier with hints of lime zest

SINGLE CASKS AT CASK STRENGTH

ARRAN DISTILLERY 1996 18Y/O 50.9% Nose: Juicy red fruits, hints of cough syrup and stewed apples and soft oily rag notes. Palate: Very fruity with lots of toffee, lemon drizzle cake and a very faint trace of smoke. Finish: A thick chewy finish, green apple skins and orange bitters. Slightly drying leaving you wanting more.

NORTH PORT (BRECHIN) DISTILLERY 1977 38Y/O 48.4% Nose: A real fruit bomb, kiwi fruits, limes, pears in syrup and melted white chocolate. Palate: Very syrupy with soft woody notes. More waxy fruit notes with dried spices and lemon sherbet. Finish: Very syrupy and a little flinty. Toffee bananas with more kiwis, lychees and watermelon.

ROYAL BRACKLA DISTILLERY 1984 30Y/O 54.1% Nose: Rich and oily with sweet fruits;honey; liqourice and hints of butterscotch. Palate: Soft oakiness, orange liqueur and a faint hint of spice. Quite full bodied with chocolate and runny toffee. Finish: Spiced apples, sweet vermouth and lightly smoked almonds.

TEANINICH DISTILLERY 1983 32Y/O 47.5% Nose: Sweet floral notes, juicy raisins; white chocolate buttons and faint tangerine notes. Palate: More orangey notes emerge along with some distant perfumed smoke, green tea; basil and oregano. Finish: Fruit syrup, barley sugar and Victoria sponge cake.

Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop & Tasting Room
26 Chiltern Street
London
W1U 7QF

Tel: 020 7935 6999

www.ralfy.com explores conscious-moments with the valuable assistance of Whisky Review 527 – Glengoyne 21yo @ 43%vol and consciousness.

The Benefits of Adding Water Your Dram

One of the most frequently asked questions that I encounter from curious and eager enthusiasts who are just commencing their discovery of whisky is whether to add water to their dram and if so how much?

For some reason this question is quite contentious in the whisky world and evokes strong emotions on both sides of the debate.  I have frequently noticed that the strongest emotions come from the group representing “No Water in Whisky!” who are quite militant in their belief, flawed as it is.

Now if you have any kind of background in law enforcement, or even as a school crossing guard, you will recognize my last comment as some form of a ‘clue’ about which side of the debate I’m on. I have yet to hear one unbiased argument for not adding water to your whisky sample when making an initial assessment.

This small epistle is not a guide on how to nose and taste whisky but is a simple inventory of the advantages of adding water to your sample. The initial amount of water added is up to you and after your initial assessment you may decide in the future that this particular whisky is best taken neat. You may also conclude that it is best enjoyed with a large measure of water. Experience will help determine how much your sample requires but start off with small measures; you are aiming at reducing the nose ‘prickle’ so that you can appreciate the underling aromas. Professional noser’s dilute to 20% but they nose many, many samples in the course of their work and most enthusiasts find that 35% is a suitable level but once again your experience will be your best guide.

You should also understand the difference between making an initial assessment and simply enjoying you dram in a social setting. In the latter case some people actually add lemonade or cola to their whisky but we will pretend that this doesn’t actually occur; some subjects are best not discussed in too great a detail.

In your initial assessment of a whisky, you are doing yourself a disservice if you do not at some point add a small amount of water to your sample. This simple act of adding a little bit of water will have the effect of opening up the whisky to reveal hidden aromas in both the nose and taste which may be pleasant or in some cases, not so pleasant. The discovery of off notes and flaws is just as important as discovering unique and wonderful highlights hidden in the whisky. The addition of water, in varying amounts, reveals another dimension of whisky that would other wise not be viewed and experience will help you determine the amount to add to each sample.

However if you never add water you will simple miss these important aspects of whisky assessment.

I have attended and organized numerous whisky tastings over the years and have seen a myriad of approaches to sampling and assessing whisky from shaking the whisky to the other extreme of dribbling water down the inside of the glass so as not to disturb the spirit and bruise it. While each presenter has had their own unique approach and methods they all have one point that they agree on; the addition of a little water opens up the sample to reveal hidden pleasures.

The water should be room temperature and never chilled and the addition of ice, for assessment purposes, is completely forbidden. Ice dramatically chills the whisky, closes down the nose of the sample and chills the mouth reducing the ability to taste. The water should be of the still variety and not carbonated. With experience you will find the best still water for the task. In some locations plain local tap water will suffice along as it is not chlorinated.

I have heard of many silly excuses for not adding water from ‘it’s not manly’ which is too stupid to comment on further to ‘it’s the natural state’ of the whisky, this also is quite spurious as the Alcohol by Volume in the bottle is often mandated by local taxation rates. As an example the standard official bottling of Laphroaig 10 is bottled at 40% ABV in Canada and 43% in the United States of America*. Which is ‘natural’? Local laws and marketing are now determining the natural state? Further one could argue that the ‘natural’ state for a whisky is not how it is poured from the bottle but rather how it is taken from the cask or even straight off the still however in the later case it is not legally whisky.

I can respect an individuals choice whether to add water or not but I have to wonder about their trying to prevent people from adding water under any circumstances. In any case you earned the money to purchase the bottle of whisky and it’s your choice whether to add water or not but if you don’t, you’re missing a large part of the whisky experience. Go on, try it, your hair won’t fall out if you do….

The above article was published in 2007* by the Malt Maniacs & written by Lawrence Graham.

The author can be seen in this photo hypocritically enjoying an un-watered Hibiki 12yo.

THE MACALLAN LALIQUE-50 YEAR IS THE STAR

OF BONHAMS EDINBURGH WHISKY SALE

The Macallan Lalique-50 year old from the Six Pillars Collection was the star lot of Bonhams Edinburgh Whisky sale earlier today. Originally estimated at £13,000-15,000, it sold above estimate for a healthy £21,250.

One of the most sought after of whiskies at auction, it was the first of the Six Pillars Collection – a six-phase collaboration between these two premium producers which reached its fifth pillar in 2014. Distilled and bottled by The Macallan Distillers Ltd, it comes in a limited edition Lalique crystal decanter numbered 25 of 470.

Sold for £17,500, The Glenfiddich-50 year old is regarded as one of the finest single malts and is one of the ten most expensive whiskies in the world. Bottled on the 26 July 1991 by William Grant & Sons, The Glenfiddich Distillery, the bottle of The Glendiffich-50 year old (numbered 465) comes with its own wooden presentation case and a certificate of authenticity. The whisky was distilled in casks filled in 1937 and 1939.

Selling for £15,000 was the Macallan Millennium Decanter-50 year old 1949. Distilled in January 1949 and bottled in 1999, the decanter is made from hand blown Caithness Glass.

The sale performed well overall, selling 88% by lot and 91% by value, for a total of £219,000.

NOTES

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. Today, the auction house offers more sales than any of its rivals. The main salerooms are in London, New York and Hong Kong. Sales are also held in the UK in Knightsbridge, Oxford and Edinburgh; in the US, in San Francisco and Los Angeles; in Europe, in Paris and Stuttgart and in Sydney, Australia. Bonhams also has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of forthcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com.

BELTRAMO’S

1540 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, Ca. 94025

Phone (650) 325-2806, (888) 710-9463, Fax (650) 323-8450

Store Hours: Mon-Fri 10 to 7:30 Sat 9:30 to 7:30 Sun 10 to 6:30

World Drinks Awards presented during lunch. Lunch only tickets available at £75 each.

Whisky Magazine Awards dinner tickets available at £145 for conference delegates. Dinner only tickets at £160.

BOOK NOW

Brace yourselves – it’s the 50th anniversary of ‘The Sound of Music’. Expect a sing-a-along at a venue near you soon! The perfect Mother’s Day gift perhaps? Alternatively we have the usual fine range of whiskies!

Also on the horizon is St Patrick’s Day. While we are fully aware that this usually entails the sampling of a glass or two of the Black Stuff, it would be amiss of us not to highlight the strong growth (not forgetting the long history) of the Irish whiskey category of late.

Elsewhere the whisky year is shaping up very nicely with a plethora of exciting new releases becoming available. Last month we had some very short lived Springbank, Highland Park and Glendronach. This month we have the DOUGLAS LAING SELECTION

DOUBLE BARREL Highland & Islay £41.50

Definitely a ‘discussion’ whisky. Try to determine which distilleries went into this blended malt. Not that we know (or that Douglas Laing will tell!)

MILTONDUFF 1992 Old Particular £82.95

One of our favourite lesser known distilleries. This 22 year old cask strength sherry monster is superb and quite simply excellent value in today’s market.

MACALLAN 1993 Old Particular £199.95

It would be fascinating to compare how this single cask independent version compares with an official Macallan. Regardless we think it’s excellent stuff!