Presenting The Complete Master Distiller’s Reserve Range

The Glenlivet Master Distiller, Alan Winchester, proudly presents two new expressions to his Master Distiller’s Reserve Range, following the enthusiastic global reception to the skilled cask selection of the Master Distiller’s Reserve. The luxurious single malts have been matured in a combination of 3 types of oak casks for a uniquely complex depth of taste and flavour. The range continues to maintain the classic The Glenlivet style and benchmark quality.

The Master Distiller’s Reserve Solera Vatted is a coming together of triple wood matured whiskies in a Solera Vat. Skilful selection combined with the Solera process makes for an intricate and luxurious expression.

The Master Distiller’s Reserve Small Batch is a hand-picked collection of small batches from individually selected casks. It’s a chance for fans to sample the very best and rare whiskies The Glenlivet distillery has to offer.

The new Master Distiller’s Reserve Range is an insight into the craft of the cask, exploring the full flavour spectrum of The Glenlivet. Available exclusively in travel retail outlets, Guardians should seek out these remarkable expressions on their next journey.

Find out how maturation creates the complex character of the Master Distiller’s Reserve Range.

SCOTCH MISSED

The Original Guide to the Lost Distilleries of Scotland

The only guide in print to the lost distilleries of Scotland.

This is the 4th edition and contains more distilleries and images than ever before.

About the author Brian Townsend is a multi-lingual retired journalist with an abiding interest in architecture and industrial archaeology. His is author of The Glory That Was Home (1990) and The Lost Distilleries of Ireland (1997). He lives near Dundee.

This is a revised fourth edition of the hardback first published in 1993 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the first documentary records of the making of Scotch whisky in 1494. The second edition followed in 1997 and the third in2000 (reprinted almost annually).

Brian Townsend has now detailed the remnants and ruins of almost every Victorian working distillery in Scotland. In this new edition he has fully updated the most recent closures and has sourced over 35 new archive photographs of many of Scotland’s lost distilleries. The distilleries featured vary from the remnants of once great industrial concerns such as Port Dundas in Glasgow, Saucel Distillery in Paisley to a mere tumble of bricks and mortar lying in a remote location like Glen Tarras at Langholm.

Over the length and breadth of Scotland, its greatest export has left its mark and this book is a tribute not only to those who struggled against great odds and were finally beaten, but also to those who survived and have prospered. Townsend’s detailed research brings to life a large portion of Scottish industrial heritage which would otherwise have been ignored and he has enlivened this with interviews of the last people to work those long gone stills. He has also tracked down the whisky which in some cases still exists and the book is fully illustrated with records past and present of this remarkable trade.

Includes full OS map reference index to all distilleries listed and a full index.

Description

New revised fourth edition with new archive photographs, two revised maps and OS map reference index along with Victorian location maps.

Selling points

Classic, cult whisky book for geeks and historians alike. Essential to have this book in your collection if you are into whisky heritage. Good regional historical reference work for whisky enthusiasts and educators. Purchasers of last three editions will buy this one.

Neil Wilson Publishing Ltd

226 King Street, CASTLE DOUGLAS DG7 1DS

Tel: 01556 504119 Fax: 01556 504065 E-mail: info@nwp.co.uk Website: www.nwp.co.uk

Distributor: BookSource, 50 Cambuslang Road, Cambuslang, GLASGOW, G32 5NB Tel: 0845 370 0067. Fax: 0845 370 0068

Having been around for a few hundred years (who’s counting?), Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery has some wisdom that’s well worth sharing. So join our Drammolier™ Lucy Whitehall, each month as she takes on some of the biggest debates in whisky.

THE BIG WHISKY DEBATE

Kilchoman 100% Islay 5th Edition – staying local

Kilchoman has launched the fifth edition of its 100% Islay bottling, with all barley grown on its own farm

It’s the youngest distillery on Islay, but Kilchoman’s history has now reached double figures. Established in 2005, the distillery has made its mark on the island by keeping things local – and with Rémy Cointreau snapping up Bruichladdich in 2012, Kilchoman is now the only independently owned distillery on Islay.

Kilchoman’s latest release is the fifth edition of its 100% Islay bottlings, made with barley grown at the distillery and peated to about 25ppm, half the level of other Kilchoman expressions. The whisky is matured solely in ex-bourbon barrels that were filled in 2009 and 2010.

Founder and MD Anthony Wills says that the lighter peating gives the range ‘beautiful fragrance and balance’ – so, what did we think?

KILCHOMAN 100% ISLAY 5TH EDITION, 50% ABV

Nose: Clean, with lemon peel and soft, fragrant pear notes at first, followed by a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper, ground almonds, subtle smoke and a pleasant candle-wax aroma. Water brings down the pepper but ramps up the fruitiness.

Palate: The freshness remains, and there’s a lovely balance to this whisky – the soft fruit is bolstered by the peat and smoke, not swamped by them. Everything is in its place: the refreshing lemon, the seductive fruitiness and the snap of pepper and peat.

Finish: Lively and long, with the peat and pepper lingering.

Comment: Elegant and understated, this is a beautifully balanced and clean-tasting dram that doesn’t feel the need to shout.

Kilchoman 100% Islay 5th Edition is available to buy from The Whisky Exchange website, priced at £68.95.

EARLY JULY TASTINGS & EVENTS

New List Open Tasting – 19 Greville Street – Sat 4 July   More >

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

Spirit of The Vaults – The Vaults, 87 Giles St – Fri 10 July   More >

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

LAST FEW JUNE TICKETS

Dundee Preview Tasting – Malmaison – Fri 26 June  More >

Manchester Preview Tasting – Malmaison – Fri 26 June  More >

Melrose Preview Tasting – Town House Hotel – Fri 26 June  More >

FREE ENTERTAINMENT AT THE VAULTS

Monday Night drop-in: Peat Lovers Night >  Mon 29 June

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

Buy a barrel and get a bottle free!

That’s right folks, we’ll be at Whisky Live in Sydney this weekend, so come say hello and you’ll receive a free bottle to take home with every 20l barrel purchased.

Double Cask 20l Barrel – $4250 plus a free bottle of Double Cask 700ml
American Oak 20l Barrel – $4500 plus a free bottle of American Oak 700ml
French Oak 20l Barrel – $4750 plus a free bottle of French Oak 700ml

Whisky Live Tickets Available Here

Our mailing address is:
Tasmania Distillery
Lamb Pl
Cambridge, TAS 7170
Australia

Buffalo Trace Distillery Announces the Winning

Single Oak Project Bourbon  

The Holy Grail Project yields invaluable research results  

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (June 18, 2015) – The public has spoken and Single Oak Project Barrel #80 has been chosen as their favorite bourbon, while Buffalo Trace Distillery has gained a wealth of information through this research, such as how entry proof, wood grain, and even the cut of the tree can affect the taste of bourbon.

Over the past four years, Buffalo Trace Distillery has been incrementally releasing 192 different bottlings of the Single Oak Project Bourbon and asking whiskey enthusiasts to vote on their favorite at http://www.singleoakproject.com/.  The ambitious goal of this research was to create the perfect bourbon, based on feedback from bourbon drinkers. In total, 5,645 people participated in the Single Oak Project which collected 5,086 unique whiskey reviews. On average, each of the 192 whiskies was evaluated 26.2 times.

The Single Oak Project is part of an intensive research project Buffalo Trace Distillery started back in 1999 by hand-picking and harvesting 96 individual oak trees with varying wood grains. Each tree would yield two barrels, one from the top half of the tree and one from the bottom, 192 unique barrels in total.

Seven different variables were studied over the course of the project: recipe (wheat or rye); entry proof (105 proof or 125 proof); stave seasoning (six months or 12 months); grain size (tight, average, or coarse grains); warehouse (concrete floor or wooden rick floor); char level (number three or number four char); and tree cut (top or bottom half of the tree).

The winning bourbon from Barrel #80 was a rye recipe bourbon, entered into a barrel made from oak harvested from the bottom half of the tree with staves seasoned for 12 months. The grain size of the wood was considered average and the barrel received a number four char inside. The whiskey entered the barrel at 125 proof and was aged in a concrete floor warehouse. All of the Single Oak Project bourbons were aged for eight years.

Along with helping to select the perfect bourbon, the online reviews provided invaluable whiskey research. For example, bourbons that produced the best aroma were made with a wheat recipe, entered at 105 proof, and aged in barrels whose staves seasoned for six months, in wood made from the bottom half of the tree.  If flavor is your most important factor when picking a bourbon, then the research shows barrels made from the bottom half of the tree were a safer bet. And for those looking for the smoothest finish, a bourbon aged in barrels from (again!) the bottom half of the tree, but with a number three char and 9 tree growth rings per inch scored the highest. It is important to note these results are not intended to speak for the industry and only pertain to Buffalo Trace Distillery’s whiskeys.

“The knowledge gained from conducting this research experiment is priceless,” stated Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer of Buffalo Trace Distillery. “We can now compare and confirm how each of these variables in the bourbon making process affects the finished product, which will only refine our experimental program and help us create even better whiskeys in the future.”

Buffalo Trace Distillery is now making plans to start producing the winning formula from Barrel #80, for future batches of Single Oak Bourbon. Only one frustration remains, this can’t happen overnight. The oak must be harvested, staves dried for 12 months, and then the bourbon must be aged for eight years. Mark your calendars for the year 2025!

“We are flattered and thankful that so many whiskey connoisseurs took the time to participate in this experiment,” said Bourbon Marketing Director Kris Comstock. “Although we’re not quite sure how the tree loggers plan to harvest wood solely from the bottom half of the trees, we’re eager to get more barrels and start producing more of the winning Single Oak Project bourbon!”

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 1773 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 17 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named “Brand Innovator of the Year” by Whisky Magazine at its Icons of Whisky America Awards 2015.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 300 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit http://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/

Jim Beam Brand Releases Citrus Highball <Grapefruit>

-World’s Top-Selling Bourbon Unveils its First-Ever Ready-to-Drink Offering in Japan, Expanding On-Premise Presence and Offering Convenient Cocktail Option for Fans-
-First Innovation Collaboration Between Beam Suntory’s Japan and United States Teams.-

On Tuesday, July 28, Suntory Spirits Limited will release the Jim Beam Citrus Highball Grapefruit, a 350ml ready-to-drink highball cocktail.

Since last year, Suntory Spirits has been actively promoting the “citrus highball” drinking style, which entails squeezing juice from fresh citrus fruits into a Jim Beam highball. Recently, Jim Beam Citrus Highballs have risen in popularity at bars and restaurants.

With our latest innovation release, we hope to allow fans to enjoy the Jim Beam Citrus Highball while at home. We also look forward to introducing new consumers to this contemporary take on a classic, refreshing cocktail.

●Product Characteristics

The delicious flavor of the Jim Beam Citrus Highball comes from the strong-bodied aroma and mild flavor of the high quality Jim Beam Brand. This refreshing product seeks to add the distinctive delicious fragrance of grapefruit to Jim Beam. The spirit used to this product is Suntory’s first attempt at combining three different types of grapefruits spirits and recreates the flavor of “squeezing fresh grapefruit”.

●Package Characteristics

The iconic logo of the Jim Beam brand that has been known around the world for decades is set against its classic white background with a shiny design that accentuates the “refreshing” highball flavor and premium cool cues of Jim Beam. A juicy grapefruit image is also depicted in the center to convey the refreshing taste.

Scottish Field Whisky Challenge

We are delighted to be nominated in the category of Distillery Visitor Experience in this years Scottish Field Whisky Challenge.  Find out more about the awards and vote for us here

Whisky of the Month

Personalise a bottle of The Famous Grouse and receive a free tasting glass. The ideal gift for birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. Buy your bottle here

Certificate of Excellence

The Distillery has been awarded a 2015 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. The award is given only to establishments that consistently achieve great reviews. Read more here

Malt of the Month – Bruichladdich Scottish Barley

The Whisky Exchange’s Malt of the Month for June is Bruichladdich Scottish Barley (also known as The Classic Laddie but different to Laddie Classic) – we’re offering £4 off for the whole of the month.

Sitting on the western shore of Loch Indaal on the island of Islay, Bruichladdich distillery was established in 1881, and having endured some troubled times, was reopened and revitalised by independent bottler Murray McDavid in 2000. Current owners Rémy Cointreau took control in 2012 and today the distillery produces three single malts: super-heavily peated Octomore, smoky Port Charlotte and Bruichladdich itself, which unusually for Islay whisky, is unpeated. The Classic Laddie is made with barley grown in the north-east of Scotland, and is aged in a combination of American and European oak. It is the distillery’s signature bottling – an elegant and floral expression of the house style.

Bruichladdich Scottish Barley (The Classic Laddie), 50%

Nose: A hint of sea spray, but rich and plush, with punchy fruit, sweet malt and floral aromas.

Palate: Enticing mix of creaminess and salinity with peaches and cinnamon – rich and refreshing.

Finish: Medium in length, with nice balance between the sprightly fruit and tangy sea-spray elements.

Comment: This is a great everyday Islay whisky. The balance between fruit and salinity is exceptional, with a delightful creamy texture all the way through.

Bruichladdich Scottish Barley (The Classic Laddie) is an easy-drinking whisky that’s perfect as we head into summer months. It is available to buy at just £37.75 on The Whisky Exchange website.