Sale extended – Sunday 10th January!
To receive your discount, enter code AW10-2015 at checkout.
Slàinte Mhaith
Our mailing address is:
Abbey Whisky Ltd
Registered Office
Dollar, FK14 7AS
United Kingdom
Happy New Year from Whisky Enquiries.
Some Industry Facts
· The Industry earns £125 every second by exporting Whisky.
· 99 million cases were exported Worldwide in 2014. If we laid these bottles end to end they would stretch for about 30,000kms or the distance from Edinburgh to New York six times over.
· More than 10,000 people are directly employed in the Whisky Industry.
· Over 40,000 jobs in the UK are supported by the industry.
· Some 20 million casks are maturing in warehouses throughout Scotland.
· Scotch Whisky sells three times better than its nearest rival Whisky.
· More Scotch is sold in France in one month than Cognac in a year.
· Aberdeen University was the first in the UK to establish regular Medical Teaching in 1494, the same year as the earliest written reference to Whisky in Scotland.
· Andrew Usher was credited with producing the first Blended Whisky in 1853.
· The construction of the Usher Hall in Edinburgh was funded by Andrew Usher, he donated £100,000 to the city specifically to fund a new concert hall.
#WhiskyEnquiries
Contact Michel Hanratty of Whisky Inquires whiskyenquiries@hotmail.co.uk
AUCTION CLOSES TONIGHT FROM 7.30PM
This is just a reminder to let you know that whisky.auction’s December auction closes tonight from 7.30pm GMT, so you only have a few hours to make your final bids. There are still some great bottles to be had, including two bottlings of Johnnie Walker Directors Blend, as well as impressive whiskies from Karuizawa, Ardbeg, Port Ellen, Macallan, Highland Park, Caol Ila and Bruichladdich. If a bid is placed within the last three minutes of the scheduled finish time, the lot will be extended for a further three minutes, allowing you to place a further bid if you wish.
These are the closing times for each category – a great way of simplifying placing your final bids:
• 7.30pm – Books, jugs, memorabilia and miniatures
• 7.50pm – Japanese
• 8.00pm – Islands
• 8.10pm – Lowland
• 8.20pm – Highland
• 8.30pm – Speyside
• 8.40pm – Campbeltown
• 8.50pm – Islay
Our next auction will start on Sunday 31 January – if you have bottles to sell, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Get bidding, and good luck!
The Whisky Auction team.
Earlier this year (2015) William Grant & Sons partnered with Rugby World Cup 2015 as Official Spirits & Champagne Tournament Provider. The tournament has been hailed the most successful Rugby World Cup to date, with 2.47m consumers attending 48 matches, across 13 national venues and a record 120million viewers tuning in to watch the final match.
Through William Grant & Sons global partnership with Rugby World Cup 2015 we reached over 140m adults via our integrated campaigns. In the UK, our #RaiseEmUp2015 campaign offered fans the chance to win tickets and exclusive merchandise to matches. Around the world we have seen a William Grant & Sons ‘airport takeover’ at Auckland International, a Tullamore D.E.W. Facebook campaign in the USA as well as Grant’s and Glenfiddich activations in Australia and South Africa – all giving fans the once in a lifetime chance to win tickets to the final.
Gary Keogh, Marketing Director, William Grant & Sons UK said: “We have been honoured to be at the heart of the action, celebrating the great sportsmanship that has been on show. We hope that all our activations, offered fans something special and added to their experience throughout a great Tournament.”
Well-aged whisky with Balblair, Old Pulteney and AnCnoc
For our final tasting of 2015, we welcomed Inver House Distillers to showcase some of their whiskies, focusing on an aspect of whisky that most companies are not talking about much these days: long ageing.
Lukasz, looking dapper for his final tasting of the year
With whisky’s popularity at an all-time high and the spirit taking years to mature, it’s understandable that we’re seeing younger whiskies appearing on the market. Nice as younger drams can be, there’s something special about whisky that’s spent years in a cask.
We were joined by Lukasz Dynowiak, Inver House brand ambassador, to walk us through well-aged drams from three different distilleries: Knockdhu, Old Pulteney and Balblair.
We started at Knockdhu, on the east edge of Speyside – a Highland distillery by mere yards. Its whisky goes by the name of AnCnoc, to avoid confusion with nearby Knockando – Knockdhu means ‘black hill’ in Gaelic, but the hill that gives the distillery its name is the biggest in the area, so the locals just call it ‘the hill’, an cnoc. The distillery’s range starts with 12- and 16-year-old whiskies, we jumped in straight in at the top, and tried the 18- and 22-year-old drams.
The 18 Year Old is very much a traditional AnCnoc, with honey, spice and citrus, as well as hints of tropical fruit, whereas, the 22 Year Old adds in a few extra years and some more sherry-cask-matured whisky to create something weightier:
Nose: Sweet and waxy with fresh and dried orange peel, floral notes and Love Heart candy sweetness. After that there’s crunchy caramel, lemon sherbert and sweet orange juice.
Palate: Soft and floral, with sharp citrus – candied lemon, orange peel and honeysuckle. There’s some aniseed ball heat, a hint of mint and underlying dried-fruit sweetness – mixed peel, raisins and sultanas.
Finish: Butter and spice, fading to grassy meadows and herbal lozenges.
Comment: An excellent balance of sherry- and bourbon-cask maturation, with the distillery’s character enhanced rather than hidden by the casks.
We then headed up to Wick in the far north of Scotland, to try some Old Pulteney. The whisky is referred to as ‘The Maritime Malt’ in Inver House’s portfolio for two reasons:
While there’s no actual salt in the whisky, Old Pulteney definitely has a tang of the sea to it – breaking waves, seashores and a touch of brine.
The distillery’s core range consists of three whiskies, and while the 12-year-old is one that I usually have in my whisky cabinet, we focused on the other two. Ever since the 21 Year Old picked up Jim Murray’s top award in the Whisky Bible 2012, it’s become a worthy best seller, but while it is a great dram, it’s the 17 Year Old that I keep returning to:
Nose: Leather and dried lemon peel, with butterscotch, fruity pears, white pepper spiciness, salty touches and a hint of damp rope.
Palate: Floral and sweet, with some cinnamon heat and lashings of fruit – apples, pears, fleshy mango and a bit of banana. Spice builds, backed up by white chocolate and salted almonds.
Finish: Salted caramel, white pepper and brine, finishing with shortbread and aniseed.
Comment: A careful combination of the 12 Year Old’s seaside brashness and the elegance of the 21.
To finish, we returned south, to Balblair. The distillery bottles its whiskies with vintages rather than age statements, and they regularly produce new versions as they sell out – each new vintage will be similar to the one it replaces, but they are all slightly different.
We tried Balblair 1990 and 1983, very contrasting drams – the 1990 is finished in sherry casks, while the 1983 was matured exclusively in ex-bourbon casks. Both are great whiskies, but the 1983 was the one for me – very good spirit, well aged in a cask that doesn’t overwhelm the distillery’s character:
Nose: Toasted bananas, peach syrup and pine needles with a background of creaminess – vanilla cream and creamed coconut. Ground almonds and tropical touches – papaya and dried mango – are joined by waxy polish and a zing of lemon zest.
Palate: ‘Caramel sauce poured over peaches and pears’, my notes say. Behind that are notes of milk and dark chocolate, woody spice, orange and grapefruit zest, and a touch of pith. Sweet spice builds: nutmeg, cinnamon and fragrant cardamom.
Finish: Syrupy to start, turning leafy and minty before hitting a rich and earthy end.
Comment: Stacks of fruit, all balanced by nuts, spice and a bit of creaminess. My favourite style of dram and easily my pick of the night.
We then had one more whisky, chosen to mark three events that called for a special final dram: the last drink of the night, the end of Lukasz’s last tasting of the year, and the final tasting to be held at Vinopolis – both our shop and the neighbouring wine experience have now closed. Don’t worry, as we have opened a new shop near Covent Garden and it won’t be long before we’re back in the London Bridge area.
Our last dram was Balblair 1969, a suitable final whisky – old and elegant. While whisky isn’t all about long ageing, when it’s done right, it can produce something incredible.
If you want to know more about Inver House’s distilleries, I visited them a few years back – find more here: Balblair, Pulteney, Speyburn and Knockdhu.
If you’re looking for a lavish experience in the new year, Mahesh Patel has just the thing.
The whisky connoisseur — known for his whisky collection — wants to take you on a $2.5-million whisky experience in Scotland.
This week Joe Ellis starts 2016 with a whisky review of The Glen Garioch Renaissance 15 Year Old.
Whisky Dinner Tuesday, January 19th @ 7pm
How exciting is this ! ? !
We’re hosting our first Bruichladdich Whisky Dinner on Tuesday January 19th!
Established in 1881 Bruichladdich is situated on Lochindaal across from the village of Bowmore on my favourite Scottish Island; Islay. Reed Pettit is Canada’s Bruichladdich Brand Ambassador and he will be on hand to guide you through the 5 whiskies and the history of this great distillery. We’re not gonna tell you what we’re pouring but we’ll give you a hint: we’re starting with The Classic Laddie at 50% and moving along from there and they just keep getting bigger and bolder until . . . which is the finale. So grab one of our limited tickets and join us on Tuesday January 19th for another Whisky Pairing Dinner here at The Kitchen, our very talented kitchen team will once again be pairing 5 of these stunners with 5 incredible dishes.
As always there are only 25 tickets available and I can assure you they sell out fast.
Be sure to plan for a safe ride home!
The cost for this event is only $80 including GST and gratuity and is open to only 25 people! click here to register
Fort Knox, Ky. – (Whisky Intelligence is playing catch up!) December 14, 2015 – Jim Beam® Bourbon, the world’s No. 1 bourbon, proudly salutes military men and women with a $100,000 donation to Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. The donation, which was presented last weekend by seventh generation Jim Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe in support of Operation Homefront’s Holiday Meals for Military program, underscores Jim Beam’s ongoing commitment to America’s service men and women.
“At Jim Beam, we’re honored to support our military heroes and call them part of our family,” said Noe. “As America’s native spirit, Bourbon is engrained in the history of our great country. We proudly salute those who defend our freedom each and every day.”
The Holiday Meals for Military program began at Thanksgiving in 2009 following a chance encounter in a supermarket in Utica, N.Y., near Fort Drum. A soldier, his wife and infant had a handful of grocery items they could not afford, so a Jim Beam employee picked up the $12 cost. The first Holiday Meals for Military Families event was held weeks later, providing 500 meal kits to military families, and the program has since expanded to 8,500 meals kits on 25 bases this holiday season and will include items such as pumpkin pie mix, stuffing and cut green beans. In addition to Ft. Knox, participating bases include Fort Campbell, Fort Bragg, Fort Hood and Illinois’ Scott Air Force Base among others.
“Our military members work tirelessly to protect the freedoms we enjoy daily in an increasingly complex world,” said Brig Gen (ret) John I. Pray, Jr., president & CEO of Operation Homefront. “Thanks to the active support of Jim Beam and other incredibly supportive sponsors, we have been able to greatly extend the reach of our holiday meal program and make the holiday season brighter for our military families.”
Jim Beam has donated more than $2.5 million to Operation Homefront through a variety of charitable programming efforts since 2008, including partnership on this year’s Holiday Meals program and hosting a local fundraising dinner at the company’s flagship distillery in Clermont, Ky., this fall. The company is also proud to employ numerous veterans and active military personnel.
About Beam Suntory Inc.
As the world’s third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits Brands that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands and Suntory whisky Kakubin, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek bourbon, Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Pinnacle vodka, and Midori liqueur.
Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and commitment to Growing for Good. Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.
About Operation Homefront
A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 2,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity watchdog groups, nationally, 92 percent of Operation Homefront’s expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.
JANUARY OUTTURN PREVIEWS
HAPPY NEW YEAR! We’re celebrating by offering an early release from January’s Outturn. Early birds can grab the first few preview bottles before the main release on Fri 8 Jan. Only a small number are available online now, or at our three Members’ Room (ask at the bar for more details).
January Previews: Limited release
77.40 New carpet in a sweetie shop
Our first impressions of the nose were floral, grassy, fresh, bright and perfumed (including lemongrass and hessian) – quickly followed by fruit (pineapple chunks, lemon), sweet vanilla, custard creams, Turkish Delight and rainbow drops.
Age: 12 years
Flavour: Young & spritely
Cask: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
Price: £50.20
48.69 Folly from France
The nose neat had an enticing combination of lemon sweetness; syrup and lemon sponge pudding, lemon icing, lemon sorbet, lemon sherbet. One Panel member was also reminded of his childhood favourite French boiled sweets called ‘Bêtises de Cambrai’.
Age: 13 years
Flavour: Juicy, oak & vanilla
Cask: First-fill ex-bourbon barrel
Price: £51.60
3.255Genie in a bottle
This was like a genie in a glass, from clean perfumed smoke and a well-used wooden pipe rack to sun scorched hay and heather, moving on to stem and crystallised ginger and finishing with seared scallops.
Age: 21 years
Flavour: Peated
Cask: Refill ex-sherry butt
Price: £107.20
Only 15 preview bottles
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ
Contact:mailto:sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm).
Visit the Society 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
