STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM SCHEME FOCUSED ON TACKLING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE CAPITAL

2016 London Diageo Learning for Life hospitality and bartending students graduate following a six week training course

Young unemployed Londoners complete bartending qualification

15^th April 2016, London: Last night the 2016 cohort of students from the London Learning for Life Hospitality and Bartending Course celebrated the completion of the course with a graduation ceremony at Diageo’s Global HQ in Park Royal, London. The scheme aims to help those from disadvantaged backgrounds who are struggling to find a job find their way back into the jobs market.

The young people were joined by friends and family, charity training partner Springboard, placement providers and Diageo staff to celebrate their achievement.

Over the last six weeks the students have taken part in the course which has already transformed the lives of over 100,000 people in 35 countries worldwide. The course prepared the young people for work in the hospitality industry with a mix of technical and vocational qualifications, industry visits and soft skills development (for example CV writing and confidence building). This was followed by a two week work placement in a London pub or bar, organised by Springboard through their business partners, and then a guaranteed interview with a local employer.

The Diageo Learning for Life programme is delivered in partnership with the Springboard Charity. Springboard helps young people achieve their potential, nurtures unemployed individuals into work and helps alleviate poverty by supporting people into sustainable employment in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industry.

At the graduation ceremony, students talked about their experiences of the course, as well as their aspirations for the future. Graduates include:

Baljinder Jagdev, 28, Ealing

Juggling job hunting with being a full time mum is no mean feat and Baljinder has had to tackle both since leaving her last job as a recruiter. Despite an impressive CV and a degree in law, she had struggled to get back on the career ladder.

Although Bal had never considered working in the drinks industry, she came into the programme with an open mind. The fact she could gain six new qualifications was a big part of the programme’s appeal to her.

Thanks to the skills she has gained from Learning for Life, Bal plans to follow her dream and set up her own bar with her business partner. She’s already been accepted onto the Prince’s Trust enterprise programme to begin setting up her own company over the course of the next year.

Bal is due to finish her placement with Gather & Gather, a catering services at BBC Studios.

Bal said: “Learning for Life has helped me to turn my life around. The process of signing-on was a hugely disheartening experience, especially when you’re used to having your own money and freedom. One of the best things about doing the Diageo programme is that it has restored my sense of purpose. You’re thrown into an intense learning environment from day one and surrounded by enthusiastic people, so you can’t help but look forward to going to work.

“The programme has helped me develop into a calmer and humbler person. Now I want to use my positive experience to help others improve their lives.”

Shane Quest, 23, Hammersmith

Shane lives on his own and although he has worked previously as a cashier, he longs to find a more inspiring job. Despite being highly motivated, Shane’s dyslexia has made it difficult to show his full potential when filling out job applications.

Determined to try his hand at something different, with the help of the job centre, Shane put himself forward for the Learning for Life programme.

Shane has shown a real talent when it comes to cocktail making. From understanding how to strike the perfect balance between flavours, sugars and garnishes, to providing top quality customer service, Shane’s ability has shone through.

Having gone into the programme with no prior experience, Shane completes his placement at the London Cocktail Club full of confidence and well equipped to pour the perfect pint and create his own high quality cocktails.

Shane said: “Having spent most of my time in retail, I was ready to have a go at something new and the Diageo programme has allowed me to do that. Not many 23 year olds can say they’ve created their own cocktail.

“Taking part in the programme has been a huge confidence boost. I was surprised to see the level of people, organisation and expertise that goes into running a successful bar and even more surprised that I excelled in that environment.”

Konrad Toney, 18, Shepherd’s Bush

At 18 years old Konrad is one of the youngest of the graduates. With limited work experience, Konrad has found it hard to secure a job. He spent some time in a part time role at Queens Park Rangers FC, but now has his sights on something more challenging.

During the programme he has been overwhelmed by the supportive nature of his peers and found the business side of things fascinating. He has learnt how to make advanced cocktails and understand the ingredients that go into them. He has also improved his CV and developed his experience, making him better positioned to be considered for future roles.

Konrad completed his placement at Babylon bar at Kensington Roof Gardens and is looking into taking up a vocational course in hospitality so he can apply all he’s learnt over the recent months.

Konrad said: “Learning for Life has given me the confidence, skills and experience that I need for the world of work. As a result I’m considering taking what I’ve learnt a step further and applying to do a course in hospitality or business at college.

“The nature of the programme means you’re constantly learning on the job and the networking opportunities help you meet some of the most exciting characters in the industry.”

Andrew Cowan, Country Director of Diageo GB said:

“For many young Londoners, searching for a job can be a daunting prospect. However, exciting opportunities within the hospitality industry are ripe for the taking for any individual with the right talent and drive.

“Now for the second year, I couldn’t be happier that Diageo is playing a role in providing Londoners with the skills and confidence needed to make a success within the vibrant hospitality industry we are so passionate about.

 “From becoming a master cocktail maker to starting their own bar, who knows what these students will go on to achieve!”

Anne Pierce, MBE, Chief Executive Officer of Springboard said:

“Springboard is pleased to partner with the Diageo Learning for Life programme and of our key role in delivering the programme not only in London, but throughout Scotland and also in Runcorn.  Over 600 graduates have participated on 55 courses to date, with 71% going into sustained employment.  The course offers great opportunities to young unemployed people by providing them with key employability skills, on-the-job work experience, industry qualifications and on-going support and mentoring. 90% of graduates say the course increased their self-confidence and motivation to work.

“As a result of Springboard’s support the graduates have developed their hospitality skills and knowledge and can all be extremely proud of their achievements. The skills they have developed will open doors to amazing opportunities with many of the hospitality business partners we work with and it’s great to see the positive transformation in these young adults.’’

NOTES 

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories.  These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Buchanan’s and Windsor whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.  The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO).  For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com/.  Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

About The Springboard Charity

The Springboard Charity helps young, unemployed and disadvantaged people improve their prospects in life through a career in hospitality, leisure and tourism.

Springboard provides a range of opportunities for sustainable employment, or vibrant careers in hospitality, leisure and tourism through;

• Free specialist careers information
• Taster work experience opportunities
• Development programmes to help maximise the chances of obtaining sustainable employment
• Pre-employment and mentoring programmes
• Educational teaching resources, information, support and student activities to teachers in schools and colleges

Springboard equips people with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve their potential.

Springboard also works closely with the industry to help attract more talent and address skills shortages. In doing so, it has the support of over 180 different industry establishments and suppliers.

For more information about Springboard, visit: www.springboard.uk.net/

Reawaken the Spirit of Outlander at The Scotch Whisky Experience

As the second series of Outlander hits TV screens, Edinburgh’s five-star visitor attraction, The Scotch Whisky Experience, has launched a unique package to awaken the spirit of times gone by.

The new Outlander Whisky Tasting has been created in response to interest from visitors from across the world about Scotland’s hidden past, with a focus on the country’s ‘ghost distilleries’.

This exclusive tasting is hosted by a Master of the Quaich in the World’s Largest Collection of Scotch Whisky, which comprises 3,384 bottles and gives a snapshot of the drink’s long and illustrious past.

Julie Trevisan Hunter, Master of the Quaich at The Scotch Whisky Experience, explains: “Some of Scotland’s most famous distilleries have been closed and dismantled over the years, but their spirit and character remain in bottlings which lay unopened, until now. This tasting offers whisky lovers the one-off opportunity to travel back in time and experience some rare and unusual whiskies, which are now part of the drink’s extensive 500-year history.

“Whether as a toast at clan gatherings, or a dram by the fire, Scotch Whisky has maintained its presence in Scotland’s cultural and historic landscape for centuries and its flavour truly captures the spirit of our country. We hope that our new Outlander Whisky Tasting will help awaken the spirit of time gone by and allow our visitors to experience a small slice of the country’s past.”

Whiskies included in the tasting are: The Cally 40 year old; Port Ellen; Brora 35 Year Old; and Ghosted Reserve Blend. The experience is available for between two and twelve guests and is accompanied by an exclusive price tag of £485 per person.

Located at the top of Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile, The Scotch Whisky Experience has been educating visitors about Scotland’s national drink for more than a quarter of a century, with more than 300,000 people passing through its doors each year.

For more information, log-on to www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk or call 0131 220 0441.

ENDS

You can find The Scotch Whisky Experience both on Twitter and Facebook.

APRIL AUCTION LIVE!

Whisky Auctioneer has been a hive of activity these past few weeks, setting up our new premises and overseeing the website redesign but that hasn’t stopped us from putting together another fantastic sale for you! From the oldest to the newest and everything in between April’s Auction has it all. And when we say oldest and newest we really do mean it, take a look at the proof below before heading over to our new look website to see the in between!

MORTLACH 75 YEAR OLD GORDON & MACPHAIL

This incredible Mortlach is the oldest whisky ever bottled having been matured for 75 years in a single first-fill sherry butt. Gordon & MacPhail released only 100 of these as part of their Generations range. Presented in a crystal decanter with accompanying presentation plinth, glasses, book and leather bag, it is simply stunning!

LAPHROAIG 1960 40 YEAR OLD

Laphroaig this age is incredibly rare! Presented with a certificate, this is the first release from Oddbins and by far the more limited of the two with only 300 bottles produced.

DALY’S TULLAMORE 1952 38 YEAR OLD

From the now closed Daly’s distillery this well aged Irish whiskey was bottled by Cadenhead’s at cask strength. Very rarely seen at auction, a fantastic opportunity to diversify your collection!

MARCHESI SPINOLA COLLECTION NO.1

An exclusive Sestante bottling for Antica Casa Marchesi Spinola, this auction features all six superb bottles in the collection including a Port Ellen 1974! With their dashing traditional Scottish tartan kilted labels this really is a collection you want on your shelf!

KARUIZAWA 1964 48 YEAR OLD

An amazing whisky! Extremely rare with only 143 bottles in existence it has been matured for an astounding 48 years. Easy to see why it is one of the most sought after Karuizawa’s ever released! 

ARDBEG DARK COVE

A new committee release for 2016, inspired by the history of illicit distilling on Islay. New release Ardbeg always prove popular, with its ‘dark’ sherry cask finish this bottle is sure to cement this!

There is no registration fee, our commission structure is very competitive and we offer worldwide shipping. For our terms and conditions please click here.

Happy Bidding!

SPEYSIDE COLLECTION

We will be in the Speyside area on Friday 29^th April. If you would like to take advantage of our very low 5% sellers commission and have bottles that you would like us to collect to be entered in our May Auction please get in touch –

01738 245576 or info@whiskyauctioneer.com

With close to 20 years of experience in the whisky industry, Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable. Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, we aim to be the most comprehensive website for the buying and selling of whisky online.

http://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/

MONDAY 9 MAY  AT 7.30PM
£35 PER TICKET

Tickets on sale  27 April at 3pm
BOOK YOUR TICKET »

WITH IAN CHANG, MASTER DISTILLER

Join us for an evening of whisky from one of the most exciting new producers in the world – Kavalan from Taiwan. We will be joined by master distiller Ian Chang, who will talk us through the whiskies and explain how they are made.

Kavalan doesn’t do anything by halves, as its huge distillery in Yilan, northern Taiwan, will attest. Built next to a natural spring, already used by parent company King Car as a source for its mineral water, it has been operational since 2005, and its first whisky hit the market in late 2008. After years of waiting, it burst on to the international market in 2011, and has been winning awards for its excellent whiskies ever since.

Our host for the evening will be Ian Chang. A graduate of Reading University, Ian joined Kavalan in 2005 and helped start production. Since then he has developed the Kavalan range of whiskies and acts as global brand ambassador, travelling around the world to teach whisky fans about the distillery.

We will be trying six whiskies from the Kavalan range, including the World Whiskies Awards World’s Best Single Malt Whisky 2015: Solist Vinho Barrique.

Kavalan Classic
Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish
Kavalan King Car Conductor
Kavalan Solist Bourbon
Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask
Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique

The tasting will take place on Monday 9 May at 7.30pm

£35 per ticket

BOOK YOUR TICKET »

Tickets on sale Wednesday 27 April at 3pm

THE JUDGE’S COURT, BROWNS, 82-84 ST MARTIN’S LANE LONDON WC2N 4AG

 Please arrive at the venue from 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start

APRIL auction is now LIVE!

Our latest auction is now live and will end on Tuesday 3 May. This month we have some of the rarest Japanese whiskies from closed distilleries Karuizawa and Hanyu.  You’ll find some terrific bourbon and old blended Scotch, as well as some miniatures like Springbank 1952, too. Good luck with your bids! 

• Ardbeg 1975 Cask 4699 (limited to 121 bottles)
• Bowmore 1955 40 Years Old
• Bruichladdich 1970 – 125th Anniversary 
• Glendronach 1968 25 Years Old
• Karuizawa 1981 Sakura (limited to 45 bottles)
• Hanyu 1986 Two of Hearts
• Longrow 1973 ‘The Birds’ Moon Import
• Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Years Old – Lawrenceburg
• Yamazaki 1996 10th Anniversary Whisky Live Japan

You can bid in two ways: either increase the highest bid by a fixed amount, or place your maximum bid straightaway – ideal if you can’t be online on the last day of our auction. Be the first to bid!

APRIL & EARLY MAY TASTINGS

The Vaults Extras Tasting – The Vaults, Thu 28 Apr  More >

May Outturn Preview Tasting – The Vaults, Thu 5 May  More >

Pacari Chocolate Tasting – 28 Queen Street, Fri 6 May More >

Chivas Brothers Tasting with Ian Logan – The Vaults, Mon 9 May  More >

FREE EVENTS AT THE VAULTS

Free Live music with Jack of Diamonds – Tue 26 Apr  More >

Island & Campbeltown Lovers Night – Tue 17 May  More >

Browse All Events & 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

This week Joe Ellis reviews the Hakushu 18 Year Old Japanese Single Malt.

https://youtu.be/TdTWBRm1DJY

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

Meeting of two spirited souls – Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival brings together giants of the whisky industry

What do you get when you take the master distiller behind the world’s best-selling single malt, one of the whisky industry’s most respected writers, a collection of drams drawn from casks laid down over 40 years ago, and a room full of people passionate about our national drink?

No one actually knows. But that’s the real beauty behind one of the most eagerly anticipated talk and taste events on the bill of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival later this month.

A meeting of two great whisky minds will take place when Alan Winchester, master distiller of The Glenlivet, and whisky expert Dave Broom team up to share their favourite drams from the iconic distillery.

Dave explains, “Every whisky has its own story and we’ve had great fun choosing the whisky that we will taste and share at this event. But in terms of planning, that’s as far as it goes.

“Anything could – and probably will – happen. You can do a tasting in a very formulised way, where you reach a conclusion in a slow and steady fashion, and that’s a very valid approach to some tastings.

“But for one such as this we didn’t want to over-prepare for fear that we might lose a degree of spontaneity. We want there to be unpredictable elements, and for the whisky to dictate how we get from point A to point B.”

During the tasting on April 30, audience members will be able to sample drams from casks laid down as long ago as 1959: a time long before Alan – who has been in the industry for over 40 years – had started on his career.

The sorcerer, who conjures up truly magical drams with the basic ingredients of barley, water and malt, was once an apprentice who started out at the age of 16 as a summer tour guide at Glenfarclas.

Within a just matter of weeks he knew whisky was the industry he wanted to work in. He was taken on as a distillery trainee at the end of his first season as a guide, and has worked with the amber nectar ever since.

Over the years he has been involved in every aspect of the trade mastering the complex skills needed to work as a mashman, brewer and stillman – and always bringing enthusiasm to every job he has tackled along the way.

Until his appointment as master distiller of The Glenlivet four years ago, Alan has worked at many distilleries during his long career, almost all on Speyside – an area recognised all over the world as a byword for the only the finest Scotch malt whisky.

He’s been a staunch supporter of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, right back to the early days in the 1990s when it was little more than an idea on paper. The Festival, which takes place from April 28 to May 2, is now in its 17^th year and comprises almost 500 events.

“The Festival has really worked to raise the profile of Scotch whisky over the years. People can come to the area and see that whisky plays a very important role in communities – and to meet the folk who actually make it on their own doorstep is an added bonus,” says Alan.

“I’ve done a lot of different events with Dave over the years – on top of mountains and on the edge of lochs – so this will be something a bit more laid back than what we are used to and we’re looking forward to sharing the different cask styles.

“I really enjoy taking part in events like this because it means I get to meet with and talk to whisky drinkers – the people who go out and buy The Glenlivet.

“I’ll be sharing stories from my own career, but also about the history and heritage of distilling and how we have seen this fantastic evolution over the past 50 years that has led to an increased variety within each distillery’s range.

“We’re delighted to be able to share with the audience drams from every decade since the 1950s.”

Alan takes his role as master distiller seriously: he knows the buck stops with him and he is personally responsible for every single centilitre of product – potentially some 10.5m litres of alcohol a year – that runs through The Glenlivet’s stills.

And it’s quite a responsibility. The Glenlivet, founded in 1824 by George Smith, is regarded as the dram that started it all as the first legal distillery in the parish. Others soon followed suit, and now the industry is worth billions to the UK economy.

Guests at The Glenlivet Over the Decades will be able to learn why its drams are regarded as the best in the world, in addition to being the biggest selling with over one million cases enjoyed in 2015.

However, more than that, the relaxed chat and storytelling from two of the most charismatic figures in the whisky industry will be just as enjoyable as the drams.

Dave also has a long history in the whisky industry, spanning back to a time when, as a student, he worked on the Black & White bottling line. He’s worked behind bars, on the counter in spirit shops and even an Australian vineyard.

He’s written no less than 12 books on whisky, penned innumerable columns for a host of international publications and regularly hosts tasting events.

Dave is also the man behind scotchwhisky.com – a website launched last year that has quickly become a bible to the trade and a fantastic source of education and entertainment to whisky lovers around the globe.

“I never turn down an opportunity to do an event with Alan because the man knows a ridiculous amount of things about whisky. I’m there because I’m regarded as the expert, but the reality is that I will be learning just as much as everyone else in the room,” says Dave.

“Alan never ceases to amaze me with his stories, which are as enlightening as they are entertaining. I think events like this are proof, to me at least, that you can never actually stop learning when it comes to whisky.

“They are also what makes the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival so great. It is an amazing experience for visitors to meet people like Alan who are so passionate and proud of what they do – it’s literally an opportunity to learn from the master.

“Speyside is a large and diverse area and in the very early years of the Festival only a handful of distilleries were participating. Now the Festival is covering a much wider area and it’s heartening to see that it’s no longer just people going around a distillery and tasting whisky at the end of a tour.

“The Festival is now showing that Speyside is a living and working landscape and that the whisky is very much a part of people’s lives rather than just a product.”

As one of the world’s biggest festivals celebrating of Scotland’s national drink, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival features a packed programme of almost 500 events, with music, crafts, and food themes running alongside a wide range of distillery tours and tastings.

Tickets for all events in the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme, including The Glenlivet Over the Decades, are available to buy now at www.spiritofspeyside.com/. The Festival is also active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and on Instagram.

Picture caption:

Dave Broom (left) and Alan Winchester will come together in a meeting of great whisky minds for The Glenlivet Over the Decades at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

Notes

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is committed to promoting responsible drinking. Visitors travelling to and from festival events can take advantage of a range of transport options. Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has received funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise and is also financially supported by many other private and public partners.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund Programme 2014 to 2020. The Scottish Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme.

Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design

2016 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-ranging, variety of new and existing activity.

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design will run from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 and will build on the momentum generated by the 2015 Year of Food and Drink as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.

Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will showcase Scotland’s position as an “innovation nation”, its outstanding built heritage, and its thriving, internationally acclaimed fashion, textiles and design sector.

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, supported by partners including Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Architecture + Design Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate

Whisky Month 2016

• May is Whisky Month in Scotland, inviting visitors and locals to sample Scotland’s national drink and explore the subtle blend of stories and provenance behind our vast array of marvellous malts.
• In 2016, Whisky Month will also celebrate the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, turning the spotlight on other related areas, such as the famous feats of engineering and innovation in today’s whisky industry as well as the distinct architecture of many of Scotland’s wonderful distilleries.
• To encourage even more visitors to sample Scotland’s whisky a series of eBooks are available. Each book focuses on one of the country’s five distinctive whisky-producing regions in Scotland – Campbeltown, Islay, Speyside, Lowland and Highland. VisitScotland’s The Land of Whisky guides can be downloaded at visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/distilleries
• Find out more and search for events, recipes and trails at visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/whisky-month and join the conversation using #WhiskyMonth

WHAT’S THE COST OF SURFING THE INTERNET? ‘EARTH MODE’ BROWSER PLUG-IN HELPS USERS UNDERSTAND THEIR IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Johnnie Walker® partners with Earth Day Network to plant trees to offset users’ carbon footprint

19 April 2016: You might not realise it but the amount of time you spend and what you do online takes its toll on the environment.

Research* suggests that the average online user consumes 130 kgs of carbon a year – the equivalent to driving 740 km in a car –  which could be offset by planting four trees.

A new plug-in for Google’s Chrome browser launched ahead of Earth Day on Friday (22 April) will help educate people about how much energy they consume online by calculating their digital carbon footprint and, as a result, inspire them to think about their everyday energy efficiency.

The new Chrome plug-in comes from Johnnie Walker®, makers of the world’s best-selling Scotch whisky, who are partnering with Earth Day Network to urge people to take a small but progressive step towards helping the environment.

Earth Day Network is a global movement that aims to inspire, challenge ideas, ignite passion, and motivate people to take action on environmental issues.

By measuring online usage over four weeks, the plug-in calculates the user’s annual consumption of energy.  To offset it, Johnnie Walker will plant up to 75,000 trees as part of Earth Day Network’s Canopy Project, which has planted more than three million trees since 2011 in areas in need of reforestation, such as in East Africa.

Michael Thornton, Chief Executive of Carbon Analytics, which helps businesses manage their environmental impact, has worked with Johnnie Walker on the development of Earth Mode and says it is sometimes difficult for people to understand how using the internet creates a carbon footprint.

He said: “Each time that you use a website or search the internet it requires a lot of energy to provide the data.  Cumulatively across the world, this creates a large carbon footprint. The Earth Mode plug-in is an easy-to-use calculator that is a helpful tool for understanding that footprint.  Individuals will be able to see their carbon usage displayed as the equivalent of everyday activities such as using a microwave, driving a car or taking a flight.”

Guy Escolme, Johnnie Walker global brand director, said: “We believe that everyone wants their tomorrow to be better than today and Earth Mode gives people the opportunity to make a positive impact on the environment.  It is just one environmentally-friendly act but we hope it will educate and inspire users around the world to take other small actions to help Earth Day achieve its goal of reaching three billion ‘Acts of Green’.

“Johnnie Walker is proud that our parent company Diageo has reduced its carbon emissions by 33% over eight years and one of the ways they have done that is to make its 35,000 employees across the world aware of the energy they use every day. Diageo aims to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2020.”

Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network said: “Carbon footprints seem like a foreign concept to far too many of us, perhaps especially those of us in urban environments or not living along a coastline. But we should all be aware of what our energy needs and consumption are doing to our shared global environment.”

“The more readily-available the information on our carbon footprint becomes, the more in contact with it in real-time we are, the more of an impact it will have. No more out-of-sight-out-of-mind. Now, like tracking the battery life on our cell phones, we will know what our computer usage is costing. And it will be eye-opening.”

The Johnnie Walker Earth Mode plug-in is available from the Chrome Store for PC and Mac users. Once installed, users click on the Johnnie Walker ‘Striding Man’ icon to reveal a drop-down window that displays real-time online energy usage, and shows how many trees will be planted to offset their annual carbon footprint.

To download the plug-in, click here

For more information on using the plug-in visit: https://youtu.be/9f3Da6WJuKI

www.facebook.com/JohnnieWalker

@Johnniewalker_

#earthmode #billionactsofgreen 

Enjoy Johnnie Walker responsibly.

Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. 

Image captions: 

IMAGE: EARTH MODE is a new plug-in from Johnnie Walker® for Earth Day 

Notes

*Research conducted by Carbon Analytics concludes that an average internet user consumes 130kgs of carbon a year. Using sources provided by Earth Day Network, we estimated that the average tree consumes 34kgs of carbon a year, therefore requiring the planting of four trees per person to offset their annual online carbon consumption average of 130kg. 

About Johnnie Walker

Johnnie Walker is the world’s number one Scotch whisky brand, enjoyed by people in over 180 countries around the world. Since the time of its founder, John Walker, those who blend its whiskies have pursued flavour and quality above else.

Six generations of skilled Master Blenders have pioneered and crafted bold new flavours that have transformed a small Scottish grocery store business, founded in 1820, into an international whisky business selling stylish, authentic, and iconic blends.

Today’s range of award-winning whiskies includes Johnnie Walker Red Label®, Black Label®, Double Black™, Green Label™, Gold Label Reserve™, Platinum Label™ and Blue Label™. Together they account for nearly 19 million cases sold annually (IWSR, 2014), making Johnnie Walker the most popular Scotch whisky in the world.

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s and Windsor whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

The Johnnie Walker, Keep Walking, Red Label, Black Label, Double Black, Green Label, Gold Label Reserve, Platinum Label and Blue Label words and associated logos are trademarks © John Walker & Sons 2016.

About Earth Day Network:

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network (EDN) works with tens of thousands of partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. More than one billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. For more information, visit www.earthday.org.

About Earth Mode:

Earth Mode is a new plug-in for Google’s Chrome browser which is available to PC and laptop users only. It is available for download from Monday 18 April – 16 May 2016.  

Earth Mode Calculation Approach:

Carbon Analytics arrived at an algorithm for converting online energy usage into carbon by taking a cross section of measurable variances into consideration: country power mix, browsing device, local network use and data throughput.

First they estimated the energy impact of a users’ activity by:

• User device and network time of use
• Data usage and processing throughput

Then they took the overall energy used and looked at the location of the user to calculate their carbon footprint.  Location is one of the key factors because where you live affects how much energy is required to provide the online data.

So essentially the formula is based on:

• Energy impact = time of use + data throughput
• Carbon footprint = energy x location factors

About Michael Thornton:

Michael Thornton is Founder and CEO of Carbon Analytics, an award-winning London based environmental impact assessment firm whose mission is to bring environmental impact data quickly, affordably and accurately to the world’s businesses. Carbon Analytics is committed to removing the barriers to environmental management, and to guide as many companies as possible on their journey to building great, sustainable businesses.

Get baking with the Great Whisky Cake Off at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

The popularity of the Great British Bake Off has taken the UK by storm, inspiring an entirely new generation to get in the kitchen and create their own edible masterpieces. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival allows visitors to channel their inner Mary Berry by baking a cake which contains Speyside’s most famous export – a few dashes of single malt whisky.

Entrants to Grantown’s Whisky Cake Off are being asked to don their aprons and produce delicious baked treats which feature the amber nectar as an ingredient. The event takes place at the Grantown YMCA Community Centre on Sunday May 1, and non-bakers have the opportunity to judge the selection of homebakes on offer.

Festival manager Pery Zakeri feels that the variety of foodie events available during the Festival will help broaden people’s perceptions when it comes to serving whisky with culinary treats.

She says, “Grantown’s Whisky Cake Off is a really fun way to experiment with whisky, as it allows you to understand which ingredients and flavours complement certain single malts.

“We’re very proud of the wide range of food-related events available throughout the Festival, as each one is so different and will appeal to a large variety of people.

“You would never normally associate whisky with baking, but that is the beauty of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival – it allows people to see the full potential of single malts and the huge selection of food you can enjoy them with.

“Speyside single malts are so diverse, meaning that anyone can enjoy a good dram if they find the right one for them. Due to the abundance of different flavours and notes available our beloved drink can be paired with a whole host of different food.”

The Whisky Cake Off is one of many unusual events, as foodies are treated to an abundance of food-related activities throughout the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, which takes place from April 28 to May 2 in Scotland’s most prolific whisky producing region.

In what can be described as the perfect pairing between Scotland’s national drink and a much-loved sweet treat, the Balvenie Street Ice Cream Shop in Dufftown is offering tastings of its five different whisky ice creams, which are created especially for the Festival. The tastings could be considered as an ideal introduction to the water of life – especially if visitors are attending the Festival with someone who has never tried whisky before. Those wishing to take part in the tastings don’t need to worry about booking a slot, as the ice creams are available throughout the Festival for £3.

The picturesque Gordon Castle, situated near Fochabers is offering another event which will certainly appeal to those with a sweet tooth; traditional afternoon tea in their Walled Garden restaurant comes with a variety of scones, cakes and sandwiches alongside whisky truffles and a bottle of their handcrafted whisky cask cider. Afternoon tea takes place from 3-5pm on May 1.

For those looking to try something a bit more savoury, Gordon & MacPhail is hosting a whisky and cheese tasting on April 29. The maturation of cheese to develop flavour is very similar to the aging process of whisky, meaning that that the two go together extremely well. This event allows whisky fans to pair their drams with a variety of different cheeses in order to create the perfect match. The tasting is on Friday April 29 from 10am – 12pm, at Gordon & MacPhail’s retail shop in Elgin.

But there are dozens of other whisky and food events on the Festival programme, which includes almost 500 different activities. There’s the chance to watch legendary food and whisky writer Martine Nouet at work in cookery demonstrations, whisky lunches and dinners at restaurants, hotels and community halls across the Speyside region, and sample a wide range of whisky flavoured foods at Aberlour delicatessen The Spey Larder. Strathisla Distillery will also be hosting a Desert Island Drams event where whisky writers match their favourite dram with six sweet and savoury tapas style dishes.

As one of the world’s biggest festivals celebrating of Scotland’s national drink, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival features a packed programme of almost 500 events, with music, crafts, and food themes running alongside a wide range of distillery tours and tastings.

Tickets for all events in the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme, including foodie events, are available to buy now at www.spiritofspeyside.com/. The Festival is also active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and on Instagram.

Notes

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is committed to promoting responsible drinking. Visitors travelling to and from festival events can take advantage of a range of transport options. Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has received funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise and is also financially supported by many other private and public partners.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund Programme 2014 to 2020. The Scottish Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme.

Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design  

2016 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-ranging, variety of new and existing activity.

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design will run from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 and will build on the momentum generated by the 2015 Year of Food and Drink as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.

Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will showcase Scotland’s position as an “innovation nation”, its outstanding built heritage, and its thriving, internationally acclaimed fashion, textiles and design sector.

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, supported by partners including Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Architecture + Design Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.