International Sales Director recruited as sales continue to grow

Whisky specialists Gordon & MacPhail has recruited an International Sales Director as demand continues to grow for their products across the globe.

David King has joined the company after more than twenty years in the drinks business, working across five continents. He will help the company continue to build sales of Gordon & MacPhail’s whiskies globally, with a particular focus on the growth of Benromach Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

The family-owned company revived the distillery and re-opened it in 1998. The classic single malt, handcrafted in a style that draws its influence from pre 1960s Speyside whiskies, is now in demand around the world.   Over the last twelve months alone sales grew 36%.

And as Ewen Mackintosh, Chief Operating Officer at Gordon & MacPhail explained, appointing an International Sales Director is the latest step in a planned programme of investment for the company: “Benromach is an enormous success for us and we continue to invest in our infrastructure and resources in order to meet demand.

“We’ve increased the size of the production team and trebled our distilling capacity, recruited new colleagues in international sales, built new warehouses and created a suite of tasting rooms at the distillery and this is already paying off in our ongoing growth.

“The appointment of an International Sales Director is the next step on this journey. David has the perfect credentials for the task, combining extensive knowledge of Scotch whisky with experience of working in some of our key markets, including the USA. We’re delighted to have him on board.”

The classic Benromach 10 Years Old is popular with both expert whisky lovers and those who are discovering Scotch malt whisky for the first time. The award winning range also includes Benromach 15 Years Old, Benromach 100 Proof and Benromach Organic, the world’s first fully certified organic Single Malt.

David will also work to drive sales globally of the extensive range of products in the Gordon & MacPhail portfolio. The company is one of the world’s leading malt whisky specialists, exporting to more than 60 countries. It offers more than 300 presentations of own-bottled single malts.

David King commented: “It’s a great privilege to join Gordon & MacPhail, a renowned and respected family owned business, known around the world for its extensive portfolio of high quality, unique and rare Scotch whiskies. I am very much looking forward to working with my colleagues and customers to develop our business and grow sales internationally.”

The company made history in 2010 by bottling the oldest cask ever released – a 70 Years Old Mortlach, distilled in 1938. The first product in the Generations range, this was followed by a 70 Years Old Glenlivet in 2011 and most recently a 75 Years Old Mortlach, launched in 2015 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Notes

Gordon & MacPhail is an independent, family-owned Scotch Whisky specialist which has been based in Elgin, Moray, since 1895. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued the tradition of seeking out the best and rarest Scotch Whiskies.

Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail’s policy has been to send casks to distilleries throughout Scotland, fill them with ‘new make’ spirit and mature them either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouses in Elgin.

Now one of the world’s leading malt whisky specialists, Gordon & MacPhail exports to more than 60 countries. In 2009, Gordon & MacPhail was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade; an honour that was bestowed on the business again in 2013 with a visit from HRH The Princess Royal.

Benromach Distillery

Originally built in 1898, Benromach Distillery was revived by Gordon & MacPhail who purchased it in 1993. The distillery was extensively re-equipped over a five-year period before it was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998.

In reopening Benromach Distillery, Gordon & MacPhail decided to create a classic Speyside single malt – a style that draws its influence from Speyside whiskies pre-1960s.

Benromach Distillery is located on the outskirts of the ancient market town of Forres. A four-star visitor centre is open to the public throughout the year for tours and tastings. Benromach Distillery is a member of the world famous malt whisky trail.

Pre-orders and pre-eminent whiskies!

This week we have two brand new releases available to pre-order at Loch Fyne. The first is the much anticipated Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 3, a highlight of the whisky-lover’s calendar, while the second is a special single cask edition of the Springbank 21 year old. There’s also a Blended Scotch made with some very exclusive whisky from the Rare Cask Reserves, an Octave expression from Glenglassaugh, and a sweetshop dram from Glenmorangie.

 Worldwide shipping available
Next day delivery on UK orders

Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 3

The third batch from the eponymous Tun 1509 at the Balvenie distillery in Speyside, this expression is limited to just 8,850 bottles worldwide. Composed of 31 casks hand-selected by Malt Master David Stewart and married together for a period of months, this release is always highly sought-after.  Described by Stewart as “a whisky of rich coimplexitywith elegant oaky notes and dried fruits balanced by mellow cinnamon spices and ginger. It also has lovely layers of vanilla oak, rich woody spices, dark fruits and a definite sherry character interspersed with elegant honey.”

£280 Pre-Order Now

Springbank 21 Year Old Single Cask

Hailing from Campbeltown’s oldest remaining distillery and our friends down the road, this Springbank expression has been matured for 21 years in a single Oloroso sherry butt. Bottled at a strength of 49.6% abv, this release is limited to just 702 bottles so pre-order now to make sure you get your hands on a bottle!

£229 Pre-Order Now

Rare Cask Reserves Ghosted Reserve
21 Year Old

The 2015 release from William Grant & Sons of the Rare Cask Reserves Ghosted Reserve is a 21 year old Blended Scotch that contains some incredible rare whisky from long-closed distilleries such as Inverleven, Ladyburn and Dumbarton.  With fresh fruity notes inherited from the Dumbarton grain whisky, light oaky notes and hints of floral blossom from the Inverleven component, while Ladyburn adds its own unique flavour profile.

£120 Buy Now

Glenglassaugh Octaves Peated

Another dram produced in Octaves from Glenglassaugh, this variant uses peated malt barley to give a character not usually associated with Speyside whiskies.  The nose offers clotted cream over apple crumble with delicious waves of sweet heather burning on a hillside. The palate has the warmth of cracked black pepper contrasting with apricot jam and plums. The finish is delicate and sweet from the interaction of the Highland peat with the oak casks.

£68 Buy Now

Glenmorangie Milsean

Matured in a bourbon cask, this expression would have already been sweet as is, but determined to replicated the flavours of traditional sweet shops Glenmorangie finished this expression off in flame toasted Portuguese wine casks.  Truly remarkable this expression has a hint of tingling spice and chilli, which gives way to a sweet boastful flavours. Candy, citrus zest, tart, plummy fruits, cherries, nectarines, plums and melons to name but a few of the flavours present in this whisky… this is a whisky with a difference.

£76 Buy Now

Exclusive Springbank 21 y/o Single Casks

Dear Society Members,

Nathan is currently on annual leave, however, we have some exciting news that can’t wait. Please see poster for more information. As mentioned, Society will not be taking orders for this one-off bottling so please contact your local retailer to get your hands on one.

Sláinte

The Springbank Team

To join the Springbank Society please contact Mairi at mairi@springbankwhisky.com

Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon (750ml)

($49.99) 95 points Wine Enthusiast: “Pour it, and let it sit awhile; this one opens up and gets more aromatic, rich and flavorful, like wine. It starts off with a candied sweetness and touches of coconut and tea on the nose, then opens up to deeper caramel tones. Orange and caramel flavors, mellow, smooth, linger on the finish. Light-bodied, despite the bold, luxurious flavors. And oh, that pretty bottle, like an oversized perfume flask. Add this one to your gift list.” (09/2010) Wine Spectator: “Custard, pepper, orange peel and grassy rye fill the nose. In the mouth, it’s a breakneck ride: an initial rush of dry corn and grassy rye, a broad wave of sweeter corn in the middle, and a finish of sugar and rough spearmint. One of the first specialty Bourbons, and still one of the best. ” (02/2012) K&L Notes: The nose is very deep and satisfying. The taste has a masterful start with powerful dry vanilla notes in perfect harmony with strong hints of honey and caramel. The long, creamy caramel holds the fort until some late soft peppers arrive to spice things up. The underlying dryness amid the spice and honey really makes for a bourbon that should suit all tastes. “Double Gold Medal” winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

www.ralfy.com uncovers a secretive side to American grain spirits with Whisky Review 590 – two Bottled In Bond Bourbons

FOUR SPIRITS FROM BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY

AWARDED “BEST OF CATEGORY”

AT 2016 LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRITS COMPETITION

Total of 12 spirits awarded medals 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (June 28, 2016) Four spirits from Buffalo Trace Distillery were awarded “Best of Category” at the 2016 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, including Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Stagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey. An additional 12 medals were awarded to spirits from Buffalo Trace Distillery, seven of which were Gold Medals.

These spirits were ranked among 401 spirits that were submitted from a total of 29 countries.

Spirits earning medals include:

Gold Medal

• Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Eagle Rare Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Stagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Blanton’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey
• E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream

            Silver Medal

• Benchmark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Wheatley Vodka
• Platinum 7X Vodka
• Rain Cucumber Vodka

            Bronze Medal

• E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

            The Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition was formed in 2007, with an esteemed panel of judges using a blind-tasting method to award medals to the best distilled spirits from around the world.  The award-winning entries will be displayed during the Los Angeles County Fair, Sept. 2 – 25, in “The Wine, Beer & Spirits Marketplace.”

            Complete results of the 2016 LAIWSC are available at www.laspiritscomp.com/.

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 www.buffalotracedistillery.com/.

Happy 4th of July to our friends in the United States of America!

After two years of intensive research, the German publisher Alba-Collection is pleased to present the new and detailed “Bourbon – Rye – Whiskey Distilleries in USA“ whiskey map. The map contains 805 distilleries and shows the great variety of the American whiskey landscape. It is probably the most detailed special subject map of its kind.

The map is accompanied by a 24-page booklet, which gives the details of all 805 distilleries. Apart from a few dozens of large distilleries, we also found many hundreds of small craft and micro distilleries, which fall into 10 distinct whiskey categories. This also shows the enormous upswing whiskey has taken in the USA during the past years.

The map is supplemented by a set of 12 regional whiskey maps due to the high density of distilleries in some areas. Also new in our publishing portfolio the maps · „Canadian Whisky Distilleries“ and · „Whisky Distilleries in Japan“ .

You can take a look at our map collection at www.alba-collection.com/ or facebook: Alba-collection. All maps come in several sizes. We also offer attractive bundles for resellers. For further information, please contact hirst@alba-collection.com.

Excerpt of the Alba-Collection Publisher Portfolio: 

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA  Large Map (40 × 28 inch)    ISBN: 978-3-944148-31-1

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA  Medium Map (24 × 17 inch) ISBN: 978-3-944148-32-8

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (complete)      Tasting Map (14 × 10 inch)   ISBN: 978-3-944148-33-5

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 1) ME – VT – NH – MA – RI – CT          Tasting Map (10 × 14 inch)   ISBN: 978-3-944148-36-6

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 2) NY – PA – NJ – DE – MD – DC          Tasting Map (10 × 14 inch)   ISBN: 978-3-944148-37-3

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 3) Virginia – West Virginia       Tasting Map (14 × 10 inch)            ISBN: 978-3-944148-38-0

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 4) North Carolina – South Carolina     Tasting Map (14 × 10 inch)   ISBN: 978-3-944148-39-7

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 5) Kentucky – Tennessee         Tasting Map (14 × 10 inch)            ISBN: 978-3-944148-40-3

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 6) Ohio – Indiana – Illinois       Tasting Map (14 × 10 inch)            ISBN: 978-3-944148-41-0

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 7) Michigan – Wisconsin          Tasting Map (14 × 10 inch)            ISBN: 978-3-944148-42-7

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 8) Texas – Oklahoma – Kansas            Tasting Map (10 × 14 inch)   ISBN: 978-3-944148-43-4

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 9) Colorado       Tasting Map (14 × 10 inch)   ISBN: 978-3-944148-44-1

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 10) California – Nevada            Tasting Map (10 × 14 inch)            ISBN: 978-3-944148-45-8

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 11) Oregon         Tasting Map (14 × 10 inch)   ISBN: 978-3-944148-46-5

Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey Distilleries in USA (Part 12) Washington Tasting Map (14 × 10 inch)   ISBN: 978-3-944148-47-2

Canadian Whisky Distilleries           Medium Map (24 × 17 inch) ISBN: 978-3-944148-34-2

Canadian Whisky Distilleries           Tasting Map (10 × 14 inch)   ISBN: 978-3-944148-35-9

Whisky-Distilleries in Japan Medium Map (24 × 17 inch) ISBN: 978-3-944148-25-0

Whisky-Distilleries in Japan Tasting Map (10 × 14 inch)   ISBN: 978-3-944148-30-4

Contact:

Alba-Collection Verlag GbR

Owner Ruediger Joerg Hirst & Frank Rittel Meldorfer Straße 11b

D-20251 Hamburg

Germany

hirst@alba-collection.com

http://www.alba-collection.com/

facebook: Alba-collection

Alba-Collection was founded in 2011. Since then, we have sold our high-quality whisk(e)y maps into over 100 countries of the world.

What is bourbon? A guide from The Whisky Exchange

What is bourbon? That’s Jack Daniel’s, right? Whiskey? Something to do with rye? Well, yes to all three, actually. Very simply, bourbon is a mixture of grains, ground up, mixed with water and heated, fermented with the help of yeast, distilled, then aged in oak barrels.

All very simple. But are bourbon and American whiskey the same thing? No. One way to remember is that all bourbons are whiskeys, but not all whiskeys are bourbons. American whiskey includes sub-categories including bourbon, straight bourbon, rye, wheat, malt, rye malt and corn, each with its own set of rules. For example, corn whiskey must be made with at least 80% corn; the grain mixture (‘mash bill’) for rye whiskey must be a minimum of 51% rye, and so on. But all American whiskeys have the following in common:

• they must be distilled at no higher than 80% ABV
• they must be matured in charred, new oak containers (with the exception of corn whiskey, which can be stored in used or uncharred barrels)
• the ABV of the whiskey must be 62.5% ABV or lower when it enters the cask.

The four main grains used in bourbon. Clockwise from top left: wheat, barley, corn, rye

The grains

Corn The main ingredient in bourbon, corn must make up at least 51% of bourbon mash bills; in practice, it makes up about 70%. When the spirit is very young, the corn flavour is very noticeable, but mellows with age, although the sweetness will persist.

Rye Delivering peppery spice and power, rye is the most characterful of all grains used in bourbon production. Typically, rye normally makes up 10% of the mash bill, but ‘high-rye’ bourbons, such as Four Roses Single Barrel, are higher, up to about 35% rye.

Barley Used primarily because it is so effective at converting fermentable starches to sugar, barley is the workhorse ingredient, and usually makes up 10-15% of the mash bill.

Wheat The opposite of rye, the addition of wheat will make the resultant spirit softer and smoother, and – because wheat’s inclusion will usually be at the expense of rye – sweeter. In practice, wheat rarely makes up more than 10% of the mash bill.

How is bourbon made?

The grains are ground up then added to a large ‘mash cooker’ along with water and cooked for 30 minutes, to break down the starch into fermentable sugars.

The mash is then transferred to a fermentation tank along with a small proportion of ‘sour mash’, spent mash from a previous distillation which helps get fermentation going, a similar effect to a yeast ‘starter’ used when making sourdough bread. The finished product is a beer-like substance with an ABV of around 6-8%.

The liquid is then distilled twice; the first time in a column still to approximately 50-60% ABV, then a second time, this time in a copper pot still, up to roughly 70% ABV. The new-make spirit, known as ‘white dog’, is transferred to new, charred, white-oak barrels (almost always American, but French is also permitted).

Bourbon categories

Straight bourbon If you see the term ‘straight bourbon’ on your bottle, you know that the liquid has been aged in new oak for a minimum of two years.

Single barrel Single-barrel bourbons are always worth trying, given that the vast majority of bourbons are made by mixing (or ‘vatting’) dozens or even hundreds of barrels to ensure consistency of flavour.

Small batch Any bourbon bearing the words ‘small batch’ on the label could be a batch of 10 barrels or 10,000. In practice, the vast majority of small-batch bourbons will not be a marriage of hundreds of barrels, and more importantly, the reality is that extra care and attention is placed on these bottlings.

You will often hear people tell you that Jack Daniel’s is not a bourbon, as it undergoes the Lincoln County Process – that is, filtered through maple charcoal, which actually removes flavour rather than adding it, so technically it is allowed to be called ‘bourbon’. You won’t find the word anywhere on the label, though, as the company chooses to describe it as Tennessee whiskey.

How do you drink bourbon?

Bourbon is a highly versatile spirit, and can be drunk neat, mixed and served long. There are also a number of iconic bourbon cocktails, such as the Manhattan, Old Fashioned and Whiskey Sour – so it’s a great idea to have a bottle in your drinks cupboard. Oh, and despite some of the headlines you might see, there’s no such thing as the best bourbon – it’s all down to your personal taste. So, if you find an entry-level bourbon you prefer to one twice the price, no problem!

Bourbon facts

• there are more barrels of bourbon in Kentucky than there are people
• the first-ever single-barrel example was Blanton’s bourbon, released in 1984
• Buffalo Trace, founded more than 200 years ago, is the oldest continuously running distillery in the US
• 75% of all Kentucky bourbon is made by Jim Beam
• 95% of US bourbon is made in Kentucky.

1792 SMALL BATCH BOURBON AWARDED “BEST OF CATEGORY”

AT 2016 LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS COMPETITION

Four Barton 1792 Distillery bourbons receive medals 

            BARDSTOWN, kENTUCKY (June 30, 2016) – 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was awarded “Best of Category” at the 2016 Los Angeles International Spirits Competition. An additional four medals were awarded to bourbons from Barton 1792 Distillery.

            These spirits were ranked among 401 spirits that were submitted from a total of 29 countries.

Bourbons earning medals include:

Gold Medal

• 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Kentucky Tavern Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Flatboat Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

            Silver Medal

• Zackariah Harris Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

            The Los Angeles International Spirits Competition was formed in 2007, with an esteemed panel of judges using a blind-tasting method to award medals to the best distilled spirits from around the world.  The award-winning entries will be displayed during the Los Angeles County Fair, Sept. 2 – 25, in “The Wine, Beer & Spirits Marketplace.”

            Complete results of the 2016 LAISC are available at www.laspiritscomp.com/.

About Barton 1792 Distillery

Barton 1792 Distillery is part of Barton Brands.  Barton Brands has facilities in Bardstown, Ky., Carson, Calif., and Baltimore, Md. Barton Brands is owned by the Sazerac Company, an American family-owned company based in New Orleans, La. Barton 1792 Distillery was established in 1879 and continues today as the oldest fully-operating Distillery in the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” The Distillery is located on 196 acres and includes 28 warehouses, 22 other buildings, the Morton Spring and the Tom Moore Spring.  Distilling, aging and bottling fine Bourbon whiskey are hallmarks of the historic Barton 1792 Distillery. 1792 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is produced at Barton 1792 Distillery. This whiskey is named for the year Kentucky became a state and is the recent gold medal winner at the 2015 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. To learn more visit www.1792bourbon.com/.