Evan Cattanach: 1935-2016

August 2, 2016 – Evan Cattanach was one of the giants of the Scotch Whisky industry, in size and in stature. Standing well over six feet tall, with a piercing stare counter-balanced by a large laugh, he knew more about Scotch Whisky than almost anyone and generously shared that knowledge with everyone. Even in his final years after a stroke forced him to use a wheelchair to attend whisky festivals, his smile and spirit never waned as he greeted longtime friends and whisky newcomers alike. The 80-year-old Cattanach passed away Sunday (July 31) in Mount Kisco, New York, where he had settled after relocating from Scotland……..please click here to read the remainder of the article by Mark Gillespie of WhiskyCast.

Macallan  Speymalt 1974

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Macallan Speymalt 1974 Single Malt Scotch 43.0% ABV. Speyside whisky from Scotland, Gordon & MacPhail bottling Sherry Cask matured.

United States – Kentucky

Orphan Barrel “Rhetoric” 22 Year Old Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey (750ml – ships like 1.5L due to bottle shape) $119.99 View

Scotland

Glen Scotia 15 Year Old Single Malt Whisky 750ml  $79.99 View

Lagavulin 8 Year Old Limited Edition Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)  $59.99 View

Loch Lomond ‘Lomond Reserve’ Blended Whisky 750ml  $16.99 View

Loch Lomond Original Single Malt Whisky 750ml  $32.99 View

Loch Lomond Single Grain Whisky 750ml  $27.99 View

K&L Wine Merchants
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San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

DIAGEO WELCOMES ALCOHOL INDUSTRY PROGRESS AGAINST PRODUCERS’ COMMITMENTS

Global efforts to tackle harmful drinking by Diageo helped industry build momentum  

Diageo welcomes today’s release of the latest Producers’ Commitments Report by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), which shows signatory companies have stepped up implementation of their Commitments to contribute to the global target of reducing alcohol-related harm by 10% by 2025.

Diageo is one of 12 leading producers of beer, wine, and spirits who are signatories of the Commitments to tackle alcohol-related harm. This is the third annual report following a ground-breaking agreement for the alcohol industry to collaborate in 2012, and the first since the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were agreed by governments in 2015.

Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive, Diageo, said: “I am proud of Diageo’s significant contribution towards the industry’s overall progress in reducing the harmful use of alcohol, particularly our work to prevent underage drinking and ensure the next generation has a positive relationship with alcohol. We are three years into the most ambitious initiative our industry has ever collectively undertaken to address harmful drinking and, while we have made good progress, there is still more work to be done. At Diageo, we are committed to doing more.”

2015 report – Diageo highlights: Reducing underage drinking

This year’s report highlights particular progress in programmes to prevent underage drinking. Collectively, the 12 signatory companies implemented 257 underage education initiatives in 2015, a 49% increase on the previous year. These programs directly engaged nearly 30 million unique adult influencers such as parents, teachers, and community leaders on the importance of respecting legal age limits on buying alcohol. Over 192 million additional individuals were reached through education programs, mass media and social media campaigns.

Diageo underage initiatives, which took place in 29 markets last year, include ‘Smashed’, an award winning theatre and education programme that informs young people about the dangers of alcohol. Launched in the UK more than a decade ago, it has reached over 300,000 young people in more than 1,400 schools across the UK. Building on this success, the Smashed Project is now being rolled out globally, with projects running in Vietnam, Taiwan, Jamaica, Peru, Thailand, China and Mozambique this year, aiming to reach over 135,000 young people around the world.

To see an example of Diageo’s work to combat underage drinking in Mexico, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqYyfjan1YE

Reducing drinking and driving

In 2015, IARD members and industry organizations supported 345 drinking and driving prevention programs. Diageo supported drinking and driving prevention programmes in 39 countries last year, including its flagship #JoinThePact programme. To see how this was activated in the UK in December last year, go to https://youtu.be/IxqAhJAK-2c?list=PL7yKiyUVNV3fZm6ZViDrIiNgJNFYmL0gH

Diageo’s strong track record in drink driving programmes also led the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to select Diageo as a partner for a two-year partnership entitled “Road Safety Initiative for Cities” which aims to improve road safety globally earlier this year. Scheduled to start in late 2016, training will be run in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin and Central America, focusing on countries with the highest death rates related to road traffic accidents, with over 60 countries invited to participate.

Providing consumer information and responsible product innovation

Diageo is committed to providing consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions about drinking as part of a balanced lifestyle and has been providing nutritional information for its brands on its responsible drinking website, DRINKiQ.com, since 2006. Last year, 100% of Diageo products produced in countries including Brazil, Kenya, Mexico and Nigeria carried one or more responsible drinking symbols on their packaging, alongside a link to DRINKiQ.com which appears on all Diageo products.

At the start of 2016, Diageo relaunched DRINKiQ.com, making the site available in 12 languages across 25 countries, featuring enhanced alcohol content and nutritional information for all its brands, including a breakdown of calories, carbohydrates and protein as well as, for the first time, detailing saturated fat, sugar, caffeine and sodium content.

Enlisting the support of retailers to reduce harmful drinking

The Guiding Principles on Responsible Retailing were published in November 2015 at the World Retail Congress in South Africa. Collectively, the signatories rolled out a total of 253 local responsible retailing initiatives in 75 countries where signatories are commercially active in 2015, up by nearly 20% from the previous year. Local responsible retailing initiatives are now in place in 89% of the countries in which Diageo is commercially active.

In Italy, for example, Diageo, in partnership with the Italian Ministry of Health and leading retailer Auchan, has successfully run a programme to deliver responsible drinking hints and tips direct to consumers in-store for four years. Last year, Diageo and Auchan increased the number of hypermarket participants to 150 outlets, reaching 3million consumers. 

Strengthening and expanding marketing codes of practice

In 2015, an alternative method for assessing advertising placement was adopted by the signatories to address who was being reached by alcohol advertising in data-poor environments. This information is critical to ensuring that company marketing is directed to adults through channels which have a minimum of 70% adult audience, as intended.  The 2015 data demonstrates that in Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria, the three countries studied, alcohol advertising by signatory companies exceeded the industry standard for reaching adult audiences.

Diageo has a well-established and strict code for the marketing of all its products, the Diageo Marketing Code, and also enforces a Digital Code of Practice. To read about our policies, go to https://www.drinkiq.com/en-gb/what-diageo-is-doing/diageo-marketing-code/

As part of the Producers’ Commitments, Diageo also ensures that the same rigorous standards are followed by the companies that it works with – 94% of contracts between Diageo and commercial partners such as marketing agencies now include clauses mandating responsible marketing.  

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including 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 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 http://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.

The Sazerac Company Unveils Mr. Boston Website

Comprehensive site contains more than 10,000 recipes,

replaces ubiquitous red book found on bars everywhere     

New Orleans, LA (Aug. 2, 2016) – For more than 80 years, the Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide has sat on bars across the world, offering not only cocktail recipes, but party planning tips and historical tidbits on drinks.  Now, the book once called the “Bible of Booze” has entered the digital age, with the launch of the website mrbostondrinks.com/, which contains more than 10,500 drink recipes, each of them entered into a drinks database as originally found in the printed books.

            The Sazerac Company bought the Mr. Boston brand in 2009 and immediately started  working on taking the famous red book into the next century by building this comprehensive website. It started by rounding up as many of the editions of the Bartender’s Guide as the company could find, which was at last count 58 out of the 75 guides published. From there, every single piece of data was entered into a custom built database, ending up with 210,780 points of data and 10,539 recipes (so far!)

            “The Mr. Boston books have covered the evolution of the cocktail in America since Prohibition, but sadly, they were let go over the years,” said Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer, the Sazerac Company. “The ties between our company and that brand are inextricably linked, with not only the Sazerac Cocktail, but our heritage in New Orleans, a city long synonymous with the cocktail culture.  It was a natural fit to bring it all together where we are ensuring the future of the brand for at least another 80 years as the ‘go to’ site for professional and amateur mixologists.”

            Upon entering the site, visitors are greeted with options to look for a specific cocktail, or explore areas such as bar basics, history, spirits, and a shop.  One can search for drinks by specific ingredients (example, bourbon, vodka, etc.) or even specific color (example, if you want to have a green party).  There are instructional articles and videos on the site such as “view types of garnishes” and “learn to make your own grenadine.”

            If one is feeling nostalgic for the former print editions, 12 of the past editions between the years of 1935-2012 have been digitized, providing users the opportunity to view an original cocktail recipe with today’s current recipe to see how the drink has evolved through the decades.

            Users can interact with the site as well, by creating their own bar book, which will allow users to “favorite” different recipes to build their book for future use and share the contents of the book with others on social media sites. Users also have the opportunity to review each recipe listed and add commentary about the cocktail which may be published on the site.

            Other features to come soon include more instructional videos, a section for rare and esoteric cocktails, seasonal drinks, a guest editorial section, and a reservoir of well written articles on cocktails to serve as a reference.

            Sazerac does plan to obtain the remaining 17 Official Bartender Guides it is missing and incorporate those recipes into the site as well.  Future plans also include establishing a physical Mr. Boston Homeplace at a location yet to be determined, as well as developing bartender recognition awards and working with bartender training schools.            “We’re very excited to see the culmination of seven years of work come together in this beautiful website,” added Brown. “We want it to be a true resource for those in the spirts industry and those making cocktails at their home bar.  We intend to keep adding to this site to make it even more robust than it is now.”

About the Sazerac Company

            Sazerac is one of New Orleans’ oldest American family owned, privately held companies and has operations in New Orleans, Louisiana; Frankfort, Bardstown, Louisville and Owensboro, Kentucky; Fredericksburg, Virginia; Carson, California; Baltimore, Maryland; Lewiston, Maine; Manchester, New Hampshire; and Montreal Canada. For more information on Sazerac, please visit www.sazerac.com/.

Best International Brand Ambassador – Chivas Regal’s Max Warner [photo credit – Doron Gild]

CHIVAS REGAL’S MAX WARNER CROWNED BEST INTERNATIONAL BRAND AMBASSADOR AT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL

Max Warner, Global Brand Ambassador for Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky, has been named the Best International Brand Ambassador at the 10th annual Spirited Awards, held at Tales of the Cocktail. The award is an industry badge of honour, recognised as one of the most prestigious prizes in the spirits world, judged by some of the cocktail industry’s most respected figureheads

Warner accepted the award from Julie Reiner and Ivy Mix (2015 Winners of Best International Bar Mentor and Best American Bartender respectively) in New Orleans on Saturday night, winning in a competitive category that included Dean Callan of Monkey Shoulder, Camille Vidal of St-Germain and Ian Burrell, Global Rum Ambassador.

The Best International Brand Ambassador accolade is testament to Warner’s continued dedication to creating innovative new ways for Chivas Regal to be experienced and enjoyed globally, having represented the brand across the world for 12 years through initiatives such as the Chivas Masters cocktail competition. With the 2016 Global Final being held last month in Shanghai, Warner was instrumental in making this year’s event the biggest and most impactful yet for Chivas Regal. His personal contribution ranged from careful selection of industry recognised judges, the creative evolution of the Chivas Masters platform – which now brings together finalists from different cultures and countries to ‘win the right way’ as a team – and working closely with the team in Pernod Ricard China to curate and host the finalists to ensure that it was a truly exceptional occasion for all.

Max Warner comments on the award: “Winning the title of Best International Brand Ambassador at the Spirited Awards is a huge honour for me and will definitely go down as one of my career highlights. The Tales of the Cocktail festival holds a very special place in my heart; I have visited every year for the past 7 years with Chivas Regal with the aim to increase the voice of this exceptional Scotch to the industry, which always proves to be one of the best moments in the year. The Scotch whisky category needs to be recognised more and I am so proud to be able to stand tall on the International stage in the country which Chivas Regal was launched being acknowledged amongst such a talented pool of ambassadors alongside so many industry icons, an occasion I will never forget.”

NOTES

About Chivas Regal Launched in 1909, Chivas Regal is the world’s first luxury whisky and is considered to be a timeless classic, renowned for its benchmark quality and taste, style, substance and exclusivity. A truly global brand, Chivas Regal has been integral to the growth of the Scotch whisky category worldwide and today sells 4.5 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across the globe. With generosity, entrepreneurship and integrity at the heart of Chivas Regal, the brand launched its successful Win the Right Way campaign in 2014, which aims to inspire a new generation whilst making a positive impact on the lives of others. The Chivas Regal range includes Chivas 12, Chivas 18, Chivas 25 and the Global Travel Retail exclusive, Chivas Brothers Blend. In October 2014, Chivas Regal announced the addition of a fifth permanent expression in the Chivas Regal family, Chivas Regal Extra, a new blend with a unique richness derived from selective maturation in rare ex-sherry casks. In 2015, the iconic brand welcomed the pinnacle of the range with the introduction of the new ultra-prestige blend, Chivas Regal The Icon. www.chivas.com

About Chivas Brothers Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits. Chivas Brothers’ award-winning portfolio features some of the world’s most revered Scotch whisky brands including Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky and the No.1 Scotch whisky in China; Ballantine’s, Europe’s No.1 Scotch whisky; The Glenlivet, the world’s No.1 single malt whisky; and Royal Salute, the world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky range. The portfolio also includes two of the world’s leading English gins – Beefeater, the world’s most awarded premium gin, and Plymouth gin – plus a selection of highly acclaimed single malt whiskies, including Aberlour, Longmorn, Scapa, Strathisla and Tormore. The range is completed by a collection of blended Scotch whiskies operating in many of the world’s key whisky markets which includes 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport Scotch. www.chivasbrothers.com @ChivasNewsRoom

About Pernod Ricard Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of € 8,558 million in 2014/15. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Kahlúa and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier- Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, Graffigna and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,000 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 85 “Market Companies” established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics.

Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index. www.pernod-ricard.com

About Tales of the Cocktail® Founded in 2002, Tales of the Cocktail® has grown from a small gathering of cocktail lovers into the world’s premier cocktail festival. Each year the international spirits industry is welcomed to New Orleans for a week of seminars, tastings, networking events and much more. With 200+ annual events developed specifically for bartenders, distillers and other spirits professionals, Tales of the Cocktail® is the industry’s annual meeting place for exchange of new ideas, products and techniques.Tales of the Cocktail® also produces a number of other events and programs such as Tales of the Cocktail on Tour®, Tales 365®, Tales of the Toddy® and New Orleans Daiquiri Month, all to further the mission of supporting and growing the international cocktail community.

About the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society Tales of the Cocktail® is produced by the New Orleans Culinary & Cultural Preservation Society (NOCCPS), a non-profit organization committed to supporting, promoting and growing the cocktail industry in New Orleans and around the world. In addition to offering opportunities to learn and acquire new skills through Tales of the Cocktail® events and Tales 365®, the NOCCPS invests the proceeds back into the spirits industry. Since 2008, the NOCCPS has invested more than $600,000 into programs like the Cocktail Apprentice Program, a tuition reimbursement program, the Apprentice medical aid fund, educational scholarships and a new health and wellness program for members of the hospitality industry.

Beam Suntory Honors Independent Stave Company as 2015 Supplier of the Year

Deerfield, IL – July 14, 2016 – Beam Suntory has named Independent Stave Company its 2015 Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) Program Supplier of the Year. Beam Suntory’s SRM Program was established in 2013, with 15 of the company’s key suppliers, based on their contributions to innovation, quality, service, risk mitigation, and cost.

ISC crafts the oak barrels in which Beam Suntory ages Jim Beam® Bourbon, the world’s No. 1-selling bourbon, as well as other iconic and award-winning Beam Suntory bourbons such as Maker’s Mark®, Knob Creek®, Basil Hayden’s®, Baker’s®, and Booker’s®.

Independent Stave Company was singled out for recognition from thousands of Beam Suntory suppliers for delivering quality improvements annually, strong collaboration with Beam Suntory plants and product development, and increased resource allocation to ensure new products are delivered on time.

“ISC has been a tremendous long-term partner to Beam Suntory, aligning closely with our business needs, and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement,” said David Hunter, global chief supply chain officer.  “They have invested assets and resources to maintain their competitiveness and to support our growth and innovation agenda.”

“High quality barrels are a critical element in crafting our great bourbons and we appreciate the skill and dedication that the ISC team brings to bear in support of our business,” Hunter added.

In addition to providing barrels to age Beam Suntory bourbons, ISC partners closely with Beam Suntory brands to create oak staves to spec that create surprising flavors in super-premium expressions of well-known bourbons, such as Maker’s 46®.

ISC was founded in 1912 as a stave manufacturing company in the Missouri Ozarks. The company began making barrels in the 1950s. Today ISC’s cooperages in Kentucky and Missouri craft a wide range of oak barrels and oak products to support the bourbon industry.

“We are truly honored to have been selected as Supplier of the Year by one of our oldest and most trusted partners,” said Brad Boswell, ISC President and fourth-generation cooper. “I would like to thank all ISC associates for making this possible. Your commitment to craftsmanship and innovation is the foundation on which our successful relationship with Beam Suntory has been built.”

The award was presented at Beam Suntory’s annual SRM Conference held on May 31st at Beam Suntory’s Urban Stillhouse in Louisville, KY.

“We’ve had an exciting decade navigating the bourbon renaissance in partnership with Beam Suntory, and we couldn’t be more excited about what the future holds,” Boswell said.

TOMATIN DISTILLERY’S PUNCHY LINE UP FOR SUMMER

Highland-based Tomatin Distillery has teamed up with award-winning mixologist Calum Lawrie to create a series of summer whisky cocktails aimed at the growing market of female whisky drinkers.

Scotland’s national drink is enjoying a renewed popularity amongst women, particularly younger women, with some companies in the industry looking for new, innovative ways to experiment with different serves. Single malt is shaking off its previous image as a drink for the older gentleman, typically served neat or on the rocks. Women worldwide are developing a taste for the spirit and the Highland distillery wants to show off the versatility of the drink to this ‘new’ audience with their range of cocktails.

Jennifer Masson, Marketing Manager commented:

“Scotch whisky has had a somewhat demure reputation for decades but the fact is that there is only one way to enjoy single malt; the way you like it. Having recently rebranded our packaging we are looking at other ways to engage with new audiences. This new range of cocktails has been developed in response to demand from our customers worldwide and has allowed us to reinforce our brand positioning as the softer side of the Highlands.

Cocktails have proved an effective means of attracting new customers for Tomatin Distillery in the past, Masson continues –

“As sponsors of the local Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival held near Inverness each August, we’ve seen brand awareness among festival-goers increase by 73% since 2012 with the introduction of whisky cocktails appealing to a wide demographic who would have previously avoided the consumption of whisky due to a preconception about traditional serves.”

The cocktail series features a mix of traditional and accessible entry-level cocktails with a twist, for example a modern take on the classic ‘Old Fashioned’ whisky cocktail to create the ‘Bold Fashioned’ with luxurious coffee and nutty walnut flavours providing an intensely rich serve. The ‘Freeburn Highball’ takes its name from Tomatin’s water source – the Alt-na-Frith Burn – meaning Freeburn, to create a nicely rounded highball serve. One of the most accessible and popular is their simple but refreshing ‘Toma’tin & Tonic’, paying homage to the nation’s favourite; the gin and tonic.

Calum Lawrie, mixologist and former National Bartender of the Year went on to say:

“Summer is the perfect time to enjoy sunshine and spirits and the smooth, dynamic Tomatin malt provides the perfect base for this collection of cocktails. We want to capture the attention of new audiences and showcase new and fresh ways to enjoy this versatile drink this summer.”

These delicious summer sippers can be found at http://www.tomatin.com/enjoyTomatin and will be rolled out in bars worldwide.

Notes

The Tomatin Distillery Co Ltd is a producer and blender of Scotch whisky, boasting a strong core range of single malt whiskies along with a range of popular blends.

1. Website: www.tomatin.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Tomatin1897

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Tomatin1897

3. The cocktails were created by Calum Lawrie of Panch Drinks http://www.panchdrinks.com/
4. Belladrum Festival will take place Aug 4-6 2016: www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk/
5. Press Kit can be downloaded here: http://www.tomatin.com/contact/
6. The distillery was established in 1897, and while historically the whisky produced was primarily sold for use in other brands of blended whisky, the company is now very focussed on growing the Tomatin single malt brand in its own right.
7. Tomatin Distillery produces Tomatin Single Malt Scotch Whisky and Cù Bòcan Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
8. The distillery is owned by Japanese company Takara Shuzo: http://www.takarashuzo.co.jp/english/index.htm
9. Images of all cocktails are available on request. Cocktail photography by Till Britze.

Parkmore Distillery Dufftown

Blog; the Scottish distillery Pagoda

How? Why? When? Have you ever wondered why many Scottish distilleries have a pagoda? Well, wonder no more. How many of you have taken photographs of pagodas? I have, I do like the two copper ones at Dalwhinnie. Now then, these pagodas are not just for show, to look pretty, no – they actually serve a purpose. They are designed to improve the flow of smoke out of the distillery from the fires, traditionally used to dry the malt (barley), a key to any whiskey.

It was Charles Doig who first designed one – by the way, a friend of mine Tim, fae Moscow, and myself stayed at his house a while back , er, he was not there, sadly passed away some time back. I digress, In 1882 he was located in Elgin as an assistant land surveyor, then a partner in the same company, changing his direction a wee bit into architecture. ‘Twas Dailuanine distillery who commissioned his company (and Doig) to carry out alterations around their maltings. He designed/carried out alterations to the existing ventilator into what is now the world famous distillery icon – the pagoda. Many options were submitted before the final selection -, this then became a standard in the industry boom period of the 19^th century, it was later known as the Doig Ventilator. He was born on a farm in the county of Angus in 1855, the son of a Kirriemuir agricultural labourer and went to Elgin in 1882 as assistant to H M S Mackay, land surveyor, and became a partner in the business, specialising in distillery work, his practice in that field extending to Ireland. When he was 25, Doig married Margaret Isabella Dick, he had three sons. Doig’s design activities stretched far beyond Speyside, to embrace Highland Park on Orkney, Talisker on Skye and Ardbeg, Caol Ila and Laphroaig on Islay. In total, he is credited with professional involvement in no fewer than 56 distilleries.

Interesting read I hear you say, well, would you like to take a superb Scottish whisky or an Irish whiskey tour and include many of his distillery pagodas? Of course you would, many have done this with us before now and all away home “happy as Larry”. Allow us to design a bespoke whiskey tour for you – working with you to include favourites, new to you distilleries and some hidden gems, why we can even take you to a distillery where you will be inside the pagoda! Ask Liz for details; liz@mcleanscotland.com

Balblair Distillery – Photo Credit Ian Horne

Luxurious & Exclusive

This week we have an impressive selection of luxury whiskies as well as some bottles that are exclusive to The Whisky Shop. From a 60 year old Glenfarclas to a 40 year old from the lost Ladyburn distillery, these are some very collectable whiskies. Which will you choose?

Free delivery on orders over £75 Worldwide delivery available

LUXURY WHISKY

Glenfarclas 60 Year Old

£14,500 Buy Now

The Last Drop 50 Year Old

£3,000 Buy Now

Brora 37 Year Old

£1,300 Buy Now