Dornoch Whisky Festival 28-30 October 2016

Following on the success of the inaugural event in 2015, the local distilleries of Glenmorangie, Balblair, The Dalmore, Glen Ord, Clynelish and Old Pulteney have again teamed up with Dornoch venues to provide an exciting menu of whisky based activities for an autumn weekend break.

We are pleased to be joined by Charles Maclean a well known whisky writer and taster, who starred in the film ‘The Angel’s Share’, based in the local Balblair Distillery. A unique opening event is planned on Friday 28^th with Charlie leading a welcome tasting prior to the viewing ‘The Angel’s Share’ in Balblair! He will also be hosting a dinner at Links House and taking a master class in the new Carnegie Whisky Cellars, based in the former Courthouse.

The Dalmore Masked Dinner will be held at the Royal Golf Hotel and the Glenmorangie Gala Dinner at the Royal Dornoch Golf Club, which celebrates 400 years of golf in 2016. The award winning Whisky Bar in the Castle will host an ‘Old and Rare Balblair Tasting’.

On Saturday 29^th there will be a grand tasting at the Dornoch Castle Hotel followed by Ceilidh and Barbeque, and throughout the weekend master classes and distillery tours will be run, including to Teaninich Distillery, usually closed to the public! There is also an archaeological guided tour of the site of the 300 year old Muchraich Distillery on the Black Isle.

A golf competition on Royal Dornoch, currently rated the 5^th best course in the world by Golf Digest, rounds off the weekend festivities. Do come and join us for a dram! 

On-line ticket sales are now available at www.dornochwhiskyfestival.com/  

Keep up to date by liking the Dornoch Whisky Festival Facebook page

For Whisky Festival accommodation please see www.visitdornoch.com/

For more information please contact lucy@visitdornoch.com

Scotland

Springbank 21 year old Single Malt Whisky (750ml) $449.99 View

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

We continue to offer a fantastic range of Single Cask Whiskies to our members with New Lists going on sale every First Friday of the month. Join us for this regular event which gives you the opportunity to try as many of the new outturn as you wish in small samples (and buy bottlings!). At this Members Tasting a supper is not included, but a limited menu will be available to order from on the evening. Thu 25 August, 7-9.30pm

BUY >

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

BENRIACH LAUNCHES TWO EXTRAORDINARY WOOD FINISHES

WHISKY connoisseurs will be spoilt for choice today (18 August 2016) as BenRiach releases two superb whiskies; a new 17YO Pedro Ximenez Sherry Wood Finish and a fantastic 21YO Tawny Port Wood Finish.

The first BenRiach jewel is a new 17YO Pedro Ximenez Sherry Wood Finish. Sticky, sweet, spicy and tasting of dark chocolate and coffee beans, it has been matured in the traditional style in American bourbon barrels and replaces the renowned 15YO expression. This creamy, fruity whisky, at 46% abv, has been finished in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks sourced from the bodegas of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucia, Southern Spain.

BenRiach has long championed the use of Pedro Ximenez casks in which to finish its award-winning whisky. Maturation in these flavourful casks gives the whisky extra sherry sweetness and richness, darkens the spirit and adds notes of syrupy dried fruits, raisins and molasses on the palate.

Colour

Gleaming polished mahogany.

Nose

Creamy spices, chocolate and sugar-coated almonds flow over sweet sultanas and dark fruit cake.

Taste

Dark chocolate and freshly ground coffee beans merge with sweet dates and fresh figs. Delightful, peppery vintage oak and warm cigar box spices add to the long, contrasting finish.

Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “The 15YO took silver at the 2014 International Wine and Spirits Competition and I believe our new 17YO is destined to do even better.

“It’s a fantastic combination of oak, fruit, spice and sherry, with the sensational Pedro Ximenez influence lending this BenRiach a luscious dark chocolate flavour. It’s a liquid fruit bomb that’s full of sweetness.”

Next up is a superb 21YO Tawny Port Wood Finish. Tasting of fresh cranberries, orange peel and boiled candy, it is bottled at 46% vol and replaces the 15YO Tawny Port finish.

This remarkable 21YO was first matured in the traditional style in American bourbon barrels and then finished in a small batch of top-quality Tawny Port casks sourced from the Douro region in the north of Portugal.

During this second period of maturation, the slow interaction of the whisky with the Port cask results in sublime flavours and aromas – in particular, a distinctive and rich red fruit taste.

Colour

Rich amber with a copper glow.

Nose

A perfect balance of fresh cranberries and warm white pepper develops to a combination of tart raspberries and boiled candy.

Taste

Delicious toasted oak spices and hints of orange peel develop to a lively contrast of wild red berry compote and sour cherries, followed by a rich stewed barley character.

Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “We launched our critically-acclaimed range of wood finishes ten years ago and since then the response worldwide has been consistently excellent.

“At BenRiach we’ve carefully selected whisky that has been gently maturing in bourbon casks so that drinkers experience the full impact of the Tawny Port cask after it has been finished.

“It’s a phenomenal Speyside Single Malt with a tawny, fruity heart. A slight earthiness from the port is balanced with contrasting rich fruit characters and warm oak spices.

BENRIACH RELEASES BATCH 13 OF ITS “SENSATIONAL” SINGLE CASK BOTTLINGS

BenRiach Distillery has today (August 19, 2016) released Batch 13 of its renowned single cask bottlings. 

It comprises twelve superb casks that were bottled in June and all are available as of today. The twelve go from 40 to 16 years old, demonstrating a hugely eclectic range of expressions for which multi award-winning BenRiach is renowned worldwide.

The variety sets BenRiach’s single cask series apart, including whiskies in the classic Speyside style, peated expressions and wood finishes, such as Tawny Port, Burgundy, Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Claret, Madeira and Tokaj.

Individually hand-numbered, non chill filtered, bottled at natural colour and presented in a gift tube, each single cask is truly unique.

All twelve casks have been hand-selected by Master Distiller, Billy Walker, who described them as “truly sensational” and added:

“Our much-anticipated batches allow us to identify very special casks in our inventory and every single cask bottling is an exclusive limited release. I have selected these twelve casks because they are outstanding and full of personality.”

Amongst them are some real highlights but the standout is the oldest from 1975. Cask 7028, at 53% vol, is a gleaming rich amber peated Sherry Butt. On the nose, it bursts with tropical fruits and ripe banana with the most distant hint of campfire embers while the taste is of plum skins, dark raisins and hints of yellow pear which hold a robust peat reek. Rich vintage leather and old oaky characters add a classic aged depth.

The cask details are as follows:

1975 cask # 7028 / 40 years old / Sherry Butt / Peated / 53% vol. 

1976 cask # 5462 / 39 years old / Port Hogshead / Peated Tawny Port Finish / 53.8% vol.

1977 cask # 3111 / 38 years old / Port Hogshead / Tawny Port Finish / 43.1%vol. 

1978 cask # 3114 / 37 years old / Port Hogshead / Tawny Port Finish / 48.8% vol.

1986 cask # 3183 / 30 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Hogshead / Peated Pedro Ximenez Sherry Finish / 55.6% vol.

1986 cask # 7569 / 29 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / Peated Oloroso Sherry Finish / 51% vol.

1991 cask # 6896 / 24 years old / Burgundy Barrel / Burgundy Finish / 50.6% vol.

1993 cask # 7937 / 22 years old / Claret Hogshead / Claret Finish / 54.3% vol.

1994 cask # 4004 / 22 years old / Tokaj Hogshead / Peated Tokaj Finish / 55.1% vol. 

1995 cask # 5959 / 20 years old / Madeira Hogshead / Madeira Finish / 53.9% vol. 

1998 cask # 6401 / 18 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / Triple Distilled Pedro Ximenez Sherry Finish / 57.3% vol. 

1999 cask # 5043 / 16 years old / Oloroso Sherry Puncheon / Oloroso Sherry Finish / 56.4% vol. 

All twelve will soon be available at retailers worldwide.

The Carnegie Whisky Cellars, in the newly renovated Carnegie Courthouse, is in the heart of historical Dornoch, Northern Highlands, and extends a warm welcome to all our new customers and friends! Opened in June 2016, we have an extensive range of single malts, official and independent bottlings, also a great selection of Scottish blended whiskies.

Purchases from the shop can be shipped to most destinations in the UK and worldwide. 

Our Tasting Vault provides the opportunity for private and corporate tasting experiences, tailored to suit your requirements. This is a history laden, characterful and comfortable venue, with a fantastic display of collectible bottles from private collections which are available for purchase.

Our friendly, knowledgeable team look forward to welcoming you, discussing your individual requirements, and delivering excellent customer service.

Feel free to contact our team for more information on upcoming events, tastings or new releases 01862811791 or email us at whisky@thecarnegiecourthouse.co.uk 

You can now find the Carnegie Whisky Cellars on Facebook and Trip Advisor! 

Slainte!

FEAST ON PEAT AND SAVE £60

Snag yourself a perfectly-priced parcel of peated single casks that includes 2, rarely available 20-year-old Islays and comes with a smoking-hot £60 saving. Just looking for that one, special smoky bottle? Check out all things peated > in the shop this week…

Three-course Peat Feast £199

Savour the best Hebridean produce in three peaty, sweet and savoury single casks. Sit down in the smoke house and awaken the palate with 3.279’s lighter floral flavours before heavily peated 129.187’s seriously hearty main course. Finish with 42.27 as a sweet, fruity pudding; a peat-lover’s fantasy dinner!

29.187 Beach huts, boatyards and ferries

Flavour: Heavily peated
Age: 20 years
Price: Exclusive to Trio

3.279 Evokes Van Gogh’s Provence

Flavour: Lightly peated
Age: 20 years
Price: Exclusive to Trio

42.27 Smoked ‘aged’ Riesling

Flavour: Lightly peated
Age: 9 years
Price: Exclusive to Trio

BUY Three-course Peat Feast >

Browse Current Outturn >
Browse All Bottlings >

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 Ben Bowers star of A Dram A Day YouTube channel hijacks Whisky Wednesday and reviews Lot 40 Canadian Whisky!

https://youtu.be/nNHagfxky20

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/adramaday

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

THREE SHIPS LAUNCHES VINTAGE 10 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT 

Three Ships Whisky, proudly South African and internationally lauded, has launched a limited edition 10 Year Old Single Malt, one that carries a 2005 vintage statement.

The whisky follows the successful release of the first single malt launched in 2003 and the collector’s tin series over a three year period in 2010, 2011 and 2012. 

Master distiller Andy Watts says this is the most powerful single malt he has produced to date, a style he will be continuing in the single malts to come. 

“When we launched South Africa’s first single malt in 2003 we didn’t have a single malt style policy in place and since then we have actively planned towards this moment where we are now in the position to launch a vintage statement single malt, each year and one with a defined style and vision.  

“I use the Cape winter months for fermentation to allow the yeast to follow its natural fermentation curve with as little temperature control interference as possible. We distilled the spirit in 2005 in copper potstills before it was laid to rest for 10 years in a selection of older American oak to compliment the delicate flavours of the spirit. It’s a beautiful whisky and a very proud moment for me!”  

Bottled at a strength of 44.6% it is un-chillfiltered and presented in its most purest form.  Rich and complex, the wonderful combination of pepper, spice, sweet oak, roasted malt, digestive biscuits, dark toffee and peat reveals slowly as the creaminess in the mouth lingers. The finish is exceptionally smooth, full-bodied with a long fruity, peaty aftertaste and slight hint of liquorice.    

The single malt is produced at The James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington where the year-round warm temperature accelerates the interaction between the cask and the spirit, allowing the whisky to portray an elegancy associated with much older whiskies.   

The Three Ships 10 Year Old Single Malt 2005 vintage will be available for purchase in select liquor outlets and from www.vinoteque.co.za at about R524.95 per bottle.

Hashtag

#ThreeShips10YO

Twitter:

@TheWhiskyMaker

@ThreeShipsSA

THE FAMOUS GROUSE MASTER BLENDER TO HOLD FIRST LIVE CHAT

The Famous Grouse will be hosting a special ‘live chat’ with its Master Blender, Kirsteen Campbell on Thursday 25^th August (18:00-18:30 UK time).

Fans of Scotland’s favourite whisky from around world will be able to put their questions direct to Kirsteen, and can watch live via The Famous Grouse You Tube channel or The Famous Grouse Faceook page.

Fans can submit their questions to Kirsteen live by commenting on the You Tube or Facebook streams, and can also submit question in advance by commenting on Facebook posts released by the brand ahead of the event, or via Twitter with #famousquestions.

Kirsteen will be joined by Stuart Cassells, General Manager of The Famous Grouse Experience, who will host the live chat and be on hand to put the questions direct to Kirsteen.

Kirsteen Campbell was appointed to the role of Master Blender for The Famous Grouse in March 2016, and is one of the few people allowed to share the secret of the unique blend of whiskies that combine to make The Famous Grouse.

Her role involves managing the legendary ‘106 Sample Room’ at Edrington’s Blending Headquarters on Great Western Road, and the Live Chat will also feature an insider tour of the sample room, allowing fans a rare glimpse into the life of The Famous Grouse Master Blender.

Kirsteen Campbell said: “I’m really looking forward to hearing direct from our fans around the world, and find out which questions they are keen to find answers for. One thing I can say though it that I won’t be revealing the recipe for The Famous Grouse – that will remain a firm secret!”

Suzy Smith, Marketing Director, The Famous Grouse at Edrington added: “This is the first time that The Famous Grouse brand has hosted a live video chat and we’re really looking forward to seeing the response. We know that this is an increasingly popular way for people to engage with brands, and will grant fans from around the work unique access to one of the most important people behind our whisky: our Master Blender.”

Note to Editors

The Famous Grouse (www.thefamousgrouse.com)

• The Famous Grouse is the no. 1 whisky in UK and no. 4* standard blended whisky worldwide (*IWSR data 2014).
• The Famous Grouse has been the best-selling whisky in the home of Scotch whisky, Scotland since 1980.
• The Famous Grouse is exported to over 100 countries.
• The Famous Grouse Experience is located at Scotland’s oldest working distillery – Glenturret. Originally established as a single malt distillery in 1775, today The Famous Grouse Experience is the most visited distillery in Scotland.(www.thefamousgrouse.com/experience)