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

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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.

Cask No. 1.191                     $140

Tight as a bow-string

Speyside, Spey

Tight as a bow-string, rich as truffles, the nose gave lemon, green banana and mango, linseed oil and sweet pecans, salted caramel, chocolate marshmallows, honey on leather and hints of tobacco. More complex with water – we found floral notes emerging, wood shavings, star anise and piña coladas on a tropical beach. The neat palate was primarily sweet (Madeira cake, honey, chocolate orange, cinder toffee, caramel sponge) but with many pleasant complications, including coconut and hazelnut, PX sherry, raisins, ginger and a leather tobacco pouch. The reduced palate kept the floral honey sweetness and the oily nuttiness, while adding a carpenter’s workshop.

Drinking tip: A dram to relax with and unwind – think hammock, think summer.

Colour: Bullion bars in half light

Cask: First-fill barrel

Age: 15 years

Date distilled: May 2000

Alcohol: 51.5%

USA allocation: 110 bottles

Flavour profile: Deep, rich & dried fruits 

*PRESIDENT’S CHOICE*  

Cask No. 33.143                                      $110

Thank you and goodnight!

Islay

Big licks of maple bacon, sticky pulled pork over hickory smoke morphing into gooey treacle toffee, liquorice and violet. Crispy skinned fish with barbeque sauce and tropical fruit kebabs roasted over white hot coals. ‘Properly good smoke!’ one declared, he was right. Chargrilled pepper and sweet potato muddled gracefully with sundried tomatoes and garden canes. Water brought out a delicious feast of charred pork crackling and Frazzles served with a Bloody Mary. The morning after cure theme continued with more bacon, blood orange, BBQ sauce and red pesto all served in a smoky greenhouse. Wicked but very good.

Drinking tip: After dark

Colour: Dirty copper kettle

Cask: Second-fill butt

Age: 8 years

Date distilled: May 2007

Alcohol: 59.9%

USA allocation: 156 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet 

Cask No. 93.66                              $130

Take two

Campbeltown

Wow! We were miraculously transported to Kentucky, into an old fashioned rackhouse where Bourbon gets matured. It is hot and dry, the air is filled with intense vanilla, woody, spicy aromas and we feel like those angels getting their fair share. Before we got hypnotized by the heady surroundings we took a sip. How satisfying; white chocolate chilli brownies, honeyed granola cereal with banana chips and dried mango and passion fruit. Water added orange oil, buttery popcorn and that rare earthy/exotic scent found in grated black truffles. On the palate, like German soft candy filled with fruit juice called – ‘Nimm 2’ (take two).

Drinking tip: With a cheeseboard

Colour: Disc of a daisy

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 13 years

Date distilled: April 2002

Alcohol: 58.4%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet

Cask No. 112.8                              $135

“Vegetarian!”

Highland, Western

Initially some were on a DIY trip applying linseed oil window putty whilst others returned to their childhood making shapes with Play-Doh and drawing with wax crayons – all eating Garibaldi biscuits! With time aromas of a black raspberry fruit pie developed as well as roasted hazelnuts resembling biting into a Ferrero Rocher. The taste was like a spiced Scotch pie but with rhubarb and apple filling, white pepper and chilli flakes. Water released aromas of adding a splash of vegetable oil into your hot wok preparing a vegetable Chow Mein with beansprouts, shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts and hoisin sauce.

Drinking tip: Tintin’s friend Captain Haddock would like this one

Colour: Brass coin

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 14 years

Date distilled: September 2000

Alcohol: 57.8%

USA allocation: 120 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & dry

Please visit www.smwsa.com for more information

Benriach tasting – fruit, glorious fruit!

After a difficult start to life, Benriach has emerged from the shadows and is now a highly regarded Speyside distillery. It closed after just two years in 1900, with a 65-year gap until it reopened in 1965. But since Billy Walker bought Benriach with the help of a consortium in 2004, the distillery has gone from strength to strength, with a clutch of well-received releases. Benriach brand ambassador Stewart Buchanan led our latest Whisky Exchange tasting, giving plenty of inside info on what goes on – with a few drams along the way, of course.

Benriach Distillery was bought by Billy Walker and his consortium for £6 million in 2004

In Their Own Words – Stewart Buchanan

‘Benriach came on the market in 2004. Billy bought it for £6 million, and the deal included 23,500 casks going back to 1966. If you tried doing that today, you’d have to double the amount and add a zero to it!’

‘We’re one of the more northerly distilleries in Speyside, just a few miles from Elgin. Longmorn is just 500 yards away, and one mile away, there’s Glen Elgin. That road is stinking with whisky production – you can hold your nose or breathe it in!’

‘When we bought the distillery, there was black algae on the walls and tumbleweed everywhere. I used to work at Tobermory, with its lovely coloured houses and harbour, and I end up coming to this place with its algae-covered walls…!’

‘Benriach is one of the fruit bombs of the Speyside region. At 10 years old, it’s all green apple and pear; at 16, it’s more like a Golden Delicious apple; after 20 years, it develops peach and apricot flavours; and at 35, it’s all tropical fruit – mango and passion fruit’

Stewart Buchanan, Benriach brand ambassador

‘At Benriach, we use borehole water which has a high mineral content. You get a slightly sweeter expression with hard water and high mineral content. But at Glendronach [also owned by Billy Walker], the water is soft and “heavy”, which is ideal as we want that oiliness and depth’

‘I don’t mind if you add water to your whisky, but remember that we’ve already put in that whisky for you…’

‘Our 35 Year Old is aged in refill-sherry hogsheads which are very unpredictable. The big boys don’t like them because they want consistency, but we love inconsistency! Some distilleries don’t like European oak at all, because the barrels are quite fragile and can crack and split easily’

‘We’ve got more IT people in our office than we have at the distillery!’

‘Some people say that you only use finishing in whisky to mask a bad cask. But you can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear’

‘Sometimes things go wrong. We finished some Benriach in a Tokaji cask – it was quite dry and a bit like Old Spice aftershave!’

‘Our 17 Year Old Septendecim is the most honest whisky we have. It’s like the aroma you get when you drive up to the distillery’

We Tasted

• Benriach 10 Year Old – clean, fresh, fruity with a touch of toffee and spice; absolutely delightful
• Benriach 35 Year Old – fragrant tropical fruit with nutmeg and cardamom
• Benriach 12 Year Old Sherry Wood – rich milk chocolate, toasty oak and cinnamon
• Benriach 15 Year Old Tawny Port Wood Finish – pink peppercorns and red berries, with creamy marshmallows
• Benriach 25 Year Old – honeyed fruit, baked peaches and sugar-dusted shortbread
• Benriach 1998 17 Year Old PX Finish (TWE Exclusive) – chocolate cake, espresso and spicy oak
• Benriach Bernie Moss Intensely Peated – smoke and lemon oil, restrained peatiness
• Benriach 17 Year Old Septendecim – grassy, floral and savoury

Best #TWETasting Tweet

GeorgeZ ‏@WhiskyRanter

Nose #benriach 25 is restrained but palate is BIG: creamy sweet mocca touched by spices and tropical fruits, smoke in background

Whisky of the night

Hmm…a tough one. I waxed lyrical about the 10yo and 12yo in our Christmas blog post, so let’s go for the 25 Year OId. A lovely mix of orchard fruit and sweet malt.

BENRIACH 25 YEAR OLD, 46.8%

Nose: Beautiful aromas of rich, honeyed fruit, along with fragrant peach and apricot, shortbread and oat biscuits.

Palate: The rich, ripe fruit continues on to the palate with baked peaches, custard tarts, shortcrust pastry and a touch of cinnamon. Apple notes add freshness. Rich texture and good weight.

Finish: Great balance between the fruit and spice.

Comment: This really shows how Benriach can age – the fruity spirit has mellowed beautifully over a quarter of a century, while the oak influence is measured, adding a subtle spiciness.

Many thanks to Stewart for an engaging tasting that showed off the wide spread of ages and flavours in the Benriach range, but the key element – a clean, refreshing fruit character – ran through all of them. You can choose from our range of Benriach whiskies from The Whisky Exchange website here.

Spring is in the air and we’re not sure how we’re almost at the end of April already, but it only means one thing – festival season is in full swing!

The Newcastle, London Whisky Weekender and Aberdeen Whisky have all been sell outs! We’ll soon be heading down South again to Bristol and Brighton…

Here is our Southern adventure (including early-bird offers!) as well as lots more to sink your teeth into including a very exciting new tasting series with Elements of Islay!

First things First….

Bristol Whisky Festival: 7th May                

Undoubtedly the biggest whisky event in the South West, we are heading back to Brissle on May 7th armed with a whole carnival of distillers and whisky in tow and we’re all set to give you a unforgettable day of all things whisky!

Of course, once again, we have a delightful line-up of masterclasses at the festival…

At 1pm we have Ian Chang, Master Distiller at Kavalan, back again with us to tell you the secrets of the Taiwanese distillery’s huge successes, plus you’ll have the chance to try two of their currently unreleased whiskies! Head here to book your places now.

Also at 1pm we have Penderyn Distillery on hand to answer all your Welsh-Whisky questions – a fantastic chance to find out what really makes Bristol’s closest distillery tick.

And last but not least, world renown and all round whisky legend Charles Maclean will be presenting a tasting from our very latest range of TWL bottlings. Charlie has been writing about whisky for decades (even before it was cool!) and has a unfaltering passion for whisky unlike any other. Click here to book your places – we recommend you’re quick!

Brighton Whisky Festival: 18th June

Tickets are now on sale for our grand return to one of our favourite South coast towns. 

In the fantastic setting of the Corn Exchange at Brighton Dome we will be welcoming a great array of whisky producers and bottlers for you to enjoy for one day only!

Get your early-bird tickets while they last!

Edinburgh Whisky Festival: 25th June

Early-bird tickets are now on sale for Edinburgh Whisky Fest – get yours here!

This year we’re heading back indoors and will be setting up our Edinburgh Whisky Festival in the Assembly Rooms on George St. This iconic Georgian venue has long been at the heart of Edinburgh hosting thousands of events from Royal banquets to film festivals, but for this day in June it will play host to Scotland’s most iconic drink, whisky!

Elements of Islay Tasting Series

We’re very excited to announce a whole batch of dates for our new tasting series with Elements of Islay!

Delicious, mature and unadulterated Islay whisky, bottled at full strength and assembled by a crack team of people who truly know and love whisky.

Whether you’re a fan of peated whisky or not, this series is an absolute no brainer! Locations and tickets below….

May 13th Manchester, The Britons Protection : Tickets

May 13th Newcastle Blackfriars : Tickets

May 18th Sheffield The Sheffield Tap : Tickets

May 18th London Salt Bar : Tickets

June 11th York Brigantes : Tickets

June 16th Leeds The Cross Keys : Tickets

June 16th Brighton The Nightingale Room : Tickets

June 22nd Liverpool Jenny’s Bar : Tickets

Blending Workshops

Fancy blending your own whisky? Sign up to one of our blending workshops now to apply both your palate and your brain to construct your very own blended whisky!

May 15th London Salt Bar : Tickets

June 8th London, Salt Bar : Tickets

June 8th, Liverpool, Jenny’s Bar : Tickets

June 9th, York, Brigantes : Tickets

June 9th, Brighton, The Nightingale Room : Tickets

June 10th, Newcastle, Blackfriars : Tickets

June 10th, Manchester, The Britons Protection : Tickets

June 14th, Sheffield, The Sheffield Tap : Tickets

June 19th, London, Salt Bar : Tickets

That’s all for now folks! Don’t forget to check our events calendar for more events near you – we have a whole bunch of Whisky Schools and more tastings going on for you to get stuck into!

Sláinte                

Eddie, Amanda, Joe, Olly and the Whole Whisky Lounge Team!

W: thewhiskylounge.com

E: info@whiskylounge.com

T: 01904410841

The Whisky Lounge Ltd Unit 3 61a Osbaldwick Lane York, North Yorkshire YO10 3AY United Kingdom

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #127

Mark Dermul, Belgian Whisky blogger, tries new Belgian whisky! ‘Kempisch Vuur’ is a single cask that yielded only 300 bottles of 50cl. Once you realize that it was a quarter cask from Laphroaig, you will understand that this is peaty stuff. That is a first for Belgium!

https://youtu.be/uo_l6D9oRNs

Ireland

Green Spot “Château Léoville Barton” Finished Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (750ml) $89.99 View

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

SPEY whisky to be toast of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2016

SPEY single malt is set to be the toast of this year’s Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival – thanks to an exclusive, limited edition bottling being produced for the famous drams fest.

An expression of SPEY from Speyside Distillery single malt has been selected for an exclusive festival bottling ahead of the annual whisky extravaganza.

A SPEY from Speyside Distillery 2007 single malt  cask sherry butt has been specially selected and is being bottled at cask strength, non-coloured,  to be sold in limited bottle numbers.

Each bottle will have a 2016 festival labelling which will include the cask and bottle number, and being limited to a single cask they are expected to become highly collectible.

Speyside Distillers Co Ltd managing director Patricia Dillon is delighted with the collaboration.

She says, “What better way to celebrate our support of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2016 than with a unique single malt cask strength  expression?

“We got involved with the festival for the first time last year when our global brand ambassador Michael Owen surprised visitors by calling in on one of our distillery tours.

“This time round, we are working with the organisers to produce a limited edition bottling of SPEY. It strengthens our links with this fabulous event that brings thousands of visitors to Speyside in celebration of the area’s most famous export – whisky.

“As well as releasing this limited edition SPEY malt, we also look forward to meeting with whisky lovers from all over the world and welcoming them to the events at our boutique distillery, which is not normally open to the public.”

James Campbell, chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, expects the whisky to go down very well with this year’s visitors and whisky collectors.

Mr Campbell adds, “When Speyside Distillery came to us with the idea of a festival bottling, we knew right away that this would be of great interest and appeal to visitors.

“Naturally, there are many whiskies to take home from Speyside, but a festival bottling makes a very special souvenir of the 2016 event and with its limited availability and special labelling, it is likely to be highly in demand and much sought after.”

Each individually numbered bottle will be hand finished with specially designed 2016 festival packaging stating the cask and limited bottle number.

The expression is cask strength and will be priced at £95 plus postage and packing. It is available to pre-order from karenann@speysidedistillers.co.uk for direct dispatch or can be collected from Speyside Distillery during the festival.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival takes place from April 28^th –May 2^nd with a programme that features whisky trains, masterclasses, cocktails, music, trails, books and the opportunity to meet whisky distillers, writers and other celebrities.

As part of the programme, Speyside Distillery is offering a rare chance for the public to tour the small picturesque distillery near Kingussie, home of the SPEY brand of malt whisky, and enjoy specially selected tastings, in the company of distillery manager Sandy Jamieson.

There are further opportunities to visit the distillery to view its talented artist in residence Joanna Miller at work, while savouring dram of SPEY single malt.

Joanna, an ex-student of The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts and artist for the SPEY brand, specialises in print making with particular interest in screen printing. Visitors will be able to meet Joanna before she retreats to work on her upcoming exhibitions at Eden Court, Inverness and Saatchi Gallery, London.

Speyside Distillers is also hosting mouth watering afternoon teas and SPEY whisky tastings on board the Strathspey Steam Train Railway, offering magnificent views of the Cairngorms.

For full details of Speyside Distillery’s events and to order tickets, visit http://www.spiritofspeyside.com/

Speyside Distillery has been in production since 1990 and is operated by Speyside Distillers Ltd.

Although not ususally open to the public, the distillery may look familiar to some as it featured (as Lagganmore distillery) in the popular BBC series ‘Monarch Of The Glen’.

For further information about Speyside Distillery, visit http://www.speysidedistillery.co.uk/. Follow Speyside Distillery on Twitter @SpeySingleMalt and on Facebook at facebook.com/speysidedistillery