BenRiach Cask Strength Batch 1

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

BenRiach Cask Strength Batch 1 Speyside single malt Scotch whisky. First release bottled 2016.

Nose: Sweet toasted oak spices interwoven with roasted orchard fruits and dusted with cracked barley. Black vanilla pods, desiccated coconut and a gentle floral note add complexity to the ripe, fruit-laden nose.

Palate: An excellent example of the delicious BenRiach character. Creamy heather honey pours over a medley of apples, pears and apricots. Subtle notes of candied peel and fresh ginger give a delicate warmth and lead to a classic combination of vanilla, toasted coconut and sweet barley in the luscious, velvety finish.

John Duff commissioned the Elgin based architect Charles C. Doig to design Benriach Distillery which was duly established in 1898 just south of Elgin and complete with a siding connecting Benriach Distillery directly to the great North of Scotland Railway and the scotch blenders down south. But Benriach Distillery opened just as the whisky bubble burst and was forced to closed in 1900 and remained closed until 1965. Benriach’s maltings did continued to operate but finally closed in 1999. An iconic Scottish malt whisky distillery complete with a Doig pagoda roof over the malt kiln. The Benriach Distillery range includes limited releases of triple distilled, peated and un-peated single malt whiskies. Benriach Distillery participates in the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

SURPRISE BIRTHDAY SALE 

April 1 2016 celebrates the one year anniversary of the sale of Kensington Wine Market to Andrew Ferguson. Please help us celebrate Andrew’s success (we’re still in business!) with this one weekend only in store and web sale. All in stock wines discounted 15%, all in stock single malt and other whiskies discounted 10%, all in stock beer 5%.

Friday April 1 to Sunday April 3

We aren’t fooling!

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

Classic And Contemporary Architecture Blends Together In Celebration Of Spirit Of Speyside Whisky Festival

Visitors to Speyside – the world’s best known whisky-producing region – are never far from the sight of the distinctive pagoda. It’s a design which has become an iconic symbol for Scotch whisky the world over and one which has its roots firmly set in the Speyside region – home to some of the biggest names in distilling.

The ornate pagoda roofs which adorn many of the area’s 50-plus distilleries will be used as a backdrop for thousands of photographs, videos and selfies during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival this spring, during which visitors will learn just how pivotal this piece of architecture has been to shaping the whisky industry.

As ornate as they are, pagoda roofs weren’t created solely for decoration. They may look Oriental, but they were designed for a very practical reason – as a chimney, to improve the flow of smoke out of distillery buildings from the fires which dried the malt below. They are, essentially, a key ingredient in Scotland’s water of life.

Renowned distillery architect Charles Chree Doig came up with the classic design. On moving to the county capital of Elgin in 1882 he became assistant to a land surveyor, going on to become a partner in the business and moving into architecture and engineering. When the owners of Dailuaine Distillery commissioned Doig to carry out alterations to their maltings, he converted the existing ventilator into the distinctive pagoda shaped roof that is so familiar.

Ann Miller of Speyside Whisky Festival says the pagoda design charms and intrigues the many thousands of visitors that descend on the area for the annual celebration, which takes place this year from April 28 to May 2.

Ann Miller adds, “Charles Doig died in 1918 but his design lives on, not only at distillery buildings in Speyside and elsewhere in Scotland but in branding and marketing materials promoting this world-famous export, being an emblem of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Trail.

“They are a real talking point and are instantly associated with the region’s industry. Scotland will celebrate the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design in 2016 so it seems only fitting that we celebrate an iconic piece of Scotland’s architectural heritage, while also introducing people to brand new distilleries that use modern technology and design.”

Many options were considered and discounted before the final pagoda design was reached, and its strikingly attractive appearance, combined with functionality, ensured the pagoda became an essential feature during the distillery building boom of the late 19th century.

Strathisla, boasts twin pagodas and its setting and style makes it one of the most photographed – and arguably the most picturesque – of all Scotland’s distilleries. Dating back to 1786, the Keith distillery buildings have changed little, from the old cobbled courtyard to the water wheel and of course the distinctive double pagodas.

In the 21st century whisky industry, heritage mixes with high tech and two new Speyside distilleries have been able to take centuries of accumulated distilling knowledge and expertise and merge it with cutting-edge design and green technology to produce quality spirit.

Opened in 2009, Roseisle was the first malt distillery of scale to be opened in Scotland in 30 years. The striking distillery, owned by Diageo, uses cutting-edge technology to significantly minimise our carbon footprint and impact on the environment.

Roseisle was designed to build on best practice from Diageo’s other 28 malt and grain distilleries to improve efficiency and performance, building on centuries of distilling experience and knowledge.

Dalmunach opened in summer 2015 on the site of the mothballed Imperial Distillery at Carron and is an excellent example of securing the future of the industry by respecting its heritage and utilizing energy saving innovations.

Remnants from the old distillery situated on the site from 1897-2012, were built into the new one with an architecturally impressive design, inspired by the shape of a sheaf of barley reflecting the core ingredient of single malt whisky.

It houses eight unique copper pot stills, with a tulip shape used for the wash stills and an onion shape used for the spirit stills, replicating those from the original distillery. In a departure from tradition, the stills have been positioned in a circular design that provides a unique aesthetic for the future.

Distilleries of all shapes and sizes, old and new, will be the focus of whisky lovers from all over the world during the annual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival. It has become one of the leading events of its kind over the past 17 years, attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world to enjoy more than 400 events, from tastings to ceilidhs, food pairings to comedy.

The 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival – and its traditional musical arm the Spirit of Speyside Sessions – takes place from April 28 to May 2. For further information about the event visit www.spiritofspeyside.com with tickets on sale from 12 noon on February 2. The Festival is also active on social media – visit facebook.com/WhiskyFestival, Twitter and Instagram @spirit_speyside

Captions

1. Dalmunach – one of Scotland’s newest distilleries opened in June 2015 by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
2. Strathisla – the oldest operating distillery in the Scottish Highlands
3. Roseisle – one of the most environmentally sustainable Scotch whisky distilleries

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 School!

Malt and moo-sic: Speyside farmers launch bid to produce beef to rival world famous Kobe beef from Japan

Farmers help Scotch industry lead fight back after a Japanese whisky is named best in world

www.youtube.com/watch?v=01wUhewCre8

Farmers on Speyside are being urged to lead a fight back for the Scotch whisky industry after a Japanese malt was named best in the world – by feeding their cattle a daily dram.

A nip of our national drink – coupled with a diet of high quality feed from distillery by-products – could produce meat so succulent and tender that it will rival Japan’s famous Kobe beef.

And it is thought that playing cattle upbeat traditional Scots music, in much the same way that Kobe herds enjoy classical sounds, will further enhance the quality of the beef.

Now there are calls from organisers of the world renowned Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival for local farmers to help further trial the theory.

Thousands of visitors from all over the globe visit the annual Festival, and organisers are concerned about the level of attention being focused on Japanese whisky.

Ann Miller, a director of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, says, “We do not believe there is anywhere on earth that produces better malt whisky than Speyside – and millions of whisky drinkers agree.

“We were genuinely shocked and dismayed when Yamazaki was named the best whisky in the world, but we are firm believers in the old adage of don’t get mad, get even.

“And that is exactly what we intend to do. All the signs indicate that introducing Speyside malt into a cow’s diet and using animal feed created from distillery by-products gives the meat a lovely, whisky-tinged flavour.”

The incredible discovery was made by Speyside farmers Ali Rolfop and Joe King, who have a herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle.

They were mucking out a byre one evening on their farm, Ure Gullybale, near the distillery town of Keith and poured a bottle of single malt Scotch into a water trough.

Ali explains, “I’m a big fan of two of Speyside’s most famous products – malt whisky and traditional music – and so I decided to share these with our cattle.

“The next day, we noticed their coats were shiny and their eyes were bright. We’ve since been sharing a bottle of malt with them and we even have some local fiddlers come down to perform. We tasted the beef from the herd for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it is sensational – there is definitely a hint of whisky in the meat.”

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival takes place from April 28 to May 2 and is one of the biggest events of its kind anywhere in the world. It comprises almost 500 different events, from distillery tours to whisky tastings, from ceilidhs to comedy nights, and from whisky themed dinners to outdoor events.

Ann adds, “With all this focus on Japan, I suppose we are a little worried that the thousands of visitors who fly in from all corners of the globe to enjoy our Festival might be tempted to go there instead.

“But while Japan may have been able to produce some decent drams, it doesn’t have the history and heritage of Scotch whisky. We’ve been producing the best whisky in the world for generations – no beef about it – and while they have learned how to make whisky from us, we’re now learning from their farming techniques.”

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

Picture captions:

One of the Aberdeen Angus herd cannot wait to get his daily dram from Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival director Ann Miller.

Fiddler Lorna Edward has been entertaining the cattle at Ure Gullybale, which have also been enjoying a daily dram. Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival director Ann Miller suggests other Speyside farmers try out the newly discovered farming techniques.

WORLD’S FIRST WHISKY SNIFFER DOG APPOINTED 

New breed of nosing expert joins whisky club as ‘Master Sniffer’   

It may sound barking mad, but the world’s first whisky sniffer dog has been appointed by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

A dog’s sense of smell is 50 times more sensitive than humans, so Golden Retriever Chaucer has joined the whisky club’s prestigious Tasting Panel in Edinburgh to help sniff out the finest whiskies for bottling.

The first whisky to be unleashed by Master Sniffer, Chaucer, is a pedigree single malt called ‘Barking Mad’, Cask D1.1. With notes of “malty biscuits” and “smoky meat”, ‘Barking Mad’ is available from 1^st April in limited quantities.

www.smws.com/barkingmad (website goes live at 00.01 on 1st April)

Twitter: @SMWSUK #barkingmad

Photography: Greg Macvean

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

Cask 27 gives up its secrets: bottle number one from Speyside Distillery first distillation auctioned off

The first bottle in a limited edition release of the first distillation from Speyside Distillery has fetched £650 at auction. Bottle number 1 from Cask 27 – the final cask to be filled from the first distillate in December 1990 – was bought by a bidder at the auction room.

The bottle went under the hammer at McTear’s Auctioneers and was bought by whisky enthusiast James Robertson, owner of the Kempock Bar in Gourock, near Glasgow.

Only 249 bottles from Cask 27 now remain. A further 25 of these will be auctioned by McTear’s in a 10-day online auction starting on Friday (March 25, 2016) and the remainder will be sold through a network of hand-selected distributors worldwide.

Demand for the rare bottles is expected to be high, particularly in Greater China where the SPEY brand is a household name. There have also been enquiries from Scotch whisky enthusiasts from all over Europe who are eager not to miss out on the opportunity to buy a unique piece of the distillery’s history.

Speyside Distillery chief executive officer John Harvey McDonough says. “It was a very emotional experience for myself and our managing director, Patricia Dillon to watch the bidding take place, knowing that we were sharing a very special piece of our history with the world.

“We are delighted that this historic bottle has found a home, and that it is about to start a new chapter in its life. Whether it has been bought to be enjoyed or to take pride of place on a collection shelf, I am sure the owner will enjoy it.”

McTear’s whisky specialist, Stephen McGinty, adds, “Over the years McTear’s has auctioned some of the world’s most exclusive whiskies and there is no doubt the first distillation from Speyside Distillery fits very firmly in this category.

“Not surprisingly, given the significance of the bottle, there was huge interest in the lot, with collectors at home and overseas ensuring there was lively bidding on the day.   This is a magnificent whisky and we are delighted that it has achieved such a good price at auction.”

Speyside Distillery is located in the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands and is home to the SPEY brand of single malt Scotch whisky.

The distillery was founded in 1990 by local businessman George Christie on the site of a former grain mill. It took him 30 years to achieve his dream of building a distillery, with the renovation work being undertaken completely by hand over a 30-year period.

Bottles at 55.1% cask strength from American oak casks, Cask 27 is natural colour and non-chill filtered. It is light golden in colour, with a refreshing, delicate aroma of fruits with hints of vanilla and honey. The taste is of subtle vanilla, with a smooth crème brulee flavor. Cask 27 has a mild, fresh citrus fruit finish.

The whisky is presented in a humidor box with hand written label, numbered bottle and is also wax stamped with the wording – 1990 year of 1^st distillation. It is completed with a certificate of authenticity signed by the CEO.  The RRP will be set following the 10 day auction.

For further information about sales of Cask 27, contact Karenann Lyon at Speyside Distillers Co Ltd on 0141 647 4464 or Karenann@speysidedistillers.co.uk More information about Speyside Distillery is available at www.speysidedistillery.co.uk. Follow the distillery on Twitter @SpeySingleMalt and on Facebook at facebook.com/speysidedistillery

Picture caption above – Speyside Distillery CEO John Harvey McDonough (left) presents successful bidder James Robertson with bottle number one from Cask 27.

Inspired by Jura

We’re always on the lookout for likeminded people with a passion for their craft to share our story with, and so we’ve partnered with Trakke, an independent Glasgow based designer with their own story to tell. We took them on a journey to Jura to seek out inspiration to create a bag inspired by our whisky and its island home.

Makers of bags and kit for everyday adventurers, Alec Farmer and his team at Trakke are as at home exploring the city, as they are the wilderness. And, much like a single malt whisky, their bags are designed to get better with age. So they had one thing in common with our whisky…but how else could Jura’s unique island character inspire a bag?

On our rugged West coast, the corner of the island which inspires our smokier drams such as Prophecy, Trakke were taken by a coloured dye produced by one of the island’s natural lichen; similar in hue to the colour of Jura Whisky. This would become the colour guide for the bag’s smoky waxed cotton.

Next Trakke ventured to the sweet side of Jura, akin to the sweeter taste of Diurachs’ Own. Over on the East coast, where the distillery is located by calm, sandy bays and palm trees, the team found the tall, copper stills which give our whisky its light and delicate spirit. These are proudly represented on the bag with copper rivets.

The bag is peppered with unexpected finishing touches, all nodding to its Jura heritage; the deer hide zip pullers to name just one, represent the island’s 5,000 strong population of roaming, wild deer, vastly outnumbering its 200 odd people.

That’s not all. Taking on the shape of a barley sack, the final touch is the bag’s 20 litre volume – the approximate amount of ‘Angel’s Share’ lost from a cask of Jura each year.

Whether commuting to work or out exploring the world, the highly functional bag is ready for all eventualities; waterproof, with side pockets that can be reached while you’re wearing it and a secure roll top closure.

The finished product tells the story of discovering the different sides of Jura in a way like no other. With each bag handcrafted in Trakke’s studio, just 130 bags are available worldwide, all individually numbered.

Will you be one of the few to get one for your own adventure?

Willie Cochrane, Jura Distillery Manager

The Jura x Trakke bag is now available to buy from www.trakke.co.uk or at the Jura Distillery, £180.

Read more about Trakke’s journey to Jura here.
#JuraXTrakke

Our selection of the best new whiskies from The Whisky Exchange, including two major releases from Laphroaig and Lagavulin

LAGAVULIN 8 YEAR OLD 200TH ANNIVERSARY

£52.95

BUY NOW

Launched to commemorate Lagavulin’s 200th anniversary, this is a big, smoky whisky with delicious notes of sweet spice. Another top-class whisky from this ever-popular Islay distillery.

LORE

£77.95

BUY NOW

Lore is the latest whisky from Laphroaig – aged in a variety of casks, this is rich and classically peaty with a snap of chilli and a long, sweet finish.