New Visitors Center Hours and Upcoming Events:

As of March 1st, we have been staying open until 6PM for those of you who can’t stop by earlier in the day. We’re open daily from 11AM to 6PM, except on Sundays when we open at 1PM.  On Friday, April 1st, we will launch “First Fridays”, where we will stay open until 8PM on the first Friday of every month. Be one of the first to experience our new monthly cocktail menu! As some of you know, we change our cocktail sampling menu every month, going by the season based on what is locally available. Stay tuned as we post more information on our special kick-off to First Fridays. Join us this Saturday, March 12th, for a special St. Patrick’s Day celebration featuring some good ‘ole Luck of the Irish at the Visitors Center from 11AM – 6PM. We’ll have Sweethaus Bakery’s mini Grasshopper Mint cupcakes on hand (they taste just like a Thin Mint) and the first 100 guests wearing their St. Patty’s Day green will get a free cupcake! Singer, songwriter Matthew McAllister will be performing (1-4 PM) and South Fork Food Truck will also be on site (11-5 PM) offering up a special St. Patty’s Day tasty surprise in addition to their regular menu of delicious Southern-style cooking. We’ll have our famous cocktail, The White Winter, all decked out with green shamrock sprinkles for extra festive spirit. Sláinte!

We’ve partnered with Poplar Forest on March 25th and March 26th for a series of tours involving beverages and spirits served during Thomas Jefferson’s time. These tours are at Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s summer home. Explore early-19th-century Americans’ beverages of choice on a guided tour that begins in Jefferson’s kitchen and progresses through the house, with stops along the way to sample different beverages and share insights into the types of foods enjoyed on the plantation. Following the tour, our team will provide a whisky tasting and whisky primer.

The Poplar Forest tours are available Friday, March 25 and Saturday, March 26 at 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. each night. Admission is $25 per person and tickets can be purchased by visiting here or by calling the Museum Shop at 434.534.8120. Visitors under the age of 21 are welcome; non-alcoholic beverages will be available on the tour. Visitors 21 and over must present valid ID.   We’re working on creating lots of fun events for 2016. Follow our events page for the most up-to-date information.

The Virginia Whisky Experience — Tours!

After many months of planning, we’re getting closer to the launch of our full tour program, The Virginia Whisky Experience. Included in the tour will be a museum and video experience, along with a walking tour of the production distillery, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at whisky-making in action. The tour will conclude with a tasting in our cask warehouse, allowing guests to see and smell our whisky as it ages. Of course, a cocktail sampling will also be part of the experience! We’ll keep you posted as we’ll soon announce the first day of tours along with all of the fun festivities surrounding it.

More Whisky in the Works:

We’re working on releasing a special limited series of our whisky later this spring. It’s still in the works, so we can’t say much for now, but be sure to follow us on our social channels– Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and keep an eye out for our newsletter to be the first to know!

This week Joe Ellis reviews the Highland Park 18 Year Old Single Malt.

https://youtu.be/RDCXuYk5sVo

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

LAGAVULIN™ DISTILLERY MARKS 200 YEARS WITH A SPECIAL CASK FOR ISLAY 

Lagavulin Distillery launched a year of celebrations to mark its 200th anniversary yesterday (Friday 11th March) with the iconic Scotch whisky island of Islay at its heart.

Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive of Diageo, the leading premium drinks business which owns the Lagavulin Distillery, visited Islay to officially announce the 200th Anniversary year and joined distillery staff in selecting a rare cask of Lagavulin to be used to raise funds for community benefit.

Mr Menezes also launched a major social media campaign to encourage people from around the world to visit Islay and Lagavulin Distillery during the anniversary celebrations which will run throughout 2016.

At Lagavulin yesterday Mr Menezes was guided through the cask selection by Distillery Manager Georgie Crawford and legendary Lagavulin warehouseman Iain McArthur, who has worked for Diageo for 45 years.

Mr Menezes said: “We’re very proud indeed of our people and our operations on Islay and it is a great pleasure for me to be here to mark the 200th anniversary of Lagavulin.

“The distillery is part of the fabric of the beautiful whisky island of Islay and so much of what we do here is linked to the community. So, I am delighted that, as we celebrate globally, we will also recognise the local contribution and what better way than to dedicate a special, rare cask of Lagavulin to raise money to benefit Islay.”

Islay plays a crucial role in the whisky industry with its eight working distilleries and iconic brands such as Lagavulin, adding the distinctive peaty character to the unrivalled range of tastes, textures and flavours which have made Scotch the world’s favourite whisky.

Georgie Crawford said: “It’s an enormous source of pride to be the manager of Lagavulin at any time, but to lead the distillery through its 200th year is a great privilege. As someone who grew up on Islay, it is fantastic to be able to use the celebration of our history to benefit the community here. We look forward to welcoming many others who will make the pilgrimage to Lagavulin just as Ivan our CEO has in this special year.”

Iain McArthur, who started working at the Port Ellen Distillery in 1970 before moving to the Lagavulin Distillery in 1983, said: “Of course, every cask of Lagavulin is special, but the one we have picked today with Ivan is very rare. It was filled in 1991 so it has spent 25 years gently maturing in our warehouses here on Islay. It’s fitting that the money raised by such a special cask and such amazing whisky will be used directly here on Islay.”

Further details of the plan for the special cask will be revealed later in 2016 as part of the programme of celebrations for Lagavulin Distillery’s 200^th anniversary.

The anniversary will see a series of events at the distillery which will be accompanied by the social media campaign to encourage as many people as possible to visit Lagavulin Distillery and to leave their own stories and messages to mark the anniversary. While on the island Mr Menezes launched that campaign and visitors to the distillery will be able to record their own messages using a specially installed social media booth.

Earlier this month a new Lagavulin 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky limited edition was announced in honour of Alfred Barnard, the famous Victorian whisky writer who sampled an 8 Year Old Lagavulin during a visit to Islay in the 1880’s, describing it as “exceptionally fine”.

Notes

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. These brands include 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 a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO).  For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at 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.

About Diageo in Scotland 

• Scotland is one of Diageo’s largest spirit supply centres responsible for producing nearly 50 million cases of leading brands of Scotch whisky and white spirits and over four million cases of Ready To Drink brands annually.
• Around 85% of Diageo’s production in Scotland is sold overseas.
• Diageo in Scotland currently employs around 4,000 people.
• Diageo currently operates 28 malt distilleries and one grain distillery and has a 50 per cent share in a further grain distillery. As well as engineering and technical support functions, there are extensive warehousing and packaging operations in Scotland and the company’s Scottish headquarters are in Edinburgh.Visit malts.com for further information.

The LAGAVULIN word and associated logos are trade marks. © 2016

AUCTION NOW LIVE

Place your bids! 

Whisky Hammer is delighted to announce the launch of its inaugural auction which is now live with a selection of whiskies in over 200 Lots.

See the auction now at

www.whiskyhammer.co.uk

MALTSTOCK PROMO TOUR

Spring is coming and, while the birds start singing, the whisky festival season is in full bloom! Maltstock will be attending several festivals the in the next couple of weeks. Next weekend we will be greeting our Belgium friends. Meet Marco and Teun at the International Whisky Festival Gent 12-13 Mar. 2016

The rest of our Agenda (Maltstock visiting other festivals):

Whisky Festival Noord Nederland 18-20 Mar. 2016
Whisky Weekend Twente 9 Apr. 2016
Whisky in Leiden 16 Apr. 2016
Limburg Whisky Messe 23-24 Apr. 2016
Speyside Whisky Festival 28 Apr. – 2 May 2016

INVERHOUSE CONFIRMED

Inver House distillers will be present at Maltstock 2016. This company is the proprietor of:

Pulteney Distillery | Balblair Distillery | Knockdhu Distillery | Speyburn Distillery | Balmenach Distillery

Lukasz Dynowiak will be at Maltstock and hosting a tasting. To secure your chance to see him at Maltstock be sure to buy your ticket in time!

CABIN ‘REFURB’ SUCCESFULL

As some of you will have noticed on Facebook, the Cabins at the Maltstock venue haven been torn down and completely rebuild. They now stand high on poles helping the inhabitants to keep warm. To charge your phones and dry your hair they’ve also been fitted with 240V wall outlets. There will be no extra charge for these brand new Cabins. Although, if you haven’t booked one for this year’s edition of Maltstock you will have to wait ’till next year because the Cabins are unfortunately sold out.

But… not to worry, the normal tickets are still available for Maltstock 2016!
You can still buy your tickets for Maltstock 2016 at:
https://www.maltstock.com/#shop

MALTSTOCK 2015 FILMLET

On Facebook we have published a short film featuring pictures and sounds of Maltstock 2015. For those of you who are not on Facebook… here it is: The next couple of months we will be updating our internet site and Facebook page constantly with new information and pictures of Maltstocks past.

Bruichladdich Octomore 7.4 Virgin Oak

Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

 $173.36

Bruichladdich Octomore 7.4 Virgin Oak Islay single malt Scotch whisky. Matured in premium French oak and American oak casks. Distilled using Scottish mainland barley with a peating level of 167ppm. Bottled January 2016. Limited release of 12,000 bottles. Bruichladdich Distillery was established in 1881 on the Rhinns peninsular on the island of Islay close by the sandy bays of Loch Indaal. Re-opened in 2001 with much of the original Victorian equipment restored to working order. The first release of Bruichladdich’s new whisky was the highly acclaimed PC5, the first release in the limited Port Charlotte range. Also producing very highly peated Octamore, Organic using Islay grown barley, and triple and quadruple distilled single malts. The Bruichladdich distillery visitor centre offers distillery tours including the bottling hall and the distillery participates in Feis Ile, the annual Islay Whisky Festival.

www.ralfy.com revisits an auld acquaintance with Whisky Review 574 – Bunnahabhain 12yo re-reviewed 2016

INTRODUCING HIGHLAND PARK ICE EDITION 17 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY  

‘celebrating Norse myths, legends and our Viking roots’ 

Highland Park, the award-winning single malt whisky distributed by Maxxium UK, is proud to announce the launch of their ICE EDITION.

This stunning expression celebrates the Viking roots of the brand’s Orkney Island home, where the Norse influence and culture were woven for hundreds of years before Highland Park single malt whisky was created.

Naturally vivid and radiant in colour with a 53.9% ABV, this special edition has been aged predominantly in ex-bourbon casks and is limited globally to only 30,000 bottles.

Jason R. Craig, Brand Director, Highland Park, commented: “This 17 year old single malt has a classic Highland Park flavour. The dynamic soft spicy notes complement and intertwine with creamy vanilla hues, providing a balanced, long finish – a truly harmonious whisky to savour.

 “In blue tinted bespoke glass reflecting dazzling and glittering ice, the bottle shape has been designed to evoke the distinctive sharpness and coolness of the mythical and magical Ice Realm.”

This new edition is encased in a stunning mountain shaped wooden cradle with accompanying wooden stopper. The intricate circle design on the label itself represents the circle of life – the creation of the world, protected by a dragon, a mythical creature often central in classic Norse mythology. A booklet accompanying this new variant, recounts the story of the realm of the Ice Giants and their wonderfully colourful battle against the Gods to rule the world.

ICE Edition will be followed by FIRE Edition in 2017 and follows on from the recent Valhalla Collection which championed the stories of four legendary Gods: Thor, Loki, Freya and Odin who were to be found in Asgard.

Highland Park ICE Edition is available from specialist whisky retailers including Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt for an RRP of £190.

NOTES:  

Tasting Notes: Highland Park ICE / 53.9% / 17 year old

Colour: Naturally radiant and vivid in colour; glacial, mirror-like brightness

Nose: Resplendent aromas of cool, fresh pineapple and ripe mango sorbet come to life in this celebration of glacial character. Silvery shards of smoke give way to the frosty kick of root ginger.

Palate: Like the Ice Giants themselves, the palate is powerful yet mellifluous. In true Highland Park style the combination of an argent, misty peat smoke is intertwined with pearly iridescent vanilla seeds and overtones of molten orris root.

Finish: Beautifully balanced, the creamy, rich, oily finish snowballs into long lingering woodiness and dry, feverish spices, providing a scintillating and harmonious whisky to savour.

ABOUT HIGHLAND PARK

Established in 1798 on Orkney, Highland Park is one of the most remote Scotch whisky distilleries in the world. For over 200 years, the distillery has combined time old tradition and the very best craftsmanship to achieve perfection. Its range of 12, Dark Origins, 15, 18, 21, 25, 30 and 40 year old single malts is consistently acclaimed by connoisseurs and experts.  Highland Park has won a string of prestigious awards across its portfolio, most recently Highland Park 25 year old was awarded the first ever 100-point score at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and named Best Spirit in the World’* by Paul Pacult. 

www.highlandpark.co.uk

Elements of Islay – the peat generation

Our fortnightly London tastings follow a theme, often a single type of spirit or a range of products from one brand. Sometimes it coincides with the launch of a new product, as was the case for our recent Elements of Islay tasting with occasional blog contributor Oliver Chilton, where we were treated to the first public outing of the brand’s new blended malt: Peat.

Elements of Islay was launched in 2008 by our sister company Speciality Drinks. Selected by Oliver, for the past eight years, the Elements range has been a series of cask-strength single malts from Islay distilleries, each approved by a signature from an influential character in the whisky world. This changed last month with the release of Peat, a blended malt from across the island bottled at 59.3%. Even though its drinkablity and moreishness defies the strength, there’s good news for those who don’t like cask-strength whiskies – Oliver told us a 46% version will be appearing later in the year.

While the reason for the tasting was Peat (which you can read more about in Billy’s post), there were seven other bottlings to try on the night – some current and some dearly departed.

We tasted eight whiskies from the Elements of Islay range, including the new Peat

We tasted

Br6 – distilled in 1992; clean, sweet and grassy Bw5 – a vatting of two vintages, the youngest of which was 1996; complex, fruity and floral Lp6 – distilled in 1998 and finished in first-fill ex-Buffalo Trace barrels for a decade; sweet peat, coconut and vanilla Peat – blended malt with the youngest component aged for seven years; meaty with a maritime character Bn6 – 2001 vintage whisky aged in a sherry butt; waxy texture with peach, butterscotch and ginger flavours Lg5 – bottled in its teenage years; smoked meat and tropical fruit Ar4 – distilled in 2000; big, bold and smoky with bourbon-cask sweetness Oc2 – peated to around 160ppm; balanced by sweetness from ex-Spanish wine American oak

Best #TWETASTING Tweet

Billy Abbott @cowfish It’s so good, I put my name on it! [Bn6]

Whisky of the night

Peat showed exceptionally well on the night – the combination of smoky meat (bacon) and coastal character (brine and sea spray) is very well integrated with sweet fruit, the latter becoming more apparent with water. However for me, the star of the night was one of last year’s releases: Lp6.

Lp6, 51.3%

The Marmite of Scotch whisky, Lp bottlings are known for being big, bold and medicinal. Lp6 was finished in first-fill bourbon barrels.

Nose: Surprisingly restrained for an Lp; needs time for the notes of iodine, brine and black pepper to come through.

Palate: As with the nose, there’s an elegance to this sixth release. The peaty character is very much in evidence, but there’s a hint of vanilla in the background. Water brings this out, as well as pineapple and mango.

Finish: Long and dry, with underlying vanilla spice.

Comment: A versatile dram – if you’re after a big savoury whisky, this is the one for you. On the other hand, if you like more fruit to balance the smoke, then adding water does the trick. Depending on my mood (and the British weather), I’d be happy with either!

Oliver chose eight whiskies to show off the variety of the range, from unpeated Br6 all the way to the super-heavily-peated Oc2. Every bottling was chosen by a guest as their whisky of the evening, and with the aforementioned 46% version of Peat on the way, the series offers something for every Islay-whisky fan.

The Irishman Whiskey Celebrates St Patrick’s Day with The Cold Irishman Serve 

With only three days until St Patrick’s Day, UK distributor Emporia Brands have put together a series of events and promotions involving its award-winning The Irishman Whiskey of Walsh Whiskey Distillers.

Twisting the whiskey cold brew recipe that’s famous in New Orleans, The Irishman expressions are used and will be available at NOLA in London and Pinch in Liverpool, offering a County Carlow slant in your celebrations. Pinch will also be presenting a special The Irishman cocktail menu, with an on-site sampling session being held in the evening for its customers.

NOLA, The Luggage Room, The German Gymnasium, 100 Wardour Street, Skylon and The Porterhouse, all in London, also serve up The Irishman 12-year-old single malt, one that is matured entirely in first fill flame-charred bourbon barrels. Other venues

The Irishman Single Malt is one of only a handful of Irish triple-distilled single malts available. Aged in bourbon and sherry casks, it can be enjoyed on St Patrick’s Day at Waxy O’Connor’s, whilst the original and signature blend created by founder Bernard Walsh, the Founders Reserve, is available at Time and Place in Manchester, Popolo in Newcastle and The Luggage Room & Portobello Gold (both in London).

To enjoy at home, you can pick up a bottle of The Irishman Founders Reserve at The Vintage House in London or Latitude in Leeds, whilst Hedonism Wines in London offer to you The Irishman 12-year-old and the Cask Strength, an expression where each year Bernard Walsh personally selects a handful of exceptional casks to make the benchmark super-premium cask strength whiskey. It is available in strictly limited quantities with on average 2000 bottles produced each year, each one uniquely numbered and signed.

With Royal Oak, the site of the new Walsh Whiskey Distillery in County Carlow, opening its doors in June, this year’s St Patrick’s Day marks the first celebration of 2016. Raise a dram of The Irishman and keep an eye on our future celebratory events coming to you across the UK.

About Emporia Brands:

Emporia Brands is a spirits importer, exporter and innovator which is relentless in seeking, around the world, distillers who respect artisan traditions of quality.

For more information on The Irishman and Walsh Whiskey, please visit www.walshwhiskey.com or www.emporiabrands.com

Follow The Irishman on Twitter @WalshWhiskey and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheIrishmanWhiskey

Follow Emporia Brands on Twitter @EmporiaBrandsUK, Facebook at www.facebook.com/EmporiaBrands and Instagram at www.instagram.com/emporiabrands