The Whisky Festival is now 6 weeks away! 

We are so excited about the line up this year, it is packed with events to suit all levels of Whisky knowledge and all budgets. You can choose to do one event or all of them! Don’t miss the main ‘Gala Tasting’ on Saturday 29th at the Dornoch Castle Hotel. It will be an afternoon full of Whisky, Music and Food! Love Whisky? Love Dornoch Whisky Festival!

Below is some information about what is happening on each day. For the full program of events and to book, go to: www.dornochwhiskyfestival.com

Friday 28 October

The Whisky Festival begins with a fantastic evening jam packed with tastings and amazing menus throughout the town and in local distilleries.Book onto a tasting at Balblair Distillery hosted by whisky connoisseur Charles Maclean followed by showing of The Angel’s Share film. Head back to Dornoch and enjoy dinner at The Dalmore Masked Dinner at The Royal Golf Hotel, The Glenmorangie Gala dinner at Royal Dornoch Golf Club or Dinner at the Dornoch Castle Whisky Bar. There is live music at the Castle Bistro as well as the Dornoch Inn and Eagle Hotel! Time to get those dancing shoes on!

Saturday 29th October

The main event of this year’s Whisky Festival takes place today- The Gala Tasting in the Castle Hotel. Featuring local distillers; Balblair, Clynelish, The Dalmore, Glenmorangie, Glen Ord, Old Pulteney, Wolfburn & The Dornoch Distillery as well as Gordon & McPhail, Annandale and Douglas Laing. For just £25 per person you will be able to sample a range of Whiskies in the wonderful setting of the historic Castle Hotel. This event runs from 12 midday until 4pm. But this is by no means the only event taking place today! Our special guest Charles Maclean will be leading a ‘Taste of the Highlands‘ at the Carnegie Whisky Cellars who are also hosting an Independent Bottling  Master Class at The Carnegie Whisky Cellars, Tours of Glenmorangie and Dalmore, Dinner at Links House, a Ceilidh and BBQ at The Castle Hotel.

Sunday 30th October

The final day of the 2016 Dornoch Whisky Festival begins with the Whisky Festival Open Stableford Golf Competition. Taking place at the Royal Dornoch Golf Club with tee times available from 10:30am to 12 midday. There will be prizes for the best scores and each competitor will receive a Glenmorangie Miniature, and a Royal Dornoch bag tag and Course Planner. There will also be tours of Glen Ord, Teaninich (A chance to visit a unique distillery not normally open to the public) Balblair and Clynelish distilleries. You could visit the Eagle Hotel for a Tasting of Local Malts, the Castle Hotel for an ‘Old and Rare Balblair Bottle Tasting’ or go on a Guided Archaeological tour of Ferintosh, the site of an 18th century distillery. Food wise there will be a Whisky Themed 3 Course Sunday Lunch at Links House and a Sunday Carvery with Scottish theme at the One Up Restaurant at the Dornoch Inn. All events have restricted numbers, so book soon to secure your place! www.dornochwhiskyfestival.com Hope to see you there!

Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured

This Islay Single Malt is the first Kilchoman expression to be matured in Sauternes casks, imparting the textured white aged influence of the wood to the maritime peat notes of the liquid. Only 6,000 bottles of this limited edition whisky have been produced, spending over five years in casks from Chateau d’Yquem in Bordeaux.

Hailing from the first distillery to be built on Islay in 125 years, this limited edition single malt offers creamy butter notes on the nose with hints of peat. The palate is sweet and rounded with bitter chocolate, liquorice and peat smoke, while the finish is clean and sweet with a rich texture.

£73.50 Buy Now

Orders will be dispatched week beginning 19th September

Loch Fyne Whiskies tel: 0141 427 2919

info@lochfynewhiskies.com

www.lochfynewhiskies.com

The Young Rebels Collection 2016 by Hidden Spirits ready from the end of September

From the end of September 2 new cheeky Single Cask Whiskies will be availabe under The Young Rebels Collection by Hidden Spirits – BE READY!

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Caol Ila 11 Year Old – 2004 / Cask Strength

Distilled 8th December 2004 and aged in refill sherry butts for 11 years. This Caol Ila single malt Scotch whisky from Islay was bottled in 2016 by Gordon & MacPhail for their Cask Strength series.

£57.24

anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky welcomes European exclusive, Stack to Peaty Collection 

Premium Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, anCnoc has announced a brand new regional exclusive will join its Peaty Collection at Whisky Live Paris on 24^th September – a full-bodied, long-lasting smoky expression named Stack.

With just 6,000 bottles being produced, anCnoc’s limited edition will be released exclusively in Western and Eastern Europe before becoming available in Scandinavia from 21^st October.

Stack joins sister expressions Peatlands, Tushkar, Rutter, Flaughter, Cutter and Rascan in the award winning range carrying the names of traditional peat cutting tools, referencing the heritage within whisky making and bringing it into the modern day. The term ‘stack’ refers to the last step in the gathering process, where the peat blocks are stored together to dry ahead of being burnt.

The liquid, which is pale gold in appearance, introduced by an initial smoky aroma, is gently pierced by accents of lemons and oranges.  This citrus sharpness, so typical of anCnoc, slowly gives way to the softer sweetness of honey and vanilla. Earthy peat smoke is overlaid with dark chocolate while green apples complement this with a fruity tang.

Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, the Knockdhu distillery is on the doorstep of a region rich in peat which is combined with the clear, spring water from nearby Knock Hill to create the distinctive base for all anCnoc’s peaty expressions. Matured for more than 10 years in American oak ex-bourbon barrels, Stack has a full-bodied smoky finish owing to its phenol content of 20 ppm.

anCnoc brand manager Stephanie Allison commented: “We’re excited for the release of Stack as it complements the existing collection perfectly. Whilst Peaty connoisseurs will revel in its smooth smoky notes, we would encourage all whisky connoisseurs looking for something different to explore this beautifully crafted expression.”  

Stack follows the distinctive anCnoc Peaty style, packaged in green glass reflecting the look and feel of Peaty whiskies whilst using contemporary label designs to depict the distillery and its surroundings.Stack joins the Peaty Collection at a price point of £52 for 70cl and will begin to appear on shelves from 24^th September 2016.

Notes

About anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is part of the Inver House Distillers portfolio, and is produced at Knockdhu Distillery – established in 1894 and one of the smallest and most enchanting in the Scottish Highlands. It is renowned the world over by malt enthusiasts for bringing a contemporary twist to the traditions of fine malt whisky, producing a single malt that is accessible and versatile for all occasions. Cutter has been ranked in the Liquid Gold category of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2016 with a score of 96.5 adding to anCnoc’s portfolio of award-winning expressions. Whiskies in this category are deemed by Jim Murray as “superstar whiskies that give us all a reason to live.”

About International Beverage 

International Beverage Holdings (www.interbevgroup.com) was established in 2005 as the international arm of ThaiBev, one of South East Asia’s leading alcohol beverage companies. With a network of regional offices in Asia, Europe and North America, the company is responsible for the production, sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of premium global brands in over 80 countries and territories.

Inver House Distillers (www.inverhouse.com) is globally integrated into International Beverage Holdings and drives the distillation and maturation of Scotch through its five distilleries.

International Beverage brands include:

• Chang Beer: Thailand’s iconic beer brand
• Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn
• Blended Whiskies: Hankey Bannister
• Mekhong: ‘The Spirit of Thailand’ since 1941
• Caorunn – a small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals
• The company’s success is built on the combination of a strong understanding of local cultures and markets with the creation of a truly global operational network.  Brand building pays respect to heritage, provenance and craftsmanship whilst delivering innovative and highly effective strategies at global level. A skilled and dedicated team of more than 12 nationalities speaking over 14 languages delivers the highest standards of customer service and attention to detail across all aspects of the business.

Event Title: Whisky Live 2016 

Event Description: South East Asia’s premier Whisk(e)y and Spirits show, Whisky Live Singapore 2016 will be taking it up a notch, with special guest appearance from two of the industry’s biggest names: prolific Whisky writer Dave Broom and master Mixologist Rogerio Igarashi Vaz. 

Celebrating its 10th Anniversary in Singapore, La Maison du Whisky will bottle the last two barrels of Karuizawa – Karuizawa 1965 Bourbon Cask and Karuizawa 1965 Sherry Cask – will be opened for the first time at Whisky live Singapore 2016. On this special occasion, Dave Broom will be hosting a comparative tasting of these two barrels for attendees at his exclusive masterclass. 

Making his debut in Singapore is master Mixologist Rogerio Igarashi Vaz, co-founder and chief bartender of Bar Tram and Bar Trench in Japan, which was chosen as one of the world’s 100 best bars in 2014 by World’s 50 best bar & World’s Best Bars. Trench will be recreated in Singapore exclusively at Whisky Live Singapore 2016, where Rogerio will be on hand to give guests an unforgettable experience. Original and exclusive creations showcasing the latest cocktail trends from Japan will be made available at the event as well. 

Pricing:  

One-Day Pass

Access to 12 November (Saturday) or 13 November (Sunday)

2 Portions of food

1 Cocktail per bar in the pop-up bar

Early Bird (Until 19 September) :$79

Regular Price: $99 

VIP One-Day Pass

Access to 12 November (Saturday) or 13 November (Sunday) Express access to event Access to Collector Room Access to VIP Tasting Room

1 Cocktail from Trench VIP guest bar

2 Portions of food

1 Cocktail per bar in the pop-up bar

Early Bird (Until 19 September):$149*

Regular Price:$169

VIP Two-Day Pass

Access to 12 November (Saturday) and 13 November (Sunday) Express access to event Access to Collector Room Access to VIP Tasting Room

1 Cocktail from Trench VIP guest bar

2 Portions of food

1 Cocktail per bar in the pop-up bar

Early Bird (Until 19 September): $239**

Regular Price: $259 

*Limited to 75 passes

**Limited to 100 passes

Add-Ons

Attendance to Masterclasses: $35 per class Attendance to Dave Broom Masterclass (Inclusive of 2 drams of 1965 Karuizawa): $588 per class

This superb richly sherried single malt is matured for at least 12 years in a combination of the finest spanish pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. In 1826 the exuberant and extroverted James Allardice founded the distillery and produced his ‘Guid GlenDronach’ single malt. Down the years, the distillery he created has thrived under the stewardship of far-sighted investors like Walter Scott in 1847 and Captain Charles Grant in 1920. In more recent times, GlenDronach was bought in 1960 by William Teacher & Sons.

Discount Price: 

£30.00 incl. VAT

Shop Now

Single Malts Ltd 36 Gordon Street | Huntly | Aberdeenshire | AB54 8EQ | Scotland UK

+44 (0) 845 606 6145 | info@thespiritsembassy.com

Macallan 2007 – Speymalt

A 2007 vintage Macallan bottled by Gordon & MacPhail for their excellent Speymalt series of malts. Bottled in 2016 at 43%, not only is the whisky usually bottled at high quality but it’s priced extremely well also

£34.20

The Sazerac Company acquires The Last Drop Distillers

Sept 6, 2016: The world’s most exclusive spirits brand, The Last Drop Distillers Limited, is today announcing its acquisition by Sazerac – one of the world’s top selling global spirits brands, and one of New Orleans’ oldest family-owned, privately-held companies.

The investment that will be injected into the craft spirits brand through the acquisition will accelerate its ambitious growth plans whilst also allowing the existing Last Drop Distillers team to continue to run the business autonomously, with the small, personal operation remaining intact.

The Sazerac Company portfolio includes a range of global spirits brands: this acquisition will allow the company to extend its portfolio into the super-premium, craft market as well as expand its European footprint.

The Last Drop Distillers is a family-run company dedicated to discovering and bottling some of the most exclusive spirits in the world. Spirits pioneers James Espey and Tom Jago founded the company in 2008 after long and successful careers in the industry. Between them they created some of the world’s best-loved spirits brands, including Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Chivas Regal 18 Year Old, The Classic Malts, and, with Malibu and Baileys Irish Cream, two of the most original and successful new drinks categories in the world. Today, the company is run by their two daughters, Beanie Espey and Rebecca Jago.

The Last Drop Distillers story is now at an important stage. Having established its brand and business model, the company is looking towards accelerated growth as global demand for luxury goods continues to rise. This was recently acknowledged by the appointment of the former CEO of Morrison Bowmore Distillers, Mike Keiller, as a Board Director.

Mark Brown, president and CEO of The Sazerac Company said: “We are very excited to be partnering with such industry legends as Tom and James.  Equally, we are looking forward to working alongside their daughters Rebecca and Beanie as well as the rest of The Last Drop Distillers team in bringing some of the rarest spirits available to the global consumer market.  As a family owned company we fully appreciate the value of a small, engaged and passionate team in a venture such as The Last Drop Distillers and look forward to continuing the excellent progress the business has made since its inception.”

James Espey, Co-Founder and Chairman of The Last Drop Distillers said: “This acquisition marks the next stage of The Last Drop Distillers story that will see us take the brand into the next phase, while retaining and building on our core values of exclusivity, craft and excellence. The existing team of passionate and experienced spirits pioneers will continue to steer the direction of the brand, while the investment allows us to grow our international footprint and broaden our opportunities to search for the rarest spirits in the world.”

NOTES  

About The Last Drop Distillers Limited

The Last Drop Distillers Limited specializes in discovering and hand-bottling the finest, rarest and most exclusive spirits from remote cellars and warehouses across Scotland, and the rest of the world. The team’s quest is rigorous and painstaking, choosing only liquids that are old and rare, but fresh and delicious, a juxtaposition that makes The Last Drop collection truly unique.

The Last Drop collection currently includes:

• Release VI The Last Drop 50 Year Old Double Matured Whisky
• Release V The Last Drop 1967 Glen Garioch Single Malt
• Release IV The Last Drop 48 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky
• Release III The Last Drop 50 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky
• Release II The Last Drop 1950 Cognac
• Release I The Last Drop 1960 Blended Scotch Whisky.